Of the few links I’ve seen so far (might be bollocks mind) the Japanese striker, Jamie Shackleton and Charlie Cresswell would fit the bill, all can come In and make an immediate impact and all have room to improve, quality is in short supply in Jan however so let’s see how we go
Burstow back to Chelsea. Hemir, Jewi and Triantis on loan to League One. Two loan signings which have the ability to have a big impact in the forward positions, possibly Amad or Carvalho if Liverpool recall him from Leipzig. A permanent defensive midfielder.
Possible loan signings: Michael Obafemi, Striker, Burnley. Done very well at Swansea before signing on loan at Burnley last January and making that permanent in the summer, just coming back from a hamstring injury. Benie Traore, Striker, Sheff UTD. Prolific in Sweden, pace to burn. Divin Mubama, Striker, West Ham. Very good youth team record, been getting minutes recently for the first team and strong rumours he wants out for first team minutes. Jude Soonsup-Bell, Striker, Spurs. Think we have been linked before, looked very good against us in the under 21 game, good record in PL2 this season. Jhon Duran, Striker, Villa. Might be slightly unrealistic but he hasn't had a load of minutes in the league this season playing mostly in Europe and I think they will start taking that more seriously in the knockout rounds. Big, strong and quick. Amad, Winger, Man UTD. Don't need to say much here. AFCON is a concern though if he goes. Fabio Carvalho, Attacking Midfielder, Liverpool. Only possible if Liverpool recall him from Leipzig. Very good last time in the championship with Fulham. I think they are all pretty realistic and to me look like they could make an instant impact. We don't have to spend big money, we just need to be clever about how we use our loans and funds.
Love Ekwah but owt over 10 I’d snap hands off. Not sure his ceiling is all that high. He’s gonna be more a solid/good player than a great one.
We should be on the phone to Liverpool about Carvalho constantly, even if it means guaranteed minutes (which it will or they’d leave him at Leipzig) He fills a massive chunk of ‘what we are missing’ as a proper 10 and then I’d be thinking Dan sits, Jove box to box and Ekwah we bank the fee from.
He is frustrating me now. He has talent but in my opinion he lacks much intensity in his game. He needs to dominate physically but to me he looks a way off. Compare his intnlensity levels to Neils and it is night and day. I would be looking to get Rigg into the side ahead of him soon and ask Neil to drop deeper. Tricky time to sell, but if they can do it early in the window and replace him I would do it. Not sure we would get £10m like, but right now I would take anything over £5m for him, so long as we re-invest it into that position.
If we get more I will be happy enough. I have nothing against him, but he is one I would cash in on now to improve the squad.
Same mate, really like the lad. Just think he is dispensible and if we need money to bring in what we want so be it.
I have been pondering. I think this is a big window for us now. We can debate all we like about coaches and the rights and wrongs of tactics. But when you have the miss Ba did today, or individuals making the choices they make, then players have to step up and accept some responsibility. In my opinion we have a poorer squad than we did last year. Not to say players like Adil, Hemir etc may not be the bees knees in time, but right now they either arent trusted or arent good enough. If we are to have a fighting chance of pushing top 6 we need some surgery in my opinion. We need to sort the centre mid positions out. Ekwah isnt doing it for me. I have said before I have seen enough from Rigg to think he should be in more often than not. Most exciting player at the club and has a real intensity. Bring in someone alongside him and Neil and we could be in good shape. I like Adam Randell from Plymouth. Huggins out is a massive blow. We might need cover there now with Cirkin and Pembele not fit currently. Maybe a loanee is the answer there. Vital we get a striker for me. It is glaring we need someone who will play with his back to goal. Leeds today showed what a difference a player who is prepared to secure the ball for pacey players to play off. It would change our outlook. Hemir has the physique but he hasnt looked anywhere near for me. People will not like this, but put Gelhardt in this side and we look a different team altogether. I wouod give Rusyn time in a wider position, or as a second striker. But we need someone who the ball sticks to in the middle and will take the knocks from centre halves. Gelhardt is as game as a badger in that respect. I think Jan is about bringing in players who are championship ready. Not bothered about age, but lads that will raise the intensity levels in the side. Beale will know plenty of talent in the u23s. That can be put into play next summer. We really need lads in now who will hit the ground running.
This is where I'm at now. We can't be signing anymore Hemir's, Mayenda's or even Aouchiche's etc. We need to be going out and plucking the Ballard's and Clarke's of the championship. Still young players but one's who have played a few seasons at League 1 or Championship level and have shown they are good enough and we know they will still progress with us. We spent a reported 2 million on Ballard and anywhere between 3 and 5 million on Clarke depending who you listen to. We will get 20m plus for Clarke and we'd get a lot more than the 2m we paid for Ballard now. It still fits the model but we have a bigger initial outlay. However, we took 10m from Southampton in the summer, so realistically that could bring in 3 young Championship or L1 players who could go straight into the 1st team. We've proven we can do it with those 2, so why can't we continue to do that.
Unless its Sartoris stake up for sale this is the last thing we need. KLD and his hierarchy are certainly not perfect but he's the best owner we've had in my lifetime and despite bumps in the road it feels like the club has a plan which it has never had previously.
Don't think I would try to sell Ekwah now, as you say its a tricky time, but I would look to move him on in the summer. In the meantime, I would be introducing Rigg more and more. I would like us to look for replacements for Clarke and Ballard, who will likely both move on in the summer, as well as a striker and a CDM to protect our inadequate defence. I'm not one of those who expected us to go up this summer. It's only 18 months since we were promoted and I'm happy to wait another 18 months to reach the Premier, by which time we should have strengthened sufficiently, while having a sound base to the side, who have played together for a considerable length of time. I don't think our squad is weaker than last year, I just think other teams have sussed us out and we need to have alternative ways to play.
Our squad is stronger in some ways but no doubt Amad is a massive loss. The biggest issue is, that a lot of the players havent kicked on this yr and thats a worry Need to give rusyn a run of games as i believe he will score goals for us I would play him as LCF in a 343, use Clarke as a wingback as he can cause problems from there just as muvh as he does higher up the pitch. Rusyn is at his best coming from the left so use him there
KLD hadn't had any ****, the vast majority back him every step. Yes there have been concerns raised about off the field operations, but they have only been questions. You make it sound like there have been protests at games
