Your not wrong, and that is a bit worrying but... despite injuries and a relatively inexperienced owner & manager, we're 1 point outside the playoffs. We can also hopefully put a few wrongs right and bring in what we need this window. Hopefully then the injured players get back to fitness, the lads from the afcon come back and we sneak into 6th place last game of the season Realistically we need 2 full backs, 2 wingers and a striker through the door. Hopefully 2/4 of those are permanent transfers.
For once I'll applaud the management in recognising that Twine was not the answer and getting someone in head and shoulders above..
I'm not sure we need 2 full backs really. Greaves, Jacob, Vinagre (when fit) can all play LB and Coyle has been fine as a RB. I think sign a full back who can do both is a priority, but otherwise I'd rather spend the money on a winger or a CM.
Not sure we need two wingers when Philogene, Vaughan, Carvalho, and Tufan can all play there reasonably effectively (Slater too at a pinch), assuming Lokilo goes. We certainly need another Best XI winger to complement Philogene, but Carvalho as a first secondary option is very effective out wide. We can't continue to just buy attacking players and ignore other weaknesses. A LB, winger and striker in would do me this window.
Vinagre has played his last game for us so wouldn't be counting on him. There was some suggestion we might look to bring in a RB but would imagine it'd be 'one for the future' rather than an upgrade on Coyle.
We need two wingers to be able to play how LR wants too without the square pegs in round holes but I'd be staggered if we got 2. To be honest, I'd be pretty happy with just a permanent LB for the remainder of the month. That would be a really strong January where we've sorted out 2 problem positions for the long term (LB & keeper) and our chances of keeping Delap for next season at the least, have rocketed.
If Twine and Vinagre are going and we're signing the replacement LB permanently that'd mean only Delap, Morton and Carvalho are here on loan, so I'd think we'd try to get a winger in on loan. Otherwise we're effectively signing Sharp and Pandur with Carvalho and the LB replacing Vinagre and Twine. Sharp and Pandur alone aren't a big improvement on what we had, and while the LB and Carvalho should in theory improve on Vinagre and Twine, it's not material enough to make a difference. An extra quality winger as an upgrade on Lokilo would go a long way.
How often did Twine play as a #10 though? He’s spent most of his time here as a left-winger. I’m fine with him going but him going plus Allahyar leaving on loan leaves us short on wingers. Who have got on the wing now? Philogene when he comes back from injury, Lokilo and Vaughan.
Carvalho is a winger. If we play Carvalho wide then it means Tufan through the middle. If we play Tufan wide it's Carvalho through the middle. Philogene should be back for Milwall so it's really just the Sunderland game we're a bit light, and as said I suspect we're still trying for one more winger. But Twine played as an attacking player either centrally or wide and Carvalho has come in as an attacking player who can play either centrally or wide. I also thought people hated Twine playing wide because of his lack of impact, but all of a sudden his impact out wide is something we need to replace.
Sounds familiar.. didn't we have a player on loan from Burnley this was said about? Sounds like he's the perfect replacement for Twine. Carvalho is much more effective wide than Twine was, and as said it's just the Sunderland game we're a bit short out wide with Philogene back soon plus another wide player being pursued.
Allahyar has played 53 minutes all season. It doesn't matter whether he's going or not, he's not fancied and it gets big wages off the books.
Fair enough, but still. Sign a LB to replace Vinagre who can switch over to RB if necessary and I think we'd be OK. I think we've got too busy a window to go too mad on full backs.
I'd say Jaden was in our top 3 players and he is ours. For me Jaden and Delap share top spot based on what they have done for us so far this season. We are all anticipating and hoping that Carvalho can at least equal what Jaden has done - but time will tell
Delap's great but 7 goals and 2 assists in 26 isn't massively impressive. He doesn't start for any of the top 4 in the championship in my opinion, and I think that's why we've got a heck of a chance of getting him permanently.
I'll give you a proper answer.. 1. We have a left back (Jacob) who has shown he is adequate depth and more than held his own against first Birmingham and then Norwich, with Greaves also good depth in a pinch, with the spot being addressed this window hopefully long term. 2. We have two right backs, one of whom is currently injured and unlikely to get a new deal in the summer, while the other was written off last season but has shown himself to be able to improve and earn his spot in the starting XI, but will undoubtedly face competition in the summer. 3. We have two fit strikers (pending Connolly's concussion test) and a number of players who have played up top before in Tufan, Carvalho, and Sharp 4. I don't understand the reference to Sinik but he's not played all season or last so not really anything new there. Don't think there's a side in the league who doesn't have a player they signed expecting more from who hasn't done anything. 5. Players at AFCON is hardly a 'shambles' Leicester have more away than us. 6. Not sure if the loan comment is just another case of people forgetting that we do actually own Philogene, but Seri is also ours, Tufan is ours, and Jones and Greaves are ours, all of whom are regularly featuring in team of the week for the Championship so can't be too shabby. 7. Money wasted on a signing, perish the thought. See point 4. 8. Not sure who this is referring to as the only player from Oldham we have is Harry Vaughan and he's less of a winger than Carvalho. Lokilo is also fit even if he's not very good, don't think he came from Oldham either. 9. Is that the same keeper who earnt us the win at Middlesbrough with three successive great saves, and made at least two good saves against Norwich?
