The Squad List (2024/25 Edition)

[adje]

This isn't really on topic but something that's been bothering me all season is Will Wright taking the free kicks from around the half way line.  I can accept he takes a good corner and delivers a good free kick from the wide areas but I refuse to believe we're better suited having him, what is essentially, lump it towards the box when he could be one of the targets.  Surely a Freckleton or a Clark for example could do the same job?

To be honest Tom, I think his corners are pretty shit too. Rarely gets past the first defender

[No Longer Posh Red]

To be honest Tom, I think his corners are pretty shit too. Rarely gets past the first defender

Which makes you wonder just how bad the rest are at taking corners 😲

[DV]

His set pieces feel a bit Andy Gurney at times.

Score an absolute belter or two - then take all the set pieces for ever with a fair poor good : bad ratio.

[Bob's Orange]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14699297/Arsenal-Chelsea-EFL-wonderkid-England.html

[Batch]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14699297/Arsenal-Chelsea-EFL-wonderkid-England.html

Thanks Bob . I'm ashamed to say I hadn't heard of him.

 I'd rather he became a Swindon town legend, but that's a thing of the past so good luck to him when he goes.

[Nemo]

Jamie Russell getting a specific call out there suggests he might be the source, doesn't it!

[iParadise]

Jamie Russell getting a specific call out there suggests he might be the source, doesn't it!

Odd little shoutout there

[UTR]

Not had a chance to read back yet about the retained list.

Hope Ripley and Ofoborh sign, the rest I’m less fussed about. Wouldn’t be upset to see them stay around but not going to be devastated if they don’t.

Think we all expect Ameen is off elsewhere. Don’t think there’s much point loaning him back here if he does though, similar to Harley Hunt. The sort of players that you’d bed in and play if they’re your own players but when moving up to a top 2 division academy on long contracts, will likely benefit from staying around their academy setup for the first 6 months or so.

Bit weird doing 3rd year youth deals for the academy players rather than pro deals. Imagine it comes down to maximising budget and seeing the high amount of youth players that leave after 1 year but feels a bit weird that we’re losing Ameen for relatively little and aren’t protecting ourselves with these players by getting them onto pro deals. Although I’m not completely sure how these 3rd year youth deals work so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong but if one of these hits the ground running then it’s not as easy as going “okay here’s your pro deal”, their agents will have them off out of here. Unless they have something about that written in, who knows.

[No Longer Posh Red]

Not had a chance to read back yet about the retained list.

Hope Ripley and Ofoborh sign, the rest I’m less fussed about. Wouldn’t be upset to see them stay around but not going to be devastated if they don’t.

Think we all expect Ameen is off elsewhere. Don’t think there’s much point loaning him back here if he does though, similar to Harley Hunt. The sort of players that you’d bed in and play if they’re your own players but when moving up to a top 2 division academy on long contracts, will likely benefit from staying around their academy setup for the first 6 months or so.

Bit weird doing 3rd year youth deals for the academy players rather than pro deals. Imagine it comes down to maximising budget and seeing the high amount of youth players that leave after 1 year but feels a bit weird that we’re losing Ameen for relatively little and aren’t protecting ourselves with these players by getting them onto pro deals. Although I’m not completely sure how these 3rd year youth deals work so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong but if one of these hits the ground running then it’s not as easy as going “okay here’s your pro deal”, their agents will have them off out of here. Unless they have something about that written in, who knows.

I think they have offered Ameen a pro deal, but he hasn’t signed it.
I guess they can extend his youth contract without him having to agree, which means he can’t (in theory) just leave for next to nothing.

[Power to people]

I would assume as well if Ameen has been offered a pro deal when it comes to getting a fee for him the fee would be that bit higher as he has been in and around the 1st team and offered a pro deal.

If Harley Hunt is used as an example he went to M'Boro spent time around their 1st team setup and has been a regular in the 2nd string side, so you would assume the next step for him is to either get a loan move or get on the bench.

Its taking him time but attacking players are looked at better than defenders.

[Berniman]

I would assume as well if Ameen has been offered a pro deal when it comes to getting a fee for him the fee would be that bit higher as he has been in and around the 1st team and offered a pro deal.

If Harley Hunt is used as an example he went to M'Boro spent time around their 1st team setup and has been a regular in the 2nd string side, so you would assume the next step for him is to either get a loan move or get on the bench.

Its taking him time but attacking players are looked at better than defenders.

The Pro deal offer to him means that a fee is triggered, but due to him not being a product of our youth program until relatively recently, the fee ain't going to be anywhere near the ball park of Hunt.

[cheltred69]

The Pro deal offer to him means that a fee is triggered, but due to him not being a product of our youth program until relatively recently, the fee ain't going to be anywhere near the ball park of Hunt.

Surely that would be the case if he was out of contract and compensation payable according to the formula, but wouldn't market forces mean that competition to sign him might create a bidding war, which might mean we'd get more?

[Berniman]

Surely that would be the case if he was out of contract and compensation payable according to the formula, but wouldn't market forces mean that competition to sign him might create a bidding war, which might mean we'd get more?

I was referring to the tribunal fee - if we manage to generate a bidding war with clubs avoiding the need to go to tribunal then yes, you are right, we might get a bigger chunk - i personally just don't trust the club to do the smart thing to generate that outcome.  It's always felt to me that we were on the back foot with regards to maximising transfer fees, apart from (ironically) Power who maximised our tactics to the max to blow up the transfer fees and in the process pissed off half of the clubs in the EPL/EFL.

[Nemo]

Very interesting interview with Ollie Clarke in the Moonraker (continuing to be worth your sheckles) today in which he reveals he recovered from his repeated calf injuries after Holloway gave him some advice on shoe insoles.

Which reflects well on Holloway's experience and attention to detail but does rather raise the question as to whether our S&C team might have been expected to have caught that.

He's not mentioned by name, but Mark Kennedy also does not come out splendidly.

[Anonymous77]

McGregor new deal being announced.