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[Albion] January transfer window













macbeth

Dismembered
Jan 3, 2018
4,174
six feet beneath the moon
Oh my goodness me that is debilitating, we are struggling enough as it is.
yes, only for a while but we can’t write off a whole month of the season, plus however long it will take those four to recover.

absolutely has to be something done in january to compensate for that. if not, we can have no complaints if we don’t finish in the top half and get knocked out of europe. fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
 








Colonel Mustard

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2023
2,240
yes, only for a while but we can’t write off a whole month of the season, plus however long it will take those four to recover.

absolutely has to be something done in january to compensate for that. if not, we can have no complaints if we don’t finish in the top half and get knocked out of europe. fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
Remember that most of our competitors will also have players away in the same period.
 




Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,903
Almería
Off topic, but what a player Riquelme was in one of my early 2000s Championship Manager games

I saw him playing for Boca at La Bombonera at the tail end of his career, by which time he was a bit overweight but still class. Scored the winning goal from the spot if I remember rightly.
 


Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,692
Brighton
yes, only for a while but we can’t write off a whole month of the season, plus however long it will take those four to recover.

absolutely has to be something done in january to compensate for that. if not, we can have no complaints if we don’t finish in the top half and get knocked out of europe. fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
The club needs to react to the injuries in key positions.

If RDZ hasn’t got the personnel to play his preferred 4-2-3-1 system (no full backs etc), staying in the top half and the two cups is going to be very tough.

I’m sure the club will back him next month. Back-ups for Solly, Estupinan and Lamptey are critical. Also worth noting that the back-up for Enciso (Fati) is injured too, a loan for someone like Sancho might not be out the question.
 


Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
17,777
Fiveways
I saw him playing for Boca at La Bombonera at the tail end of his career, by which time he was a bit overweight but still class. Scored the winning goal from the spot if I remember rightly.
Presumably that was early 2000s. How long were you in Buenos Aires for?
 




Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,903
Almería
Presumably that was early 2000s. How long were you in Buenos Aires for?

It would've been 2007/8, after he'd gone back to Boca from Villarreal. They were playing Arsenal Sarandi and I was sat in with the away fans who were just like you would expect Argentinian supporters to be.

I was in BA twice during that trip (8 months in Latin America) and probably spent about 8 or 9 days there in total.
 




Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,692
Born In Shoreham
The club needs to react to the injuries in key positions.

If RDZ hasn’t got the personnel to play his preferred 4-2-3-1 system (no full backs etc), staying in the top half and the two cups is going to be very tough.

I’m sure the club will back him next month. Back-ups for Solly, Estupinan and Lamptey are critical. Also worth noting that the back-up for Enciso (Fati) is injured too, a loan for someone like Sancho might not be out the question.
Sancho 😬
 






Mancgull

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2011
5,550
Astley, Manchester
Yes, we need a full back but an extra 3/4 on top of that? Maybe another purchase and a loan? When our injured players are back we should have ample options.
 


chickens

Have you considered masterly inactivity?
NSC Patron
Oct 12, 2022
2,694
This is great.

But, I think we need experience at full back and at right wing. Look at Hall at Newcastle. Huge potential but Howe won’t play him now because he can’t reach the elite level required (yet), he might go back to Chelsea.

My concerns are at right wing (Mazilu) and left back (Barco). Those two might have a great future with us but will they be up to much for the rest of the season when we are desperate?

To fight for silverware and Europe again, I think we need a bit more. Barardi and someone like Walker-Peters would give us the required squad cover in my opinion.

Are we desperate? Do we want to bring in players on permanent deals who cover an injury now but are then not as good as our regular first-team option when everybody’s fit again?

For me (again just my personal opinion) either established players on an end of season loan, or bring the raw talent in and let us do what we do. I’m expecting to finish lower down the table than last year, and will be delighted if we manage to match or exceed that given the story so far this season around injuries.
 


El Turi

Injured
Aug 13, 2005
7,178
Argentina
We are desperate for full backs. Most teams best players are their wingers so it’s madness that De Zerbi has been left without any proper full back options. It’s no surprise that we haven’t kept a clean sheet all season. The club need to resolve this in January. If not, De Zerbi would have been badly let down by the club.
 




Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,692
Brighton
Are we desperate? Do we want to bring in players on permanent deals who cover an injury now but are then not as good as our regular first-team option when everybody’s fit again?

For me (again just my personal opinion) either established players on an end of season loan, or bring the raw talent in and let us do what we do. I’m expecting to finish lower down the table than last year, and will be delighted if we manage to match or exceed that given the story so far this season around injuries.
I agree with this but perhaps we could change our strategy for Solly March who might not be back until well into 2025 if he has a similar recovery period to Moder.

I’m sure there are some fantastic loan opportunities out there. An experienced fullback is essential in my opinion and whilst a loan would be fine, there might be a good deal (think Trippier to Newcastle but don’t think about last night!) on a permanent.

The other opportunity is a ‘one off’ signing like Berardi. I just think that he’d fit the team perfectly but obviously he’d be a permanent signing that would have almost zero sell on potential so we’d be throwing the £20m+ needed to secure him straight down the drain. But for the same price as Wood-to-Forest, we’d get a much better player who would get us far more points than Wood will ever get for the Nottingham outfit.
 


Husty

Mooderator
Oct 18, 2008
11,998
I have a few Oxford United STH mates (all grew up together in Witney). They are RAVING about Beadle.

Doing well in League 1 but having watched him a couple of times for Oxford this season he's a long, long way from being ready to start for us.
 


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