I know Ephraim and Russell's loans expire on January 2nd, the date of our match at home to Brentford. I assume that means at the end of that day and that they are eligible to play? I expect that CP will want to have a last couple of looks at Ephraim before deciding whether to try and sign him permanently so, fitness permitting, I would expect him to play at least part of both matches, v Orient and v Brentford. Cort is on loan until the end of this season so CP has plenty of time to make up his mind about him. I notice in the Player Profiles on the OS, Cort and Ephraim are listed as "on loan" but no such comment is added to Russell's profile. I have always assumed, right from Day One, that the signing of Russell was a "done deal" and this would seem to support that.
Think Ephraim will play today and Jackson on Monday, would be surprised if we get him permanently as reckon he'll want to fight for his Premier League place and play some cup games for QPR. Russell will end up an Addick, I think...
I think Russell would be handy to have in the squad but only as a permanent signing. Ephraim flatters to deceive for me (although I'm prepared to be argued out of that view) so I'm not fussed if we let him go.
And on last nights showing I'm revising my view onRussell. He can go too. No better than what we've already got in Hughes and pritchard.
I do like the look of Clarke, Eddie, but you are right - pace is not his game. We need a striker who can play off of the last man and capitalise on the plodding defences to be found in League One. To be honest, I do not know who fits the bill...
What's started all this off, Ponders? Don't tell me you are buying into Acworth's tale about BWP being tapped up and leaving? If you mean signing a fifth striker to add to BWP, Kermorgant, Hayes and Clarke, I didn't think we had the money for that. And who of any quality is going to come here and play fifth fiddle?
Anyone with a good finish and real pace will be playing in the Premiership or will be a youngster for a team who will demand a hefty fee (especially now Le Fondre has gone Reading). Fraid with it being January we've now gotta work with what we've got as unless its someone a club is trying to get rid of (aka Clarke and Swindon) we dont stand a chance because of inflated prices. And allow me to point out two examples... Lee Hughes who is in his 30s, no pace and yet usually scores goals for fun Kevin Lisbie who is also in his 30s now, looked quite quick on Saturday but has never been prolific. Its not always about pace... Its about being in the right place at the right time
He's not going because we have signed him permanently and that was always on the cards. Few of us here like short-terms loans but at least CP only uses them to assess players he is thinking of signing. Maybe Russell will turn out to be a dud, but it is a bit early to judge. Most people, including myself, wanted to see the back of Hughes after his first two months. Now he is a hero to some. Allow Russell at least that long to settle in. If BWP played below par in successive matches, but scored to earn us a point in each, we would think he had done his job. Russell's goal against Oldham and his header off the line against Walsall were equally valuable in terms of points, and in both cases you could say he was doing someone else's job in addition to his own. Have faith in CP. He hasn't let us down so far. Our only dud signing has been Alonso and I guess CP had little to do with him signing.
Agree with all you say there Eddie (saves me using the quotes lol!) I wouldnt say Alonso has been a dud though, just unfortunate that he seems to have been injured since arriving at the Valley - Had he cost us money then I'd certainly agree that he was a flop
Good precedent! If everyone here always agreed with everything I posted we would all save a lot of time. Yes, sorry, I meant "so far". I see CP recently spoke about his recovering and having a part to play so maybe all is not lost. But I imagine he has already cost us quite a bit of money in signing-on fees and wages. If not, it could only mean there were serious doubts about his fitness from the start and he is on some sort of "pay for play" deal. Maybe he is, but I doubt it. I wonder if there was a row about signing Alonso which played a part in Jeff Vetere's abrupt departure? Not yet. Sorry, my bad. I was talking out of my a*se. Too much bubbly last night. But I would be amazed if it isn't. Everything CP has ever said about Russell has implied it is a done deal whereas with Cort and Ephraim it has been very much "we shall have to see".
No, no, no, Eddie, I do not for one minute believe that BWP will be leaving - nor do I wish him to. He is going through a lean spell and will come good sooner rather than later; I just feel that he is looking jaded and may need a rest at some point. Picking a front two out of Kermit, Hayes and Clarke does not feel me with much confidence. A fifth striker with that something extra would do nicely. But as A4L ponts out: it is about being in the right place at the right time. Get the service right, and we should be fine.
Still not yet, but he is featured on the front cover of "Valley Review" for the Brentford match. It would be extraordinary to do that if he were leaving the same day. Although the article inside coyly speaks of his "plans" when the loan expires. All this teasing seems a bit over the top for a bread-and-butter journeyman. I could understand them wanting to extract maximum publicity if we were touch and go to sign Fabregas or Ronaldo.
It's been a long time since I've been on here, been moving house etc, so I'm back in. Just brief addition to a lot of good points. I actually think Russell has added one big thing and that's a presence of height in the middle, he wins 50/50 headers in midfield that stop play progressing to our final 3rd. He's a confident lad on the ball if not always accomplished. For me he has been a reasonable upgrade on the hard working Hughes. Pritchard is still the man, but a different player with a different role.
Talking about loan players....Nouble,that prolific marksman from last season scored for West Ham on saturday....I had to blink to see it was true,couldnt believe he was playing let aloan scoring for them,its a miracle
WHAT!!! He's actually playing for Wet Spam?? (Do you not mean Mark Noble?) I thought he was still on loan @ Gillingham
