Jan Transfer Window

[Capt_Canary 0]

Really need to look at the defence for me, Martin Olsson looks solid with Bassong but Turner and Martin while ok wont take us to another level

Would also like to see a strong centre forward with presence in the Giroud, Osvaldo mould which since Holts departure we lack. Sadly Elmander is not the answer

[PurpleCanary 5,554]

[quote user="Capt_Canary"]Really need to look at the defence for me, Martin Olsson looks solid with Bassong but Turner and Martin while ok wont take us to another level

Would also like to see a strong centre forward with presence in the Giroud, Osvaldo mould which since Holts departure we lack. Sadly Elmander is not the answer[/quote]

 

I may well be wrong, but I didn''t think we had tried him in that role (which is his natural position) yet.

[*** 0]

Would you now trust CH with 10 million quid in January?

I know I wouldn''t.

[Herman 9,717]

Yes, I would Wiz. His acquisitions have,on the whole, been good. Whether he utilises them properly is a different question.

[Yobocop 1,096]

Turner has looked solid enough this season perhaps more so than bassong - agree re: martin

Obvious turner bashing is obvious

[*** 0]

[quote user="Herman "]Yes, I would Wiz. His acquisitions have,on the whole, been good. Whether he utilises them properly is a different question.[/quote]

 

Agreed Herman, Woflie, Becciho ho ho ho and Semolina have been three stunning and astute signings.

[Herman 9,717]

Not sure about Becchio there Wiz. Even the most ardent Hughton inner hasn''t a clue what''s going on with that.

[havemyhowsonit 0]

Need to bring in replacements for Ruddy and Fer when they go in January.

The rest of the team should be ok for the championship next season.

[ZLF 271]

I dont think we have huge gaps in the squad so would not look to make any panic buys.

Our success is more about playing the stoke type pressing game more frequently - I have full confidence it will be back against cardiff and perhaps it will only be against peer clubs we will see it to help prevent injuries and conserve energy for the season?

The gaps in order for me are

Centre back - we wanted on in the summer and it feels thin there now.

Attacking central mid - competition of JH.

Striker - its clear becchio will not be used sell and replace.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

I think we need to decide if we''re going down the Stoke route or the Swansea route, we look like we''re stuck between the two styles, all fancy passing until a clueless effort in the final third. If we can sign a Michu type AM that allows us to link the front man properly whilst being capable of keeping the ball in the final third, then we could do well. I feel like we might as well just pass it back to the opponents every time we get the ball because we do nothing with it.

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

I agree we need a strong CAM type player, someone with a bit more attacking intent than Fer/Howson but also more use defensively than Hoolahan

Additionally think an Olsson type right back would be a good upgrade

If Snodgrass hasn''t picked up form I think a right-footed right winger could be handy, although Bennett will be returning around January, perhaps a loan signing with a view of kicking Snodgrass into shape?

[Salopian 1]

There may come a point when we face the same quandary as last year, if in January we feel that we could do with new players. Last year we resisted buying and saved money for signings in the Summer. We also knew that in the Summer we strengthened the squad, but so did other teams. We were thus not going to be able to expect instant success by buying a number of players cheaply. In fact all our purchases totalled barely half of what Arsenal paid for just one player - Ozil, and they had been buying and developing top class players for many years. Yesterday we saw how good a side they have created.

 

Clearly if Benno''s recovery has not progressed quickly by January, and if Pilks breaks down again, we may have to pay over the odds for a winger. Otherwise where do we need to strengthen? The defence is vulnerable. It could cope when we deployed the two lines of four, with all the midfield tracking back. This made us more secure, but it reduced our attacking power. The strikers are not scoring, but they have good records for scoring, and I suspect that they are not getting the service they need. I doubt if the signing of another striker would make much difference.

 

We have two players for every position in the defence. I would have to say that only Bassong at his best comes near to the quality level we should be seeking, and perhaps Bennett fairly soon. So where do we splash the cash? Martin and Whittaker are useful, because they can play in the centre, Whittaker even in midfield, as can Olsson, who has the great advantage of pace. All three plus Garrido are useful going forward, but all four are not the strongest defensively. Which is the weakest link, I don''t know?

[PurpleCanary 5,554]

[quote user="Salopian"]

There may come a point when we face the same quandary as last year, if in January we feel that we could do with new players. Last year we resisted buying and saved money for signings in the Summer. We also knew that in the Summer we strengthened the squad, but so did other teams. We were thus not going to be able to expect instant success by buying a number of players cheaply. In fact all our purchases totalled barely half of what Arsenal paid for just one player - Ozil, and they had been buying and developing top class players for many years. Yesterday we saw how good a side they have created.

 

Clearly if Benno''s recovery has not progressed quickly by January, and if Pilks breaks down again, we may have to pay over the odds for a winger. Otherwise where do we need to strengthen? The defence is vulnerable. It could cope when we deployed the two lines of four, with all the midfield tracking back. This made us more secure, but it reduced our attacking power. The strikers are not scoring, but they have good records for scoring, and I suspect that they are not getting the service they need. I doubt if the signing of another striker would make much difference.

 

We have two players for every position in the defence. I would have to say that only Bassong at his best comes near to the quality level we should be seeking, and perhaps Bennett fairly soon. So where do we splash the cash? Martin and Whittaker are useful, because they can play in the centre, Whittaker even in midfield, as can Olsson, who has the great advantage of pace. All three plus Garrido are useful going forward, but all four are not the strongest defensively. Which is the weakest link, I don''t know?

[/quote]

 

Only at the very last minute when we had failed. McNally himself said we made separate bids for two players of twice our previous record of £3.5m, so two bids of £7m. One obviously was the early bid for RvW and the other had to be the final bid for Hooper on transfer deadline day.

[iron_stan 0]

if we have 10 million we should use it to pay off hughton and the rest of his inept backroom and get in someone who has a fucking clue

[iron_stan 0]

and get zaha and kyle naughton in on loan

[Making Plans 936]

8 games in & we''re already talking about who to sign in January - says it all really, doesn''t it?We have the squad and we have the players who are more good enough to get us to mid table safety & respectabilityAll we need is a Manager who knows what he''s doing & who can get the best out of what we''ve got.Sadly, that''s not the current Manager & his coaching staff..