General Jan transfer window

[dickwalton1964]

This is exactly right. If we do get a right back in then I'd expect to see Hanson loaned out as we will then have cover at both RB and through the middle.

As others have mentioned, there is no point in bringing in players who do not strength the current squad. Sam Long has shown that he can be effective, and danced through the Newcastle side at one point on Saturday to set up a good chance. Also Marcus Browne played in the false 9 position well and gives us a different option to Matt Taylor, and Dan Ageyi remains an option.

Of course, all involved would have loved to bring in quality players to add to these positions, and still might. But very few teams at our level will have the opportunity to bring back the quality of players like Brannagan, Taylor, Henry and Thorne, as well as having done business in getting Browne, Holland and Kelly in.

If nothing changed, we have still had a very good window and are in a great position to kick on.

I don’t know who is your source for information but maybe think about going elsewhere.

 

[bazzer9461]

I'll be back at the end of this window, gents.

Browne
Thorne
Atkinson
Kelly
Holland

And SO FAR, we are likely to retain all of our best players - that alone is a win, in my book.

If anyone can tell me how that constitues a less than impressive transfer window then I'll buy you a beer next Tuesday.

It’s is a good window but we definitely need a striker Taylor is good but is he 90 mins Mackie won’t score and Agyei I have no idea what he has to do

 

[AbbeyOx]

I think that would be generous, but I've learnt from the summer window that it is worth waiting - so I'm still expecting a couple of signings!

I'd find it hard to say it was a good window if we don't secure a centre forward who KR is comfortable starting and a right back. We're in such a good position that now is the time to push on. I just think going in to the crunch part of the season with an unfit Taylor, ageing Mackie and untried Agyei will see us come short.

Like I said though I was one of the impatient ones in the Summer, and by the end of that window we had done good business - so am keeping the faith!

if we didn’t have the injured players to come back and Long was pants at rb i’d be a bit disappointed/concerned but these are the same ones that got us into this great position and were banging in the goals.
add Browne (who can play up front) Holland and Kelly then we’re already stronger, plus we’ve still got time for extra reinforcements to come in

 

[Mellowyellow]

Er no they havent shown that.
We have been without Brannagan , Henry and Taylor. Had this been nothing to do with it?
The key thing is getting them fit (plus Woodburn)

My opinion is that it has shown we are lacking a striker up front to score goals. The one true striker we have is a loan, who when not fit means we have Mackie and a plyer that KR won't play, Agyei. Therefore we clearly need options up front as other teams pushing for promotion have.
In Long we don't have a Cadden or Baldock, someone who can terrify wide players and play as attacking as much as they do defending.
KR said he had 5 RB lined up at one stage, now he's teetering on one not coming in possibly.
With so many games in February strength is essential, something we currently dont have in some essential areas. The last 2 days of the window are pivitol and could shape the rest of the season.

 

[AbbeyOx]

but still comes down to the right player for the right price

 

[harrymark1]

Also not just signing someone for the sake of signing someone, I think that is one of the big things Wilder learnt after us. He had a habit of signing loads in the window who ended playing 1 game and not being heard of.

 

[Mellowyellow]

I admire your positivity Scotchers, but ... “very good window”??! Do you imagine the current situation is what KR was hoping for/expecting?

KR previously said he would like a lb, rb and upfront, so atm if is far from what he would want. A good window would be all 3 coming in. Currently we are still not quite there. Will the board take up KR,S challenge of being a big club, so far they haven't.

 

[Horse]

TBH I think Long is a better right back than Ruffell's is a left back. Can't see the obsession with replacing the right back when the left is equally important.

 

[LondonRoader]

Is it a poor window if one goes out but we get the two we are after?

 

[Witneyoldfella]

Depends who the one was that went out ?

 

[dickwalton1964]

TBH I think Long is a better right back than Ruffell's is a left back. Can't see the obsession with replacing the right back when the left is equally important.

I think the problem is we haven’t seen an alternative to Ruffels. He’s never looked back after playing a key part in the run in during our promotion season. Cadden is clearly better than Long so we now see that as the benchmark. Long has done great but Ruffels has been really consistent for a long time now, Long has a way to go to reach the consistent levels of Ruffels.

 

[Scotchegg]

I don’t know who is your source for information but maybe think about going elsewhere.

Strange to question my source on pretty much the only post that I haven't claimed any knowledge!

 

[werthersoriginal]

I admire your positivity Scotchers, but ... “very good window”??! Do you imagine the current situation is what KR was hoping for/expecting?

We’ve signed five players and lost one, at least we’re improved numerically without losing any stars

 

[Scotchegg]

I admire your positivity Scotchers, but ... “very good window”??! Do you imagine the current situation is what KR was hoping for/expecting?

I wouldn't expect any manager to be entirely happy with a transfer window, they will always want more. But Robinson is experienced enough to know that getting the wrong player in is actually worse than getting no one at all. I have no doubt that we will still see some movement, and have already said that I think we will get 2 (maybe 3) in and one leaving, and that I imagine this will more likely be loans. So let's not count our chickens just yet and see how Karl feels on Saturday morning when it's all done.

 

[Brahma]

Cadden has, to date, been a huge, significant miss and a reason, IMO, why we've stuttered a little in recent weeks.

Modern day football and certainly the style of play employed here, is that you have strong, stamina-filled, powerful, attacking full backs. Chris Cadden was exceptional, I still standby my comments, that at the time Baldock was here, Cadden is better.

As well as Sam Long has done, he's not that full back described above. He's a superb footballer, never lets anyone down, but his introduction into the side and subsequent adjustment of style of play, has been one of the causes of our form. No offence to Sam but he's different to what this team needs.

Getting a quality right back has to be a big priority if we're to kick on.

Someone mentioned wingers.........we don't play with wingers. We are using pace and 'perceived' wide men, to play in the 3 behind the striker, to help stretch teams and attack them at pace. Hollands and Browne are playing in the three behind, unless we change to a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 then those boys play in different roles now.

 

[Gary Baldi]

I wonder if KRs stuff in the Fail today are as much for team and agents, as it is for fans...

 

[AbbeyOx]

late signing of Ricardinho maybe ?

 

[SwissYellow]

Cadden has, to date, been a huge, significant miss and a reason, IMO, why we've stuttered a little in recent weeks.

Modern day football and certainly the style of play employed here, is that you have strong, stamina-filled, powerful, attacking full backs. Chris Cadden was exceptional, I still standby my comments, that at the time Baldock was here, Cadden is better.

As well as Sam Long has done, he's not that full back described above. He's a superb footballer, never lets anyone down, but his introduction into the side and subsequent adjustment of style of play, has been one of the causes of our form. No offence to Sam but he's different to what this team needs.

Getting a quality right back has to be a big priority if we're to kick on.

Someone mentioned wingers.........we don't play with wingers. We are using pace and 'perceived' wide men, to play in the 3 behind the striker, to help stretch teams and attack them at pace. Hollands and Browne are playing in the three behind, unless we change to a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 then those boys play in different roles now.

100%. While solid and dependable, its a fact that we've not seen as much statistical success via points, goals scored or chances created since Cadden went.

 

[TailsWeWin]

Depends who the one was that went out ?

Baptiste out: £5m. Proven lower league striker in: £4m.

 

[Teddydee1980]

Looking at the order that we got out business done, I wonder if a chain reaction we were expecting on one of our centre mids hasn't come to fruition (My guess, Brannagan)...The priority at the start of the window was an RB and Pace, We got the pace bit sorted and had some apparently serious enquiries in for the scottish fb, then went with Kelly and Thorne at CM...perhaps at the time, thinking a mid going for a fee was a sure thing, The RB was all but done and that excess money could be used to pick up Yater/another striker.

Conjecture of course, but it does feel like the cards haven't fallen exactly as we would have wanted.

that said, I would rate this as a strong window, in the sense that the squad is definitely better overall (on paper at least)...but it remains unbalanced and we're heavy in some areas, weak in others.