SPECULATION - Bertrand on loan, again

[Isaac Hunt]

I just think he's that good, that even if we have a LB we should of taken the opportunity of resigning Bertrand onloan for another year. There's no harm having cover in the squad, so Williams might of still got his chance.

I agree he's a good player....but a non starter when we're already paying 3 left backs wages (Williams, Armstrong and Kelly)

[Isaac Hunt]

It seems something aint quite right there as surely he would off come back to Reading if he was happy, as obviously chelsea wanted to loan him out again. So i think there must have been somehting said to convince him not to return to us

Yes, we signed a left back called Williams.

[Tredder]

...and of course from the player's own point of view, it's probably better experience to have played at two decent championship clubs rather than just one. Plus most (objective) pundits reckon Forest are one of the favourites this year, and are likely to finish above Reading, which would again make Forest a more attractive proposition.

So... better for the player, they'll pay higher wages, and anyway we couldn't wait for a decision so got Williams in instead.

No brainer all round really.

What it does do, taken alongside Sheff Utd's loan signing of Taraabt today (even ignoring the tabloid romour of Owen loan to Bristol C) is put into perspective the challenge we have this year. We are no longer one of the big spenders in this league, like we were two years ago, and BM will have done a tremendous job if he gets us into the play-offs this year.

Taraabt has signed for QPR actually.

Neil Warnock, Paddy Kenny.......Sure as hell sounds like Sheff Utd.

On that basis, Brentford made it to the Premiership then

[brendywendy]

Exactamundo. I'd take Bertrand on another month's loan - if we go up, we can afford, probably, to sign him up. Missed a trick there I think. Personally, I think we have a MUCH better than Forest, so he'll be wasted there.

But why not develop a LB of our own who could also be good enough to play in the PL by the time we get there, rather than take a chance on developing one who we may not be able to sign if/when we get there?

I just think he's that good, that even if we have a LB we should of taken the opportunity of resigning Bertrand onloan for another year. There's no harm having cover in the squad, so Williams might of still got his chance.

and then we go up, williams has no match time, and we have to get someone else in, which wont be berti cos he'll be going somewhere good.
and weve just spent two years doing chelseas youth team coaches job for him

[sandman]

and then we go up, williams has no match time, and we have to get someone else in, which wont be berti cos he'll be going somewhere good.
and weve just spent two years doing chelseas youth team coaches job for him

Or to be more accurate a year and a half.

[Scarface]

So all those who are moaning that we already have a left back, I take it you were up in arms when Zurab was playing last season in place of Alex Pearce?

Look I understand with finances etc it doesn't make sense, however if we had the opportunity of having the best left back in the league for another season, then I think we should of taken it. I'm sure had the loan deal been on offer in July we'd of taken it and not signed Williams.

[brendywendy]

possibly agreed- though its more likely it was always viewed as as short term stop gap till our own could be found.


and even if we had a left back last year and we had bertrand id have wanted to play bertrand as he is better
so the same goes for zurab/pearce

but thats as a fan, not as someone running a club

[CMRoyal]

So all those who are moaning that we already have a left back, I take it you were up in arms when Zurab was playing last season in place of Alex Pearce?

The reason I see the two scenarios differently is because Williams is an established player at this level. If he turns out to be as poor as Pearce was last season then yes, we should look to bring in a better player on loan. I don't expect that to happen though.

Look I understand with finances etc it doesn't make sense, however if we had the opportunity of having the best left back in the league for another season, then I think we should of taken it. I'm sure had the loan deal been on offer in July we'd of taken it and not signed Williams.

Maybe, but it wasn't so we didn't. Is there any point arguing about metaphorical situations? We simply couldn't risk letting Williams escape at the time and Bertrand was not an option when we made that decision.

[Isaac Hunt]

Maybe, but it wasn't so we didn't. Is there any point arguing about metaphorical situations? We simply couldn't risk letting Williams escape at the time and Bertrand was not an option when we made that decision.

Exactly. I believe that we did discuss Bertrand coming back, but at that time he decided he wanted to give breaking into Chelsea's plans another go. As CMRoyals says, with Williams becoming free, we didn't want to pass up the opportunity of securing the services of another left back that we obviously rated.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Ryan Bertrand Wages for 1 year >>>>>> Marcus Williams for 3 years

I'd go as far as to call Bertrand 3x the player that Williams is, but it is the reality of our situation. There is no money, people need to get used to it.

[Still Hate Futcher!]

Ryan Bertrand Wages for 1 year >>>>>> Marcus Williams for 3 years

I'd go as far as to call Bertrand 3x the player that Williams is, but it is the reality of our situation. There is no money, people need to get used to it.

Bit early to make that call - lets see how Williams does for us first.

I thought Bertrand was first class and should go on to bigger things but let's not get carried away. He was no better than Shorey or Armstrong before him so who's to say we can't follow him with another quality left back?

[Drew_3]

Ryan Bertrand Wages for 1 year >>>>>> Marcus Williams for 3 years

I'd go as far as to call Bertrand 3x the player that Williams is, but it is the reality of our situation. There is no money, people need to get used to it.

Bit early to make that call - lets see how Williams does for us first.

I thought Bertrand was first class and should go on to bigger things but let's not get carried away. He was no better than Shorey or Armstrong before him so who's to say we can't follow him with another quality left back?

Have a think about that and revise your statement re: Shorey and Armstrong, personally I thought Bertrand was just as good as Shorey at attacking and much better at defending.

[paultheroyal]

Ryan Bertrand Wages for 1 year >>>>>> Marcus Williams for 3 years

I'd go as far as to call Bertrand 3x the player that Williams is, but it is the reality of our situation. There is no money, people need to get used to it.

Lets hope you embarrass yourself there!!

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Ryan Bertrand Wages for 1 year >>>>>> Marcus Williams for 3 years

I'd go as far as to call Bertrand 3x the player that Williams is, but it is the reality of our situation. There is no money, people need to get used to it.

Lets hope you embarrass yourself there!!

Hope so too. Not down about Williams just really liked Bertrand and tbh I'm surprised a low level Prem team having taken a punt on him.

[Ian Royal]

Bertrand thought too highly of himself wanting to break into Chelsea, he had no chance, he simply hasn't showed himself to be good enough for that. So he told us to naff off on coming back. We accept his decision and find someone else.

He then gets told he's got no chance of breaking through at Chelsea this year (something anyone could have told him) and is told he's off on loan again. If we hadn't signed Williams he'd probably have come here and if we'd gone up we'd probably have bought him and given him his premier league chance.

But we filled our gap and I for one am not too interested in going back for a player for one year who's shown himself to be pretty mercenary and a little deluded about his own quality.

We simply can't afford to waste money bringing in a player for a spot where we don't have a hole, no matter how good that player is.

[Dirk Gently]

Bertrand thought too highly of himself wanting to break into Chelsea, he had no chance, he simply hasn't showed himself to be good enough for that. So he told us to naff off on coming back. We accept his decision and find someone else.

He then gets told he's got no chance of breaking through at Chelsea this year (something anyone could have told him) and is told he's off on loan again. If we hadn't signed Williams he'd probably have come here and if we'd gone up we'd probably have bought him and given him his premier league chance.

But we filled our gap and I for one am not too interested in going back for a player for one year who's shown himself to be pretty mercenary and a little deluded about his own quality.

We simply can't afford to waste money bringing in a player for a spot where we don't have a hole, no matter how good that player is.

If you don't mind me saying so, what a complete and utter load of bollocks this post is.

[paultheroyal]

Bertrand thought too highly of himself wanting to break into Chelsea, he had no chance, he simply hasn't showed himself to be good enough for that. So he told us to naff off on coming back. We accept his decision and find someone else.

He then gets told he's got no chance of breaking through at Chelsea this year (something anyone could have told him) and is told he's off on loan again. If we hadn't signed Williams he'd probably have come here and if we'd gone up we'd probably have bought him and given him his premier league chance.

But we filled our gap and I for one am not too interested in going back for a player for one year who's shown himself to be pretty mercenary and a little deluded about his own quality.

We simply can't afford to waste money bringing in a player for a spot where we don't have a hole, no matter how good that player is.

agreed

If you don't mind me saying so, what a complete and utter load of bollocks this post is.

[Ian Royal]

Bertrand thought too highly of himself wanting to break into Chelsea, he had no chance, he simply hasn't showed himself to be good enough for that. So he told us to naff off on coming back. We accept his decision and find someone else.

He then gets told he's got no chance of breaking through at Chelsea this year (something anyone could have told him) and is told he's off on loan again. If we hadn't signed Williams he'd probably have come here and if we'd gone up we'd probably have bought him and given him his premier league chance.

But we filled our gap and I for one am not too interested in going back for a player for one year who's shown himself to be pretty mercenary and a little deluded about his own quality.

We simply can't afford to waste money bringing in a player for a spot where we don't have a hole, no matter how good that player is.

If you don't mind me saying so, what a complete and utter load of bollocks this post is.

Care to explain (using your STAR insider info) Dirk?

Because it seems to me to be based on some fairly clear facts.

1) Bertrand wanting to go back to Chelsea and break through there
2) McDermott saying we wouldn't be able to sign him because of these ambitions - or similar - at the end of last season / beginning of pre-season.
3) Us signing a left back
4) Bertrand then being told he's going on loan by Chelsea.
5) Our frequently mentioned lack of available funds.

Maybe I layered it on rather thick when it came to saying Bertrand had a mercenary nature and overinflated opinion of himself. The first is probably unfair, but I still don't think he's going to be better than mid-table Prem for years at best.

Maybe if Armstrong had retired things might be different with him shifted off the wage bill.

[paultheroyal]

Ian, new season and i thought you were going to get a grip of yourself but old habits die hard.

Your first post you assassinate Bertrand, but when questioned on it, your second post does the exact opposite!!

You need help, and quick. Cant face another season of your inane posting. Oh, and help me out here because its been mentioned tonight, do you go to games and if so how many?

[Royal Lady]

Ian - firstly, Bertrand played for Chelsea in a pre-season or something iirc so he's not that oxf*rd useless to them and secondly, he is a better player than Williams.

I think he thought he would get onto the bench, at least ,at Chelsea this season - for whatever reason, Chelsea decided to let him go on loan again. By the time they appeared to have decided that, we'd bought Williams and didn't go in for him. So he's gone to a rival instead and woe betide us when we have to play against him, I say.