Summer 2022 Transfer Thread

[The D.O.C.1903]

5 minutes ago, Elgindon said:

Are we writing off McKenzie after 5 mins of first team fitba?

Yeah plenty are and ive seen enough of him he's crap! 

[RicoS321]

5 minutes ago, The D.O.C.1903 said:

Yeah plenty are and ive seen enough of him he's crap! 

I don't think he's crap, but I don't think he's good enough either, and nor do I think there's much room for improvement in his game at his age. McKenzie got a lot of undue credit after McInnes left because Glass was blooding young players that would never have got a game previously. In reality, we had a fantastic young player in Ramsay who wasn't (and perhaps isn't) ready for 90 minutes who would no way have been overlooked by McInnes and McKenzie who just wasn't good enough (and would likely have been let go). We formed this imaginary scenario where we were playing entertaining fitba and throwing in youngsters too - it just wasn't true. It led to McKenzie getting a contract with the jury firmly still out. 

If RST's suggested departures are accurate though, it leaves us thin on the ground. It's bizarre that with all those leaving Considine wasn't kept. I'm guessing we add Duncan to that as I assume he'll be looking for minutes, and maybe Ngwenya too (although I'm not sure if he'll be good enough either). I have a feeling that Polvara isn't of the required standard either, so he'll likely only be a squad player too. We'll be very lucky to keep Ramsay.

It's an insane level of recruitment required, very difficult to understate just how hard this will be to get even close to right. I'd count 7 new first team players required (assuming Ramsay leaves): goalie, right back, left centre back, left back, left winger, centre midfielder, striker. There is no way on earth that we're getting 7 succesful signings in one window, so that means that likes of Hayes, Bates and McKenzie (I'd probably include Watkins and McRorie too) are going to continue to be our best options in their respective positions with zero options from the bench when needed.

Cormack has massive questions to answer in regard to the last three windows and how it has managed to get to this stage. It'd take an absolute miracle to sort this to any degree next season. I'd say you're at best looking at another 3 windows to get close, but more likely this is going to take us 2 seasons to fix. What a disaster.

[Jute]

Think folk are being bit unfair on McKenzie . I don’t think he looks like a full back but still a decent defender and would like to see how he does at centre back maybe as left of a three. Definitely worth keeping. 
 

Also Lewis is getting a lot of unwarranted stick. He might not be playing as well as he has in previous seasons but he is still a decent keeper by SPFL standard and there are only 3 or 4 in the league better than him in my opinion. 

[manc_don]

Personally, I don't rate McKenzie, but given his age i'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  As Rico says, I think he was a breath of fresh air post McInnes, but every time I saw him, I couldn't understand the hype. I mean, he probably wasn't helped by the CB's who were atrocious for most of the season, but I don't see it in him.

Hopefully the research and funds are available this summer as we've helluva lot to do, again. Crucial to get it right this season as the club cannot afford to be bottom six fodder again.

[RedKev]

18 hours ago, The D.O.C.1903 said:

Oh no I'd get rid of Mckenzie & Bates or gallacher, hayes only as squad player 

I'd keep MacKenzie, BUT only as a defending LB very similar scenario to Ramsey. MacKenzie is a good defender but doesn't offer much going forward & still needs to learn to get back quicker when possession is lost. Ramsey is great going forward but is a poor defender, needs to learn to defend better.
Both are still young and have great potential.

Bates & Gallagher...wouldn't be too fussed if they left. This Gallagher has come on more in the latter part of the season, was shocking early on. Bates...not convinced.

Hayes agreed, would like to see him stay. At 35(?) plays better further up, shouldn't be used to run up and down as a LB now.  

 

[Jute]

Gallagher is not a player I would have signed in the first place and would love him to be punted. Bates has been a disappointment. Always been impressed when I have seen him play for Scotland at U21 level and thought he would be exactly what we needed but he has really struggled. Part of that is maybe because he is playing on left side of defence to accommodate Gallagher on right side. Would have liked to see him paired with Considine to see how he did on right side with an experienced player talking him through the game. Not happening now. 
 

Above said I cannot see club emptying either. 

[The D.O.C.1903]

13 hours ago, Jute said:

Think folk are being bit unfair on McKenzie . I don’t think he looks like a full back but still a decent defender and would like to see how he does at centre back maybe as left of a three. Definitely worth keeping. 
 

Also Lewis is getting a lot of unwarranted stick. He might not be playing as well as he has in previous seasons but he is still a decent keeper by SPFL standard and there are only 3 or 4 in the league better than him in my opinion. 

holy fuck you have just said lewis is getting unwarranted stick ! Wtf are you on crack or pcp? 100% warranted stick! His fk ups have cost us pretty much 10-12 points this season!! And there are at least 9 better than him! Hart, rapist mcgregor, siegrist, Max Stryjek, liam kelly, Alnwick, zander Clark, Gordon, Macey.

Wise up!

Edited April 12, 2022 by The D.O.C.1903

[The D.O.C.1903]

And look up his shocking stats if your still in denial. 

[RicoS321]

34 minutes ago, The D.O.C.1903 said:

And look up his shocking stats if your still in denial. 

Lewis has had a poor season, but that doesn't mean he's not a good keeper. He's just experiencing a drop in form, there is no reason to suggest he won't overcome that. His poor form stems entirely from bad defending though, which was instigated under Glass and I'd imagine would level out under Goodwin. Our defence has been all over the shop for the best part of a season. It has really affected Lewis' decision making. Many of the goals that folk are blaming Lewis for are usually along the lines of: "well the defender has made a complete cunt of it, but Joe should be doing better". He's being made to look bad by substandard defending, which is catching him out of position. The second goal against Dundee a prime example. All the defence have to do is remain on the 18 yard line, but Ramirez inexplicably plays everyone on and the ball is then in no man's land. It's a really simple defensive error leading to a keeper looking shite. That's happened a lot, especially as Glass insisted on defenders walking out with the ball directly into trouble. Bates especially, on his wrong foot (McRorie even worse when he played left centre back). 

Anyway, I hope Lewis leaves. Can't be arsed with another decent servant being held up as scapegoat for another year, it'll be easier for him to move on. The next Langfield awaits.

[The D.O.C.1903]

Sorry min your wrong he's lost it. He was chucking them in the net in mcinnes's last 16 months in charge as well. 

. Bruce andersons goal earlier this season prime example he stays on his line it's a simple catch. Need better than him min his age also. 

 

[Jute]

54 minutes ago, The D.O.C.1903 said:

holy fuck you have just said lewis is getting unwarranted stick ! Wtf are you on crack or pcp? 100% warranted stick! His fk ups have cost us pretty much 10-12 points this season!! And there are at least 9 better than him! Hart, rapist mcgregor, siegrist, Max Stryjek, liam kelly, Alnwick, zander Clark, Gordon, Macey.

Wise up!

Let me guess you were one of the geniuses calling for Brown to play earlier in the season.

From games I have watched most of the keepers you list have made numerous mistakes that have cost their team points including in games against us. I will give you the wife beater, Gordon and Kelly but others are not as good as Lewis even with his dip in form this season.

[The D.O.C.1903]

21 minutes ago, Jute said:

Let me guess you were one of the geniuses calling for Brown to play earlier in the season.

From games I have watched most of the keepers you list have made numerous mistakes that have cost their team points including in games against us. I will give you the wife beater, Gordon and Kelly but others are not as good as Lewis even with his dip in form this season.

Well the stats show lewis is in the bottom 3 goalies on saves ratio etc. He also hasn't saved a pen in nearly 2 seasons! He's in the bottom 2 on that list also. 

 

No time for sentimentality min! 

[The D.O.C.1903]

Joe is no where to be seen! 

[RicoS321]

49 minutes ago, The D.O.C.1903 said:

Sorry min your wrong he's lost it. He was chucking them in the net in mcinnes's last 16 months in charge as well. 

. Bruce andersons goal earlier this season prime example he stays on his line it's a simple catch. Need better than him min his age also. 

 

He wasn't chucking them in. He made a few blunders as is the norm for pretty much every goalie. Otherwise, we were still getting plenty of clean sheets. His age is definitely not an issue as McGregor and Gordon and many others show, so we can remove that from the equation.

The difference for me is that Lewis has been a keeper at a very high level for us who is going through a loss of form (as happened to Craig Gordon). Keepers like alnwick, Clarke etc are Langfield level goalkeepers undergoing their season or two of peak form before reverting to the mean. Lewis still has all the attributes to be a great goalkeeper, he just needs to find them again. The others that we're being linked with looked to me to be in the category of limited goalies who are on form. Given the massive turnover of players this summer, I'd be looking to keep Lewis and concentrate on the rest of the squad. However, I'd also have done the same with Considine! I think we'll likely make quite a few errors in the goalie recruitment process before getting a replacement as good as Lewis and I'm not sure next season is the time to do it.

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by RicoS321

[The D.O.C.1903]

44 minutes ago, Jute said:

Let me guess you were one of the geniuses calling for Brown to play earlier in the season.

From games I have watched most of the keepers you list have made numerous mistakes that have cost their team points including in games against us. I will give you the wife beater, Gordon and Kelly but others are not as good as Lewis even with his dip in form this season.

Brown? Wtf you on about? You talking about Scott brown? Wtf has that got to do we discussing lewis? 

[The D.O.C.1903]

3 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

He wasn't chucking them in. He made a few blunders as is the norm for pretty much every goalie. Otherwise, we were still getting plenty of clean sheets. His age is definitely not an issue as McGregor and Gordon and many others show, so we can remove that from the equation.

The difference for me is that Lewis has been a keeper at a very high level for us who is going through a loss of form (as happened to Craig Gordon). Keepers like alnwick, Clarke etc are Langfield level goalkeepers undergoing their season or two of peak form before reverting to the mean. Lewis still has all the attributes to be a great goalkeeper, he just needs to find them again. The others that we're being linked with looked to me to be in the category of limited goalies who are on form. Given the massive turnover of players this summer, I'd be looking to keep Lewis and concentrate on the rest of the squad. However, I'd also have done the same with Considine! I think we'll likely make quite a few errors in the goalie recruitment process before getting a replacement as good as Lewis and I'm not sure next season is the time to do it.

 

Fair enough min. Agree to disagree. His bad form isnt just this season its been near on 2 full seasons. I'd love us to get matt macey or Siegrist

[RicoS321]

2 minutes ago, The D.O.C.1903 said:

Joe is no where to be seen! 

The stats are interesting. I'm not sure what they actually show though in terms of being a good goalkeeper. I genuinely believe that we've had the worst centre back pairings in the league all season, along with a kamakazi set of tactics for the majority. There's definitely been a decrease in game changing saves from Joe over the past year though, that's for certain. For years, he was the best at one on ones in the league.

[Jute]

31 minutes ago, The D.O.C.1903 said:

Brown? Wtf you on about? You talking about Scott brown? Wtf has that got to do we discussing lewis? 

Apologies I meant shouting for Woods. 
 

Somebody once said something about stats. 

[Elgindon]

Despite the apparent howlers,were in 10th place with the 4th best defensive record. Does that not suggest our most urgent problems lie further up the park.

  Assuming were not going to get anywhere near a complete squad soon,I would focus on that area this time round 1) because its more likely to rekindle dwindling interest among fans. 2) A bit more firepower might take the pressure off the defence,and shut up our supports winging elements' over dwelling on every mistake

Edited April 12, 2022 by Elgindon

[The D.O.C.1903]

5 minutes ago, Jute said:

Apologies I meant shouting for Woods. 
 

Somebody once said something about stats. 

No probz, & no was never shouting for Woods to busy shouting at Joe.

[The D.O.C.1903]

1 minute ago, Elgindon said:

Despite the apparent howlers,were in 10th place with the 4th best defensive record. Does that not suggest our most urgent problems lie further up the park.

  Assuming were not going to get anywhere near a complete squad soon,I would focus on that area this time round 1) because its more likely to rekindle dwindling interest among fans. 2) A bit more firepower might take the pressure off the defence,and shut our supports over dwelling on every mistake

If Joe is kept on as number 1 I'd be very surprised min. I'd love the Joe of 2016-2020 but he hasn't been that goalie for 2 years now.

[Stewart]

The clear out continues.

https://www.afc.co.uk/2022/04/12/striker-departs-the-dons/

Farewell JET.

[Jute]

20 minutes ago, Stewart said:

The clear out continues.

https://www.afc.co.uk/2022/04/12/striker-departs-the-dons/

Farewell JET.

No problem at all. Dreadful signing who should never have been signed. 

[BigAl]

More money spanked up against the wall 

[RicoS321]

52 minutes ago, Stewart said:

The clear out continues.

https://www.afc.co.uk/2022/04/12/striker-departs-the-dons/

Farewell JET.

Shocking decision. He guaranteed us 20 goals this season, so we should be playing him in every game left. That's nineteen goals between now and the end of the season, seems silly to throw that away.