General Jan transfer window

[Shosho]

I know this has been done to death on this forum, but it always seemed a very odd move. KR said as much as well. Hinted it was pushed by the agent. Cadden looks to be a Championship level player, so why move to the MLS aged 22?

Especially with the end goal of playing in the championship....

Anyway, probably time to move on

 

[Sarge]

I know this has been done to death on this forum, but it always seemed a very odd move. KR said as much as well. Hinted it was pushed by the agent. Cadden looks to be a Championship level player, so why move to the MLS aged 22?

agree that was very likely @Northernyellow ...... a case of the agent putting boosting his(or her) bank balance ahead of the player's career prospects perhaps?

 

[TailsWeWin]

We currently have a midfield contingent of Baptiste, Brannagan, Kelly, Gorrin, Henry, Woodburn, Thorne, Forde, Hanson, Sykes plus three ‘wide’ men. Up front we have..... an ineffective non-goalscoring moaner, a young lad with potential who’s not considered good enough yet, and a half-fit decent striker able to play the occasional game. SURELY we can afford to “push the boat out” (as people call it) for ONE DECENT CENTRAL STRIKER?! And before Scotchegg quotes Grigg AGAIN, he is the exception not the rule. It’s the missing piece of the jigsaw far more than replacing a full back: probably the difference between a top-6 finish and mediocrity.

 

[Shosho]

We currently have a midfield contingent of Baptiste, Brannagan, Kelly, Gorrin, Henry, Woodburn, Thorne, Forde, Hanson, Sykes plus three ‘wide’ men. Up front we have..... an ineffective non-goalscoring moaner, a young lad with potential who’s not considered good enough yet, and a half-fit decent striker able to play the occasional game. SURELY we can afford to “push the boat out” (as people call it) for ONE DECENT CENTRAL STRIKER?! And before Scotchegg quotes Grigg AGAIN, he is the exception not the rule. It’s the missing piece of the jigsaw far more than replacing a full back: probably the difference between a top-6 finish and mediocrity.

All great, but both Cadden and Henry create the most chances. Mackie isn’t a goal scorer, but he received a lot of good chances this season.

Who would you bring in as a guaranteed goal scorer this month?

 

[Left Wing Cross]

All great, but both Cadden and Henry create the most chances. Mackie isn’t a goal scorer, but he received a lot of good chances this season.

Who would you bring in as a guaranteed goal scorer this month?

I think, once we have Henry back, that will make a big difference to our offensive potency. He may not be an striker but he's already has 11 goals this season!

 

[Foley]

We currently have a midfield contingent of Baptiste, Brannagan, Kelly, Gorrin, Henry, Woodburn, Thorne, Forde, Hanson, Sykes plus three ‘wide’ men. Up front we have..... an ineffective non-goalscoring moaner, a young lad with potential who’s not considered good enough yet, and a half-fit decent striker able to play the occasional game. SURELY we can afford to “push the boat out” (as people call it) for ONE DECENT CENTRAL STRIKER?! And before Scotchegg quotes Grigg AGAIN, he is the exception not the rule. It’s the missing piece of the jigsaw far more than replacing a full back: probably the difference between a top-6 finish and mediocrity.

It appears that most clubs in the Country are looking for 'one decent striker'

 

[battman]

If I had to choose between getting a right back in or another striker, 100% it'd be a right back. In recent games we just haven't been creating enough chances for whoever the striker is, and even though Mackie's not a regular scorer anyway, he still needs service instead of ploughing a lone furrow.

In think losing Henry at the same time as losing Cadden has hit us hard, so we need to bring in a fullback who can create chances. Up top we have Taylor, Ageyi and Mackie, and Woodburn & Browne can play there if we're struggling. At right back we have Long, and then after that you're looking at putting makeshifts there like Hanson or Dickie.

 

[bazzer9461]

If I had to choose between getting a right back in or another striker, 100% it'd be a right back. In recent games we just haven't been creating enough chances for whoever the striker is, and even though Mackie's not a regular scorer anyway, he still needs service instead of ploughing a lone furrow.

In think losing Henry at the same time as losing Cadden has hit us hard, so we need to bring in a fullback who can create chances. Up top we have Taylor, Ageyi and Mackie, and Woodburn & Browne can play there if we're struggling. At right back we have Long, and then after that you're looking at putting makeshifts there like Hanson or Dickie.

The problem is Taylor has has injury spells ( just think what may have happened but f he hadn’t been injured goal wise) Agyei its a case of when not if he’ll start but it’s certainly mystifying, Mackie is not scoring, Woodburn unfortunately has had an injury offset with anther similar injury and Browne is capable but is more of a winger than a centre forward so yes another goal scorer is needed preferably proven but there are 71 other clubs looking for that elusive striker.

 

[AbbeyOx]

If I had to choose between getting a right back in or another striker, 100% it'd be a right back. In recent games we just haven't been creating enough chances for whoever the striker is, and even though Mackie's not a regular scorer anyway, he still needs service instead of ploughing a lone furrow.

In think losing Henry at the same time as losing Cadden has hit us hard, so we need to bring in a fullback who can create chances. Up top we have Taylor, Ageyi and Mackie, and Woodburn & Browne can play there if we're struggling. At right back we have Long, and then after that you're looking at putting makeshifts there like Hanson or Dickie.

or Forde. he can’t be far off returning but get what you’re saying

 

[battman]

The problem is Taylor has has injury spells ( just think what may have happened but f he hadn’t been injured goal wise) Agyei its a case of when not if he’ll start but it’s certainly mystifying, Mackie is not scoring, Woodburn unfortunately has had an injury offset with anther similar injury and Browne is capable but is more of a winger than a centre forward so yes another goal scorer is needed preferably proven but there are 71 other clubs looking for that elusive striker.

Ideally I'd bring in both a right back and a striker, but the priority would have to be with a RB, we were winning games consistently even when we were rotating Taylor with Mackie every other game. The big difference has been service.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

In recent games we just haven't been creating enough chances for whoever the striker is, and even though Mackie's not a regular scorer anyway, he still needs service instead of ploughing a lone furrow.

Mackie’s presence now stops chances being created. He can’t hold the ball effectively, gives fouls away from trying too hard to scrap about, but more crucially he can’t make any runs. A lone striker needs to be able to run the channels in order to gain ground so that they can hold the ball much further up the pitch, meaning that when the ball is laid off it’s being done well inside the final third. Mackie can’t run a channel because he’s so slow that a centre half can just get on the turn, step across his path and take the ball effortlessly. He also can’t run freely after about 60 minutes now, which means the rest of the team has to cover more ground as they have to start marshalling chunks of his zones. This not only doesn’t help with fatigue during the game but it won’t help us long term with regards to other attacking players picking up extra strains and tweaks.

I’m not trying to turn this into another Mackie bashing session as he seems a decent bloke and a decent pro to have around the place, but I really think excuses need to stop being made for him. Matty Taylor has managed to get enough goals and enough decent chances this term - he must’ve had half a dozen goals ruled offside by a matter of inches on top of what he’s bagged, despite not playing as many minutes as you might think - and I think it would be a stretch to suggest that it’s down to him being lucky enough to be on the pitch when we decide to create more. We create more because of Mackie’s absence.

If he can be rightfully pushed down to third choice behind Taylor and Agyei then I’m all for really prioritising a right back and not panicking too much about centre forward. We need a RB regardless but the extent to which the boat is pushed out there will fully depend on just how far this Mackie thing is going to continue going. If he’s demoted and Agyei stays to push on and get more time filling in for Taylor, I think we can really go for a top notch full back with real gusto. But if Agyei is going to be loaned out leaving us with only Taylor and Mackie then my god, do we not half need another striker.

 

[Foley]

I think, once we have Henry back, that will make a big difference to our offensive potency. He may not be an striker but he's already has 11 goals this season!

Brannagan has what 7 or 8 goals as well.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

If I had to choose between getting a right back in or another striker, 100% it'd be a right back. In recent games we just haven't been creating enough chances for whoever the striker is, and even though Mackie's not a regular scorer anyway, he still needs service instead of ploughing a lone furrow.

In think losing Henry at the same time as losing Cadden has hit us hard, so we need to bring in a fullback who can create chances. Up top we have Taylor, Ageyi and Mackie, and Woodburn & Browne can play there if we're struggling. At right back we have Long, and then after that you're looking at putting makeshifts there like Hanson or Dickie.

That's an interesting (and valid) point of view. Henry has definitely been a loss, I agree. I think the Mackie of now is not the same player he was earlier in the season though - it seems to be all 'shithousery' and no striking. Woodburn can't play there: he isn't fit and won't be for a while yet. Agyei seems to have been deemed 'one for the future' rather than a genuine contender for the striker spot. Browne - yes he can certainly play up there, and Taylor is obviously the one 'proper' striker we have. My issue is that Taylor seems to be unable to start as many games as you'd hope - does anyone know exactly what the problem is and whether it's a problem that is clearing up or something more chronic?

 

[TailsWeWin]

All great, but both Cadden and Henry create the most chances. Mackie isn’t a goal scorer, but he received a lot of good chances this season.

Who would you bring in as a guaranteed goal scorer this month?

To answer your question directly: I don’t know. But I’m not privy to the information about available funds, nor do I personally have the scouting network which has been operating here this season. I can only surmise that, with the money which has been suggested, we could afford a front man who would give us more options than Mackie. And yes, I realise we are in competition with other clubs. But how many of them are on the verge of promotion to the Championship?

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I think the Mackie of now is not the same player he was earlier in the season though

This is also something that’s being missed too often IMO - Mackie is getting markedly slower with each passing month now. He’s turned 34 since the season started and has a lot of miles on the clock, given that until he came here he was always an all action, hard working wide midfielder / winger. His body is giving up before our very eyes and although it isn’t his fault and it would happen to all of us in his position, it is happening.

 

[bazzer9461]

Ideally I'd bring in both a right back and a striker, but the priority would have to be with a RB, we were winning games consistently even when we were rotating Taylor with Mackie every other game. The big difference has been service.

Tbh batt I would rather keep starting Taylor if fit before Mackie, I am confident in Long at RB with Hanson as cover.

 

[Scotchegg]

We currently have a midfield contingent of Baptiste, Brannagan, Kelly, Gorrin, Henry, Woodburn, Thorne, Forde, Hanson, Sykes plus three ‘wide’ men. Up front we have..... an ineffective non-goalscoring moaner, a young lad with potential who’s not considered good enough yet, and a half-fit decent striker able to play the occasional game. SURELY we can afford to “push the boat out” (as people call it) for ONE DECENT CENTRAL STRIKER?! And before Scotchegg quotes Grigg AGAIN, he is the exception not the rule. It’s the missing piece of the jigsaw far more than replacing a full back: probably the difference between a top-6 finish and mediocrity.

Offer up half a dozen names of strikers that we should be looking at?

Let's look at league 2 top scorers. Doyle and Yates can't sign for anyone else. Maynard is 33, Vaughan 31. Palmer and Bowman are big target men but that isn't the game we play, although could maybe offer something different to Taylor.

Into the conference, Rhys Murphy has found his level after doing little in league football, like Rooney's little brother, Jamie Reid and Scott Quigley are massively untested at our level then we have Tshimanga who wasn't fancied before.

If we jump to league 1, then the likes of Toney and Eisa are being valued at several million, Fleetwood wouldn't sell Madden, Tyler Walker is on a season loan at Lincoln and unlikely to move elsewhere, likewise Marcus Forss at Wimbledon, Henderson at Rochdale is 35. So you are maybe looking at someone like Colby Bishop at Accrington?

Beyond that it's really about fringe players, or young players from higher up the pyramid and these would almost certainly be loans. Brett Pitman has been mentioned, would he fit the bill? Or Conor McAleny coming back?

There are limited options in every January window, and everyone wants the same players. It's not easy to get the one striker who will be the difference between promotion or not. You want to dismiss Will Grigg, but it shows that spending big alone is not enough. It's about getting the right player that fits with our team and has the ability to go higher with us if successful.

 

[AbbeyOx]

didn’t KR also state there wasn’t much available striker wise although things could change quickly come the end of the window

 

[DavidB]

This is also something that’s being missed too often IMO - Mackie is getting markedly slower with each passing month now. He’s turned 34 since the season started and has a lot of miles on the clock, given that until he came here he was always an all action, hard working wide midfielder / winger. His body is giving up before our very eyes and although it isn’t his fault and it would happen to all of us in his position, it is happening.

Wonder if he’s picked the music for his funeral! Must be awful to be 34! Give the guy a break.

 

[Shosho]

To answer your question directly: I don’t know. But I’m not privy to the information about available funds, nor do I personally have the scouting network which has been operating here this season. I can only surmise that, with the money which has been suggested, we could afford a front man who would give us more options than Mackie. And yes, I realise we are in competition with other clubs. But how many of them are on the verge of promotion to the Championship?

Like wise! But what we do know is that goals cost ££££. Doesn’t matter the level, loan or permanent.

You can go down the Will Grigg (3mill), Mo Eisa (1mill) route...or pick one out of non league (Colby Bishop) and hope they come good.

If we want something guaranteed it will be expensive...plus will have a lot of competition. I would ideally like another striker, it’s a tough market to navigate though