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

[OvingdeanSeagull]

Would like to see Baldock played as a striker.

So would I. I genuinely think he would score loads for us if partnered with COG but I can't see Hughton going for it unfortunately.

 

[Hugo Rune]

So would I. I genuinely think he would score loads for us if partnered with COG but I can't see Hughton going for it unfortunately.

I'd go for a partnership with Best for the sake of alliteration. However, I prefer him on the left if we're only playing one up front.

 

[spence]

We have got Monokanna back training with us, so might be a time for him to step up and be tested, even if just from the bench.

From what i've seen of him i would say no he isn't ready yet

 

[perseus]

Next 3 games are important

Albion:

Out: Gardner, E. Bennett, Bent, (all loans) Colunga, Toko.

In: Best (loan), Kayal. Back in: Halford (loan).

Whole season loans already: J. Bennett, Teixeira

My opinion: most encouraging is the retention of O'Grady (whom I never thought was bad by the way). Not inspired by Leon Best, Kayal might be good and Halford is a precaution in case of Dunk getting injured. Slightly disappointed in the departure of Colunga but it might clear the way if we could find a pacy winger.

Derby are really making a sustained bid and Brentford reinforced their attempt at promotion. Right now I fancy Bournemouth and Brentford to go up.

I think we need to six points clear of the relegation position after Easter, with three games to go.

Millwall's next three matches might define their season. They must be looking for 5 pts, One home, two away. = 32

Wigan have made some drastic changes needed if they have any chances of escape. Next three and they entertain Derby with 2 away games. 4 pts max. = 26

Rotherham's next 3 are tricky and they could get 0 but might get 3 pts. = 33

Charlton might end up in the mire with oncoming difficult fixtures, say 2 pts = 35

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/fixtures

So (we might need 38 pts to be 6 pts clear and that is 3 wins).

Forest (h) W (almost a must win game and more than likely a 1-1 draw)
Cardiff (a) L
Sheff Wed (a) D = 33 pts and still in the mire. Never won at Hillsborough: I would very much like to break that duck even if we didn't badly need the points)

The point is we have got to get clear of the pack down the bottom (remembering Norwich last season.)

The next three games will be defining for Forest and Huddersfield as well.

 

[El Turi]

We raised the most money in our history from transfers last summer yet still haven't signed any quality players in the last two windows. It makes me realise that it's unlikely that we are ever going to be able to build a squad capable of challenging from promotion to the Premier League unless we miraculously develop a lot of very good youth players.

 

[chaileyjem]

yet still haven't signed any quality players in the last two windows. .

Any ? Whats your view on Stockdale ?

 

[El Turi]

Any ? Whats your view on Stockdale ?

Good keeper but not quite as good as Kuszczak in my opinion.

 

[Horses Arse]

I don't think the development of good players will be miraculous. It's the plan, with reasonable investment made on the youth playing side and huge investment in the infrastructure.

 

[chaileyjem]

Good keeper but not quite as good as Kuszczak in my opinion.

Fair enough but interesting that no Championship manager or L1 manager for that matter thinks TK is worth being their #1 this season.

 

[Bombadier Botty]

Botty--- I always try to leave the viewer/listener with a or or something in-between.
Did I miss something from your reply to me

Whatever you leave us with is always appreciated SIMMO. You've certainly put the 'Bevvy' back into Bevendean and no mistake.

 

[Mackenzie]

So have we got a stronger squad now than at the end of December?

 

[sparkie]

So have we got a stronger squad now than at the end of December?

Probably, but no guarantees

I hope Kayal is better than Toko.
Best is probably more what we need than Colunga.


2 x 93 day loans will see us through to season end.


But we will then have to always pick 5 from 6 for the matchday squad.

 

[mikeyjh]

Yep, Derby with Ince, Bent and Lingard now look Prem bound.

Ridiculously quiet window. Interesting that a number of slackers have had their contracts terminated - take a bow Assou-Ekotto and Roger Johnson. Blackpool anyone?

In fairness, Ince and Lingard are replacement for the recalled and injured Ibe & Russell, don't know if they're an improvement... Best is definitely a step up, but the real boosts are Warnock & Albentosa and the return of George Thorne, they give me confidence. Just missing the play offs it is then!!!

 

[B.W.]

So have we got a stronger squad now than at the end of December?

No. We lost Bent, E Bennett, Gardiner, Toko, Colunga.

We gained Kayal, Best.

Bent > Best.
Kayal - who knows?

 

[Zebedee]

Based on our efforts in the transfer window I fear that we may now be bound for League 1? At least we'll win a few more games.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

No. We lost Bent, E Bennett, Gardiner, Toko, Colunga.

We gained Kayal, Best.

Bent > Best.
Kayal - who knows?

You're over simplifying. We never had Bent and O'Grady/CMS available at the same time so you can add O'Grady/CMS to the ins. We also could only play 5 of the 6 loan players so that limited our squad massively.

Finally, we've also got LuaLua and Stephens set to come back. I would say Stephens and Kayal will definitely be better than Gardner and Toko. LuaLua has played better for us this season than Bennett did on loan. Up front, Bent was very good but as we gave him no service, I'd say we're better off now.

Overall, I'd say we have a stronger squad available than we did at the end of December and Hughton for Hyypia is a massive improvement.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

People say that we lost Gardner, but he was brought in for half a season to replace the injured Stephens.

Bent came in on loan and CMS went out on loan.

The way I see it is that we now get a striker and attacking midfielder in on 93 day loans, and ship out CMS on loan to save wages.

IF this happens, we'll be in a reasonably good position.

 

[B.W.]

You're over simplifying. We never had Bent and O'Grady/CMS available at the same time so you can add O'Grady/CMS to the ins. We also could only play 5 of the 6 loan players so that limited our squad massively.

Finally, we've also got LuaLua and Stephens set to come back. I would say Stephens and Kayal will definitely be better than Gardner and Toko. LuaLua has played better for us this season than Bennett did on loan. Up front, Bent was very good but as we gave him no service, I'd say we're better off now.

Overall, I'd say we have a stronger squad available than we did at the end of December and Hughton for Hyypia is a massive improvement.

The squad is the squad regardless of who's injured or not. I stuck to the question asked. But I agree those returning from injury have a big role to play, and your manager comment is stating the obvious, so I agree again.

 

[Spadge]

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.

 

[clungemeister]

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.

makes a lot of sense......the biggest bonus is houghton for hyypia......other than that we have gone marginally backwards in squad strength imho.......all in all a rather underwhelming transfer window with the main play off contenders doing most and us not doing much at all really....!!