The FA Cup is not the big deal it used to be. Preston are already out, and any team Russell is likely to join will either be trying to avoid relegation or striving for promotion or for a play-off place. How many teams in the Championship or Div One will be out of both those struggles before mid-March? Very few indeed, if any, and for none of them is the FA Cup is likely to affect their team-building or team patching-up.
Exactly, Tewkes, and it's an old problem too. I got fed up with seeing this happen under previous managers and don't want to see it happen now. Let's keep the team spirit going, eh? Solly suffered more than anyone because of this. Darren Randolph too.
Players cost money. I thought we were running a tight ship. We are supposed to be getting rid of Benson to save/gain money, yet he is the only reliable goalscorer we have on the books other than BWP. Apparently he doesn't want to leave and we haven't really seen him in tandem with Green when he could shine. To an outsider, retaining him would seem a better use of resources. But none of us really know what goes on inside the club. We just come on here and give our views as a bit of fun. The management haven't made too many errors so far so maybe this is another masterstroke like signing Kermorgant.
I hate short term loan deals. We have two injuries in midfield, for both of which we have cover within the squad (Evina or maybe Wagstaff for Jackson, and Hughes/Pritchard/Alonso for Stephens). These players have earned the right to stake a claim for themselves in the team, but instead we plug the gap with 2 loanees who couldn't give two hoots about the club and who will most likely not be around for very long at all, thus getting next to no time to bed in with the side. What motivation do our reserves have, now that Powell has made it seemingly clear that he has little confidence in them? Rant over.
"bet poor old Parky would have liked the luxury of being allowed to sign a 21st new player with the season only a third gone, though this does seem more like a Parky-style signing". Eddie, you really must cease this fixation with Parky
We don't know yet whether the loanees will leapfrog over our reserve players but if they do I'm not optimistic about the result. Surely CP will learn from Parky's mistakes??
These artificial deadlines cause panic amongst managers, what sensible reason is there for a ban on new loan signings between now and the end of December? All that happens, is that lower division clubs take on extra players (which they probably can't afford) to cover potential injuries, at the expense of youngsters within the club. Huddersfield lose Lee for a 3 match wan, so bring in Parkin, we bring in a midfielder from Preston, Preston bring in a defender from Huddersfield... With Alonso's non appearances, it's possible that Russel is seen a permanent replacement for him, maybe Alonso will go back to Spain in January? As we're 'stuck' with Benson, I hope he plays in the FA Cup, he deserves a chance to prove himself here, or put himself in the shop window.
