Summer Window 2026 - Rumours and Discussion

NabySarr

golfaddick said:

NabySarr said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Braziliance said:

MrBurns said:

Another day without a new central midfielder 

This is the frustrating part. Every day that goes by is one less day without our potential new player getting to gel with the team, and potentially less potential points without match sharpness. People can say it's dramatic but we stayed up by 6 points last season and a good start to the season can set the tone. 

We have known our league status since April, 102 days ago. We have known long before that that the glaring issue is in the midfield. It's bloody amateur we haven't got one in by now (it should be two tbh). You're telling me a Championship level club can't find a better midfielder than what we have in that time period, ready to sign when the window opens? 

If all our plans have been based around a player who we have allegedly underbid for, I'll be so disappointed. 

People will say it's bed wetting, or dramatic etc, but it's not. It is the most important position we need and we should have had 10-20 names ready to approach, and if we don't, I question our scouting capabilities. 

Derby County ten days away and as it stands, it's almost certain Conor Coventry or Greg Docherty will be starting for us, maybe even both. Not good enough imo. 

Don't think the right approach is to have 20 names and move through them if they don't immediately sign. They obviously think there is a genuine prospect of signing the player(s) they are pursuing, and they are better than the ones much further down the list. Seems pretty sensible to me. 

Exactly. Jones could have signed a midfielder on the 1st June if he’d wanted too, and probably on any day since then, but it won’t be as good as the midfielder we eventually bring in this month 

What makes you so sure that this midfielder will sign this month ?  And if he doesn't are you happy that we don't sign one......because it seems you are happy that the club seem to be putting all their midfield eggs in one basket. 

Well from the ITKs on here there’s one that had a medical today so that makes me pretty confident 

We are obviously going to sign a midfielder this month. We are probably talking to more than one so if we don’t get our first choice we will have options, but yes I’d rather we get the best player so I’m happy that the club are waiting for that. This is our most important signing of the window so I’d much rather we were patient and ended up with a better player, than signing an inferior player a month ago 

NabySarr

If we’d signed a midfielder a month ago the same posters moaning here would be moaning that the midfielder we signed wasn’t good enough. Jones has said all along you have to be patient sometimes if you want quality. 

I think it’s clear on here that some people just like being pissed off at Charlton, hopefully we sign a good midfielder tomorrow so they have to find something else to moan about 

TheHerminator

NabySarr said:

If we’d signed a midfielder a month ago the same posters moaning here would be moaning that the midfielder we signed wasn’t good enough. Jones has said all along you have to be patient sometimes if you want quality. 

I think it’s clear on here that some people just like being pissed off at Charlton, hopefully we sign a good midfielder tomorrow so they have to find something else to moan about 

Some thing about the new dugouts I reckon? Or the beer? 

SDAddick

NabySarr said:

golfaddick said:

NabySarr said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Braziliance said:

MrBurns said:

Another day without a new central midfielder 

This is the frustrating part. Every day that goes by is one less day without our potential new player getting to gel with the team, and potentially less potential points without match sharpness. People can say it's dramatic but we stayed up by 6 points last season and a good start to the season can set the tone. 

We have known our league status since April, 102 days ago. We have known long before that that the glaring issue is in the midfield. It's bloody amateur we haven't got one in by now (it should be two tbh). You're telling me a Championship level club can't find a better midfielder than what we have in that time period, ready to sign when the window opens? 

If all our plans have been based around a player who we have allegedly underbid for, I'll be so disappointed. 

People will say it's bed wetting, or dramatic etc, but it's not. It is the most important position we need and we should have had 10-20 names ready to approach, and if we don't, I question our scouting capabilities. 

Derby County ten days away and as it stands, it's almost certain Conor Coventry or Greg Docherty will be starting for us, maybe even both. Not good enough imo. 

Don't think the right approach is to have 20 names and move through them if they don't immediately sign. They obviously think there is a genuine prospect of signing the player(s) they are pursuing, and they are better than the ones much further down the list. Seems pretty sensible to me. 

Exactly. Jones could have signed a midfielder on the 1st June if he’d wanted too, and probably on any day since then, but it won’t be as good as the midfielder we eventually bring in this month 

What makes you so sure that this midfielder will sign this month ?  And if he doesn't are you happy that we don't sign one......because it seems you are happy that the club seem to be putting all their midfield eggs in one basket. 

Well from the ITKs on here there’s one that had a medical today so that makes me pretty confident 

We are obviously going to sign a midfielder this month. We are probably talking to more than one so if we don’t get our first choice we will have options, but yes I’d rather we get the best player so I’m happy that the club are waiting for that. This is our most important signing of the window so I’d much rather we were patient and ended up with a better player, than signing an inferior player a month ago 

I'm hoping it's Chalobah plus 1. Ideally Holsgrove, who looks very tidy in the highlight video someone posted of him a while back. And I don't think it's a coincidence that he's reportedly being pursued by various Championship clubs.

Chalobah to break up play. Holsgrove to dictate in midfield. Cov as Chalobah's backup. JRC as Holsgrove's. Doc there to provide an engine and break up play for games against tougher opponents.

Whisper it, but it doesn't seem a bad double pivot to me. Knibbs and Carey ahead of them to look for goals. Get another winger in who can create. I think we'll look a lot less disjointed.

I would also add that I expect NJ's style of 4-2-3-1 will be a sort of "Broken" team where you have the six holding and the 4 attacking. I don't think we'll see the 6 or the 8 bombing on to join the attack much. I think Jones wants to see the lines of 3 and 1 attack, and then the lines of 2 and 4 defend. Kind of how he had two strikers, an attacking midfielder, and one wingback attack last season, while the other two midfielders and the other wingback (LWB usually, especially once we got Chambers in) sit deeper.

I think that's part of the reason why we've looked disjointed in pre-season as well. I think we're always going to be a slightly disjointed side. Think Netherlands in 2010. We just lack a deeper lying player to link the lines with his passing. I think Chalobah has a bit of that, but I think it's why we're supposedly so heavily in for Holsgrove. 

The Red Robin

CB1 said:

Nixon has said that TC is too expensive for Preston. 

TC will see his contract out I reckon. 

Addickhead86

SDAddick said:

NabySarr said:

golfaddick said:

NabySarr said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Braziliance said:

MrBurns said:

Another day without a new central midfielder 

This is the frustrating part. Every day that goes by is one less day without our potential new player getting to gel with the team, and potentially less potential points without match sharpness. People can say it's dramatic but we stayed up by 6 points last season and a good start to the season can set the tone. 

We have known our league status since April, 102 days ago. We have known long before that that the glaring issue is in the midfield. It's bloody amateur we haven't got one in by now (it should be two tbh). You're telling me a Championship level club can't find a better midfielder than what we have in that time period, ready to sign when the window opens? 

If all our plans have been based around a player who we have allegedly underbid for, I'll be so disappointed. 

People will say it's bed wetting, or dramatic etc, but it's not. It is the most important position we need and we should have had 10-20 names ready to approach, and if we don't, I question our scouting capabilities. 

Derby County ten days away and as it stands, it's almost certain Conor Coventry or Greg Docherty will be starting for us, maybe even both. Not good enough imo. 

Don't think the right approach is to have 20 names and move through them if they don't immediately sign. They obviously think there is a genuine prospect of signing the player(s) they are pursuing, and they are better than the ones much further down the list. Seems pretty sensible to me. 

Exactly. Jones could have signed a midfielder on the 1st June if he’d wanted too, and probably on any day since then, but it won’t be as good as the midfielder we eventually bring in this month 

What makes you so sure that this midfielder will sign this month ?  And if he doesn't are you happy that we don't sign one......because it seems you are happy that the club seem to be putting all their midfield eggs in one basket. 

Well from the ITKs on here there’s one that had a medical today so that makes me pretty confident 

We are obviously going to sign a midfielder this month. We are probably talking to more than one so if we don’t get our first choice we will have options, but yes I’d rather we get the best player so I’m happy that the club are waiting for that. This is our most important signing of the window so I’d much rather we were patient and ended up with a better player, than signing an inferior player a month ago 

I'm hoping it's Chalobah plus 1. Ideally Holsgove, who looks very tidy in the highlight video someone posted of him a while back. And I don't think it's a coincidence that he's reportedly being pursued by various Championship clubs.

Chalobah to break up play. Holsgove to dictate in midfield. Cov as Chalobah's backup. JRC as Holsgove's. Doc there to provide an engine and break up play for games against tougher opponents.

Whisper it, but it doesn't seem a bad double pivot to me. Knibbs and Carey ahead of them to look for goals. Get another winger in who can create. I think we'll look a lot less disjointed.

I would also add that I expect NJ's style of 4-2-3-1 will be a sort of "Broken" team where you have the six holding and the 4 attacking. I don't think we'll see the 6 or the 8 bombing on to join the attack much. I think Jones wants to see the lines of 3 and 1 attack, and then the lines of 2 and 4 defend. Kind of how he had two strikers, an attacking midfielder, and one wingback attack last season, while the other two midfielders and the other wingback (LWB usually, especially once we got Chambers in) sit deeper.

If we get Chalobah and Holsgrove, I think one of Doc, Coventry or JRC would have to go, for squad numbers, unless you'd move on more from another dept.

NabySarr

SDAddick said:

NabySarr said:

golfaddick said:

NabySarr said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Braziliance said:

MrBurns said:

Another day without a new central midfielder 

This is the frustrating part. Every day that goes by is one less day without our potential new player getting to gel with the team, and potentially less potential points without match sharpness. People can say it's dramatic but we stayed up by 6 points last season and a good start to the season can set the tone. 

We have known our league status since April, 102 days ago. We have known long before that that the glaring issue is in the midfield. It's bloody amateur we haven't got one in by now (it should be two tbh). You're telling me a Championship level club can't find a better midfielder than what we have in that time period, ready to sign when the window opens? 

If all our plans have been based around a player who we have allegedly underbid for, I'll be so disappointed. 

People will say it's bed wetting, or dramatic etc, but it's not. It is the most important position we need and we should have had 10-20 names ready to approach, and if we don't, I question our scouting capabilities. 

Derby County ten days away and as it stands, it's almost certain Conor Coventry or Greg Docherty will be starting for us, maybe even both. Not good enough imo. 

Don't think the right approach is to have 20 names and move through them if they don't immediately sign. They obviously think there is a genuine prospect of signing the player(s) they are pursuing, and they are better than the ones much further down the list. Seems pretty sensible to me. 

Exactly. Jones could have signed a midfielder on the 1st June if he’d wanted too, and probably on any day since then, but it won’t be as good as the midfielder we eventually bring in this month 

What makes you so sure that this midfielder will sign this month ?  And if he doesn't are you happy that we don't sign one......because it seems you are happy that the club seem to be putting all their midfield eggs in one basket. 

Well from the ITKs on here there’s one that had a medical today so that makes me pretty confident 

We are obviously going to sign a midfielder this month. We are probably talking to more than one so if we don’t get our first choice we will have options, but yes I’d rather we get the best player so I’m happy that the club are waiting for that. This is our most important signing of the window so I’d much rather we were patient and ended up with a better player, than signing an inferior player a month ago 

I'm hoping it's Chalobah plus 1. Ideally Holsgove, who looks very tidy in the highlight video someone posted of him a while back. And I don't think it's a coincidence that he's reportedly being pursued by various Championship clubs.

Chalobah to break up play. Holsgove to dictate in midfield. Cov as Chalobah's backup. JRC as Holsgove's. Doc there to provide an engine and break up play for games against tougher opponents.

Whisper it, but it doesn't seem a bad double pivot to me. Knibbs and Carey ahead of them to look for goals. Get another winger in who can create. I think we'll look a lot less disjointed.

I would also add that I expect NJ's style of 4-2-3-1 will be a sort of "Broken" team where you have the six holding and the 4 attacking. I don't think we'll see the 6 or the 8 bombing on to join the attack much. I think Jones wants to see the lines of 3 and 1 attack, and then the lines of 2 and 4 defend. Kind of how he had two strikers, an attacking midfielder, and one wingback attack last season, while the other two midfielders and the other wingback (LWB usually, especially once we got Chambers in) sit deeper.

That would be great but I think we will struggle to have that many midfielders with the squad size being capped at 25. I think 4 midfielders plus Mwamba is more likely. Hoping we can shift Costello and then be able to bring in an extra midfielder on top of the one we sign this week 

I agree that tactically I am not expecting free flowing attacking football. I actually think the big reason for our change in formation is to be better on the counter attack. For a team with hardly any possession, last season we were not very good at all on the counter. We’ve added some pace and directness, hopefully we can remain defensively solid and hit teams on the break. Or press high and hit teams quickly in transition with the added pace to our attack 

ns9

NabySarr said:

If we’d signed a midfielder a month ago the same posters moaning here would be moaning that the midfielder we signed wasn’t good enough. Jones has said all along you have to be patient sometimes if you want quality. 

I think it’s clear on here that some people just like being pissed off at Charlton, hopefully we sign a good midfielder tomorrow so they have to find something else to moan about 

I don’t think that’s true. We were promised a ruthless window, and our squad/starting XI still has glaring holes in it 10 days from the start of the season. 

NabySarr

TheHerminator said:

NabySarr said:

If we’d signed a midfielder a month ago the same posters moaning here would be moaning that the midfielder we signed wasn’t good enough. Jones has said all along you have to be patient sometimes if you want quality. 

I think it’s clear on here that some people just like being pissed off at Charlton, hopefully we sign a good midfielder tomorrow so they have to find something else to moan about 

Some thing about the new dugouts I reckon? Or the beer? 

I’ll join the beer moaning. £7.70 for a “peroni” that tastes like flat warm piss 

Crispywood

CB1 said:

Nixon has said that TC is too expensive for Preston. 

If they’ve paid 2.5M for Mills and 2M for Burgzorg but TC is too expensive we’ve put a big price on him, surely means we’re confident of getting him to extend think it would be silly letting him walk for free 

Stefco

YannTheMann said:

Preston agree deal with Boro for Delano Burgzorg. 

PringlesCurtains

Danny Addick said:

PringlesCurtains said:

21cws said:

NabySarr said:

21cws said:

Bostonaddick said:

21cws is the poster who was saying the international player announced earlier this week that didn’t happen.  If he gets us excited that a signing announced today and it doesn’t happen,  then we know he is just a troll

Nope, that was someone else who said player to be signed Monday from abroad not me. 

What about this one then? 

Yeah was told medical was done Saturday. I’m not in charge of when announced. It’s no dramas I’ll go back to lurking and not passing anything I hear on. Enjoy 

I will miss your deliberately vague posts about signings. 🩺👀

Love the gif. But let me tell you what I’m struggling with - did Martin Pringle ever have curtains? It was more long and swept back, no?

He certainly had the floppy curtain hair. Failing that, curtains at home. 

SDAddick

NabySarr said:

SDAddick said:

NabySarr said:

golfaddick said:

NabySarr said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Braziliance said:

MrBurns said:

Another day without a new central midfielder 

This is the frustrating part. Every day that goes by is one less day without our potential new player getting to gel with the team, and potentially less potential points without match sharpness. People can say it's dramatic but we stayed up by 6 points last season and a good start to the season can set the tone. 

We have known our league status since April, 102 days ago. We have known long before that that the glaring issue is in the midfield. It's bloody amateur we haven't got one in by now (it should be two tbh). You're telling me a Championship level club can't find a better midfielder than what we have in that time period, ready to sign when the window opens? 

If all our plans have been based around a player who we have allegedly underbid for, I'll be so disappointed. 

People will say it's bed wetting, or dramatic etc, but it's not. It is the most important position we need and we should have had 10-20 names ready to approach, and if we don't, I question our scouting capabilities. 

Derby County ten days away and as it stands, it's almost certain Conor Coventry or Greg Docherty will be starting for us, maybe even both. Not good enough imo. 

Don't think the right approach is to have 20 names and move through them if they don't immediately sign. They obviously think there is a genuine prospect of signing the player(s) they are pursuing, and they are better than the ones much further down the list. Seems pretty sensible to me. 

Exactly. Jones could have signed a midfielder on the 1st June if he’d wanted too, and probably on any day since then, but it won’t be as good as the midfielder we eventually bring in this month 

What makes you so sure that this midfielder will sign this month ?  And if he doesn't are you happy that we don't sign one......because it seems you are happy that the club seem to be putting all their midfield eggs in one basket. 

Well from the ITKs on here there’s one that had a medical today so that makes me pretty confident 

We are obviously going to sign a midfielder this month. We are probably talking to more than one so if we don’t get our first choice we will have options, but yes I’d rather we get the best player so I’m happy that the club are waiting for that. This is our most important signing of the window so I’d much rather we were patient and ended up with a better player, than signing an inferior player a month ago 

I'm hoping it's Chalobah plus 1. Ideally Holsgove, who looks very tidy in the highlight video someone posted of him a while back. And I don't think it's a coincidence that he's reportedly being pursued by various Championship clubs.

Chalobah to break up play. Holsgove to dictate in midfield. Cov as Chalobah's backup. JRC as Holsgove's. Doc there to provide an engine and break up play for games against tougher opponents.

Whisper it, but it doesn't seem a bad double pivot to me. Knibbs and Carey ahead of them to look for goals. Get another winger in who can create. I think we'll look a lot less disjointed.

I would also add that I expect NJ's style of 4-2-3-1 will be a sort of "Broken" team where you have the six holding and the 4 attacking. I don't think we'll see the 6 or the 8 bombing on to join the attack much. I think Jones wants to see the lines of 3 and 1 attack, and then the lines of 2 and 4 defend. Kind of how he had two strikers, an attacking midfielder, and one wingback attack last season, while the other two midfielders and the other wingback (LWB usually, especially once we got Chambers in) sit deeper.

That would be great but I think we will struggle to have that many midfielders with the squad size being capped at 25. I think 4 midfielders plus Mwamba is more likely. Hoping we can shift Costello and then be able to bring in an extra midfielder on top of the one we sign this week 

I agree that tactically I am not expecting free flowing attacking football. I actually think the big reason for our change in formation is to be better on the counter attack. For a team with hardly any possession, last season we were not very good at all on the counter. We’ve added some pace and directness, hopefully we can remain defensively solid and hit teams on the break. Or press high and hit teams quickly in transition with the added pace to our attack 

Good point Re: number of players in the squad. I would view it as down to one of Doc or JRC. I could make a case for either one, but I suspect it would be JRC on loan to League One, where I think he'd be quite good. 

Excellent point about being better on the counter, and I wholeheartedly agree. I think with Grant, TC, and Alli on the wings we're going to have the directness to run at teams that we lacked last season whilst we know that at least Grant and TC are good in the press. What we lose in long throw goals (and we still have Sonny Carey who can take them), we should hopefully make up for in counter-attacking goals.

sam3110

Addickhead86 said:

SDAddick said:

NabySarr said:

golfaddick said:

NabySarr said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Braziliance said:

MrBurns said:

Another day without a new central midfielder 

This is the frustrating part. Every day that goes by is one less day without our potential new player getting to gel with the team, and potentially less potential points without match sharpness. People can say it's dramatic but we stayed up by 6 points last season and a good start to the season can set the tone. 

We have known our league status since April, 102 days ago. We have known long before that that the glaring issue is in the midfield. It's bloody amateur we haven't got one in by now (it should be two tbh). You're telling me a Championship level club can't find a better midfielder than what we have in that time period, ready to sign when the window opens? 

If all our plans have been based around a player who we have allegedly underbid for, I'll be so disappointed. 

People will say it's bed wetting, or dramatic etc, but it's not. It is the most important position we need and we should have had 10-20 names ready to approach, and if we don't, I question our scouting capabilities. 

Derby County ten days away and as it stands, it's almost certain Conor Coventry or Greg Docherty will be starting for us, maybe even both. Not good enough imo. 

Don't think the right approach is to have 20 names and move through them if they don't immediately sign. They obviously think there is a genuine prospect of signing the player(s) they are pursuing, and they are better than the ones much further down the list. Seems pretty sensible to me. 

Exactly. Jones could have signed a midfielder on the 1st June if he’d wanted too, and probably on any day since then, but it won’t be as good as the midfielder we eventually bring in this month 

What makes you so sure that this midfielder will sign this month ?  And if he doesn't are you happy that we don't sign one......because it seems you are happy that the club seem to be putting all their midfield eggs in one basket. 

Well from the ITKs on here there’s one that had a medical today so that makes me pretty confident 

We are obviously going to sign a midfielder this month. We are probably talking to more than one so if we don’t get our first choice we will have options, but yes I’d rather we get the best player so I’m happy that the club are waiting for that. This is our most important signing of the window so I’d much rather we were patient and ended up with a better player, than signing an inferior player a month ago 

I'm hoping it's Chalobah plus 1. Ideally Holsgove, who looks very tidy in the highlight video someone posted of him a while back. And I don't think it's a coincidence that he's reportedly being pursued by various Championship clubs.

Chalobah to break up play. Holsgove to dictate in midfield. Cov as Chalobah's backup. JRC as Holsgove's. Doc there to provide an engine and break up play for games against tougher opponents.

Whisper it, but it doesn't seem a bad double pivot to me. Knibbs and Carey ahead of them to look for goals. Get another winger in who can create. I think we'll look a lot less disjointed.

I would also add that I expect NJ's style of 4-2-3-1 will be a sort of "Broken" team where you have the six holding and the 4 attacking. I don't think we'll see the 6 or the 8 bombing on to join the attack much. I think Jones wants to see the lines of 3 and 1 attack, and then the lines of 2 and 4 defend. Kind of how he had two strikers, an attacking midfielder, and one wingback attack last season, while the other two midfielders and the other wingback (LWB usually, especially once we got Chambers in) sit deeper.

If we get Chalobah and Holsgrove, I think one of Doc, Coventry or JRC would have to go, for squad numbers, unless you'd move on more from another dept.

Both in, Tanto, Kanu and Asiimwe out.

Then a RW in and someone slightly unexpected out, maybe it's TC, maybe it's Leaburn, maybe it's JRC 

LargeAddick

NabySarr said:

If we’d signed a midfielder a month ago the same posters moaning here would be moaning that the midfielder we signed wasn’t good enough. Jones has said all along you have to be patient sometimes if you want quality. 

I think it’s clear on here that some people just like being pissed off at Charlton, hopefully we sign a good midfielder tomorrow so they have to find something else to moan about 

We’ve said we need a new midfielder for months now so I’m not surprised people are worried, I am, it’s natural to be, but let’s hope you are right and we sign a good one tomorrow, or the day after, or at least before the window closes, hopefully, or maybe not.

Crispywood

sam3110 said:

Addickhead86 said:

SDAddick said:

NabySarr said:

golfaddick said:

NabySarr said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Braziliance said:

MrBurns said:

Another day without a new central midfielder 

This is the frustrating part. Every day that goes by is one less day without our potential new player getting to gel with the team, and potentially less potential points without match sharpness. People can say it's dramatic but we stayed up by 6 points last season and a good start to the season can set the tone. 

We have known our league status since April, 102 days ago. We have known long before that that the glaring issue is in the midfield. It's bloody amateur we haven't got one in by now (it should be two tbh). You're telling me a Championship level club can't find a better midfielder than what we have in that time period, ready to sign when the window opens? 

If all our plans have been based around a player who we have allegedly underbid for, I'll be so disappointed. 

People will say it's bed wetting, or dramatic etc, but it's not. It is the most important position we need and we should have had 10-20 names ready to approach, and if we don't, I question our scouting capabilities. 

Derby County ten days away and as it stands, it's almost certain Conor Coventry or Greg Docherty will be starting for us, maybe even both. Not good enough imo. 

Don't think the right approach is to have 20 names and move through them if they don't immediately sign. They obviously think there is a genuine prospect of signing the player(s) they are pursuing, and they are better than the ones much further down the list. Seems pretty sensible to me. 

Exactly. Jones could have signed a midfielder on the 1st June if he’d wanted too, and probably on any day since then, but it won’t be as good as the midfielder we eventually bring in this month 

What makes you so sure that this midfielder will sign this month ?  And if he doesn't are you happy that we don't sign one......because it seems you are happy that the club seem to be putting all their midfield eggs in one basket. 

Well from the ITKs on here there’s one that had a medical today so that makes me pretty confident 

We are obviously going to sign a midfielder this month. We are probably talking to more than one so if we don’t get our first choice we will have options, but yes I’d rather we get the best player so I’m happy that the club are waiting for that. This is our most important signing of the window so I’d much rather we were patient and ended up with a better player, than signing an inferior player a month ago 

I'm hoping it's Chalobah plus 1. Ideally Holsgove, who looks very tidy in the highlight video someone posted of him a while back. And I don't think it's a coincidence that he's reportedly being pursued by various Championship clubs.

Chalobah to break up play. Holsgove to dictate in midfield. Cov as Chalobah's backup. JRC as Holsgove's. Doc there to provide an engine and break up play for games against tougher opponents.

Whisper it, but it doesn't seem a bad double pivot to me. Knibbs and Carey ahead of them to look for goals. Get another winger in who can create. I think we'll look a lot less disjointed.

I would also add that I expect NJ's style of 4-2-3-1 will be a sort of "Broken" team where you have the six holding and the 4 attacking. I don't think we'll see the 6 or the 8 bombing on to join the attack much. I think Jones wants to see the lines of 3 and 1 attack, and then the lines of 2 and 4 defend. Kind of how he had two strikers, an attacking midfielder, and one wingback attack last season, while the other two midfielders and the other wingback (LWB usually, especially once we got Chambers in) sit deeper.

If we get Chalobah and Holsgrove, I think one of Doc, Coventry or JRC would have to go, for squad numbers, unless you'd move on more from another dept.

Both in, Tanto, Kanu and Asiimwe out.

Then a RW in and someone slightly unexpected out, maybe it's TC, maybe it's Leaburn, maybe it's JRC 

We’re currently at 27 if we were to bring Chalobah Holsgrove and a RW that’s 30 meaning 5 needs to go. 

Tanto Kanu Asiimwe are the bankers but the other feels like a coin flip between Doc/JRC/Cov/TC/Leaburn. 

Carter talked about wanting a squad of 27 so likely that will be a 25 man squad + Mbick/Mwamba. 

wolfgang

Braziliance and Naby Sarr have both made good arguments.  We will only know which is correct once the window closes.

Well, not even then.  Because we might have filled all the holes in the team, but would have to wait for a couple of months to see if we have signed the quality and durability needed.

wolfgang

Braziliance said:

I will genuinely be stunned if we sign a good championship midfielder for a fee at this stage, stunned.

Watching Casablanca every month is affecting your sentence cadence.

ElfsborgAddick

Crispywood said:

From a Preston source that nothing is agreed for TC as of yet but them signing Burgzorg has not put them off him and they’re still very interested in him 

I keep seeing that he does not want to move out of the 1-6 travelcard zone.

ElfsborgAddick

NabySarr said:

Sword65pf said:

NabySarr said:

Sword65pf said:

NabySarr said:

Sword65pf said:

NabySarr said:

PeaksAndValleys said:

Braziliance said:

MrBurns said:

Another day without a new central midfielder 

This is the frustrating part. Every day that goes by is one less day without our potential new player getting to gel with the team, and potentially less potential points without match sharpness. People can say it's dramatic but we stayed up by 6 points last season and a good start to the season can set the tone. 

We have known our league status since April, 102 days ago. We have known long before that that the glaring issue is in the midfield. It's bloody amateur we haven't got one in by now (it should be two tbh). You're telling me a Championship level club can't find a better midfielder than what we have in that time period, ready to sign when the window opens? 

If all our plans have been based around a player who we have allegedly underbid for, I'll be so disappointed. 

People will say it's bed wetting, or dramatic etc, but it's not. It is the most important position we need and we should have had 10-20 names ready to approach, and if we don't, I question our scouting capabilities. 

Derby County ten days away and as it stands, it's almost certain Conor Coventry or Greg Docherty will be starting for us, maybe even both. Not good enough imo. 

Don't think the right approach is to have 20 names and move through them if they don't immediately sign. They obviously think there is a genuine prospect of signing the player(s) they are pursuing, and they are better than the ones much further down the list. Seems pretty sensible to me. 

Exactly. Jones could have signed a midfielder on the 1st June if he’d wanted too, and probably on any day since then, but it won’t be as good as the midfielder we eventually bring in this month 

So there is a midfielder somewhere better than we have( not difficult I suppose) that hasn’t been snapped up 10 days before the season starts waiting for us to swoop in?, more likely is that we are running out of options because we’ve tried to lowball every fucker.

It’s really not that hard to understand. If we want to sign a really good midfielder, that player will probably have had interest from
better teams. So they don’t sign for us in June/July, but instead of us signing someone worse we wait for the better player to realise we are his best option 

They aren’t waiting for us to swoop in, we are waiting for them to accept we are the best move for them this summer 

Very optimistic view I think, we shall see. Everyone knows we are desperate, we will be making do somewhere along the line, prepare to be underwhelmed.

Is it a very optimistic view or is it just what Nathan Jones has been saying on repeat for about 3 months? And being quite literally played out in public as we try and sign Holsgrove. 

Probably more likely to be true than the depressing hypothetical you have conjured up that we are skint and can’t sign anyone with our lowball offers 

Have I once said or written that we are skint? I will leave that with you. My view is hypothetical but yours isn’t? Because nothing has happened to suggest what you have said is actually happening.

Other than our manager saying it? Or that we’ve quite clearly been chasing Holsgrove all summer? 

Hopefully not.

ElfsborgAddick

NabySarr said:

If we’d signed a midfielder a month ago the same posters moaning here would be moaning that the midfielder we signed wasn’t good enough. Jones has said all along you have to be patient sometimes if you want quality. 

I think it’s clear on here that some people just like being pissed off at Charlton, hopefully we sign a good midfielder tomorrow so they have to find something else to moan about 

Not everybody has your ever optimistic approach.

Redhenry

I asked an agent I know, who are we about to sign? He said Kamara maybe. I also asked who wanted to sell their part of the club. He replied no it’s just investment they are looking for.
i hope that helps 🤷🏻‍♂️

redbuttle

TheHerminator said:

NabySarr said:

If we’d signed a midfielder a month ago the same posters moaning here would be moaning that the midfielder we signed wasn’t good enough. Jones has said all along you have to be patient sometimes if you want quality. 

I think it’s clear on here that some people just like being pissed off at Charlton, hopefully we sign a good midfielder tomorrow so they have to find something else to moan about 

Some thing about the new dugouts I reckon? Or the beer? 

Basically ,whatever transfer business we do is wrong for some of our fans.

WoolwichAddick

We should be right in there for Stan Mills. Perfect whatever system we play of the two available 

Gribbo

SteveACS said:

Jesus Christ!

Some of  you need to stop playing football manager. It really isn't as simple as you think it is.

Which is why, despite your belief to the contrary, none of you are managers in the EFL...

Only because I earn shitloads what I'm doing now

TheHerminator

ns9 said:

NabySarr said:

If we’d signed a midfielder a month ago the same posters moaning here would be moaning that the midfielder we signed wasn’t good enough. Jones has said all along you have to be patient sometimes if you want quality. 

I think it’s clear on here that some people just like being pissed off at Charlton, hopefully we sign a good midfielder tomorrow so they have to find something else to moan about 

I don’t think that’s true. We were promised a ruthless window, and our squad/starting XI still has glaring holes in it 10 days from the start of the season. 

No one promised you anything 

CL_Phantom

Cool, 400 odd posts of the usual crewbags patting themselves on the back and sniffing each others farts. 

Gotta love a transfer rumours thread.

💨👃👀😁

Covered_End_Lad

Think we’ll see something before the weekend

cfgs

Covered_End_Lad said:

Think we’ll see something before the weekend

Friday?

Yann897

cfgs said:

Covered_End_Lad said:

Think we’ll see something before the weekend

Friday?

Today apparently🤞🏻