Season 8 Summer Transfer Window Team Grades Part 1

Aberdeen: C

INs:  

OUTs: 

Kwon GK Manchester 15,000,000

Sidethighs RMF Manchester  6,000,000

Benbow CB Glasgow

Juric Not Re-signed

Love: There is a plan. New manager Lautaro Mancini has a plan and the chairman is making it a reality. We can criticize the purchases of the specific players (and we will), but there are no gripes from me when it comes to their positions.Peeters was a great grab at the end of the window…but now your 2 best players not named Gardonyi or Williamson play the same position…

Hate: Hey, I have an idea! Let’s sell 1 of the best goalies in the league to one of the biggest clubs for half his value! Average GKs are hard to come by and great ones are pretty much impossible. To make matters even worse they replaced him with Scotch Whiskey GK from Neeps. 

The players added just aren’t that good. Gibbs, Wallace, Torres and Moore combined for 31 starts, 3,065 minutes, and 47 total appearances. They also combined for 1 Goal and 1 Assist.
And why the hell did they add Crespo considering how good Goatshagger and Benbow were last year. 

Best Move: Signing  Peeters RWF Loan

Worst Move: Selling Kwon GK Manchester 15,000,000 

What JMart would have done: Same positions, different players. Gerkinov would have been free. Maddox would have been 3-4 million at the most? Broadfoot, Fitzroy, O’ Shaughnessy, David and Linguine all had similar years statistically and would have cost 10 million or so less. They are paying astronomical wages to Moore, Whiskey is trash and Gibbs is a downgrade. I also would have kept Kwon GK or held out for 25-30 million. And 6,000,000 for Sidethighs in a league where quality wide players aren’t common is a massive coup for Manchester. Not sure who at Aberdeen owes Manchester favors…but it surely is even now!  I also would have invested in the center of midfield.

Feel like I need to point out that Sidethighs had 3 assists last year and left for 6,000,000. Torres had 1 assist and was brought in for 19,000,000. That’s 2 assists more despite playing 676 fewer minutes. Mancini better be able to find success on the field, otherwise the owner may be wondering why he wasted so much money.
Question: Will it work? We’ve seen consistent success from the 4-3-3 in the past but can this manager pull it off? Let’s not forget Aberdeen won 4 of their final 5 games last season. I’m worried all these changes may not have been necessary.

Prediction: 9th

Belfast: F

INs:  

Yeoman CMF St Marylebone 30,000,000

Fairburn CF Free Agent

Gutenbed GK Free Agent

Simons CF Free

OUTs: 

Cox AMF Manchester 250,000

Love: Nothing! I ‘like’ that they held onto Jerry Curls GK. He was one of the best goalies in the league before being dropped when Juanito took over.

Hate: All of it. Basically Belfast paid 30,000,000 to keep the same starting 11 from Matchday 12 to Matchday 22. They went 3-4-4 in those matches, scoring 8 and allowing 9. Seems like an expensive ticket back into the relegation playoff.

Best Move: Signing Fairburn CF Free Agent

Worst Move: Signing Yeoman CMF St Marylebone 30,000,000

What JMart would have done: 1) Sack the manager. Feels like there is chaos and a lack of organization at the Belfast facilities these days which is causing a lot of confusion. This window really lacked direction from the Northern Irish club. An active manager means a clear direction and an actual plan in the market. 2) SELL! Top rated CB in the league, Kang and the top rated RB in the league, Samedov, are both on Belfast. Why does that matter? In the final 8 games of Season 7, under new manager Juanito, Samedov played a total of 88 minutes. This is the same Samedov that played every minute of every match before that! And Kang? That highest rated CB in the league? 0 minutes. If the manager isn’t going to use these players, then at least try and get something for them. 3) Balance out the squad. At the moment, Belfast has 6 CBs & 6 CFs…..while only carrying 2 CMFs and 2 Fullbacks. Yes Saunders and Kang can play anywhere in that backline, but they are likely as confused as we are about who is playing where this season…
Question: What the hell is the plan? We have no idea how they will line up. How do you even line up with the current squad?! Judging by their depth chart, maybe a 4-1-5 is in the works…

Prediction: 13th

Belle Vale: C

INs:  

Rizzo CF Birmingham 16,000,000

Peeters RWF Global Transfer 12,500,000

Urnanzabin Global Transfer 10,000,000

Nohomo LMF Exeter Pirates  6,500,000 

Lampanelli CB Free Agent

Obando CB Free Agent

Runns CF Free Agent

Tito CMF Exeter Pirates Loan

Nixon SS Aberdeen Loan

OUTs: 

Tolo CF 20,000,000

Rice CF13,000,000

Gadsby AMF 4,000,000

Turner RB Free Agent 1,000,000

Bootsma RMF Free Agent

Fairburn CF Free Agent

Peeters RWF Aberdeen Loan

Love: Let’s be honest, the signings are not that bad. There is balance, depth and a little bit of quality. Questions all offseason about the manager returning lead to a bit of a chairman lead window. Reportedly the Liverpool club still have 20,000,000 available with hopes of investing in their stadium and their sales paired with some smart signings mean a net spend of only 9,500,000.

Hate: This team could have easily been in the relegation playoff last season. I understand cashing in on Tolo CF, but I don’t think shipping out your best player was a good move…especially when he is the main goalscorer and you sold his backup.. It’s easy to get excited about the arrival of Rizzo and Urnanzabin & they are straight replacements for Rice and Tolo…but the 2 new strikers are unproven in FSL. Rizzo was dreadful with Birmingham last season with limited playing time. Ultimately I fear a lack of direction and losing important players outweigh the potential of their signings.

Best Move: Signing Urnanzabin Global Transfer 10,000,000

Worst Move: Selling Tolo CF 20,000,000

What JMart would have done: Built around Tolo and Mensah. End of story. Now an aging Mensah will be asked to carry this team on his back. 

Question: What is the best XI? How long will it take this squad to gel? How familiar is the manager with the new signings considering reports indicate he was not involved in any of the transfer decisions?

Prediction: 10th

Bristol Bridge: B

INs:  

Grbic AMF Birmingham 21,500,000

Henriksen CB Birmingham 20,500,000

Shartz CF 7,000,000

Atrick RB Global Transfer 5,000,000

Fraser AMF Neeps and Tatties Loan

Zidane AMF Leeds 

OUTs: 

Wanga Banga LB Leeds 15,000,000

Yukambu CB Nottingham 500,000

Alpha LWF Nottingham Loan

Yates CMF Nottingham Loan

Love: The process. We saw Bristol make some moves in January, slowly putting the pieces together in this FSL puzzle. This 2nd window was no different adding 5 possible starters. The Bridge finished in 5th place somehow after a wonderful 2nd half to the season. On paper it looks like they upgraded big time. With the switch to a 5-3-2 chairman Owen went out and got the players to hopefully make this system work. 

Hate: The cost. Bristol spent a whopping 55,000,000; only St. Marylebone’s 61,000,000 was higher. This means it will be an even longer wait on some much desired and frankly much needed stadium improvements. Manager Logan Christopher has spoken out against clubs overspending, so it will be interesting to see how he navigates his upcoming press conferences considering the investment in his squad. 

Furthermore, Bristol barely got anything from sales. Wanga Banga for 15,500,000 to Leeds looks like a steal. The LB can play almost anywhere and is one of only a handful of FK Specialists in the league. Bristol won’t be able to maintain a spending attitude, so hopefully this group stays together for seasons to come…otherwise it may mean selling season.

Best Move: Signing Shartz CF 7,000,000

Worst Move: Selling Wanga Banga LB Leeds 15,000,000

What JMart would have done: n/a

Question: Will the system work? Christopher seems excited to finally roll out his counter attacking 5-3-2. We saw glimpses of it late last year and the results were positive. It’s a defense first mentality in a league where so few teams play with only 1 attacker up front. Bristol will have numbers at the back and should be tough to beat, but will they be compromising anything in the final third?

Prediction: 6th