General Jan transfer window

[ZeroTheHero]

Not sure many of us have 'given up', but the failure to recruit a striker and a right back PLUS selling those two has made it 'less likely' than it was earlier in the month when we had Holland, Browne, Kelly, Fosu and Baptise and were apparently still looking to add to the squad but not looking to sell (which is what we we told).

 

[DorsetYelloww]

Browne is so much better than Fosu, no question.
Shandon is and will be a quality player too good for Div1 but we are overstocked in the CM Dept including Browne who again I would say is better than SB

We don’t own Browne...or Holland...or Kelly...or Woodburn...or Taylor. Loans have their place and I think most of ours are great prospects, but they are not our prospects.

 

[DorsetYelloww]

Not sure many of us have 'given up', but the failure to recruit a striker and a right back PLUS selling those two has made it 'less likely' than it was earlier in the month when we had Holland, Browne, Kelly, Fosu and Baptise and were apparently still looking to add to the squad but not looking to sell (which is what we we told).

7 more league games in Feb, against Peterborough, Ipswich, Sunderland etc, is almost certainly going to prove too much for a squad our size. There is absolutely no doubt our season has been severely compromised by the activity last week.

 

[horseman]

I do wonder about you sometimes if you actually read the posts.
KR said at the timing of the deal for baptist and Fosu that it gave him no time to get replacements in, nothing to do with a striker or RB that he was still chasing already.

there you go

but felt the late approach by Brentford was the biggest issue.


“If the deal for the two players could have been two weeks earlier, I think we could have done a lot more.


“I think 48 hours is an impossible ask. All of a sudden people think you’re flush and are going to blow it stupidly on panicking.”

So we got browne Holland Kelly knowing they were going yeah right psychic board

 

[DorsetYelloww]

whilst perhaps true that inferred gap existed when the aim for promotion comments were made which implies it was a throw away comment rather than a well thought out one which again from shrewd people would be daft.
It's not like you can pick and chose when to get promoted as football just does not work like that, as a fan you have to have some dream, some hope and whilst there was a feel good factor the novelty and realizing it's Southend,Colchesters of this world every week would soon wear off. (with respect to them)

You’ve also got to consider the ambition of the manager and players. For example KR is ambitious, a promotion on his CV would help to wipe out the damage of his tenure at Charlton. Meanwhile Dickie and Brannagan et al, might stay longer if they were promoted to the Championship. All of that comes in to doubt if the ambition on the field is not matched by that off of it.

 

[Teddydee1980]

What was our chances of promotion with Fosu and Baptiste?

What are our chances without them but with Holland, Browne and Kelly instead?

Because I would argue that we are actually stronger as a result and we will finish top 6. So we still have genuine aspirations for promotion, unlike some on here who appear to have given up already.

Brilliant, aside from my views about the timing of the deal, I bloody love the level of optimism required to say that our promo chances IMPROVED with the sale of two of our best players.

 

[Scotchegg]

I do wonder about you sometimes if you actually read the posts.
KR said at the timing of the deal for baptist and Fosu that it gave him no time to get replacements in, nothing to do with a striker or RB that he was still chasing already.

No he didn't.

 

[DorsetYelloww]

To be a mid table team you require a budget of 14m a year. Luton are doing as Norwich are in the premiership...entirely sensible and cements their status gradually rather than collapsing down the league after a failed championship attempt

I guess the other factor though is the huge parachute payments you get if relegated from the Prem compared to being relegated from the Championship.

 

[yellowbow]

there you go

but felt the late approach by Brentford was the biggest issue.


“If the deal for the two players could have been two weeks earlier, I think we could have done a lot more.


“I think 48 hours is an impossible ask. All of a sudden people think you’re flush and are going to blow it stupidly on panicking.”

So we got browne Holland Kelly knowing they were going yeah right psychic board

Is it a case that we had a striker and RB lined up but needed to sell first? Then when we eventually did sell, the timing, plus selling clubs/agents possibly bumping their price after our windfall, made life very difficult for us. I’m not knocking the club if that’s the case, it’s prudent business, but does it make all the events in the last couple of weeks more logical?

 

[greatunclekip]

7 more league games in Feb, against Peterborough, Ipswich, Sunderland etc, is almost certainly going to prove too much for a squad our size. There is absolutely no doubt our season has been severely compromised by the activity last week.

This exactly. The departure of Baptiste is blatantly a grab for cash. But its not the biggest issue here. And its understandable to an extent. The timing could have been better but OK. We'd have coped im sure. The biggest issue is the disgraceful decision not to bolster the squad with fullback and striker cover. At any point in the 4 week window.That will be what ultimately sees us in League 1 next season unfortunately. Due to fatigue if nothing else.

 

[Foley]

What was our chances of promotion with Fosu and Baptiste?

What are our chances without them but with Holland, Browne and Kelly instead?

Because I would argue that we are actually stronger as a result and we will finish top 6. So we still have genuine aspirations for promotion, unlike some on here who appear to have given up already.

Dont disagree but we havent replaced Cadden which has made us very short in the full back areas.

 

[Foley]

We don’t own Browne...or Holland...or Kelly...or Woodburn...or Taylor. Loans have their place and I think most of ours are great prospects, but they are not our prospects.

They are here for the rest if the season. So from a promotion push perspective they are very relevant

 

[ttg17]

We don’t own Browne...or Holland...or Kelly...or Woodburn...or Taylor. Loans have their place and I think most of ours are great prospects, but they are not our prospects.

Don’t understand why people keep mentioning this like it’s a massive negative. We still have many valuable and promising assets. We have shown a canny ability to identify prospects in the recent past, so we probably will do again this summer. We have these excellent players here for the promotion push. I really don’t see the problem.

I’m on board with the criticism re not bringing in a fullback or a striker, and with the sale of Baptiste, but this seems like a weird thing for people to be consistently bringing up.

 

[Scotchegg]

Brilliant, aside from my views about the timing of the deal, I bloody love the level of optimism required to say that our promo chances IMPROVED with the sale of two of our best players.

What would you say our chances of promotion was before these sales? And what now?

I week or so ago we were hoping to regain form to get playoffs or more. Following our January business I would still say that we will be top 6 come May. So what's changed?

 

[ZeroTheHero]

What would you say our chances of promotion was before these sales? And what now?

I week or so ago we were hoping to regain form to get playoffs or more. Following our January business I would still say that we will be top 6 come May. So what's changed?

Oh good lord.

Before they were sold, we had Browne, Holland, Kelly, Baptiste and Fosu. We were told that the club was looking to sign a striker and a right back.
At the end of the window from that lot, we have Browne, Holland and Kelly. That is two talented players less in the squad and two we didn't get.

There are many reasons why that might have happened, but to pretend that the squad is no weaker for it is plainly ridiculous.

 

[greatunclekip]

 

[Teddydee1980]

What would you say our chances of promotion was before these sales? And what now?

I week or so ago we were hoping to regain form to get playoffs or more. Following our January business I would still say that we will be top 6 come May. So what's changed?

I'm not neccessarily questioning your logic. There is some argument that the team may be more galvanised...particularly if the Whatsapp rumours (and Shandon wanting his agent to to "make it happen") are true.

We have a weaker level of cover in 2 areas for one thing. Both players were chance creators and whilst I think Browne has stepped into one of those two roles, there is onus on others to create more.

Buy hey, we shall see. Perhaps you are onto something.

 

[Scotchegg]

Oh good lord.

Before they were sold, we had Browne, Holland, Kelly, Baptiste and Fosu. We were told that the club was looking to sign a striker and a right back.
At the end of the window from that lot, we have Browne, Holland and Kelly. That is two talented players less in the squad and two we didn't get.

There are many reasons why that might have happened, but to pretend that the squad is no weaker for it is plainly ridiculous.

My post clearly talks about our transfer business in January. Since the beginning of January we lost Cadden, Hall, Baptiste and Fosu. We brought in Kelly, Browne and Holland. With the exception of the right back position we are no weaker as a result.

At right back, Sam Long has improved his attacking contributions but still remains a defender who gets forward rather than the attacking wing back Cadden was. It has been done to death about who is better or more effective, but we are not significantly weaker either way.

Our season will not be defined by who plays right back, and with injuries returning we are actually strong now than a month ago.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

LOL

 

[Yellowlab]

This exactly. The departure of Baptiste is blatantly a grab for cash. But its not the biggest issue here. And its understandable to an extent. The timing could have been better but OK. We'd have coped im sure. The biggest issue is the disgraceful decision not to bolster the squad with fullback and striker cover. At any point in the 4 week window.That will be what ultimately sees us in League 1 next season unfortunately. Due to fatigue if nothing else.

Hard to please aren’t you? Not long ago you were telling us all how nailed on it was we’d be in Division 2 next year. A few few months on and a guaranteed Division 1 place isn’t good enough for you.

Here’s a thought, the board may not be perfect but they are are what we have. It’s a shame they don’t spend their money the way you want them to. Get over it.