[Albion] January window

[Swansman]

I think De Zerbi will get the players he wants within reason of course. He wants to be challenging for the top 4 if not this season then next and his passion on the touchline tells me he will be a bit more demanding with transfers as opposed to Potter.

Hopefully with more TV money and Covid now hopefully gone, the club will have a bit more money to move around with. If it continues to make £50-60m losses per year, RDZ really isn't in a position to demand anything.

 

[Cornwallboy]

Despite obviously being a wind up, we definitely need another striker who can come on when Welbeck is having a stinker like yesterday who isn't called Undav or Encisco. Even if just to actually cause defenders some problems and create space for others to help break down the low block which has been our achilles heel for years.

Not a wind up mate, just being a bit tongue in cheek as so often we have the 'we need a proven goal scorer' debate on here every time the window is approaching.

 

[Cornwallboy]

New account, @b.w.2. ?

I beg your pardon?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I beg your pardon?

Has one of us just been whooshed.....?

There is a poster who has posted 200+ times that we need to sing a 'proven striker', and I was making a comedy allusion to this.

I was under the impression that you were being facetious yourself and would find my reply amusing.

Never mind. No offense meant

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Not a wind up mate, just being a bit tongue in cheek as so often we have the 'we need a proven goal scorer' debate on here every time the window is approaching.

See, there you go!

 

[schmunk]

I was making a comedy allusion

Just like that...

 

[nwgull]

Hopefully with more TV money and Covid now hopefully gone, the club will have a bit more money to move around with. If it continues to make £50-60m losses per year, RDZ really isn't in a position to demand anything.

We almost certainly made a profit last year - probably in region of 20-30m. However, we’ve also made losses in every other season since the Amex was built apart from 17-18, so you wouldn’t blame Bloom for not wanting to give him a blank cheque.

 

[Cornwallboy]

Has one of us just been whooshed.....?

There is a poster who has posted 200+ times that we need to sing a 'proven striker', and I was making a comedy allusion to this.

I was under the impression that you were being facetious yourself and would find my reply amusing.

Never mind. No offense meant

No worries mate. I was making a (very poor) attempt at humour with my 'proven goalscorer' quote as I find it amusing how often it's said on here and the fact its highly unlikely ever to happen.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

No worries mate. I was making a (very poor) attempt at humour with my 'proven goalscorer' quote as I find it amusing how often it's said on here and the fact its highly unlikely ever to happen.

No worries mate. I was making a (very poor) attempt at humour with my 'proven goalscorer' quote as I find it amusing how often it's said on here and the fact its highly unlikely ever to happen.

 

[Whoislloydy]

Our reliance on Mitoma in the final third was exposed with his absence. We need better attacking players, Digne had Solly in his pocket for 95% of the game yesterday.

I think we need four players in January. CB/CM/RW/ST

 

[B-right-on]

Moder and Mwepu's absence leaves us short in the midfield.

 

[B-right-on]

Connolly is a forgotten man. Only played 5 times and scored 0 for Venice, who are 2nd from bottom having lost 4 and drawn one in their last 5 games. Not going to be the striker answer.

 

[Hugo Rune]

This is a good thread. Especially for those who are ignoring the Corrupt Cup. Here is the business I think we need to do:

Keeper. No.2

Is Steele putting enough pressure on Sanchez? He is a senior player who does a lot behind the scenes but I think we’d struggle at the back if Sanchez got injured and I don’t think he is having to worry about his position in the team which is not ideal. I don’t think we have a proper No.2 at the club currently but have no idea who we’d bring in.

Centre Back (LCB/LB) Burn replacement.

I think we need a player to replace Colwill asap. Send him back to Chelsea I say. We don’t want any help from those asset stripping ****s.

It’s clear that we need a left sided Veltman to cover LCB and LB, a replacement for Burn if you will. The Ukrainian guy looks fantastic but also this fella from Frankfurt:



Only 23. Can play LB. 6ft 4”. Pacy. Rated as a £30m+ defender. Just 6 months left on his contract.

Holding Midfielder (No.6) Bissouma replacement.

I don’t think we replaced Bissouma. Or rather we did, but if we don’t play Caicedo, who is our destroyer in midfield? Cifuentes can do this role and the rumour is, we’re after him.



Attacking Midfield. Mwepu replacement.

A pal for Mitoma. A proven goal scorer who is scoring regularly this season. Rated £30m+. 6 months left on his contract. It’s time to rob Frankfurt again for this guy:



Young exciting player with world class potential:

Goodnight - Done!



Attacking player who can score

They informed me on the fantastic Together BHA pod that Welbeck is 2nd and March is 4th in Europe for having the highest unconverted XG. In other words, they are both awful at shooting. Along with Lallana, that’s 3 players in our attacking quartet who can’t hit the barn with the banjo. We need another player who can join them. Enciso is a year or two away, Sarmiento has promise but is not fit that much and Undav seems to have a very limited all round game. We need another, especially if TB is offered too much money to turn down for Tross. I’d be more than happy for the club to spend £30m of the £50m+ Tross fee on this guy who has been linked with us:



If we don’t sell Tross, I’m keen for the club to get a cheap gamble, perhaps bring Adringa over and see if he is ready? That trick worked with Caicedo.

 

[Lurchy]

It wouldn’t surprise me if David Datro Fofana was on our short list. He’s been impressing at Molde this season; quick and knows where the back of the net is, but at 19 he’s still one that needs time to develop. Perfect for a loan to USG.

 

[nwgull]

This is a good thread. Especially for those who are ignoring the Corrupt Cup. Here is the business I think we need to do:

Keeper. No.2

Is Steele putting enough pressure on Sanchez? He is a senior player who does a lot behind the scenes but I think we’d struggle at the back if Sanchez got injured and I don’t think he is having to worry about his position in the team which is not ideal. I don’t think we have a proper No.2 at the club currently but have no idea who we’d bring in.

We won't spend big on a keeper. Any keeper that would seriously push Sanchez for the No. 1 spot would cost us 15-20m plus wages to match. That's a lot of money to be sat on the bench for an average of 37 out of 38 PL games per season, so the money is better spent elsewhere on an outfield player that will realistically be rotated into the team either as a starter or sub.

 

[GT49er]

I think we need a 'proven PL striker' who will get us '15-20 every season.'

Errrmm ...... you're new here, aren't you.......

 

[GT49er]

We won't spend big on a keeper. Any keeper that would seriously push Sanchez for the No. 1 spot would cost us 15-20m plus wages to match. That's a lot of money to be sat on the bench for an average of 37 out of 38 PL games per season, so the money is better spent elsewhere on an outfield player that will realistically be rotated into the team either as a starter or sub.

100%. Anyway ........... cough ....... McGill.

 

[GT49er]

Interesting talking to media before talking to the club, not sure exactly how that will be received.

If both a new CB and player capable of playing RB/RWB would arrive, I think that'll mean the end for Veltman. Think there would be plenty of takers in Italy - they love a sturdy, experienced defender who'd be quite cheap.

Adam Webster is obviously also someone who could go and be a backup in one of the English top 6 clubs but I don't think the club is keen on selling a starting CB in January so that would have to be next summer.

Who the new CB would be... who knows. RDZ brought with him Marlon from Sassuolo to Monza and he is the most technically competent CB you'll find pretty much, so if it is somehow possible to break his loan deal with Monza and have him move to Brighton, it can't be ruled out.

Potential RB... I'm a sucker for Kevin Mac Allister. He has grown into being one of the best RBs in the Argentinian league and there would be obvious off-pitch advantages getting him in.

Most likely I think that only one defender will arrive in January and probably that will be a left-footed CB. What that means for Colwill is a bit of a question mark, but what it means for Van Hecke is pretty certain - loan move to St Elsewhere.

In midfield I think another central midfielder (perhaps someone primarly AMC but also able to play in other roles) could arrive, replacing Mwepu. Billy wont be delighted and maybe should have another loan spell in the Championship or something.

Up front, there's already of couple of players getting very limited game time. Think we could see three players loaned out and Buonanotte arriving along with another player.

My guess for January:

In:
CB
DMC/CM/AMC
Buonanotte
Another attacking player

Out (loans)
Van Hecke
Billy
Sarmiento
Fergie

Same numbers (as they're ok) but oomphed up in terms of competiton.

What's the point of those loans? Van Hecke has already proved himself at the highest level available in England outside the PL, Gilmour pretty much too. Sarmiento has played in the first team without looking out of place. Keep them here, with careful progression of game time (I must admit I thught Van Hecke would get a shot first, with Colwill heading back to Chelsea in January - better to develop our own rather than develop Chelsea's, but maybe that horse has bolted now).
Ferguson? Probably OK, yes - League 1 for half a season - but I'd prefer to keep him here and loan him out for the 2023-24 season - I'm not a fan of half season loans. They rarely seem to work.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I haven't really watched the amount of European football some of you seem to have.

However I plan on watching near enough the entire world cup, so I reckon i'll form some opinions on some players we should sign in the coming weeks

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I think De Zerbi will get the players he wants within reason of course. He wants to be challenging for the top 4 if not this season then next and his passion on the touchline tells me he will be a bit more demanding with transfers as opposed to Potter.

We won't be challenging for the top four, not this season or next. Do you seriously expect us to finish above the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Newcasle etc. etc? because l don't.

If we could just manage a top six finish in that time it would be one heck of an achievement, l'd be bowled over with a place in Europe.

I don't know that demanding a bigger transfer budget would help, it proved to be the end for a certain Senor G. Poyet.