Transfer News January 2021/22 Transfer Window

[Golden Dr Otto]

I think the Browne and Smyth signings are absolutely excellent pieces of business for next year

Without wanting to be a party pooper Smyth could be equivalent or inferior to Cooper. The lad is 21 and has never even played full time. I hope he’s brilliant obviously but in reality it’s the retention of current players which is the big news.

Brown we have to hope gets fit and stays fit….and The left back based on Cardiff fans is about as useful as Bazzers self restraint.

 

[oufc1991]

I'm.just happy we didn't lose any players except agyei and cooper who weren't really in the main 18 anyway the players we brought in I can't really say I'm excited we've got a defender who Cardiff fans say is crap we've got Browne who could be a month away from playing and a young Irish lad who's never played football outside of Ireland .
I wonder what happened with all these really good players we were linked with and how it was going to the most money we've ever spent in a January transfer window

 

[Jimmy P]

We ve got one LB, 2 CB, one reliable striker, brought in 2 players who will have no impact for weeks, and you think we've done ok??????

Yes I do think we’ve done ok!
Cooper not played all season - no need to replace
Agyei - minimum game time - in 3-4 weeks we can play Browne as impact sub (upgrade)
Thorniilly has been replaced by Brown - no idea if he’s any good but been playing in championship so I’d assume he’s competent
Signed up and coming youngster as an additional
Board turned down bids for two key players and kept Kane

All good business, I’d happily of taken anothet experienced defender but this squad is stronger than 1st Jan so yes it’s ok

 

[Grumpy Git]

View attachment 8033
Screenshotted for evidence @Leysboy

Thank god he’s not coming!

 

[Obstructed view]

Brown might be very good defender at league 1 level time will tell. Marty Taylor probably wouldn’t have got a glowing report card from Bristol City fans after 7 goals in 67 games but Is a top level striker in league 1

 

[oufc1991]

Brown might be very good defender at league 1 level time will tell. Marty Taylor probably wouldn’t have got a glowing report card from Bristol City fans after 7 goals in 67 games but Is a top level striker in league 1

So we did sign a new striker from Bristol city o hope he's as good as Matty Taylor I just feel sorry for poor old nick he's going to get confused with Marty and Matty Taylor

 

[Symp59]

We've got a good squad it might also give Bodin a chance Iam sure he's been used as a striker at other clubs. He's been very good last few games .Marcus we know is class so let's get him fit he really can help in the run in . So let's get on with the rest of the season

 

[Gregortheox]

I'm disappointed with this window. I don't think anyone is doubting the talent of Browne, and next season he will show us how good he is, but the order of the day was an immediate injection of energy, know how and resilience for the run in. The profile of player required was quite clear and in my mind so were the positions required.... but I'm sat here totally puzzled this morning.

BBefore the window we were a play off team. We had the opportunity to be more than that, and I'm afraid we've missed it.

 

[5aside]

Very happy and well done to the board for keeping hold of Cam Bran because without putting to much pressure on, he is the difference between going up or not. But confused about the C/F position because if Matty gets injured we haven’t really covered it . Winnall is ok when fit but not the standard we would hope for so KR must be looking at moving wingers/ midfielders upfront when necessary .Maybe G.O.D is now ready to step up but we are short if Matty gets along term injury

 

[Gobbledgook]

Just read KR's comments on Brown we're he says “He’s not afraid to fight for things. He can play left of a back three and left back as well".
Makes me wonder whether KR is thinking of playing a back 3 going forward possibly?

 

[Pontification]

Positives - keeping hold of Cam, Sykes and Kane were the big wins. Smyth looks like the next in a pretty successful production line of Irish talent and its great that we're getting a name out their for developing young talent. Also we all know what Browne is capable of and if he can repeat that then he can be a match winner from anywhere on the pitch.

Negatives - I thought that we'd do so much more. Sam Szmodics was definitely on our radar and could have been a real game changer. Also thought that we'd bring in a more experienced centre back and think we'll miss Thorniley. But we're right in the mix with a big game against Wigan and the current squad has proved its capabilities so far. Onwards and upwards.

I appreciate and echo your positive thoughts. In terms of negatives, I think a major negative that hasn’t been addressed is that the teams in and around us have brought in, on paper what looks to be strong signings. Another poster outlined the current squad, there’s only a bench plus two of players who you would deem first team players and that frightens me.

I think our last two January windows, especially have been strong by adding both impact players to the starting 11 and ones for the future. I don’t think we’ve done that to the levels of previous years.

Do you think whyte will be viewed as more a striker now, and that is what Browne’s long term position is?

 

[Mad Dog]

Poor January transfer window I’m afraid.

Ok, we’ve done very well to keep hold of Brannagan and Sykes, but it sounds like the valuations of both were never met, so it was probably an easy decision really, but we’ll done all the same, we need them both.

But we’ve brought in an injured player, who has only just recovered from a serious version of a very serious injury, after major reconstructive knee surgery, with no idea if he’ll ever return to his previous form, which let’s face it, was always inconsistent anyway, great when on it, absent when not, and with a very questionable attitude at times.

Then we’ve brought in a part time player, with zero experience at this level, marked as one for the future.

These are the kind of players you bring in over the summer, when building your squad, and taking a punt on one or two, not for a January transfer window, when you’re trying to bring in meaningful reinforcements to the squad for the remainder of the season.

And finally, we brought in a player to cover two positions, who has been slated by his own fans as not good enough. Did we not learn from Grayson?!?

We’ve also let our only proper striker cover leave, even though we weren’t using him anyway, whilst keeping a severely injury prone player as our only striker back up.

We’re in a great position in the league, and had a real chance to strengthen for the remainder of the season, and push for promotion, but for me, this has been the most disappointing window of Robbo’s reign.

I just hope it doesn’t cost us…

 

[Essexyellows]

In a previous world, we would have lost Sykes & Bran.

As it is we have strengthened the squad, and it really is a squad of players that are adaptable.

Also seems KR has realised there are alternative formations.

As ever the OUFC Rollercoaster is either going up a hill or down a dip..... we`ll be there or thereabouts.

 

[horseman]

Yeah, but would either of them really be an upgrade on Sam Winnall?
Sinclair has scored one goal (in Bulgaria) since he left us three years ago, and Baldock is older than Winnall and has a nigh-on identical track record (both scored 11 Championship goals in 2016-17, after a couple of good lower league seasons earlier in their careers, and haven't scored very much since).

One of the major things we needed to do this transfer window was upgrade the striking options behind Matty T, and we haven't done it.

Another major thing we needed to do was improve our defensive depth, and we haven't done that - at best we've broken even, and that's if Ciaron Brown turns out to be as good as Thornily. He may or may not be.

The final major thing we needed to do was find a replacement for Gorrin who could provide solidity and destructive capabilities when playing the top sides, and we haven't done that either.


I think the Browne and Smyth signings are absolutely excellent pieces of business for next year and the year after. And of course it's great that we held on to everyone.

But in terms of actually improving us this season? That was a really poor January.
And, look, I know it's difficult signing players at this time of year - I've said it on here often before - but ultimately it's still been a really disappointing window.
If everyone stays healthy for the next four months, then we've still got a shot at promotion. If the wrong player or two picks up a long term injury, then we don't. And maybe that's always the case but it's definitely exacerbated when you have as lopsided a squad as we do now.

if there was an award for best poster you would dead heat with ....---------- who i've shamefully forgot his name as i type but he doesn't post too often and like yourself always writes well thought out balanced views.

 

[BrockBuster]

Think we're fine. Sometimes having a bit of consistency rather than a mid season overhaul trying to fit players in can be better for the run in.

Plus if we are determined to get more cover, still a bunch of free agents floating about if we're that way inclined. Andre Wisdom for instance if we're looking for a defender for the rest of the season.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Well it wasn’t the ‘aggressive‘ window that KR called for but it’s always a difficult one in January. Was never really going to be easy trying to prise the likes of Stockton out of Morecambe, Szmodics from Posh etc. Clubs can absorb the loss of star players much better in the summer window, let’s face it if we lose Brannagan or Sykes in the summer there won’t be the meltdown there’d have been had they gone yesterday.

Virtually every club, come the start of the season, is filled with optimism whoever they’ve lost but you know the direction your season is going in come the January window and whether you’re striving for the next level or looking to preserve your status you’ll fight tooth and nail to keep your best players.

We were never in need of a rebuild this window and while another - preferably a target man - would have been ideal I think we’ve done just enough to freshen it up a bit. Also, the emergence of Bodin and a sharper looking Winnall in the past couple of games has been a real bonus - no one saw that coming and in some ways I’m glad we aren’t knocking them back by just getting like for like players in. Szmodics, Stockton, yes, but otherwise re-evaluate in the summer.

 

[Upthecowboys]

From an incomings perspective and from a right here and now perspective then I think that is a disappointing window.

Smyth is likely to be one for the future, Ciaran Brown is a replacement for Thorniley and Brown is coming back from a serious injury.

At the moment it seems like a missed opportunity. Our defence is no stronger in numbers compared to the start of the window, and it’s hard to argue Ciaran Brown is a step up on Thorniley.

We have to pray Matty stays fit. Let’s hope Winnall stays fit and Browne has no set backs. I guess we may sign someone who is out of contract but it looks like we have missed out on a couple of targets.

 

[OX14]

Well I've had a sleep on it to reflect.

Don't think it's been that bad of a window, definitely not poor I would say average,

Plus points.

:Kept hold of cam, sykes and kane till the end of the season
:sold Agyei who I didn't want to see in an Oxford shirt again
:loaned out Cooper for valuable game time, can reaccess him in the summer.
: signed Browne who on his day is too good for league 1.
: signed smyth as a future project
: signed brown who is the cover we need for left back and centre back

Negatives

:We didn't sign another striker especially when rumours we were after defoe, Stockton etc . But what has saved Karl's bacon is the form of Bodin recently and playing a slightly different way in recent games.
: I'm not sure brown is an upgrade to Thorniley, time will tell with that one

Definitely not the transfer window we all hoped for but if players won't come or are after too much money then its sometimes best to step back in negotiations. We could of spent a fortune and still not finish in the top 2.

A good performance tonight will make us feel a lot better.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

In a previous world, we would have lost Sykes & Bran.

As it is we have strengthened the squad, and it really is a squad of players that are adaptable.

Also seems KR has realised there are alternative formations.

As ever the OUFC Rollercoaster is either going up a hill or down a dip..... we`ll be there or thereabouts.

Exactly.

Previous transfer windows have really dented our hopes because we have lost key players (Baptiste and Shodipo being the most recent significant ones).

We have also got some really talented (and imho under utilised) players already in the squad. Bodin is a case in point. He's lightyears ahead of Agyei in terms of technical ability and game craft as far as I am concerned and feel we'll get a better return.

As poor as the Gills were on Saturday, it did underline that there are significant goals across the team in the current squad. And look who wasn't even involved last Saturday. We are ridiculously strong in midfield /going forward to create enough chances against most teams.

That said, we always looks like we're going to ship a goal and getting the right protection for the back four from midfield is going to be key (ref Seds and Williams down the left v gills, or Kane sitting deep).

And there is that nagging doubt that we're one significant injury away from a real dip. That all depends on how adaptable we can be if that happens. The current squad does give us a degree of flexibility on that front. Most teams would struggle in the same circumstances.

Enjoy the twists and turns and the ups and downs....plenty of thrills and spills to come!

Anyway....really looking forward to the Wigan game.....

COYY!

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

Defoe has signed for Sunderland. Let's see hiw he gets on.