Transfer Rumour Willis Or McDonald To Blues? (7 Viewers)

no_loyalty

Well-Known Member
Was told by a Blues fan at work today that they are after our centre half, when I asked him which one he didn't know
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
McDonald, who was recently sold by a bottom half league 1 team for a nominal fee, is not going to the championship.
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
Because he was deemed not good enough for league 1 6 months ago. No sane championship manager is going to think he's suddenly good enough for that level after 15 games in league 2 behind 2 defensive midfielders and partnered by a player that has had offers from championship clubs previously.
 

steve82

Well-Known Member
Hopefully it's Jordan Willis, I don't see him as first choice over winter anyway. Tom Davies can offer more to the team more so when sides go direct and to get a much needed cash injection for January clinches the deal for me as we've plenty of cover in that area too.

Yes he's played well but is not indispensable.
 

steve82

Well-Known Member
Robins seemed keen to keep them both from what he said at the forum.

Every player has a price tho and if you can enhance your squads chances of promotion from a sale it's worth considering and the fact you'd be stopping a player playing at a higher level be it league one or the championship on a better wage than we can offer.
It's gonna appeal to that player
 

1ccfc

Well-Known Member
I don't want to sell either. We've been here before with Clarke. Doing really well then sold him in January and fell away. If we are up there in January then I want to add to the squad, not sell and hope money gets invested because it won't. It doesn't matter who is the better centre half, it's a defensive unit which is currently keeping us in the mix - why dismantle it?
 

steve82

Well-Known Member
I don't want to sell either. We've been here before with Clarke. Doing really well then sold him in January and fell away. If we are up there in January then I want to add to the squad, not sell and hope money gets invested because it won't. It doesn't matter who is the better centre half, it's a defensive unit which is currently keeping us in the mix - why dismantle it?

I agree we'd like to add to the squad and not dispose of key members. Can we really turn down fair offers tho from bigger clubs higher up the leagues? Players heads turn very easy and clean sheets alone are not gonna get us promotion, tho it obviously helps. Out scoring teams gets you up.

The clean sheets frequency has dropped to a normal level that we've not kept one in the last 4 games, that to is not unhealthy as we're only conceding a goal a game. So that's still a positive.

However being more offensive is a good way of being defensive too so some much needed attacking minded players will help.
 

sb84

Active Member
Willis was let go by blues as a 14/15 year old iirc? Funny how things come back round in football.
 

1ccfc

Well-Known Member
I agree we'd like to add to the squad and not dispose of key members. Can we really turn down fair offers tho from bigger clubs higher up the leagues? Players heads turn very easy and clean sheets alone are not gonna get us promotion, tho it obviously helps. Out scoring teams gets you up.

The clean sheets frequency has dropped to a normal level that we've not kept one in the last 4 games, that to is not unhealthy as we're only conceding a goal a game. So that's still a positive.

However being more offensive is a good way of being defensive too so some much needed attacking minded players will help.
If we are serious about getting out of this league then I think we should turn down offers and then look out our position in the summer. If we've not achieved what we want then sure let them leave if there is a decent offer on the table. We got 1m for Clarke, but how much did we miss out on from promotion? I know we are a selling club and a league 2 club, but it would be nice to see a little ambition. Obviously out scoring teams wins games, but as we're struggling to score I can't see us suddenly scoring loads of goals because we sold a defender and spent part of it on a striker. Surly we're better of focusing on our strengths and looking to add a player or two and try to win by the odd goal.
 

steve82

Well-Known Member
If we are serious about getting out of this league then I think we should turn down offers and then look out our position in the summer. If we've not achieved what we want then sure let them leave if there is a decent offer on the table. We got 1m for Clarke, but how much did we miss out on from promotion? I know we are a selling club and a league 2 club, but it would be nice to see a little ambition. Obviously out scoring teams wins games, but as we're struggling to score I can't see us suddenly scoring loads of goals because we sold a defender and spent part of it on a striker. Surly we're better of focusing on our strengths and looking to add a player or two and try to win by the odd goal.

I partly agree with what your saying but it's not quite as simple as holding out till the summer. Look at last January for instance, Willis was almost up the M1 to Rotherham and a summer move never came if you look from his perspective. He might want that move up the ladder and a better wage playing with better players at a club with a higher profile now not in the summer.

On Leon Clarke he's a good example of a player wanting the move in that window after wolves interest. Not the type of player who would happily stay if his move was rejected and remain happy.

Plus we're talking selling a defender where we've got ample cover ready tried and tested. It's not a striker we'd be selling who's the focal point of a team like Leon who's goals are vital to any promotion push so a slightly different scenario in a defender.
Carlise experienced that last January when selling Charlie Wyke to Bradford. It cost them promotion in the end.

I do think we need more than a few narrow wins, as teams will become very direct in the coming months, so extra attack minded players are needed to help what we have.
 

1ccfc

Well-Known Member
I partly agree with what your saying but it's not quite as simple as holding out till the summer. Look at last January for instance, Willis was almost up the M1 to Rotherham and a summer move never came if you look from his perspective. He might want that move up the ladder and a better wage playing with better players at a club with a higher profile now not in the summer.

On Leon Clarke he's a good example of a player wanting the move in that window after wolves interest. Not the type of player who would happily stay if his move was rejected and remain happy.

Plus we're talking selling a defender where we've got ample cover ready tried and tested. It's not a striker we'd be selling who's the focal point of a team like Leon who's goals are vital to any promotion push so a slightly different scenario in a defender.
Carlise experienced that last January when selling Charlie Wyke to Bradford. It cost them promotion in the end.

I do think we need more than a few narrow wins, as teams will become very direct in the coming months, so extra attack minded players are needed to help what we have.
Some good points well made. I guess time will tell what happens.
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
I did wonder at the time if his recent contract extension had any clauses in it for talking to other clubs should the chance arise.
 

CJ_covblaze

Well-Known Member
McDonald is a very good L2 defender but hasn’t looked like he’s Championship quality. He gets beaten when the ball’s on the deck more often than not in L2. In the air he wins almost every ball. It’s almost like he’s built for this league.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
I don't want to sell either. We've been here before with Clarke. Doing really well then sold him in January and fell away. If we are up there in January then I want to add to the squad, not sell and hope money gets invested because it won't. It doesn't matter who is the better centre half, it's a defensive unit which is currently keeping us in the mix - why dismantle it?
Because we need the money?
 

steve82

Well-Known Member
McDonald is a very good L2 defender but hasn’t looked like he’s Championship quality. He gets beaten when the ball’s on the deck more often than not in L2. In the air he wins almost every ball. It’s almost like he’s built for this league.

I'd have to disagree I think he's better and more comfortable on the deck and vulnerable in the air.

Against physical sides and players he comes off second best generally, he's had some strong games tho in some and matched up. Chris O'Grady had him all day but his support didn't capitalise on his work. Ibehre of Cambridge did him a treat too. Mansfield targeted that side of the defence to go route one looking for the flick on's but he did ok that day.

Thankfully he was shifted out to the right to cover Grimmer against Lincoln or Matt Rhead would of had a great afternoon against him tho he managed to give him the slip then without the need for his physical approach.
 

stupot07

Well-Known Member
I think McDonald has been a collosus this season, but I don't think he or Willis are championship quality.

Whilst the defensive record is impressive, that is as much about the defensive set up of the team from front to back, including 2 strong holding midfielders, and not really committing players in an attacking sense, than it is about the quality of defending of individuals such as Willis and McDonald.

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1ccfc

Well-Known Member
Because we need the money?
What money? As far as we know there has been no offer. If it was silly money then we would have to take it like most clubs. Ultimately it's difficult to debate whethr selling him or keeping him is the the right thing to do, as we are talking about a transfer rumour with no actual figures.
 

dongonzalos

Well-Known Member
If the money is spent on a striker and a replacement for Jones. With Davies, Hyam and Stokes we can afford for Willis to go.
 

skyblue025

Well-Known Member
I have to laugh. How much of the undisclosed fee do you think Robins would get to spend? Probably the wages of any outgoing player if he was lucky.
 

stevefloyd

Well-Known Member
If it is 500k its not worth selling at this point if we get promoted his value would rise being a league 1 player
 

SBAndy

Well-Known Member
I don't want to sell either. We've been here before with Clarke. Doing really well then sold him in January and fell away. If we are up there in January then I want to add to the squad, not sell and hope money gets invested because it won't. It doesn't matter who is the better centre half, it's a defensive unit which is currently keeping us in the mix - why dismantle it?

I can't have been the only one who thought of Nathan Clarke first?
 

KG7

Well-Known Member
I think willis' pace has been a massive factor for us this season. Davies wouldn't be able to cover in the same way he can.


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Esoterica

Well-Known Member
I think willis' pace has been a massive factor for us this season. Davies wouldn't be able to cover in the same way he can.


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Do you really? I've thought the opposite, that we've sat so deep it's been barely utilised. Hardly been a game this season that I've not wanted us to be 10 yards higher in the first half to push our midfield closer to the strikers. Can't think of many times where he's had to get back and put in a last ditch tackle to stop a 1 on 1 or that teams tactics have been to get in behind our back line - almost everyone in this division is playing the ball into 2 big strikers.
 
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covcity4life

Well-Known Member
Yep. If it had to be one I would say Willis would do the least damage to our squad. McDonald is calmer and more assured and I think Davies can do a good enough job.

Alwaya someone happy to sell players.

No we nees to keep willis. He has bee a starter all season. If davies was better robins would play him aheas of willis.

He might be good. But we need more thsn just 2 good cbs

Lets not sabotage promotion chances
 

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