• 26 Aug 2024, 10:53 p.m.

    And Romano said personal terms had been all agreed. Though he did say that about Nketiah too.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 3:36 a.m.
  • 27 Aug 2024, 7:14 a.m.

    You’d think he must have had a change a mind. Which if he’s not at all sure then likely it’s for the best. We do need a striker but like Nketieh, I’m not too fussed we’ve missed out.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 7:59 a.m.
  • 27 Aug 2024, 9 a.m.

    Apparently once got decked by his manager for refusing to warm up. He sounds like a laugh.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 2:15 p.m.

    Romano may be trying to save face but saying we're still trying to make it happen with Gimenez.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 3:19 p.m.

    If he ends up going elsewhere or even staying at Feyenoord, we won’t fail for the want of trying. I don’t think Marinakis is somebody who gives up without a fight.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 3:34 p.m.

    Yes but is he any good?

    The Dutch league is notorious for spouting players who look great over there and pants here. Apart from Suarez who was fucking ace even though he had questionable taste on who he ate…

    I suspect this week might well end up basketcase again but who knows we may end up with a gem.

    Eddie would have been great for us I suspect. Pity that ship has sailed..

    Chicago: Keeping a chin up.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 3:54 p.m.

    He has been compared a lot to Suarez, not so far as I know because of his culinary preferences but because of some consecutive scoring record.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 4:46 p.m.

    Obviously don't judge on youtube clips but, ideally, I'd like to see more goals from shots that the goalkeepers look like they are trying to keep out.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 5:22 p.m.

    Maybe he’s that good, he lulls them into a sense of false security. No, me neither.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 5:31 p.m.

    It makes me want to tear my hair out when I hear arguments like "scores almost one in two in the arrivederci league". That could easily equate to "scores almost no goals in the 'ship", and has in multiple cases. Luckily I don't have any hair anymore.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 5:46 p.m.

    I do still have hair, albeit exceedingly grey… but all these discussions of whether Player X is any good based on YouTube highlights reels, stats, or even the eye test when playing for a different team in the same league… they’re all bollocks.

    Every transfer is a gamble. Full stop. Some work out. Some don’t. There are acquisitions that appear to make sense at the time who turn out to be a disaster (including, for example, Harry Arter; no-one was whingeing at the point of his arrival). Equally, there are others where webmong fans profess to be “deeply underwhelmed” as they sign, who turn out to be a great success (e.g. Chris Wood & Willy Boly of the current squad).

    And that’s with players we know sone thing about. When you’re talking about people like Gimènez, none of us wants to admit the truth, namely that we have not a scooby. 99% of Forest fans had never heard of him 3 weeks ago; now they’re pontificating away about how much he’s really worth like veterans.

    It seems clear that the club’s recruitment team really want Gimènez, judging by the persistence with which they seem to be trying to sign him. Fine. They’re the professionals at this and will have scoured him extensively & studied his strengths & weaknesses.

    Personally, the success they’ve had with players like Taiwo, Murillo, Danilo et al has built a certain level of trust that they know what they’re doing. Let’s allow them to do their jobs & stop pretending we have the tiniest idea about this player: we don’t.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 5:52 p.m.

    Goals at current level is only really a guide in the absence of other data.
    Similarly, goals at a club that plays nothing like Forest.
    You do what you can with what you have, and it means that people can spin their own preferred story about a player based on gut feel, eye test, optimism level etc without any empirical failing.
    And sometimes even with the best evidence it still doesn't work out.
    I think Dutch league strikers have tended to be below the required standard. I don't know about the Brazilian league.

  • 27 Aug 2024, 6:04 p.m.

    I'm quite happy to admit I know nothing about players I've never heard of, nor seen.

    Totally agree that it's almost impossible to know how a player will do in completely different circumstances, with completely different teammates, playing to a completely different system and objectives. I've been making the same point here for years.

    I'd like to think I can look at a player and see what he can do where he is....but the whole reason big clubs let little clubs try to establish outside players at this level is so that they don't have to. It's almost impossible to tell how well a player will be able to do something that they haven't done yet. Only a rare genius like Peter Taylor could do that.

    Given the lifestyle change, the football change, the physicality, and often the weather change, almost all players new to here take some time to settle and find the level. If they are going to at all. Generally at least a year. Of those that we are identifying as 'a success', how many have been fully up and running within a year?

    Obviously if a player is miles above the level, they can look great even while adjusting and coming up to speed. Given the standard in the 'ship that doesn't happen often..... And it happens slower the fewer peer role models available to set the standards for the level.