Transfer Rumours January '22 Transfer Thread

Compared to November, we're in a great position. 4 points above is fine assuming takeover happens

 

As always time will tell. I don't want to hijack the other discussion you are having regarding transfers in during the close season but I would have hoped for an experienced centre back. Goodness some performances this season shows we needed one.

 

I think 4-5 key signings are needed but it could easily be more. It's sort of once you start, where do you stop? It could easily be 1 centre back, a couple of fullbacks, a defensive midfielder, a creative midfielder and a couple of forward

 

Despite our great leader suggesting he didn't need one ?

 

You can't listen to what managers say to the media. They constantly lie and says things to protect the current players. Last summer he said we didn't need another forward, brought in Tyler and then said we'd been looking for one all summer.

It doesn't do anything to our other centre halves if you openly shout that we need more centre backs when their confidence already looks fragile

 

I recall watching him when specifically asked and he almost looked shocked at the question lol. He didn't want an experienced centre half, I'll not try and defend the indefensible.. yes he has had his hands tied, but he was given a small budget to get what he could, and an experienced centre half wasn't even on his radar !

 

As others have said, I think we signed too many 'average' players in positions where it wasn't necessary.

I agree with you in that with the budget constraints we had we couldn't expect much better, but I think that there wasn't a very good analysis of the playing squad that we had and where we needed to improve.

For example, you mention Cannon and Moncur, would you honestly be able to say that having both has benefitted our squad for this season, or would we have been better getting an experience CB? Did we need get Matt Smith, or could a new full back have been of benefit?

I think we strengthened the areas of our squad that were already ready to step up, but I don't think we did enough the strengthen the bits that needed improving more.

 

We keep talking about this centre back thing.

He wanted a centre back and got Bernard who'd only played in League 2. Probably cost us next to nothing in wages. McCann would obviously rather have someone with experience at this level, you'd be stupid not to. But it costs. Other clubs pay way more than us and they can afford experience. We can afford loans or League 2 players.

 

I don't disagree with that, but my point was that fewer more expensive signings would have made a bigger difference than more cheaper signings. We had the structure of a decent side, we needed to add to it.

 

That’s a pretty hefty caveat!

 

That makes sense on paper, but if Ehab is saying we won't go higher than X per week for a player then it doesn't matter how few players you sign. It's easy to assume he could've just handled his budget differently like you would on Football Manager, but he probably didn't have that option because of the firm wage structure.

I'm going to have to go back to my old hobby horse here: we couldn't afford to extend Reece Burke's contract on the wage he was on. He was barely an experienced or proven Championship defender himself and we couldn't afford that within our structure. That's the level of our spending. We got Bernard because he was the best we could get, not because Grant fancied making it a bit harder for himself.

 

Just for the record, I think Bernard is better than Burke and is one of our better signings this season, so it proves value is out there.

You're correct with this however, but this is where the management of the club is poor. Grant should have been making the point that this makes no sense and won't cost you any different, but of course Ehab knows best.

 

If we manage to stay up its job done with the budget supplied. We have proved with that good run before Christmas that we can compete, obviously going on Sunday and a recent run of defeats then for me it’s in the balance but a number of clubs can say that. Been in limbo at the moment with the take over talks and team strengthening doesn’t help.

 

Josh Sims?

 

I hope he is, but based on what ive seen Tyler Smith is not the answer...

 

He seems a bit like a kid who can't believe he is playing in big boys football to me

 

Maybe just agents talk again.... but he looks a player...

 

Potentially the U23 Premier League striker we’ve been trying for on loan? Doesn’t seem to have got much game time for Blackpool recently.

 

Interim report on transfer window.

Sales: most effective forward - gone.

Signings: none.



Have I missed anything?

 

Add in the injury situation for maximum impact