So of course he’d: a) want to go there if financially viable b) would train there given his circumstances at Burnley and since his literal uncle owns the club Didn’t think it needed spelling out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
B is not irrelevant because he's training at Boro as far back as May, which you'd think even if by 1%, makes a deal with them more likely to happen. He lives in Boro, born in Teeside and his Uncle owns the bloody football club. If Burnley were receptive to it I don't think a loan deal would be impossible for Boro to finance. It seems Burnley want a lot of their original outlay on Gibson back so won't sell cheap, if us and Norwich don't stump up then again, there's a lot of factors making a move back home to Boro likely for him. What's so hard for you to understand? You're coming across a petulant child.
I think your last sentence is rather a trait of yours as I’m just debating your point. It’s well known Boro are in financial strife - it’s why they didn’t even bid for him in January. They simply can not afford him and the current situation isn’t going to have improved that. There are factors why he may want that move, that’s undeniable and I haven’t done so. But it is overridden by the financial factor which is unavoidable. Middlesbrough just last week made more staff redundant. They won’t be making a huge financial effort to sign him. That’s not say they won’t bid in the vague hope - but others will be able to easily gazump what they offer.
The only reason I can see why we haven't made a move is either: we are financially effed need to move on one of the other CB's Udinese rejects are deemed good enough
Expected to sign for Norwich on loan this weekend with a commitment to buy next summer. Another CB bites the dust.
Really disappointing that we weren't in for him. Still we managed to beat them to a Udinese reserve who struggled to get into a side in Serie B last season so they may have won this battle but I think we won the war - Gibson is just their consolation prize.
Maybe it is just me but I am not really sure I'd have been that keen on £8m for a 27 year old centre back who has barely played football in two years.
They’ve barely spent a penny for the last 2 years - I’m sure they will lose players but it won’t break them if they don’t.
Well if the rumours are to be believed, they are paying 70% of his wage (28k apparently) and £2m loan fee - they will be paying £8m for the option of a transfer. If they have a CB who is in a team that gets promoted, £8m will probably look cheap. Estimated Burnley would make £11m back if it all goes through. My thoughts? That’s a deal we could and should have done.
Norwich looking very strong this season, they know they'll probably lose Aarons, Buendia, Cantwell, Godfrey and Lewis, but they seem to know how to replace them. As it stands, I make them favourites for the title
Really? If they lose those players, that’s half their starting line-up from last season - more if Pukki also went. So far they have added Gibson, Hugill, some Polish guy, some Villarreal bit-part full-back, Oliver Skipp and Kieran Dowell. That makes them far weaker than last season and they were miles off it then. I’ve no doubt they will be around the top half of the table - but favourites?!
I just think that is a lot of money to gamble on a defender who has not played any football in two years and who has spent the overwhelming majority of his career in the championship. Grimes is reportedly available for a similar amount and was one of the best midfielders in the division and captains a potential promotion rival. Gibson looked good for Boro 3-4 years ago in an extremely negative defensive system, but Dawson and Cathcart have both had spells where you could say the same about them. Its easy to say £8m pays for itself if they are promoted, but if they arent promoted and he is bang average they have invested a lot on a player on fairly high wages with limited resale value.
But the rumour is that the £8m is optional now, not compulsory. Also, neither Cathcart or Dawson are left-footed and neither have strong leadership skills...and neither are ball playing CB’s. If we had to commit to £8m at the end of the loan, then I agree. But at some stage we are going to have to bite the bullet on the CB situation, we are just relentlessly papering over the cracks, giving existing CB’s another chance and chucking in Udinese reserves to supplement it.
I had seen there was an obligation, but it seems it is only on promotion so I guess that is better business. If we are playing a back 3 I think Masina would be a good option as the left sided centre back. He is far more suited to there than as a wing back. By all accounts the club think Wilmot has said characteristics - I think Deeney said somethign similar when we played Swansea as well- so maybe they think he will bring that, although it is a lot to ask of a young lad.
I’ve seen this mentioned about Masina before - but he was as mild as anything last season and was continually beaten by his man after lockdown, culminating in one of the worst 45 mins I’ve seen from a player in a yellow shirt at West Ham. If he didn’t have height, I don’t think anyone would find him capable of being a CB. Seems like a bit of a pipe-dream to me and yet another roll of a dice. Wilmot less so. I have high hopes for him. But he was in and out of the Swansea side last season and I still expect he will be behind the existing CB’s, at least initially. I just beg the club to finally sign a CB that unites the fan base to take notice and see they are finally recognising the issue. But I’ve got zero faith in them to do that. Maybe I’m being greedy - but I’ve called for it for season upon season. I don’t want any more schemes to convert players. I don’t want anymore Udinese cast-offs. And I don’t really want Cathcart or Kabasele to be pencilled in as first-team players who play 30+ games again.
He's so dopey and his distribution makes my eyes bleed. He's very committed and all that but has no idea where his man is most of the time. Also makes so many rash challenges where he gets away with a yellow near the touchline but would probably be reds if the guy was bearing through on goal. For a defender schooled in Italy, he's the least Italian defender you could find! Still, would rather have him than Navarro, who I've seen people saying is a good option as he can play centre back or right back. At least Masina actually plays some football.
Please don't misunderstand me - I would love for us to go out and sign a quality CB. I just think Gibson represents a marginal improvement on what we already have. The overwhelming evidence suggests that Pozzos just do not give a **** about centre backs and do not see them as an important position. It has been our weakest position for most of the last 5 years and has arguably got worse rather than better over that time. You may be right re Masina. Maybe it is more wishful thinking that we can repurpose him as I think he will be woeful as a wing back. I don't think Cathcart is so bad that he isn't even Championship quality. There are flaws to his game for sure, but he has had some decent spells for us. I think he just needs a proper leader next to him - which as you say, we lack. Kabasele terrifies me - we could be 3-0 up and as long as he is on the pitch I do not feel comfortable. He may have the athleticisim to be a decent centre back but his decision making is woeful.
They've bought in all the areas they looked like losing players in apart from right-back, and that's not taking into account they may keep players too. The players they have brought in look good (don't know much about the Polish guy), maybe not Premier League level yet, but definitely good Championship level. They look more or less ready for the season, which is more than can be said for a lot of teams
In fairness they were virtually relegated before lock down and were probably able to start preparing much earlier than us as we did not know which league we would be playing in going into the last game of the season. Plus they did not really have a premier league squad on premier league wages they literally just come up with a championship squad never spent anything and accepted that they would be relegated, we were in the Premier League for five years and it was never our plan to be relegated therefore we have a completely different set of circumstances and decisions need more care and consideration.
Yet another player we miss out on. Let's face it, we won't be up there come the end of the season. The owners have lost interest in Watford. Greatest scouting network in the world lols Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
The 'scouting network' is very hit and miss as we all know, but us not signing a player who has barely played in a few years isn't really anything to be used against our scouting ability. Not fussed we missed out on this one as long as we sign another CB (excluding Sierralta)
