January Transfer Window

[Cornish Steve]

4 hours ago, Aidan said:

Long term plan? We've had one of those for the long term now haven't we? 

The right players aren't available? What players couldn't improve our Midfield right now? Recruitment this Jan either on loan or a signing is pivotal to gaining European football and failing to do so will massively hinder us. 

The board have had months to plan for this and it is again a massive failure and the sole reason seems to be 'brands doesn't like the winter transfer window'. A load of shit even ancelotti said we were looking for signings.

 

I really don't get this urgency, almost desperation, to get into Europe. What happened the last time? Martinez did great in his first season and nabbed a spot in Europe. We did well in the group stages, but it affected our performance in the league. Then we were knocked out, but we never regained form in the league, and it was viewed as a bad season. IMO, we should get into Europe only when we have the squad required to support a European campaign and not before. We're not there yet.

[AlbanyNYToffee]

3 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

 

Jesus. 

[Palfy]

4 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

 

Well let’s hope we don’t get the 11th in because that would be a team to be remembered for all the wrong reasons. 

[Matt]

7 hours ago, Aidan said:

I'll remind everyone at the end of the season when wolves, Leicester, Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday have all taken over us and everyone is moaning about it. 

All of those teams are already ahead, there’s no over taking to be done. But we’re 4 points of 5 and the “hardest” period is now done with. There’s no catching Leicester, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the other 3 slip up as we improve 

[Palfy]

5 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

I really don't get this urgency, almost desperation, to get into Europe. What happened the last time? Martinez did great in his first season and nabbed a spot in Europe. We did well in the group stages, but it affected our performance in the league. Then we were knocked out, but we never regained form in the league, and it was viewed as a bad season. IMO, we should get into Europe only when we have the squad required to support a European campaign and not before. We're not there yet.

There is no urgency or desperation to get into Europe there is just a desire to improve, and if that improvement results into a European spot then great, in my eyes that is surely what any team and it’s fans with aspirations would want, and you’re never know whether the team are good enough till you actually compete, I would rather fail trying than sit in the wilderness wondering. 

[Romey 1878]

13 hours ago, Finn balor said:

Romey will be gutted lossl has gone. I remember him saying what a great signing 

Mate, I still have absolutely no idea why we thought he'd be good to bring in. I understand he was only cover for Pickford but the drop off between your number one and cover should not be that big. If Pickford had gotten injured and missed the season and we were stuck with him (or Stek) we would've been fucked.

[Romey 1878]

Disappointed we didn't manage to bring in a central midfielder but with Carlo saying Gomes is expected to be back by the end of the month (wow!) then it's not exactly the end of the world.

We're 4 points off 5th and our fans have been saying this season is over. What utter shite that. When you read rubbish like that you know some of our fans are just being negative to be negative. Nothing to play for I've heard... people need to get fucking real.

[StevO]

I wonder if the same negativity would be there if we saw out the win against Newcastle and went 2 points from 5th?

[Matt]

25 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

Disappointed we didn't manage to bring in a central midfielder but with Carlo saying Gomes is expected to be back by the end of the month (wow!) then it's not exactly the end of the world.

We're 4 points off 5th and our fans have been saying this season is over. What utter shite that. When you read rubbish like that you know some of our fans are just being negative to be negative. Nothing to play for I've heard... people need to get fucking real.

Our season was written of in September (yet again) by a lot of people. It’s a lack of longer term vision I think. 

[Bill]

Transfer window turned out to be a Damp squib but I've said before that we have enough to see us through till the Summer.  Schneiderlin, Delph, Davies, Sigurdson,  I know are not the greatest midfield but with Gomes and J P gamin to come  back and Iwobi, and Bernard able to play there in an emergency I think its enough to see us through to summer.

[Romey 1878]

4 minutes ago, Matt said:

Our season was written of in September (yet again) by a lot of people. It’s a lack of longer term vision I think. 

It sounds a lot like stupidity for the most part. How can you look at the table and see the points of all the clubs and then go "nah, this season is done. Lets just play the kids because there's nothing to play for."

I just don't get it.

[Matt]

8 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

It sounds a lot like stupidity for the most part. How can you look at the table and see the points of all the clubs and then go "nah, this season is done. Lets just play the kids because there's nothing to play for."

I just don't get it.

I was trying to be a bit more tactful

[Matt]

15 minutes ago, StevO said:

I wonder if the same negativity would be there if we saw out the win against Newcastle and went 2 points from 5th?

But of course! There’d be something to complain about if we beat Liverpool 5-0 at Anfield from some. 

[Cisk]

2 hours ago, Bill said:

Transfer window turned out to be a Damp squib but I've said before that we have enough to see us through till the Summer.  Schneiderlin, Delph, Davies, Sigurdson,  I know are not the greatest midfield but with Gomes and J P gamin to come  back and Iwobi, and Bernard able to play there in an emergency I think its enough to see us through to summer.

I agree. This gives Carlo a good spell now to properly assess the tools at his disposal and plan for next season.

He's not been here long enough yet to impact on the club -  hes not had a full month of training the players his way yet

[Aidan]

13 hours ago, StevO said:

Head rolling around on the floor there Aidan?

Brands and Ancelotti are very very experienced in their jobs, if they haven’t brought someone in we need to trust them. Surely you don’t really think you know better than those two?

The mighty Man Utd signing Ighalo on loan, after three years in China and was shit in the premier league last time he was here. All you need to know about the January window in that signing. 

Of course I don't think I know better, but whatever chance we had of European football has now gone. I know some people aren't too bothered about it and I understand why. That's why I'm saying there is a lack of ambition, to me signing a CM was a necessity. With Gomes injured I'm struggling to remember a worse midfield than this current one. 

I wouldn't normally be too fussed, but we needed reinforcements and failed to get any. 

13 hours ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

We really are in the shit if Sheffield Wednesday overtake us !

That we would

[Bailey]

Despite popular opinion I think this window shows that Brands / Ancellotti rate our current players above anyone that we could have signed, and to an extent, that Ancellotti isn't as much of a pull on his own just yet. 

It was a quiet window for a lot of teams so it's not the end of the world but I thought we would have been able to bring someone of quality in. 

I'm also not sold by the line that Gomes will make the difference that people are expecting. Relatively long time out, increased likelihood that he will pick up another small injury as he comes back and he has been a part of some terrible midfield performances himself. If Ancelotti can get the best out of him every week then he definitely will feel like a new signing!

[Cisk]

I also believe the finances were not there this window. The out of contract players leaving this summer should alleviate this to an extent

[Cornish Steve]

8 hours ago, TallPaul1878 said:

We should, if we qualify, just treat it like big clubs treat the league cup. Use exclusively your fringe players and u23s.

I remember suggesting exactly that when we did make it into Europe, and you can imagine the indignant howls from some quarters: "we can win this!" If we had the discipline to play only youngsters, I agree with you, but we don't. We don't even have the discipline to play them in the Carabao.

[Cornish Steve]

5 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

Disappointed we didn't manage to bring in a central midfielder but with Carlo saying Gomes is expected to be back by the end of the month (wow!) then it's not exactly the end of the world.

We're 4 points off 5th and our fans have been saying this season is over. What utter shite that. When you read rubbish like that you know some of our fans are just being negative to be negative. Nothing to play for I've heard... people need to get fucking real.

But for appalling lack of focus, it should be two points. And if not for VAR, we would be 5th already,

[Finn balor]

I’m not sure I can take watching our central midfield pairings until André comes back 

[Romey 1878]

2 hours ago, Aidan said:

Of course I don't think I know better, but whatever chance we had of European football has now gone. I know some people aren't too bothered about it and I understand why. That's why I'm saying there is a lack of ambition, to me signing a CM was a necessity. With Gomes injured I'm struggling to remember a worse midfield than this current one. 

I wouldn't normally be too fussed, but we needed reinforcements and failed to get any. 

That we would

The chance of European football has not gone. It hadn’t gone before today’s game and it certainly isn’t gone now.

The hysteria on display by some of our fans is ridiculous. 

Edited February 1, 2020 by Romey 1878

[Newty82]

14 hours ago, AlbanyNYToffee said:

Jesus. 

Nah. He went to City mate. Would have been a goodun though.

[Newty82]

I was thinking last night that I'm pretty glad we didn't bring anyone in as I was sure most of our January signings have been shit, or overpriced. In most cases, both. Was gonna look back to find out but Dunc has put that great post up there. Real shite signings.

We don't need to panic. We aint far off 5th. And let's be honest, if we were to finish even 6th this season, it would be bloody well welcomed. Hell, 7th wouldn't be sniffed at!

Big summer coming up I reckon.

[Newty82]

2 minutes ago, TallPaul1878 said:

I think we could have done with a midfielder coming in on loan. January is fraught with bad signings and panic buys. I'm glad we didn't get suckered into any. Generally I would expect a loan deal to be put in place with a view to a permanent switch in summer.

Same could be said with a centre back and centre forward really. I don't think a loan deal would have hurt us.

I guess with January loans, by the time they settle etc, most of the season is gone.

And possibly with Gomes making a much better recovery than anticipated, they thought we'd get on with it for now.

But, overall, as has been proven, the real needed quality just isnt there in January. I'd rather we give a kid a chance if need be, rather than some non interested cast off player.

[Aidan]

22 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

The chance of European football has not gone. It hadn’t gone before today’s game and it certainly isn’t gone now.

The hysteria on display by some of our fans is ridiculous. 

Hysteria? 

[Romey 1878]

Just now, Aidan said:

Hysteria? 

Yes. It is hysterical to say there’s no chance of European football. 

[Aidan]

52 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

Yes. It is hysterical to say there’s no chance of European football. 

No it is not. There was good chance we wouldnt get it, now its almost certain. 

[Shukes]

Well there’s a massive chance we can get it now really. Our form trend is showing us climbing. 
That’s not to say it’s a foregone conclusion, but there is a great chance of finishing top six this season.

[Romey 1878]

4 minutes ago, Shukes said:

Well there’s a massive chance we can get it now really. Our form trend is showing us climbing. 
That’s not to say it’s a foregone conclusion, but there is a great chance of finishing top six this season.

Aidan clearly has a problem being able to count. Don’t hold it against him. 

[nogs]

3 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

The chance of European football has not gone. It hadn’t gone before today’s game and it certainly isn’t gone now.

The hysteria on display by some of our fans is ridiculous. 

What about another question - do we want European football next season? Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love us playing in Europe, I don't for one minute downplay the Europa like a lot do, I see that as a stepping stone to the CL. But are we ready? The only club I can remember that hasnt seen league form affected by a Europa campaign in recent years, excluding those that expected to qualify for CL, is Wolves this season. And my honest opinion is we are a year off matching them on squad depth and quality. Yeah I want European football - but I still see us as having an under strength squad. Would it be right for us next year?