Well done to Fulham and Palace

[SeattleCanary 0]

Fulham ins:

John Heitinga - Free

Clint Dempsey - Loan

Lewis Holtby - Loan

William Kvist - Loan

Ryan Tunnicliffe -Undisclosed

Larnell Cole -Undisclosed

Kostas Mitriglou - 12.5mill

They tried for Neil Taylor who doesn''t bother me too much, but went after Ravel Morisson which I thought was extremely ambitious.

Palace Ins:

Wayne Hennessy - 3mill

Scott Dann - 1.5mill plus add ons

Joe Ledley - Sky believe deal is around 800k but not confirmed

Thomas Ince - Loan

Jason Puncheon 1.75mill (That''s a superb deal, he has great pace and scored vital goals for them recently)

They tried for Ramis too but he apparently failed his medical.

Looking at this there are elements that smack of desperation, but then its up to them how they integrate these players and how many and how often they use them in the games. At least they have the option by having the players there at their disposal. We literally HAVE to go with what we have.

But if I''m honest there are a few players there that I would love at Norwich and it looks like we could have afforded them. Palace have signed a decent spine of a team there, and I would have taken Ledley, Ince, Puncheon and possibly Dann if the price quoted is correct. As for Fulham, I think Dempsey and Holtby for loans are great deals for both clubs, and Heitinga on a free is also great value.

Everyone complains prices for January are inflated and they normally are, but there are at least 6 players between those 2 teams, (both of which are below us in the table) that I would have seen as a way to help the current group. I think Heitinga is a better option than Yobo (neither of which might arguably be as match fit as Dann) Gutierrez or Ince on loan? Thats a no brainer, as we need to create more, and one offers this where the other does not.

We may not have been able to get Puncheon as he was on a season loan, but I feel Holtby or Ledley fills a first team gaping hole in our squad. One was a loan and the other under the million mark. How the hell did we not try and compete for these 2?

All in all, who knows who will be relegated, but I can''t fault Fulham and Palace in the ambition and really giving it a go. They twisted, when we stuck with Mr. Nice 1Dimensional football, and didn''t address our faults in our team. I hope the board know what they are doing. We certainly aren''t pushing for 10th, with this attitude it signals trying to scrape survival.

[BroadstairsR 2,135]

Thanks for that and it''s difficult not to be a bit envious.

These dealings lessen our prospects of survival IMO,

Cardiff have signed a lot as well as the others.

I am very disappointed with our own lack of pro-active business.

[SeattleCanary 0]

Yeah that is true they did sign a few. I tended not to include Cardiff as I felt IMO that Zaha is the only player I would have wanted here, but even then he is 6 months of playing the odd game and a lot of the appeal of these other players is that they have been playing well at their respective clubs, are match fit and up to speed bringing a fresh mentality to squads that have been beaten down and used to defeats. If he''d have come in at the start of the season then he could have still been riding the crest of the wave on Palace''s promotion.

I think a player like Ledley who is used to winning, and Ince, used to scoring and being better than his opposition, or Holtby who is a player above that quality-wise, of a bottom 10 Prem team would have breathed new life into a tired and low on confidence squad. Ashton did this for me, as did Holt. Moving up from lower leagues and carrying on their good form with us.

[Dubai Mark 0]

Thanks for a great summary other than the expected dig at Chris Hughton.

I am not envious of these clubs signings at all, and when I look at the list there are only two players I personally would have signed who I think would really add to the squad.....Puncheon who I have always rated and perhaps Holtby, although I hadnt been so impressed with him when he was playing earlier in the season. Also, I actually think our two signings are very decent and will strengthen the squad nicely when we also have players returning from injury.

I would have liked to see Hoolahan go to be honest and am actually disappointed he didnt, and I know many om here will totally disagree with that. I just think that he is a squad player at this level, a decent one though, and having him around now could be disruptive and a distraction. Thats said, if he gets his head together there will be games when he could certainly be used, let''s see how that pans out.  

[nutty nigel 7,506]

[quote user="SeattleCanary"]Fulham ins:

John Heitinga - Free

Clint Dempsey - Loan

Lewis Holtby - Loan

William Kvist - Loan

Ryan Tunnicliffe -Undisclosed

Larnell Cole -Undisclosed

Kostas Mitriglou - 12.5mill

They tried for Neil Taylor who doesn''t bother me too much, but went after Ravel Morisson which I thought was extremely ambitious.

Palace Ins:

Wayne Hennessy - 3mill

Scott Dann - 1.5mill plus add ons

Joe Ledley - Sky believe deal is around 800k but not confirmed

Thomas Ince - Loan

Jason Puncheon 1.75mill (That''s a superb deal, he has great pace and scored vital goals for them recently)

They tried for Ramis too but he apparently failed his medical.

Looking at this there are elements that smack of desperation, but then its up to them how they integrate these players and how many and how often they use them in the games. At least they have the option by having the players there at their disposal. We literally HAVE to go with what we have.

But if I''m honest there are a few players there that I would love at Norwich and it looks like we could have afforded them. Palace have signed a decent spine of a team there, and I would have taken Ledley, Ince, Puncheon and possibly Dann if the price quoted is correct. As for Fulham, I think Dempsey and Holtby for loans are great deals for both clubs, and Heitinga on a free is also great value.

Everyone complains prices for January are inflated and they normally are, but there are at least 6 players between those 2 teams, (both of which are below us in the table) that I would have seen as a way to help the current group. I think Heitinga is a better option than Yobo (neither of which might arguably be as match fit as Dann) Gutierrez or Ince on loan? Thats a no brainer, as we need to create more, and one offers this where the other does not.

We may not have been able to get Puncheon as he was on a season loan, but I feel Holtby or Ledley fills a first team gaping hole in our squad. One was a loan and the other under the million mark. How the hell did we not try and compete for these 2?

All in all, who knows who will be relegated, but I can''t fault Fulham and Palace in the ambition and really giving it a go. They twisted, when we stuck with Mr. Nice 1Dimensional football, and didn''t address our faults in our team. I hope the board know what they are doing. We certainly aren''t pushing for 10th, with this attitude it signals trying to scrape survival.

[/quote]

 

But in reality right now we are 3 points off 10th and 5 above 18th. Let''s see how that pans out. Last season QPR and Reading brought in loads during this window. They were still relegated though. You never know we may continue to push for 10th with the players who are currently doing so.

 

 

[Dean Coneys boots 1,398]

And in just as much reality I would ask you to look back and see just how many points we accrued in the second half of last season...

[nutty nigel 7,506]

[quote user="Dean Coneys boots"]And in just as much reality I would ask you to look back and see just how many points we accrued in the second half of last season...[/quote]

 

I don''t know what sort of reality you live in but I can''t see where last season''s points are relevant to this season in any reality.

 

 

[Monty13 2,229]

Nutty be fair, in the same way as Reading and QPRs transfers and its outcome is relevant in comparison to CP and Fulham.

[Branston Pickle 3,631]

It is interesting how supporters always think others are better off than their side. You do have to look at other things. On the face of it Fulham/Palace did some decent business, but:

Fulham also lost Berbatov, Hughes, Ruiz and Senderos in the window, so are they really that much better off? I guess time will tell. Heitinga was not looked on with much glee when we were linked; Holtby is meant to be good but hasn''t really shown it (or would have stayed at spurs)

Palace''s biggest outlay was on a keeper when they already had a good one - is signing keepers conducive to ''giving it a go''? Puncheon was merely a confirmation of player they already had.

I guess we will only know longer term who had a decent window. I think it was ok for us, could have been better or worse.

[Buh 0]

Cannot belieeeeeve someone wouldGet a hard on for those players!

Tom ince... MAYBE. But his situation, his whole deal, with the dad and the hotel meetings and such stinks of not touching and a barge pole.

I like to think a nathan Redmond that''s had a rest and a recalibration is better than tom ince. Certainly better at beating a man, just gotta get those crosses and shots under wraps.

The rest... Like a big QPR foghorn going off as I read it.

[Levi Stubbs 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

[quote user="Dean Coneys boots"]And in just as much reality I would ask you to look back and see just how many points we accrued in the second half of last season...[/quote]

 

I don''t know what sort of reality you live in but I can''t see where last season''s points are relevant to this season in any reality.

 

 

[/quote]What reality do you live in NN when you claim we are only 3 points off 10th place? Yes if we win by 11 goals or more today and Villa lose by 6 or more (and Swansea don''t win),we will indeed be in 10th place this evening. Is that reality though?

[ZLF 271]

There are two ways to look at Palace and fulhams "success" last month.

Fulham - I like the core that they have strengthened, Dempsey, Kvist & Holtby should improve things, the striker swap is much riskier. IF he and heitinga come off they will have strengthened the very core of the team. Thats a big IF and the upheaval in the squad is likely to take time to gel; 7 players in a squad of 25-30?

Palace have added Hennessey (keeping not their prime problem), Puncheon (already there so not a new signing) Ledley and Dann have not inspired inthe prem before, and Ince seeking an outlet but not as good as redmond. These are solid player signed to improve a weak squad; enough to keep them out of the relegation zone i suspect - I dont think it enough for them to leap frog us.

Both clubs are signing players because the did not do the right job in the summer, they have holes in their squad that managers should have resolved pre season, and is probably why both changed managers early; its why they are at the bottom and have changed such a large proportion of the squad in a couple of weeks.

Absolutely NONE of the signings are in the WOW category, with only Holtby certain to have improved our own squad.

[norfolkngood 1,086]

it doesn''t matter what happened last season or the first part of this seaon from NOW the other teams have either changed manager and /or signed a lot more players to improve US on the other hand have done nothing really of note cover a for a centreback and a solid left midfield player

we needed a playmaker for 2 transfer windows and got nothing

we ( in my opinion ) needed a new manager to breathe new life into the players again nothing

it is either a very brave boardroom or a very stupid one ? we will have to wait and see

I believe the other clubs have done everything in their power to try to stay up have we done everything we could ?? I doubt

[nutty nigel 7,506]

[quote user="Levi Stubbs"][quote user="nutty nigel"]

[quote user="Dean Coneys boots"]And in just as much reality I would ask you to look back and see just how many points we accrued in the second half of last season...[/quote]

 

I don''t know what sort of reality you live in but I can''t see where last season''s points are relevant to this season in any reality.

 

 

[/quote]What reality do you live in NN when you claim we are only 3 points off 10th place? Yes if we win by 11 goals or more today and Villa lose by 6 or more (and Swansea don''t win),we will indeed be in 10th place this evening. Is that reality though?[/quote]

 

Seriously? You got this upset because we are three points and goal difference away from 10th? And we still are having lost to the bottom club. I''m not ready to wave the white flag and give in to relegation yet Levi. I haven''t even given up on top half....

 

 

 

 

[Levi Stubbs 0]

Are you''ve found it! Thought you were ''''off to bed'''' ?Doomed I tell ye, doomed!![:''(][:''(][:''(]