January transfer thread

You are tryer I'll give you that. Just think of where we were before this recruitment team came in. Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

Or in 3 transfer windows either...

 

How the hell do you know whats an easy transfer or not?

The proof is since this recruitment team has come in theyve taken us from league one to the top half of the championship. We are playing great football and we have an unbelievable future. Our players are young and want to develop and most importantly want to play for this great club.

Gone are the days of players coming for a last pay day. This recruitment team has saved this club - obviously with KLD - so how have they let the supporters down?

Yes its disappointing but it wouldnt have been through a lack of trying to bring a striker in

 

So are we a better team now than we were 3 transfer windows a go?

 

Which ones were the tough ones and why didn't they get them over the line?

 

Im excited about the future of the club. As I said in my post last night (which was somehow construed as negative) , all our young players will have had a whole year of championship experience under their belt going into next season. Think how much better equipped we will be.

I mean even to now. The improvement in players since earlier in the season is clear to see. Even if we do go through a period strikerless, the players are much better equipped to deal with that than they were back in September.

A few random comparisons below of before the season —> now

• Patterson - we thought we might need an experienced number 1 ; now we were wondering whether he needed better back up
• Hume - was seemingly struggling to adapt and could do with a loan out ; flying at championship level
• Batth - saved our season last year but wondering if he could do it at championship level ; clearly an absolute colossus
• O’Nien - good sub option but not sure where he should play ; now a very good championship level center back
• Diallo - a bit of a punt, talented but lost his way at rangers ; now people are talking about him returning to Man Utd’s first team
• Dan Neil - before was a bit lightweight and struggled for game time second half of league one season ; now he’s bossing the midfield against premier league teams
• Before - one golden boy nominee in squad ; now - three golden boy nominees
• Before - our strikers combined had no premier league appearances. Now - they have 35 combined premier league appearances
• Before - fans hoping we are good enough to compete. Now - fans “annoyed” that we have “thrown away” our playoff chances (we haven’t)

I could go on.

Like I say, we have improved in so many ways from where we were at start of window. Most of those are completely irrespective of transfers.

 

Probably been said as I’m catching up with the thread but we signed Defoe a year ago.

 

We were supposed to be selling Stewart, Pritchard and Rigg for which the criticism had already started.

 

We are a worse team today than we were on the 1st Jan.

Of course we have brought in some good players and have played some good football.

THE BIG BUT, is for the rest of the season which seems to depend on the performance of a young loanee!!

 

HWTL , I for one am really looking forward to the rest of the season.

 

I don't think there is any way we can say we have been let down.
Ross injury could not have been anticipated....and I do think we should have had a plan B,but,we have made a couple of exciting forward signings and it's now up to TM to get the best out of the players he has,which I'm sure he will.
If I'm being honest,I'm more worried about CM than up front.

 

Do you moan in your sleep?
HWTL

 

Don't think any were talking about leaving us "financially hamstrung" just an option would do. Given we have one of the best data networks out there now and the world to scout from I don't accept that we wouldn't be able to get an option

It's more of a refusal to budge from the model and sticking to too rigid principles. I mean, that's up to them but not many , if any teams in world football manage to pull it out without a proper 9. Even city and Liverpool addressed the issue. That's our risk now.

Given we havnt profiled and signed a forward that we own for 2 years now, I think it's acceptable to really ask scrutiny based questions.

Our own manager has gone out and pleaded for help saying we "are desperate for experience to come in and he will be speaking to recruitment first thing". This was 7 days ago. We seem to have done absolutely jack to address support and manager concerns.

Not try, just do.

 

Stupid.

 

Maybe, but that is not the club's fault - losing Simms and Stewart was out of the clubs hands. You try and find 2 replacements as good as them in such a short space of time.......

 

Only three transfer windows?! Is that all it is? Wow, the transformation in the squad in that time is absolutely phenomenal.

 

Fishpaste has his nail on head here. This is exactly how I feel.

 

Not only a short space of time, but in January! When prices are astronomical for an average player. You can’t buy Stewart’s quality for less than £15m. I reckon Speakman has worked his arse off to find a deal. Not sure I’ve seen a striker of any note going anywhere at this level.

 

Just so pleased we didn’t do something stupid yesterday and brought someone in for the sake of trying to get anyone. We have a truly brilliant set up now and the likes of the football I haven’t seen for such a long time. The Fulham game reminded me of the Man City away game in 1973 when we took the game to them. Absolutely breathtaking stuff. We have enough in the tank to get over the line and into the top six. Incidentally I notice we have a 15 year old who knows where the back of the net is. If you’re good enough you’re old enough. Onward and upwards. Haway the lads!!!

 

“Hear and now”? Dear god. I make typos on a forum, but in an article?

It’s really easy blaming the club. But do we all know of availability of strikers? We act like Speakman didn’t try to sign one because we didn’t hear about it. Yet I didn’t hear about the young Everton lad until it was done. I have little doubt that he worked to get something done but, and particularly after Stewart’s injury, the deal became much tougher. Clubs would’ve increased their prices knowing we were desperate