****** The Official January Transfer Window Thread *******

[Mackenzie]

If they are all fit what would be our strongest team now then? Something like this?

Stockdale

Bruno-Halford-Dunk-Bennett

Stephens-Ince-Kayal

Lualua-Best-Baldock​

 

[BensGrandad]

It was an extremely poor transfer widow and here is my reason why!

*David Stockdale
Casper Ankergren
Christian Walton
*Bruno
*Gordon Greer
*Aaron Hughes
*Lewis Dunk
*Inigo Calderon
Adam Chicksen
Glen Rea
*Joe Bennett - On Loan - Will return to Villa
*Greg Halford - On Loan - Will return to Forest
*Baram Kayel - Singed for £325k, purely gate receipts and TV money from the Arsenal game.
Jeffrey Monakana
*Dale Stephens
*Andrew Crofts
Kemy Agustien
*Jake Foster Caskey
Paddy McCourt
*Danny Holla
*Rohan Ince
*Kazenga Lua Lua
*Solly March
Adrian Colunga - Already loaned out, doubtful will return
*Sam Baldock
*Craig Mackail Smith - Out of Contract
*Joao Teixiera - On Loan - Will return to Liverpool
*Leon Best - On loan - Will return to Blackburn
*Chris O Grady

* indicates current Match Squad regular

Out of the 20 players that are current Match day squad regulars 4 of these are on loan and will return to there parent clubs.

CMS is out of contract and will almost certainly be moved on (If not why has a new contract not been signed)

Kemy Augestien is a complete waste of space and needs moving on.

Paddy McCourt will not be here next season

Casper Ankergren, Bruno, Gordon Greer, Aaron Hughes and Inigo Calderon are all the wrong side of 30!

That's 7 players that will be gone and 4 ageing players that will not be good enough next season.

It leaves us with

David Stockdale - Will need a massive improvement on this season
Christian Walton - Great Prospect and looks competent
Lewis Dunk - Can we hold on to him in the summer?
Adam Chicksen - Struggled to break into the team
Glen Rea - Unproven
Baram Kayel - Needs time to settle in
Dale Stephans - Is he over his injury?
Andrew Croft - Came back once from Serious injury, will a 2nd leave him anything to give?
Jake Foster Caskey - Mr Marmite, Personally not convinced can play at a sustained level
Danny Holla - Looks tidy alongside Ince
Rohan Ince - Superb Prospect, Solid.
Kazenga Lua Lua - Match winner on his day, is he consistent?
Solly March - Personally havent seen what everybody raves about with Solly, Has a point to prove
Sam Baldock - Struggled this season since signing, Maybe next season will be an improvement, If he is played down the middle!!
Chris O Grady - The guy has battled hard in several games and appears to have won the fans over, but he is no 20 goal a season striker.

We have never had our own left back since Painter and Chicksen has been a bitter disappointment, We will look very light up front and to get in a couple of decent strikers will cost a fortune, We are lacking another wide man that can beat players and get crosses in.

Defensively we desperately need some young blood.

Basically it will cost a small fortune to turn us into Play off contenders next season and i don't see the club having that sort of money to turn things around immediately, the academy will produce players, but your looking at least 5 years before any real talent starts to come out from there.

IMO we are going to be struggling for a couple of years to come and the club does not have a budget to invest sufficiently in the playing side.

Don't shoot me............just sharing my opinion.

A load of waffle with no substance. The fact that the loans will return to their parent club and others are out of contract in the summer has no bearing whatsoever on our immediate aim, that is to avoid relegation and then worry about next season in the summer. As far as the question goes yes we are very slightly better off now than pre Christmas because of players coming back from injury. I am disappointed that once again we have taken the cheap option in this window and hope that we will bring in a couple of loans when that window opens.

 

[Spadge]

A load of waffle with no substance. The fact that the loans will return to their parent club and others are out of contract in the summer has no bearing whatsoever on our immediate aim, that is to avoid relegation and then worry about next season in the summer. As far as the question goes yes we are very slightly better off now than pre Christmas because of players coming back from injury. I am disappointed that once again we have taken the cheap option in this window and hope that we will bring in a couple of loans when that window opens.

How many signings in the Summer then Grandad?

 

[Machiavelli]

It was an extremely poor transfer widow and here is my reason why!

*David Stockdale
Casper Ankergren
Christian Walton
*Bruno
*Gordon Greer
*Aaron Hughes
*Lewis Dunk
*Inigo Calderon
Adam Chicksen
Glen Rea
*Joe Bennett - On Loan - Will return to Villa
*Greg Halford - On Loan - Will return to Forest
*Baram Kayel - Singed for £325k, purely gate receipts and TV money from the Arsenal game.
Jeffrey Monakana
*Dale Stephens
*Andrew Crofts
Kemy Agustien
*Jake Foster Caskey
Paddy McCourt
*Danny Holla
*Rohan Ince
*Kazenga Lua Lua
*Solly March
Adrian Colunga - Already loaned out, doubtful will return
*Sam Baldock
*Craig Mackail Smith - Out of Contract
*Joao Teixiera - On Loan - Will return to Liverpool
*Leon Best - On loan - Will return to Blackburn
*Chris O Grady

* indicates current Match Squad regular

Out of the 20 players that are current Match day squad regulars 4 of these are on loan and will return to there parent clubs.

CMS is out of contract and will almost certainly be moved on (If not why has a new contract not been signed)

Kemy Augestien is a complete waste of space and needs moving on.

Paddy McCourt will not be here next season

Casper Ankergren, Bruno, Gordon Greer, Aaron Hughes and Inigo Calderon are all the wrong side of 30!

That's 7 players that will be gone and 4 ageing players that will not be good enough next season.

It leaves us with

David Stockdale - Will need a massive improvement on this season
Christian Walton - Great Prospect and looks competent
Lewis Dunk - Can we hold on to him in the summer?
Adam Chicksen - Struggled to break into the team
Glen Rea - Unproven
Baram Kayel - Needs time to settle in
Dale Stephans - Is he over his injury?
Andrew Croft - Came back once from Serious injury, will a 2nd leave him anything to give?
Jake Foster Caskey - Mr Marmite, Personally not convinced can play at a sustained level
Danny Holla - Looks tidy alongside Ince
Rohan Ince - Superb Prospect, Solid.
Kazenga Lua Lua - Match winner on his day, is he consistent?
Solly March - Personally havent seen what everybody raves about with Solly, Has a point to prove
Sam Baldock - Struggled this season since signing, Maybe next season will be an improvement, If he is played down the middle!!
Chris O Grady - The guy has battled hard in several games and appears to have won the fans over, but he is no 20 goal a season striker.

We have never had our own left back since Painter and Chicksen has been a bitter disappointment, We will look very light up front and to get in a couple of decent strikers will cost a fortune, We are lacking another wide man that can beat players and get crosses in.

Defensively we desperately need some young blood.

Basically it will cost a small fortune to turn us into Play off contenders next season and i don't see the club having that sort of money to turn things around immediately, the academy will produce players, but your looking at least 5 years before any real talent starts to come out from there.

IMO we are going to be struggling for a couple of years to come and the club does not have a budget to invest sufficiently in the playing side.

Don't shoot me............just sharing my opinion.

I won't shoot you, and I don't think this is waffle either. It's a pretty good summation of where we are. Where I'll differ is that I'd rather put a different slant on things. We need to stay up this season, and then seriously rebuild in the summer. I'd be far happier if we just bought quality players, and padded out the squad with DS players (rather than what we did this season, which was to sign in too much dross). We'll also take in some loans in the summer, but we need to be less reliant than we have been this season. I also think you've been a tad harsh on a few of our players (Stockdale, Baldock, March, KLL), while there's every conceivable likelihood that one, or more likely two, of Crofts, Stephens and Kayal are performing well next -- maybe even this -- season.

 

[Machiavelli]

If they are all fit what would be our strongest team now then? Something like this?

Stockdale

Bruno-Halford-Dunk-Bennett

Stephens-Ince-Kayal

Lualua-Best-Baldock​

Looks about right, especially given Greer's recent dip. Greer, Tex, March, COG and maybe Holla are pushing for places too. Stephens and Kayal are both somewhat unknown quantities for this season at least.

 

[Mackenzie]

Looks about right, especially given Greer's recent dip. Greer, Tex, March, COG and maybe Holla are pushing for places too. Stephens and Kayal are both somewhat unknown quantities for this season at least.

The team I posted looks solid enough, but any opposition won't exactly be frightened by the prospect of facing us. Lualua and Bruno aside it's pretty workmanlike. The summer recruitment needs to focus on getting shot of the dead wood (we all know the names), a decision on whether we require wingbacks or fullbacks, and bringing in a bit of star quality a talisman.

 

[BensGrandad]

How many signings in the Summer then Grandad?

Too many ifs and buts at the moment to put any sort of figure on it but I would expect about 3 but it is not the numbers that matter but the quality as even this season we are only a couple of players off of being a good enough side. From our past if you added players with the quality and ability of Peter Ward and Nobby Horton we would be in at least a play off position.

 

[Pavilionaire]

You have to assume that with the addition of Kayal and Best Hughton he thinks we've got enough talent in the squad now to avoid relegation. I tend to agree with him. We now need to get some continuity in the matchday squad and see if the likes of March, Stephens, Holla, Baldock and Bennett actually have what it takes.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

The loan window now opens in 4 days, and any 93 day loan will send us through to season end as no playoffs this year, sadly


The problem is of course, that 93 day loans can be recalled after 28 days, and only loans from English clubs can be made.



It looks like Paddy may be going soon, which points to a winger being signed on loan.

I suspect seeing as there is now no chance of us getting a fee for CMS, that he'll be back to Peterborough to save on his wages, and we'll also be bringing in a striker on loan.

This of course gives us 6 loan signings, of which we'll have to pick 5 for each squad.




As always, let's get our loan deals done early.

 

[chaileyjem]

David Stockdale - Will need a massive improvement on this season
Christian Walton - Great Prospect and looks competent
Lewis Dunk - Can we hold on to him in the summer?
Adam Chicksen - Struggled to break into the team
Glen Rea - Unproven
Baram Kayel - Needs time to settle in
Dale Stephans - Is he over his injury?
Andrew Croft - Came back once from Serious injury, will a 2nd leave him anything to give?
Jake Foster Caskey - Mr Marmite, Personally not convinced can play at a sustained level
Danny Holla - Looks tidy alongside Ince
Rohan Ince - Superb Prospect, Solid.
Kazenga Lua Lua - Match winner on his day, is he consistent?
Solly March - Personally havent seen what everybody raves about with Solly, Has a point to prove
Sam Baldock - Struggled this season since signing, Maybe next season will be an improvement, If he is played down the middle!!
Chris O Grady - The guy has battled hard in several games and appears to have won the fans over, but he is no 20 goal a season striker.

OR....half full version

Stockdale - Already showing signs he is a better than TK and in great form since early December.
Walton - competent ? - could be a future England keeper
Dunk - "can we hold on to him" - the consensus on here was that he was "definitely gone" in this window. but what do you know. Still here.
Glen Rea - Again . Unproven but another incredibly promising Dev Squad graduate in Ince, March vein.
JFC - Yep. Total disaster of a regular England U21 international.
KLL - is he consistent. - before his injury - started 10 out of 12 games and in the best form of his career.
Ince - agreed. Player of the season.
Baldock - "struggled" - yes he has although clearly goals against Arsenal / Ipswich and recent form show he's perhaps got it.
Solly March - again another England U21 international, more goals like Fulham please. and another Dev squad graduate.
Kayal/Stephens - agree. too early to say but they clearly are fine players in terms of previous clubs/form.
COG - coming into form. has impressed Hughton and the fans. Who'd have thought it ? scored more goals in the championship last season than any Albion player.
Holla - agreed. Jury out.
Chicksen - agreed.

 

[Seasidesage]

Stockdale - Perfectly good keeper at this level.
Walton - Will push hard for a 1st team place next season if he keeps developing as he has thus far.
Dunk - Has a long term contract. Only a very serious offer would tempt.
Glen Rea - Heard good things but not seen enough to judge. Would hope we are safe early so that he can get some games. 2/3rd choice CD next season hopefully.
JFC - Decent player despite the nonsense on here. Not a DM though.
KLL - inconsistent, impact player from bench. I would sell for decent offer. May improve under CH but time running out.
Ince - Developing into a real star. Bigger clubs will come calling soon. Keep if at all possible.
Baldock - Messed around most of season. Would keep but needs serious competition.
Solly March - This season has been a write off for him really. Needs to come back fit and firing, but clearly has talent. Keep
Kayal - If he can get back to his early Celtic form, this will be a great signing. Keep
Stephens - Needs some luck. Keep
COG - Shown real character in bouncing back. Striker to fire us to promotion though? Sell if good offer, keep as back up if not.
Holla - Flashes of ability, we need 3 DM's for Houghton's preferred formation and would expect improvement in his 2nd season. Keep
Hughes - Done a fair job, but blocking a place for a younger option. Release
Chicksen - Not Championship standard IMO and not improving enough. Sell
Calderon - What a job he has done for this club, but having a 34 and a 33 yr old as our options for RB is not prudent. Release reluctantly.

 

[dazzer6666]

Stockdale - Perfectly good keeper at this level.
Walton - Will push hard for a 1st team place next season if he keeps developing as he has thus far.
Dunk - Has a long term contract. Only a very serious offer would tempt.
Glen Rea - Heard good things but not seen enough to judge. Would hope we are safe early so that he can get some games. 2/3rd choice CD next season hopefully.
JFC - Decent player despite the nonsense on here. Not a DM though.
KLL - inconsistent, impact player from bench. I would sell for decent offer. May improve under CH but time running out.
Ince - Developing into a real star. Bigger clubs will come calling soon. Keep if at all possible.
Baldock - Messed around most of season. Would keep but needs serious competition.
Solly March - This season has been a write off for him really. Needs to come back fit and firing, but clearly has talent. Keep
Kayal - If he can get back to his early Celtic form, this will be a great signing. Keep
Stephens - Needs some luck. Keep
COG - Shown real character in bouncing back. Striker to fire us to promotion though? Sell if good offer, keep as back up if not.
Holla - Flashes of ability, we need 3 DM's for Houghton's preferred formation and would expect improvement in his 2nd season. Keep
Hughes - Done a fair job, but blocking a place for a younger option. Release
Chicksen - Not Championship standard IMO and not improving enough. Sell
Calderon - What a job he has done for this club, but having a 34 and a 33 yr old as our options for RB is not prudent. Release reluctantly.

Well crafted post, can't really argue with any of that.

 

[BensGrandad]

Stockdale - Perfectly good keeper at this level.
Walton - Will push hard for a 1st team place next season if he keeps developing as he has thus far.
Dunk - Has a long term contract. Only a very serious offer would tempt.
Glen Rea - Heard good things but not seen enough to judge. Would hope we are safe early so that he can get some games. 2/3rd choice CD next season hopefully.
JFC - Decent player despite the nonsense on here. Not a DM though.
KLL - inconsistent, impact player from bench. I would sell for decent offer. May improve under CH but time running out.
Ince - Developing into a real star. Bigger clubs will come calling soon. Keep if at all possible.
Baldock - Messed around most of season. Would keep but needs serious competition.
Solly March - This season has been a write off for him really. Needs to come back fit and firing, but clearly has talent. Keep
Kayal - If he can get back to his early Celtic form, this will be a great signing. Keep
Stephens - Needs some luck. Keep
COG - Shown real character in bouncing back. Striker to fire us to promotion though? Sell if good offer, keep as back up if not.
Holla - Flashes of ability, we need 3 DM's for Houghton's preferred formation and would expect improvement in his 2nd season. Keep
Hughes - Done a fair job, but blocking a place for a younger option. Release
Chicksen - Not Championship standard IMO and not improving enough. Sell
Calderon - What a job he has done for this club, but having a 34 and a 33 yr old as our options for RB is not prudent. Release reluctantly.

No mention of CMS.

 

[Seasidesage]

No mention of CMS.

Good point. CMS? Not for me, never looked Championship class IMO and the two major assets that he has, pace and stamina are likely to decline from here on in. I wouldn't offer a new contract even on reduced terms personally.