Reflections on the January Window (6 Viewers)

Chris1987

Well-Known Member
Trying to cover for injuries is like how long is a piece of string?

We have one player injured? Hardly a disaster to the squad, even if not ideal.

Ok Kitching is now suspended but so far Binks has been a like for like replacement.
Binks would walk into the vast majority of Championship sides too
 

Hobo

Well-Known Member
Tbf though, it now means we're back to having to have kids on the bench


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Like last year?
Binks will replace Kitching no problem.
Torp will replace Sheaf no problem.
McFadzean wouldn't have got a game here and I doubt he will at Blackburn.
Not sure where you think the crisis is or has come from?
 

stupot07

Well-Known Member
Like last year?
Binks will replace Kitching no problem.
Torp will replace Sheaf no problem.
McFadzean wouldn't have got a game here and I doubt he will at Blackburn.
Not sure where you think the crisis is or has come from?
I don't think there's a crisis, but we are very light on wingers. We have no wing cover at all.

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Samo

Well-Known Member
Like last year?
Binks will replace Kitching no problem.
Torp will replace Sheaf no problem.
McFadzean wouldn't have got a game here and I doubt he will at Blackburn.
Not sure where you think the crisis is or has come from?

It hasn't arrived yet.
But we are only a few injuries away from its arrival and there are 4 months of the season left to play.
Larger squads will cope better than ours when it comes down to it. Fact.
MR knows this and thats why he's nervous.
 

Hobo

Well-Known Member
It hasn't arrived yet.
But we are only a few injuries away from its arrival and there are 4 months of the season left to play.
Larger squads will cope better than ours when it comes down to it. Fact.
MR knows this and thats why he's nervous.
We had far more long term injuries to key players last year. Big squads mean more dissatisfied players, even if you have to call on them they aren't match fit.

Facts are we have one player injured and one about to be suspended. Yes four months left of season, four months for Sheaf to get fit.
 

AFCCOVENTRY

Well-Known Member
Look, the reflection on the Jan window is what Robins said. Others around us strengthened for the business end of the season. Apart from Torp we didn’t do anything to support our attacking players, and we’ve done a deal for the Posh lad who we can’t play. He’s exactly what we need now! It’s a real shame.
 

Samo

Well-Known Member
We had far more long term injuries to key players last year. Big squads mean more dissatisfied players, even if you have to call on them they aren't match fit.

Facts are we have one player injured and one about to be suspended. Yes four months left of season, four months for Sheaf to get fit.

I guess we'll see who is right in due course.
 

covcity4life

Well-Known Member
Look, the reflection on the Jan window is what Robins said. Others around us strengthened for the business end of the season. Apart from Torp we didn’t do anything to support our attacking players, and we’ve done a deal for the Posh lad who we can’t play. He’s exactly what we need now! It’s a real shame.
Might not get what you want

But you get what you need.
 

skyblueinBaku

Well-Known Member
My initial/emotional reaction is one of disappointment. I think we have missed a huge opportunity to bolster the squad and capitalize on the momentum the team has built. It will be crying shame if we go out of the cup earlier than necessary, or even lose in the play offs for want of some January investment.
We have fewer players now than when the window opened. Yes, we bagged one for the summer but he can't help us now or towards the end of a long season when the injuries are starting to mount up. And if we could't get him now, why not plug the gap with a loan for the time being. This window has to be seen as a failure.

Having said that... Doug has made no secret of his desire to reach the premier league, and with hindsight, the summer window has turned out to be a good one. I think the difficulty lies in trying to find players who can make the transition to the prem when we get there. That means aiming for really good players who are obviously in demand. We don't want to get lumbered with too many players who are on long contracts but will never step up. I get that it's difficult. However, fortune favors the brave and it seems that many of our competitors have been a bit braver than we have. That might cost us dearly come the end of the season.

Then there is MR's latest interview. He sounds very disappointed; what are we to make of that? He talks about keeping running costs down and uses the phrase 'reality check' a number of times, but we are led to believe that the club bid 6.5m (rising to 9m) for the lad who went to Portugal. Who are we to believe? Is 9m on one player doable for us or is 2-3m on Torp and Mason-Clarke stretching the budget as MR seems to suggest. MR's reaction suggests to me that he has not been provided with what he had expected.

Any thoughts?

PUSB
Are you American?
 

larry_david

Well-Known Member
It'd be nice if MR was willing to play our youth players more. I'd like to see the likes of Obikwu and Eghosa get some game time and see what they can offer.
Obikwu is on loan at grimsby for the rest of the season but I take your point.

Certainly the reply against sheff wed I'd be tempted to bring some younger into the squad. Rus for one, although not sure if he's not cup tied having been on loan at Chorley in December
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
It'd be nice if MR was willing to play our youth players more. I'd like to see the likes of Obikwu and Eghosa get some game time and see what they can offer.
I love to see academy prospects come through, but pragmatically none of them seem to be near the level we'd need. The U21's are struggling to win games so how would they cope with Championship?
 

TomRad85

Well-Known Member
I love to see academy prospects come through, but pragmatically none of them seem to be near the level we'd need. The U21's are struggling to win games so how would they cope with Championship?
While the whole team doesn't necessarily reflect on the performance of an individual, it doesn't sound like any of them are close at all. Think improving the U21 setup will be on the list of things to do.

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mmttww

Well-Known Member
Think improving the U21 setup will be on the list of things to do.

Yeah, feels like that last 'big ticket' thing that we've not touched yet.

I love seeing academy products make it, but wonder if we'll go 'B Team' like Brentford.
 

Samo

Well-Known Member
Yeah, feels like that last 'big ticket' thing that we've not touched yet.

I love seeing academy products make it, but wonder if we'll go 'B Team' like Brentford.

I think as the size of the first team squad increases (hopefully) the U21's will become a mix of first teamers who are not making the side and the better U18's stepping up to play alongside them. Which happens to some extent now but will increase if the club continues to progress.
Is there a limit on the number of over age players who can play in the U21's does anyone know?
 

Sky Blue Pete

Well-Known Member
It hasn't arrived yet.
But we are only a few injuries away from its arrival and there are 4 months of the season left to play.
Larger squads will cope better than ours when it comes down to it. Fact.
MR knows this and thats why he's nervous.
Season ends start of may
 

SkyblueDad

Well-Known Member
Yeah, feels like that last 'big ticket' thing that we've not touched yet.

I love seeing academy products make it, but wonder if we'll go 'B Team' like Brentford.

It hasn't arrived yet.
But we are only a few injuries away from its arrival and there are 4 months of the season left to play.
Larger squads will cope better than ours when it comes down to it. Fact.
MR knows this and thats why he's nervous.
Our squad Saturday I’m sure was 20 add Sheaf and Moore that’s 22and there’s two or three U/21s who train with the first team now or out on loan outside the EFL so can get called back so our squad isn’t that light.
 

Samo

Well-Known Member
I think Slowpoke is from the Dave Clark 5 generation. My image of him is not of someone dancing with gladioli in his hands to 'This Charming Man' :ROFLMAO:

It seems he knows as much about music as he does about football. 😁
 

Hincha

Well-Known Member
It was a good window from a squad building perspective. Torp & EMC will look like very good buys next season.

However, I’m surprised we didn’t push for a winger on loan as a stop gap before EMC arrives. Our squad depth is good elsewhere but on the wings looks pretty desperate.

We’re now relying on Wright & Saka to see out the season without much rotation and neither have experience of a 50+ game season. Can’t blame them if they go off the boil due to fatigue.
 

SkyblueDad

Well-Known Member
It's the quality that counts mate, not the quantity.
Quality? Stones a number of times, Queen the same, Zepplin & Who at the Lanch many others, dozens at the rock house, Smiths might have been at the rock house, just about every one of the Mowtown greats, big band, orchestras, I forgot U2 at the General Wolfe
 

Cally Fedora

Well-Known Member
All this talk of being surprised we didn’t push for a winger or a striker. Maybe we did?? We have no idea. We also had a phenomenal summer in terms of adding depth. Who would have stepped in for Gyokeres last year? Or Doyle? Or Sheaf?
 

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