Transfer Window January 2024 Transfer Window Thread

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

Fully agree. Wouldn't be bad to have Ladapo around for 6 months to show him the ropes though, would it?

Thing is that basically means Goodwin being sub !

 

[Upthecowboys]

Playing devils advocate… if you could have had Ladapo or Goodwin, who’d you have chosen?

Probably Goodwin but it’s a tight call and this seasons answer may depend on who we also get in on loan up top. I’d like to see what 3 options we have before casting my vote!

He’s a ‘return to the model’ signing which helps. Plus he is a different style of player to Harris which definitely is needed an option and you’d like to think that his height will be used well defensively.

I’d have been happy with Ladapo but assuming Goodwin comes back in the timescales advised and Harris stays fit in the meantime (neither guaranteed) then I prefer Goodwin.

*Edit - forgot to say that now our loan forward could be a more experienced player who we solely focus on contributing this year - as opposed to a gamble on an academy / unknown. That’s the path I’d go down if I were the club.

 

[Emilio]

This might sound like a facetious answer but I don’t really think that was much to do with him.

Our play dictated that he was swinging in a lot of crosses from the left, but overall we weren’t scoring many anyway so the stat is a little misleading.

But more importantly seddon was getting toasted in defence and his distribution was absolutely shocking. Our possession based game hit a black hole every time we went out to him.

Not facetious at all. As I said, I wasn't able to watch many fixtures at the start of last season, so was just going from the stats. Sounds like quite a concise answer, thanks

 

[n1]

Yeap, consistent upgrades in every position - LB, RB, Keeper - even 'CF off the bench'. Incremental improvements designed to turn us from also-rans to a side that actually achieves something.

Unfortunately a number fans need to be dragged to that point, kicking and screaming.

Spot on this. I said in a post previously that we cant judge this new Waldron/Manning/Buckingham era until at least after transfer window 3 (summer 2024). That's a reasonable point at which we should have addressed all of the issues within the squad and built something good.

I think we are in a good place. Not stunning. Good. One more good perm signing before the end of Jan edges us closer though.

Stay patient guys. The signs are good and the club seem to have developed a good and calm approach to transfers.

 

[Joey]

Thing is that basically means Goodwin being sub !

What's the problem with that? Having options off the bench isn't something to be scared of.

He wouldn't be nailed to the bench either, some game he might be the best option. Sometimes we might want to play Harris out wide and one of Ladapo (or another experienced striker as he's at Charlton) and Goodwin up front. Sometimes we might want to rest Harris and our other striker. Someone could get injured moving Goodwin up the pecking order, or he could be spurred on by the competition and improve in training and make an impact in games and become our number one striker.

For years we've been stacked with wingers and no one seemed to have an issue with it while we were short in other areas. We got away with it for a couple of seasons with no injuries at the back and then it ended up with us playing Williams at left back and Sykes at right back. We only had one striker last season who was unfortunately past it but we couldn't replace him. I don't understand why people would see having strength in depth as a bad thing.

 

[RgYellows]

For years we've been stacked with wingers and no one seemed to have an issue with it while we were short in other areas.

 

[Joey]

View attachment 17513

I realised after I typed it that "no one" was stretching things somewhat. I stand by the fact though that plenty of people had no issue with a lack of numbers until we had injuries and it left us in the doo doo. There were certainly people questioning us having 4 centre backs in the summer window as they can't all play.

My point was more that I'm surprised anyone would have an issue with us having 3 strikers, especially when 1 is currently injured and another could play out wide to cover our wingers, as it's likely that would be an option we need at some point. Badly worded at my end.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

Interesting question.

Initial thought is Ladapo.

However he is 31 next month, so if we’re looking long term then Goodwin makes more sense.

I’d rather have Goodwin on a permanent signing than Ladapo on loan to the end of the season if it’s a choice between those two options. One is long term, planning for the future the other is an expensive short term gamble.

It would‘ve been nice to see Lapapo sign for us permanently but I certainly wouldn’t want to be paying over the odds for a 31 year old striker in terms of a transfer fee and wages.

As for Charlton, unless they really think Ladapo can help them get into the playoffs this season ((a big ask) then it feels like an expensive vanity type signing to make up for losing out on Goodwin. He won’t be cheap.

Not sure I would

If the question is Do we want promotion this year? Then I would take Lapado and two mote really good loan signings in the positions we want.
We don’t need to sign players on a permanent basis

As I have said before,not many of our squad are good enough for the next level.

Take Coventry as a good example they have 5/6 excellent loan signings per year starting when they were in league 2.
At the end of each season they replace them with better loan signings when they got promoted
They may sign one or two permanently but they know to get to the next level you have to improve your squad.

So would I take Lapado on loan, yes I would because a man of his calibre can get you promoted. If we go up you then look for strikers who can cut it at Championship level.

What you don’t want is to go up with an under strength squad like Wycombe a few years back, we need to look at what Ipswich,Sunderland, Plymouth and Coventry have done

As for Charlton,there is always one club that comes from nowhere and scrapes into the playoffs. It could be them this year with the signings they have made, and of course they have Mapp

 

[Emilio]

Not sure I would

If the question is Do we want promotion this year? Then I would take Lapado and two mote really good loan signings in the positions we want.
We don’t need to sign players on a permanent basis

As I have said before,not many of our squad are good enough for the next level.

Take Coventry as a good example they have 5/6 excellent loan signings per year starting when they were in league 2.
At the end of each season they replace them with better loan signings when they got promoted
They may sign one or two permanently but they know to get to the next level you have to improve your squad.

So would I take Lapado on loan, yes I would because a man of his calibre can get you promoted. If we go up you then look for strikers who can cut it at Championship level.

What you don’t want is to go up with an under strength squad like Wycombe a few years back, we need to look at what Ipswich,Sunderland, Plymouth and Coventry have done

As for Charlton,there is always one club that comes from nowhere and scrapes into the playoffs. It could be them this year with the signings they have made, and of course they have Mapp

Quite a gamble if you can't get the loans in the following season though. Surely you need a solid base of permanent signings, particularly as there is a limit on loans (as my bank keeps telling me), and they can also get called short.

 

[andystroud]

the club seem to have developed a good and calm approach to transfers.

if only the same could be said of this forum

 

[Scotchegg]

As for Charlton,there is always one club that comes from nowhere and scrapes into the playoffs. It could be them this year with the signings they have made, and of course they have Mapp

I'm going to exaggerate your points for effect, but this is the type of post that I find incredible.

We've had people repeatedly saying that the next 4 or 5 games will define our season and any dropped points could kill our chances of promotion etc.

Yet you think that Charlton could turn around a 19 point deficit in the next 20 games? We and several other teams would have to be exceptionally bad whilst Charlton hit league winning form every single game to even have a sniff of the playoffs.

And if Charlton miss the playoffs, which is virtually guaranteed, then what have they gained from an expensive loan signing in Ladapo?

Meanwhile we are realistically one of 7 or 8 clubs fighting for a top 6 finish, and will have Will Goodwin on our books for another 3 seasons after this one, where we will hopefully gain success with him or develop him into a highly valuable asset.

There is a tendency on here for people to look at other clubs with starry eyes whilst missing what we have here.

 

[Bigfella72]

Not sure I would

If the question is Do we want promotion this year? Then I would take Lapado and two mote really good loan signings in the positions we want.
We don’t need to sign players on a permanent basis

As I have said before,not many of our squad are good enough for the next level.

Take Coventry as a good example they have 5/6 excellent loan signings per year starting when they were in league 2.
At the end of each season they replace them with better loan signings when they got promoted
They may sign one or two permanently but they know to get to the next level you have to improve your squad.

So would I take Lapado on loan, yes I would because a man of his calibre can get you promoted. If we go up you then look for strikers who can cut it at Championship level.

What you don’t want is to go up with an under strength squad like Wycombe a few years back, we need to look at what Ipswich,Sunderland, Plymouth and Coventry have done

As for Charlton,there is always one club that comes from nowhere and scrapes into the playoffs. It could be them this year with the signings they have made, and of course they have Mapp

I was waiting for a “are we good enough to go up” debate

 

[WRox]

Think the other thing to bear in mind with the Goodwin or Ladapo discussion is how few of our squad have any serious resale value… Ruben, Cam and Tyler sure, but then what? Cumming would on a permanent deal, MM perhaps if he had longer than 18 months.

I’ve not looked at the stats but I’d be pretty confident we’ve created more chances for our no 9 than Cheltenham have this season. It’s not a giant leap, and maybe not a leap at all, for him to be a 15-20 goal striker with a rounded game. At 21. That costs seven figures.

 

[Gregortheox]

if only the same could be said of this forum

Im a football fan. I’m not a corporate robot.

 

[Symp59]

Great signings so far ,how many more ? iam going for 2 ,another striker a young Premier league player and a strong, taller CDM wjp we might buy.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

I'm going to exaggerate your points for effect, but this is the type of post that I find incredible.

We've had people repeatedly saying that the next 4 or 5 games will define our season and any dropped points could kill our chances of promotion etc.

Yet you think that Charlton could turn around a 19 point deficit in the next 20 games? We and several other teams would have to be exceptionally bad whilst Charlton hit league winning form every single game to even have a sniff of the playoffs.

And if Charlton miss the playoffs, which is virtually guaranteed, then what have they gained from an expensive loan signing in Ladapo?

Meanwhile we are realistically one of 7 or 8 clubs fighting for a top 6 finish, and will have Will Goodwin on our books for another 3 seasons after this one, where we will hopefully gain success with him or develop him into a highly valuable asset.

There is a tendency on here for people to look at other clubs with starry eyes whilst missing what we have here.

No
You misunderstand me, I’m not saying Charlton will do it, I realise that they would have to have a huge turn around.
What I am saying is that the ambition is there with signings like Coventry and Lapado
They are prepared to give it a go

 

[Symp59]

who we might buy

 

[LeftSideLarry]

No
You misunderstand me, I’m not saying Charlton will do it, I realise that they would have to have a huge turn around.
What I am saying is that the ambition is there with signings like Coventry and Lapado
They are prepared to give it a go

Where as we, with our lowly position, have shown less ambition.

Seems fair.

 

[Peterdev]

I think three. Need a goalkeeper as McGinty will go and Eastwood is best away from playing in the fist team, only as a bench warmer

 

[Emilio]

Im a football fan. I’m not a corporate robot.

I do think some of the posters on here are just bots whose programming has them set to "doom and gloom" or "stir chaos"