Stick or twist

[stainrodisalegend]

If you were told now that you could keep exactly this squad for next season, would you? When you think this team has secured almost 2 points out of every 3 since it came together in Jan, I would stick. Johansen and Austin are, on the balance of probabilities, better than who we would probably manage to bring in to replace them. With our first 11 I don't think there are now many teams in this division better than us. Even the wing backs - which had looked a problem - are performing. I'm a fan of Chris Willock and he is starting to look like a player to start alongside Charlie. If you were being picky you would probably say we need an additional striker (sending maybe two of Bonne, Dykes and Kelman on loan) and cover at centre half (given that de Wills is excellent but has suspect fitness and this is probably Cameron's last season).

Oh to be able to sign a cut price Wells after a disappointing season at Bristol, then I honestly think with Charlie alongside him we could be genuine title challengers (promise I have not been smoking anything...). I realise that is probably totally unrealistic tho.

Really encouraging interview here with Warbs where he recognises the importance of keeping this squad together. Interesting he should raise that as a possibility. Maybe, just maybe, keeping Charlie and Johansen is not totally impossible after all - as most of us feared after the fans forum? Johnasen is key: the finest midfield general we have had since Ali Faurlin IMHO.

https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news/warburton-pre-forest-040321/

[ConorQPR2000]

If you were told now that you could keep exactly this squad for next season, would you? When you think this team has secured almost 2 points out of every 3 since it came together in Jan, I would stick. Johansen and Austin are, on the balance of probabilities, better than who we would probably manage to bring in to replace them. With our first 11 I don't think there are now many teams in this division better than us. Even the wing backs - which had looked a problem - are performing. I'm a fan of Chris Willock and he is starting to look like a player to start alongside Charlie. If you were being picky you would probably say we need an additional striker (sending maybe two of Bonne, Dykes and Kelman on loan) and cover at centre half (given that de Wills is excellent but has suspect fitness and this is probably Cameron's last season).

Oh to be able to sign a cut price Wells after a disappointing season at Bristol, then I honestly think with Charlie alongside him we could be genuine title challengers (promise I have not been smoking anything...). I realise that is probably totally unrealistic tho.

Really encouraging interview here with Warbs where he recognises the importance of keeping this squad together. Interesting he should raise that as a possibility. Maybe, just maybe, keeping Charlie and Johansen is not totally impossible after all - as most of us feared after the fans forum? Johnasen is key: the finest midfield general we have had since Ali Faurlin IMHO.

https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news...forest-040321/

If Im looking at the current squad, it is certainly very strong and has a lot of depth in it, especially in the midfield, bear in mind that we do have Luke Amos coming back from Injury in time for the new season and that would be a nice link up maybe with Johansen and Austin as well as Field in the middle, if we can sign them on perms of course.

As for letting players go, at the moment, this is where my thinking lies -:

Wallace - Offer new deal
Cameron - release - on £12k a week
Lumley - release - on £6k a week
Carroll - release - on £6k a week
Kane - transfer list - on £9.5k a week
Ball - transfer list - on £6.5k a week
One of Kelman/Bonne and Dykes out on loan.

Assuming all of these happens, excluding loans, that would free up around £40,000 in the wage budget, which means we could look at Austin, Johansen, Field and De Wijs along with maybe 2 wing backs coming in along with a replacement for Todd Kane. I do think maybe Wells on a loan could be decent along with Austin up front.



If all of these comes off, then we could be getting somewhere.

[SheepRanger]

If Im looking at the current squad, it is certainly very strong and has a lot of depth in it, especially in the midfield, bear in mind that we do have Luke Amos coming back from Injury in time for the new season and that would be a nice link up maybe with Johansen and Austin as well as Field in the middle, if we can sign them on perms of course.

As for letting players go, at the moment, this is where my thinking lies -:

Wallace - Offer new deal
Cameron - release - on £12k a week
Lumley - release - on £6k a week
Carroll - release - on £6k a week
Kane - transfer list - on £9.5k a week
Ball - transfer list - on £6.5k a week
One of Kelman/Bonne and Dykes out on loan.

Assuming all of these happens, excluding loans, that would free up around £40,000 in the wage budget, which means we could look at Austin, Johansen, Field and De Wijs along with maybe 2 wing backs coming in along with a replacement for Todd Kane. I do think maybe Wells on a loan could be decent along with Austin up front.



If all of these comes off, then we could be getting somewhere.

I cant see Ball or Kane being bought for a fee. Most teams will be looking for free contract players. If Dieng stays I would extend Lumley if he's happy to be the second keeper. Carroll will stay if we cant get all the loan midfielders signed up, or Bettache goes out on a season long loan.

[Stainrod]

I cant see Ball or Kane being bought for a fee. Most teams will be looking for free contract players. If Dieng stays I would extend Lumley if he's happy to be the second keeper. Carroll will stay if we cant get all the loan midfielders signed up, or Bettache goes out on a season long loan.

You could make Kane available as a free transfer of course but that would need a team to want him , for Kane to want to leave and for someone to offer the same wage or more . He won’t be leaving to take a pay cut .

[SheepRanger]

You could make Kane available as a free transfer of course but that would need a team to want him , for Kane to want to leave and for someone to offer the same wage or more . He won’t be leaving to take a pay cut .

Exactly....

[FurtiveFox]

Would be great to get Jordy, Sam Field, Johansen and Austin but wages will be an issue, particularly with last two. Obviously not concerned on first two as have options to purchase.

Charlie and Johansen will be popular choices for much richer clubs than us at this level. Whilst we have looked far better since the January window we do need to be careful money wise and, like everyone other team, Covid will have hit us hard.

What I do hope it has shown the club and Warburton though is the huge difference adding some quality has made. Hopefully we can keep the loan players and it is a possibility but at the least you can see the margins between strugglers and reasonably good in this league are not that big.

[ConorQPR2000]

Would be great to get Jordy, Sam Field, Johansen and Austin but wages will be an issue, particularly with last two. Obviously not concerned on first two as have options to purchase.

Charlie and Johansen will be popular choices for much richer clubs than us at this level. Whilst we have looked far better since the January window we do need to be careful money wise and, like everyone other team, Covid will have hit us hard.

What I do hope it has shown the club and Warburton though is the huge difference adding some quality has made. Hopefully we can keep the loan players and it is a possibility but at the least you can see the margins between strugglers and reasonably good in this league are not that big.

Best case scenario imo is that Johansen comes back on loan next season and Austin takes a pay cut and signs permanently, which I do think is likely.

Field and De Wijs already have options to buy in their deals, which I think we will take up.

I do think its likely Cameron will be released in order to free up the money needed for Austin's wages, I think the best scenario is that we can offer him £15k a week.

[FurtiveFox]

Can't see him taking £15k a week. If we are serious I would say £20k-£25k with generous bonus. Far from impossible but will take a leap of faith from hierarchy to go that far above wage threshold.