General Transfer Window so Far (and perhaps 2 excess players...)

[Banana]

Ins: Schuster, Anthony, Wilson, Sangare
Outs: Henderson, Trevitt?

(not counting loans out (Donovan, Cox) where they have basically been rolled-over, or transfers agreed last season (Frank))

So we are +2 players at the moment.

What positions do we have excess players that we need to move on?

 

[Ken_Hom's_Wok]

Pinnock, sadly.

 

[Banana]

Perhaps an in/out by position would assist. Anyone?

 

[Scratchy]

Probably got one too many left backs on the books, could move 1 or 2 centre backs on.

 

[cm_851]

Can see one of Arthur, Frederick and Ji-Soo going out on loan and possibly Nunes or Konak again.

 

[WarDamnBees]

I imagine one of these youngsters we have in defense isn’t gonna make the cut long term. Whether thats Arthur, Frederick, Meghoma, Ji-Soo, etc, I cant particularly say. That sale may not even happen this summer. I imagine they have the freedom to let that play out longer.

I’m also curious about the backup keeper situation. Is Valdimarsson the surefire number 1 if/when Kelleher is off? Is he sick of waiting? Are Cox/Eyestone putting much pressure on Valdimarsson? Also Balcombe is still here for some reason I guess.

 

[Lush55]

I reckon 3 out on loan and another in, maybe Ethan moved on, sadly.

 

[WarDamnBees]

I also imagine the time is nearing where we may not need some of the guys in the midfield anymore. Will Jensen continue to play well? Does Fabio have a place in this squad? With everyone healthy, the midfield has a lot of solid players. Something has to give one way or another eventually I imagine. Tough because I love them all.

 

[Lush55]

I also imagine the time is nearing where we may not need some of the guys in the midfield anymore. Will Jensen continue to play well? Does Fabio have a place in this squad? With everyone healthy, the midfield has a lot of solid players. Something has to give one way or another eventually I imagine. Tough because I love them all.

Going to get shot down, I think if we had an offer for Jenson, I wouldn't be unhappy if he went.

 

[Banana]

Pinnock, sadly.

Probably the cheapest CB we have and can still pull out a MotM performance. So I am not convinced he will be part of the cull.

 

[TOXIC BEE]

Looking at last season’s squad, I think Anthony and Sangaré (assuming it goes through) obviously replace, and certainly upgrade upon, Nelson and Henderson. I imagine Furo will go on loan, which of course paves the way for Wilson’s spot as backup / cover for Thiago, and the signing of Schuster I’ve always felt would open up the opportunity for Pinnock to move on and play a bit more football, as we’re quite loaded with centre backs at the moment and hard to see when he’d ever play.

If Sangaré does indeed get over the line the squad’s in a very good place and a definite upgrade on last year.

I’d guess 1 or 2 of Arthur, Kim and Fredrick will go out on loan, probably Nunes and perhaps Konak as well (although would be quite happy to see Konak stay as a backup / cup option).

 

[Ken_Hom's_Wok]

Probably the cheapest CB we have and can still pull out a MotM performance. So I am not convinced he will be part of the cull.

It’s not fair on him though really, unless he’s happy to stay (he might be, I think he’s fairly settled in WL), he might - and he’d deserve - one huge contract somewhere else

 

[Bumbling fool]

In: Schuster
Out: Pinnock? If anyone? Not gonna be Ajer Collins or vdB is it and we've had seasons with 5 CBs before

In: Wilson
Out: Furo (on loan)

In: Anthony
Out: Nelson

In: Sangare
Out: Henderson

The only positions where I'd say we have excess players (i.e. more than 2 players plus an under 21) is attacking midfield, where we have Damsgaard, Jensen (who can also play deeper but is probably second choice for this position) and our 3 injury returnees, JDS Carvalho and Milambo. None of them are likely to get a decent move until they've had a chance to showcase themselves again, Carvalho and JDS could be options at RW and Milambo is an U21 so won't count towards the squad numbers, so I'm not sure I see the value in moving any of them on.

Heres what I make the squad depth chart:

 

[Untouchable]

Others have mentioned him above but I think Konami may go out on loan again. He seems too far away from the first team with too many players ahead of him.

 

[andyrew]

Others have mentioned him above but I think Konami may go out on loan again. He seems too far away from the first team with too many players ahead of him.

Err

 

[Bee(h)Iver]

Sadly it's probably time for Ethan to move on. Still good enough to start for one of the promoted clubs or a top Championship team but at best fourth choice with us.
Only my opinion but:

Gone: Henderson, FTT & Trevitt
Sell: Pinnock & Ji-Soo
Sell if the offer is right: Jensen
Sell if the offer is right and we can replace with better: Rico & Schade
Loan: Donovan & Cox, plus Eyestone & maybe Nunes
Keep in the camp until at least January: Furo, Fredrick, Arthur, Meghoma & Konak. Cup games and training with the first team as all but Furo were out on loan last season
Keep as third keeper: Balcombe
Signed: Schuster, Anthony, Wilson & Sangare (plus Fredrick from the B team)


Selling Jensen and Rico is horrible to consider, but they are in their last year and probably won't get/sign new contracts. I'd love to keep Schade but with 2 years left if we can get a starter in to replace him then we should cash in.

The rest are pretty much locked in I imagine. Still possibly a larger squad than KA wants but we can't afford to fade again like last season.

So overall if it all happens (but it won't):

Out - 12 (4 on loan)
In - 7 (of which all are in already except a LB & LW)

 

[Banana]

In: Schuster
Out: Pinnock? If anyone? Not gonna be Ajer Collins or vdB is it and we've had seasons with 5 CBs before

In: Wilson
Out: Furo (on loan)

In: Anthony
Out: Nelson

In: Sangare
Out: Henderson

The only positions where I'd say we have excess players (i.e. more than 2 players plus an under 21) is attacking midfield, where we have Damsgaard, Jensen (who can also play deeper but is probably second choice for this position) and our 3 injury returnees, JDS Carvalho and Milambo. None of them are likely to get a decent move until they've had a chance to showcase themselves again, Carvalho and JDS could be options at RW and Milambo is an U21 so won't count towards the squad numbers, so I'm not sure I see the value in moving any of them on.

Heres what I make the squad depth chart:
View attachment 67624

You should remove the "out on loan" players from this for a start.

 

[Gazza Bee]

If you mean sales only then maybe one of the 3 young CBs, we have 7 or 8 now with Stevenson also in the mix to make it 8/9 which is a lot IMHO

Aside from that the squad looks in good shape and for me only a Schade move will require any more incoming.

 

[davewfilms]

Balcombe,Kim,jensen,nunes.

 

[True Bee]

Do we think Ethan should stay as his influence on our young centre halves and his fantastic professional manner would be so the Brentford way of keeping our culture going, players like him are rare these days such a perfect role model

 

[Les Beeavinu]

Do we think Ethan should stay as his influence on our young centre halves and his fantastic professional manner would be so the Brentford way of keeping our culture going, players like him are rare these days such a perfect role model

I think we should let Ethan do what he wants - go or stay.

 

[Simon C]

Ins: Schuster, Anthony, Wilson, Sangare
Outs: Henderson, Trevitt?

(not counting loans out (Donovan, Cox) where they have basically been rolled-over, or transfers agreed last season (Frank))

So we are +2 players at the moment.

What positions do we have excess players that we need to move on?

I think you have to count Donovan in the outs as he filled some serious minutes off the bench in and in cup games. We will need to fill that this year somehow

 

[kaebess]

We normally sell late in the window. I am sure there will be interest in a couple of our players. Club will of course be very aware but we all know nothing is done till it’s done.
We might be playing a waiting game for the 2 to 3 weeks to see how things possibly progress as we don’t stand in the way of players and their progression.

 

[Jakalo]

Going to get shot down, I think if we had an offer for Jenson, I wouldn't be unhappy if he went.

I’ll shoot first, but only with a water gun. Jensen is underrated every year and has proved doubtful fans wrong every time. Here’s to him doing so again!

 

[Beelieve!]

If JDS isn’t the old JDS and Schade leaves then we still need pace up front with players who can carry the ball

Currently that style, without them is,
Outara
Anthony
Kayode

 

[ianbee]

Can't understand anyone wishing Jensen gone, apart from the guy a couple of rows in front of me in the stand. He was our best midfielder last season and so reliable. Janelt was awesome before his injury and Yarmo is one of my favourites. It is unlikely all three will starting together this season if everyone is fit, but I wouldn't want any of them to be leaving.

 

[Gee Bee]

I think you have to count Donovan in the outs as he filled some serious minutes off the bench in and in cup games. We will need to fill that this year somehow

We have Fabio & Milambo back, had they been available how much would Donovan been used?

 

[Wooburn Bee]

Can't understand anyone wishing Jensen gone, apart from the guy a couple of rows in front of me in the stand. He was our best midfielder last season and so reliable. Janelt was awesome before his injury and Yarmo is one of my favourites. It is unlikely all three will start this season if everyone is fit, but I wouldn't want any of them to be leaving.

We need at least six midfielders and probably seven that can all be starters or get serious minutes from the bench as will need rotation.

 

[FJBee]

I think we’ll see Matti leave. There’s been interest and his game time surely goes down a lot this year with Sangare coming in, Milambo and Carvalho back.

I think Pinnock only leaves if we think Schuster and someone like Arthur are ready to step in. We like to have 5 good CBs, we’re at that level right now IMO.

We’ll probably keep targeting another winger, you never know maybe the El Mala stuff gets cleared up he’s not found a move elsewhere yet. Think we’d have liked to be opportunistic with a LB purchase but doesn’t look like Diouf is happening.

In terms of other outgoings, I don’t think we’ll see any other players leave for a transfer fee, but Furo, Konak, Meghoma, Nunes, Ji-Soo, maybe Arthur too, probably all / most go out on loan. Maybe one or two sold if we don’t think they’re progressing well enough.

 

[swr22]

Can't understand anyone wishing Jensen gone, apart from the guy a couple of rows in front of me in the stand. He was our best midfielder last season and so reliable. Janelt was awesome before his injury and Yarmo is one of my favourites. It is unlikely all three will start this season if everyone is fit, but I wouldn't want any of them to be leaving.

To stop a trend developing, I doubt anyone wants Jensen gone BUT his contract is running down, he might fancy a big move while he can maximise that contract, and we have more mouths to feed in midfield.

He would certainly add to the squad if he stayed and his progression year on year has certainly surprised me, but you can imagjne that the club is not thinking emotionally about it

 

[ianbee]

To stop a trend developing, I doubt anyone wants Jensen gone BUT his contract is running down, he might fancy a big move while he can maximise that contract, and we have more mouths to feed in midfield.

He would certainly add to the squad if he stayed and his progression year on year has certainly surprised me, but you can imagjne that the club is not thinking emotionally about it

If he gets a big move then he will leave with my best wishes. I think he has been great for Brentford. Just think he still has lots to offer.

 

[Old B]

With all players available for selection we are going to have a great bench and some players disappointed they haven’t even made that. Nice problems for Keith to manage.

 

[mhead bee]

Probably got one too many left backs on the books,

Really, we didn't have any a year ago.

We have Rico who's injury record has been poor last few years, ditto Hickey, who IMO isn't good enough there and is better on the right or even in midfield, the young lad who is an unknown quantity right now, and the KLP who is a very good fill in. I wouldn't let any of them go to be honest.

 

[mhead bee]

To stop a trend developing, I doubt anyone wants Jensen gone BUT his contract is running down, he might fancy a big move while he can maximise that contract, and we have more mouths to feed in midfield.

He would certainly add to the squad if he stayed and his progression year on year has certainly surprised me, but you can imagjne that the club is not thinking emotionally about it

Surprised he has stayed so long considering how half the fans seem to hate him. This will be his 7th year at Brentford, and if memory serves he was pretty cheap when we bought him, around a million wasn't it, when a million felt like a lot of money to us. It is not like we need to recoup anything so letting him leave on a free in a year wouldn't be bad if we got another season like the last out of him. But if you did get the Norgaard 12M odd, which still amazes me, that would be amazing business. Still a class act IMO.

 

[N5022N122]

I think we only loan the minimum. Look at the regret last Christmas when we were short. The theme of this window is depth seems counter productive loaning out. Yes we cover some wages but the cost of buying in one player must be more. Just for one season so we can make Europe avoid loaning out.

 

[Simon C]

We have Fabio & Milambo back, had they been available how much would Donovan been used?

Neither are natural wide players

 

[Scratchy]

Really, we didn't have any a year ago.

We have Rico who's injury record has been poor last few years, ditto Hickey, who IMO isn't good enough there and is better on the right or even in midfield, the young lad who is an unknown quantity right now, and the KLP who is a very good fill in. I wouldn't let any of them go to be honest.

If you take Hickey out of the equation that still leaves three people fighting for the one position. Whether any of those three are the long term solution for that role is an entirely separate debate but I would say that's still one too many.

 

[Lush55]

I’ll shoot first, but only with a water gun. Jensen is underrated every year and has proved doubtful fans wrong every time. Here’s to him doing so again!

I like Jenson, except for his over hit passes, his rugby shots on goal and I can't see him getting much game time, bar the dreaded injury bug.

 

[Gee Bee]

Neither are natural wide players

Not sure Donovan is either. Generally drifts inside. We’ve added Anthony who can play both sides and will have KLP if not covering LB. I’m sure they’ll be incoming if Schade were to go

 

[jlove]

I’d say we need to look at every role we’re likely to use at any time – that means more than XI – plus exclude U-21 players, to see where potential excess.

Defensively there’s a good inventory:
‘keepers, we seem to have ’spares’, many young ones though, plus Balcome who seems to be a permanent fixture.
RB is really only Kayode and Hickey;
LB is Henry and Meghoma;
CB we’ve got quite a few but includes promising U-21’s and Pinnock is a special case where, as Les states, it’ll be entirely a matter for him if he stays or goes.

Midfield is a bit crowded but there’s not that many that can be considered truly equivalents. It has the positions that cover the most mileage plus more than 3 roles to fill depending on tactics, so difficult to say if there’s truly an excess. Personally, I think Keith needs the options to vary the style of play.

In attack, I think Nunes should go out again… but I’d add Lewis-Potter and keep Furo. He provides a complete opposite to Wilson to rotate or play alongside Thiago. Wide attack probably defaults to Schede and Ouattara but with the options of Keane and Anthony with different attributes.

We’ll always be opportunistic in the market, so there may be surprises, and we’re not in a position to know things like the prospects for Henry and Meghoma, so that may be a position we still need to cover.

 

[TW1Bee]

Why people include Nelson as a leaver ? He was never our player anyway.

 

[Bumbling fool]

Still took up a squad place and occasionally kicked a ball

 

[AB]

Probably the cheapest CB we have and can still pull out a MotM performance. So I am not convinced he will be part of the cull.

Not so much a player to be culled, more I think one we’ll keep for that role and reliability but allow to move with true thanks and deep appreciation if he receives an offer to play regularly at a good level and he fancies that.

I suspect we have a fair few from the promotion generation that we would never actively look to move on because they’re still more than capable of performing at upper half PL standards on a more or less regular basis but who are naturally facing ever increasing quality competition as we improve the squad. They are still above the immediate consistent level of the younger new players but that becomes less and less clear each season.

I think apart from Pinnock, who’s the most marginal and risk due to age, Henry, Janelt and Jensen all fit in this category. We’d miss them all if they went but those three are all players we could get very decent fees for who would improve several PL or top flight Euro big league teams and who we’d be able to replace largely from within.

 

[mhead bee]

If you take Hickey out of the equation that still leaves three people fighting for the one position. Whether any of those three are the long term solution for that role is an entirely separate debate but I would say that's still one too many.

Ok, so if we unpick that a bit.

Take Hickey out, and send the young lad out on loan.

You are left with, Rico as first choice. He pulls a hammy again, and then we have KLP with no cover.

On the other side you have MK and Hickey (who I don't think is anywhere near as good as Rico/KLP/MK at FB, so shoot me). If Hickey gets injured again, we are down to two full backs in the whole squad.

I don't think we should let anyone go, but I hink we will, the young lad out on loan again probably. Now, if the WHU lad were to join, I wonder if Rico might go the other way.

 

[mhead bee]

Why people include Nelson as a leaver ? He was never our player anyway.

He was here for a whole season and now frees up a squad place.

 

[beeeehive]

Wonder if Nunes could be moved on

 

[hanworthbee]

I’d move Hickey on as hes not good enough for either LB or RB compared to what we already have , hes injured a lot and I don’t believe he can be morphed into a midfielder

We’ve already spent a fair whack this season and not recouped aything so it would make good sense for someone to go for decent money

 

[Bigbee]

I’d move Hickey on as hes not good enough for either LB or RB compared to what we already have , hes injured a lot and I don’t believe he can be morphed into a midfielder

We’ve already spent a fair whack this season and not recouped aything so it would make good sense for someone to go for decent money

madness ,we're yet to see the best of him yet , what ever position is chosen for him .Naturally two footed players do not grow on trees

 

[taxi driver]

madness ,we're yet to see the best of him yet , what ever position is chosen for him .Naturally two footed players do not grow on trees

Hickey is a conundrum.

He's not going to play if everybody is fit but probably too good not to be playing

For us a fantastic squad player but I can realistically see him only starting at left back in this team, in a midfield cameo a la Liverpool away or reserve full back.

It's a sign of how we have progressed that those signed for big money back then are somewhat on the fringes now.

 

[Scratchy]

Ok, so if we unpick that a bit.

Take Hickey out, and send the young lad out on loan.

You are left with, Rico as first choice. He pulls a hammy again, and then we have KLP with no cover.

On the other side you have MK and Hickey (who I don't think is anywhere near as good as Rico/KLP/MK at FB, so shoot me). If Hickey gets injured again, we are down to two full backs in the whole squad.

I don't think we should let anyone go, but I hink we will, the young lad out on loan again probably. Now, if the WHU lad were to join, I wonder if Rico might go the other way.

At right back we do have other options such as SvdB and Ajer. Not ideal but they are options in that position.

It might very well be that Henry might be the one to go if we are reassessing our options at left back.