January is so important, not just the fact who we bring in but also who we lose, the same goes for other clubs some will get stronger others weaker it all depends on the owners/manager of the clubs, some teams will resist good offers for there players and strengthen further whilst others will sell. Its such a vital month because after that its the run in and you go with what you have. Lets hope we continue to do well and keep in these play off places and hopefully go one step further towards the end of the season, for now we have four vital games up to January 1st, i hope now the crowd start to realise we are a real force in this league and gates start to increase, they give the team full backing and hopefully come the end of the season it will be enough to get us over the line, for now enjoy it, its nearly half way, keep your feet on the ground, i know its difficult believe me but try not to get to high or to low we will draw, we will win and we will lose that's a fact lets hope the latter is not very often
After reading the HDM article today and reading between the lines, IMO the people we want have already been sorted and just need January to arrive. As to who leaves ? Nobody of any note as the squad is not that big anyway. We must learn from the mistakes of last seasons March burn-out and make sure all the players stay as fit and fresh as possible. We all know that 2 strikers is whats needed to add to what we have already. Onwards now to the PL i say.
I have not read the HDM yet but i looked at the headlines on the back page regarding the Allams backing SB and you cannot has a manager or fan ask for any more that that
It all depends on who comes in and who leaves. Just one transfer (for any team) can change the entire promotion picture (eg. Jason Roberts).
You said exactly that last year. They'll be judged on whether we actually do buy anyone, not words. They've been saying they'll back managers for years but now is the time it actually needs to happen.
It does not say anything that big but it is a good read actually. Allams confirm what they said last summer re.spending in January. Blackpool look set to lose Thomas Ince in January, Maybe the New Years Day game will be his farewell. Burnley could well lose Charlie Austin to a desperate PL team as well looking at some media speculation. Crystal Palace may sell Zaha in January but keep him on loan for the season, as has been rumoured. As for Hull City, I dont see any movement out as we need them all. We just need a couple extra up top. People forget that Aluko is not a striker by trade and of course if he does go to the African Nations Party in Jan then we need cover as we would just then have 3 strikers left. I discount Mark Cullen and he maybe one who leaves in Jan.
Nick Barmby had his targets sorted but the Allams would not sanction them. I do not see this as an issue now for Steve Bruce. Allams have also twice now confirmed in print there January intentions. So we all sit back and wait. TWT.
I hope you're right. But I just can't see them wanting to fork out £2-3m on a player. That's the sort of money we'll need to spend to get us the proven striker or two we need to take the team to the next level.
Fair point ISPLT. Interesting that we have made moves for Danny Graham and maybe just maybe that could happen but only as a Loan deal. The Swans will have to hang onto Michu first like, but he says he wont leave in Jan. I agree, we need a short term striker to get us up and then look around again in the summer when it WILL BE A BUYERS MARKET. I like the look of Port Vales Tom Pope and he looks very much the Fox in the Box we lack. A young age as well but not for this season. As for the 2-3m, well if it were the right player who would almost Confirm a Top 2 spot then i think the Allams would spend it, imo.
Very difficult when buying a striker, you can gamble and spend money on a proven goalscorer (Nick P) but it doesn't always pay off. Even Players like Fryatt can have a bad run of form. They have six months to make the impression required to get us up. It's always a big risk. I think you are better off trying to punch above your weight and get someone in on loan from a big club. Either that or get an experienced player IE the types of Heskey, but there aren't often many of them around. See what Bruce can do, Who would have thought we could have signed Jay Jay Okocha at the time?
I think Aluko's injury has prevented us losing him in January. He was already on the periphery of the Nigerian national team- this should put him out of contention altogether. I think another striker is a must. Maybe even 2 incase of injury. And if we lose Meyler, another midfielder because i don't think Olofinjana is any good.
Last season the three teams relegated from the Prem finished 3rd, 4th and 5th. West Ham won at Wembley and newly promoted Southampton got automatic promotion. Only Reading (Champions) and Cardiff from the existing Championship teams took part in the final stages of the promotion race. Although things could change there are currently no relegated or promoted teams in the top ten. My point is that although Championship teams are evenly matched the league as a whole is weaker than previous seasons and so this is the most opportune time to go all out for promotion. Next season's newcomers might offer a far tougher challenge and there are also the new rules on the amount clubs will be able to spend. For those reasons I think the Allams need to really push the boat out in January and satisfy SB's full wish list. IMO we could do with two goal-scoring strikers and a midfield general (possibly Meyler if we can keep him). Not sure whether Bruce thinks Jakupovic is an able deputy for Stockdale (if we can keep him) or whether Dawson is adequate cover at left back (allowing that Rosenior is cover for Elmo). Other than that we need to keep all of our loanees and not sell anyone important.
You know what, the Aluko injury did also cross my mind. TWT on that one but you can bet that Steve Bruce will have al his options and bases covered come January. Looking at Sunderland last night i dont see a role for Meyler unless they lose more midfielders. So calling him back to to play cards on the bench with FC seams silly to me. I agree we need 2 new strikers though. Better options and then no reason to flog anyone over the 2nd half of the season. Lets face it, so far SB has done great business in the transfer market. Getting Aluko and Quinn for next to nothing more than outways what we have paid for Nick P. yet i do see Nick getting better with each game. Maybe Nick P. will come more to the party when it really matters. For sure he will be much fresher than most at the death.
I think we'll see: Oli, McLean, Cullen, Emerton and Cooper sold/loaned out again (or extended if their deals haven't expired). Those of them whose contracts expire in summer will be allowed to leave for nothing. McKenna I suspect will be loaned out to a league one club in order to free up space on the bench. I like the lad, he's a good player at this level but I don't think SB rates him and given the opportunity, it'd probably suit both parties for him to be loaned out. We will see a striker come in, that much is obvious. There aren't too many available, so I'd guess it'll be a loan with a view to a permanent. I don't think we need two strikers, with Aluko coming back, plus Simpson, Proschwitz and new guy, that's four strikers to play in a system with two slots. If he chooses to keep McLean then that's five, which is enough even with injuries. The goalie situation I'm sure will be sorted; I expect Stockdale to be made a permanent and we have back up in Jakupovic. As has been said before, Cairney and Hobbs are like two new additions this year so that's a bonus. I'd hope we'd extend Brady's loan, or try to buy him while he is doing well.
Apart from the kids going out on loan again or extending there stays where they are at now, I can only see Mark Cullen and Cameron Stewart(maybe ?) joing them out on loan. The squad is not deep enough to let anyone else go for the season we have left to play. We have just about the squad we need now with just a couple of strikers adding to it. As the saying goes, dont try and fix something that is not broken. But correct the mis-firing.
We will not be forking out that sort of money, my betting would be a couple of good strikers on loan with,possibly, the option to buy if we get promotion
I think whereas Barmby would have struggled to maintain a balanced dressing room, due to Bruce's experience, if he brings in a really decent prem striker on loan he'll be able to handle the current players even if we need to fork out substantial £k's per week for the loanee. January can often throw up some surprises, I think it's safe to say this one for us will be a wee bit more exciting than Josh King!
Looking at the out of favour Prem strikers, worthy/proven Championship strikers... Fraizer Campbell - the obvious one, out of contract in the summer so would have to buy - £500k-£750k? Depends on how many are interested. Chris Wood - proven at this level, but we'd have to spend £1+million to get him, would we spend that? His price will be inflated due to interest, so might be more than we think. Marc-Antoine Fortuné - remember him? may do a poor mans Jason Roberts job on loan? Steve De Ridder - bit more of a winger than a striker... was used as an impact player for Southampton last season, could make a loan addition as an impact sub? Guly do Prado - I liked this player for Southampton last season... classy on the ball, brings team mates into the game and scores with both feet and head. Think he finished in double figures last year? Tadanari Lee - recovering from a long-term injury, but was showing promise before that, would only be a loan option. Cameron Jerome - a decent player, loan with a view would be best, as his record is about on average a 1 in 4-5 strike-rate. Kenwyne Jones - Would mean us having to pay out 2-3 million, which we probably won't do. Maybe a loan with a view to buy if we gain promotion? Bébé - not proven anything, not worth the gamble. Federico Macheda - same as above, living on a couple of games reputation, but might be worth a loan as an impact sub. Would have to buy Brady or send Amos back though. DJ Campbell - As he's already on loan at Ipswich, I think he'd only go back there on another loan, so we'd have to buy him. 8 goals in 12 games for Ipswich is very impressive though. Apostolos Vellios - too unproven for what we need, we need guarenteed goals for a promotion push. Daniel Pacheco - same as above. John Guidetti - probably too much interest in him to get him on loan, will probably go to a Prem side on loan. Marouane Chamakh - maybe worth a cheeky loan bid? He's barely getting many games at Arsenal, they might see a stint at a division below as something he needs that could benefit him? Championship.... No club would loan us their top goal-scorer, so would have to buy. Glenn Murray - Good player but took him a season to get going at Palace, I doubt they'd sell to a promotion rival and his price would be over-inflated. Charlie Austin - No chance. Will be Prem bound if he leaves Burnley. Luciano Becchio - as much as he dives around, you can't fault he's always in the thick of things and gets goals. Craig Makail-Smith - Brighton would want what they paid for him probably - which we won't pay. Craig Davies - Possibly the only Championship striker with a good strike-rate that would be affordable. Theo Robinson - Derby would want at least £1.5 million for him. Billy Sharp - As he's already on loan, it'd have to be to buy and would probably be too much. Kevin Doyle - not scored as many as people would have thought, but there is no doubting he is a good player. Would work well alongside Aluko, but would cost too much. Nouha Dicko - would be great as an impact sub, the role he plays so well for Blackpool. 5 goals in 19 games this season so far, most from the bench.
Macheda was one I was thinking about Dazzar, he is not much of a different age to the likes of Evans and has a bag of experience already, could be one that could score for fun at our level. There's a video I remember seeing of his goals when he was about 18 and a lot of them are sensational, that kind of quality doesn't just vanish.
