The Official Summer Transfer Window 2025/26 Season

[LinoJo3 5,748 13.5k]

3 minutes ago, ScarBoro said:

There’s some posters saying Edwards prefers 2 strikers. I don’t know, but that’s what I was basing it on.

He does seem to yea, but then that makes Whittaker and the clubs supposed ‘priority’ positions obsolete (2 up front in a 3 at the back). It’s a strange one for sure

[Bruce 3,086 2.4k]

1 minute ago, LinoJo3 said:

He does seem to yea, but then that makes Whittaker and the clubs supposed ‘priority’ positions obsolete (2 up front in a 3 at the back). It’s a strange one for sure

I think Whittaker would work just fine in a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1. 

As it stands we have a lot of attacking midfielders: McGree, Azaz, Whittaker, Burgzorg, Hamilton, Gilbert, & Silvera. We are short of bona-fide strikers. We have Conway, Coburn if we don't sell him and Forss if we don't sell him and he stays fit. Of the attacking midfielders, Whittaker is the one who could play as a second striker. 

Looking at his record, he likes a front three with a mix of styles. That probably means that out of our 25 squad we want 8 options for the front three: 6 potential starters and 2 as good cover options or providing something different off the bench.

Depending on whether McGree can be relied on the that probably looks something like

Azaz, Whittaker, McGree, Burgzorg, Hamilton?/Gilbert?/U21?

Conway, Coburn?, someone new (e.g. Strelec).

That gives a fair amount of flexibility but not much pace. Then again, if playing with wing-backs you're usually looking for them to provide pace and width. What you need at that point is at least one player up front who can retain the ball under pressure. Supposedly, the five key positions we're recruiting for include a strike and "wide forward" which pretty much works for 3-4-3/3-4-2-1 as well as Carrick's system. 

[LinoJo3 5,748 13.5k]

14 minutes ago, Bruce said:

I think Whittaker would work just fine in a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1. 

As it stands we have a lot of attacking midfielders: McGree, Azaz, Whittaker, Burgzorg, Hamilton, Gilbert, & Silvera. We are short of bona-fide strikers. We have Conway, Coburn if we don't sell him and Forss if we don't sell him and he stays fit. Of the attacking midfielders, Whittaker is the one who could play as a second striker. 

Looking at his record, he likes a front three with a mix of styles. That probably means that out of our 25 squad we want 8 options for the front three: 6 potential starters and 2 as good cover options or providing something different off the bench.

Depending on whether McGree can be relied on the that probably looks something like

Azaz, Whittaker, McGree, Burgzorg, Hamilton?/Gilbert?/U21?

Conway, Coburn?, someone new (e.g. Strelec).

That gives a fair amount of flexibility but not much pace. Then again, if playing with wing-backs you're usually looking for them to provide pace and width. What you need at that point is at least one player up front who can retain the ball under pressure. Supposedly, the five key positions we're recruiting for include a strike and "wide forward" which pretty much works for 3-4-3/3-4-2-1 as well as Carrick's system. 

I was specifically talking about 2 up front replying to the post before mine, I put it in the brackets.

[Marvanelli 1,218 888]

37 minutes ago, chickenlunch said:

But unlike you I have a foot in reality, and it's simply very likely that your good man Jonny is gonna be getting a new contract cos he's actually still a useful member of the squad

That's the issue though. He's not a useful member of the squad.

Any minutes Howson would get next season would mean we've failed in the transfer window again.

Even if we did have a huge injury crisis in CM, Howson still shouldn't be an option, because we should never have offered him a contract in the first place.

Next season, someone like Law McCabe should be ahead of Howson in the pecking order for minutes.

And I wouldn't be wanting McCabe to be any higher than our 4th best option as a CM.

Ideally we have Morris, Hackney (or very good replacement) plus 2 new CM signings for adequate cover, plus McCabe being an option if we needed him.

Regardless of what situation we are in this summer, Howson should not be getting signed.

[Hammy legend 1,259 1.4k]

I think he was at our academy. 

[Bruce 3,086 2.4k]

19 minutes ago, LinoJo3 said:

I was specifically talking about 2 up front replying to the post before mine, I put it in the brackets.

I don't think that Edwards specifically plays with 2 up front and, regardless, he will presumably tweak what he does to make the most of what he has available. That is, after all, the whole point of hiring a head coach who works within constraints.

As far as I can see, Edwards generally has a front three. That is usually a striker, second striker/attacking midfielder and an attacking midfielder. When he took over Luton he carried on the tradition of using Adebayo and Morris to monster defences but that was him adapting to fit the circumstances. With Watford, who probably had a squad that's closest to the one he inherits with us he did seem to be tinkering without finding what he wanted so that is concerning. 

For me, Whittaker plays as an attacking midfielder or second striker. As I see it, our current squad consists of

Strikers: Coburn

Second striker: Conway (Not sure he has what it takes to lead the line as a main striker), Forss (ditto plus a first aid kit)

Second striker/attacking midfielder: Whittaker, Burgzorg

Attacking midfielder: McGree, Azaz, Hamilton, Gilbert, Silvera

McGree and Azaz can both play left midfield in a 3-5-2 if we go down that route. Not sure about Whittaker in a 3-5-2.

Basically my point is that I don't think we need to change who we plan to recruit up front for Edwards. From what I can tell, Edwards is going to need a new central striker and may want to hang on to Coburn as a back-up. If McGree isn't capable of staying fit, we probably need a replacement. The one exception to this is, I reckon, someone like Dolan who would be a good wide forward in a 4-2-3-1 but I'm not sure he would be the best choice to replace a broken McGree.

[LinoJo3 5,748 13.5k]

1 minute ago, Bruce said:

I don't think that Edwards specifically plays with 2 up front and, regardless, he will presumably tweak what he does to make the most of what he has available. That is, after all, the whole point of hiring a head coach who works within constraints.

As far as I can see, Edwards generally has a front three. That is usually a striker, second striker/attacking midfielder and an attacking midfielder. When he took over Luton he carried on the tradition of using Adebayo and Morris to monster defences but that was him adapting to fit the circumstances. With Watford, who probably had a squad that's closest to the one he inherits with us he did seem to be tinkering without finding what he wanted so that is concerning. 

For me, Whittaker plays as an attacking midfielder or second striker. As I see it, our current squad consists of

Strikers: Coburn

Second striker: Conway (Not sure he has what it takes to lead the line as a main striker), Forss (ditto plus a first aid kit)

Second striker/attacking midfielder: Whittaker, Burgzorg

Attacking midfielder: McGree, Azaz, Hamilton, Gilbert, Silvera

McGree and Azaz can both play left midfield in a 3-5-2 if we go down that route. Not sure about Whittaker in a 3-5-2.

Basically my point is that I don't think we need to change who we plan to recruit up front for Edwards. From what I can tell, Edwards is going to need a new central striker and may want to hang on to Coburn as a back-up. If McGree isn't capable of staying fit, we probably need a replacement. The one exception to this is, I reckon, someone like Dolan who would be a good wide forward in a 4-2-3-1 but I'm not sure he would be the best choice to replace a broken McGree.

Yes I know all that, hence why I said I was specifically talking about if he went 2 up front as the post I replied to suggested.

[Mad_Dog_Poggy 147 136]

Giving Howson another year contract is a sentiment over ambition decision.

Saying he’s perfectly good as 3rd or 4th choice is OK if you want the club to continually finish outside the play-offs.

An ambitious team with designs on promotion to the premier league wouldn’t touch Howson with a barge pole. He’s available of a free , yet no offers from elsewhere? Why aren’t Southampton bringing him in as 3rd choice?

During his time here, he has never been included in the Championship team of the season (or been in consideration), despite our fans adamant that he’s one of the best CM’s in the league.

Howson has the luxury of not being judged on goals scored, or assists, nor does he take criticism for the teams poor defensive record. There’s no metric to judge him on, other then the fabled “leadership & experience” , which is obviously 11/10 in the eyes of some.

We’re a team with a weak under-belly, that looks devoid of genuine attacking intent at times, and then there’s the standing still sideways football. Howson is now just a sentimental passenger holding back the progress of academy players.

When Hackney & Morris were injured last season, we saw just what Howson has to offer in his preferred position, and it was god awful, why wasn’t McGabe given a decent opportunity.

 

 

[OldManGravz 2,427 6.4k]

12 minutes ago, Hammy legend said:

I think he was at our academy. 

Who's this?

[chickenlunch 387 1.1k]

1 hour ago, mendieta420 said:

how exactly do you know what the recruitment team does and doesn't have lined up?

I don't, not sure what you think I was saying tbh fella. Let's nip this in the bud here though, no point in dragging this out.

[RichAcklam2404 1,704 1.8k]

19 minutes ago, Hammy legend said:

I think he was at our academy. 

Are you OK over there? The heat getting to ya?

[Hammy legend 1,259 1.4k]

That was supposed to be about Keillor Dunn haha.

["KM" 2,300 15.4k]

Why haven’t the club announced the Hemming transfer? 😂

[BearSmog 1,768 3.8k]

6 minutes ago, "KM" said:

Why haven’t the club announced the Hemming transfer? 😂

https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2025/june/20/zach-hemming-in-chesterfield-move/

[Rob 6,394 9.8k]

5 hours ago, Bruce said:

Agreed. I can just about see a Sol Bamba/Lee Pelletier type of role for him where he's 5th choice in midfield and 5th choice emergency cover centre back.

End of last season, Howson wasn't the problem but he also wasn't the solution. He did remarkably to rise from the Rockliff graveyard and go immediately into playing full games. Not many players can do that at any age. He was probably immediately culpable for 2 goals but to a large extent, the team was such a basket case that most of the problems happened before the ball got near him. 

I could see him being moved onto a coaching contract and maintaining his player registration so he's the 25th member of the registered squad but no more than that. We'll have a successful season if Howson is registered but doesn't need to start any games.

yeah the edwards announcement is probs taking so long because we havent ground him down enough to accept howson as assistant manger yet 

4 hours ago, mendieta420 said:

how exactly do you know what the recruitment team does and doesn't have lined up?

all you have to is ask DZ