January 2021 Transfer Window

[AndyWolves]

King is looking for his last pay day too. He might do well for his new club but I'd have to question the hunger

 

[Deleted Cyber]

We're likely to get our money back on Fabio, you wouldn't get a penny back on King.

I wager we won’t make 35 m on Fabio. However we do need a centre forward now and there aren’t too many available. We could always bud for Troy Deeney I suppose

 

[Deleted Cyber]

King is looking for his last pay day too. He might do well for his new club but I'd have to question the hunger

He’s 29! Giroud is 34! Raul is also 29 btw. Raul didn’t look a 30m prospect when we signed him but he has come good. King could do the same. Abraham is 40m so far too pricey and he wouldn’t want to go to us I fear

 

[redvictor]

I wager we won’t make 35 m on Fabio. However we do need a centre forward now and there aren’t too many available. We could always bud for Troy Deeney I suppose

I guess another sicknote to join Marcal would be great...

 

[AndyWolves]

He’s 29! Giroud is 34! Raul is also 29 btw. Raul didn’t look a 30m prospect when we signed him but he has come good. King could do the same. Abraham is 40m so far too pricey and he wouldn’t want to go to us I fear

Raul wasn't 29 when we signed him and he didn't run his contract down looking for a signing on fee. 29 means it's his last move whilst he still can play at the top level. I'm not sure I want someone who is happy to sit on the bench to let his contract tick down.

I think he'd be a good stop gap solution, but only at the right price and assuming his character aligns to what we want.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Raul wasn't 29 when we signed him and he didn't run his contract down looking for a signing on fee. 29 means it's his last move whilst he still can play at the top level. I'm not sure I want someone who is happy to sit on the bench to let his contract tick down.

I think he'd be a good stop gap solution, but only at the right price and assuming his character aligns to what we want.

Fair enough

 

[YoungWolf]

I wager we won’t make 35 m on Fabio. However we do need a centre forward now and there aren’t too many available. We could always bud for Troy Deeney I suppose

Now if that happened I really would be worried!!

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Now if that happened I really would be worried!!

I don’t do sarcasm well I am afraid.

 

[Jinky]

Which system and which players don’t fit it?

Have you watched us play this season?

 

[prawnking]

You realise you’re not logged in as Prawnking?

This is why you guys who moan about the state of the forum and its lost halcyon days haven't got a leg to stand on.

You just can't help goading people and trying to ignite conflict, then when it happens we hear you all bleating about how you don't want to post on here anymore.

Stick to talking about football mate, you're actually quite good at it

 

[YoungWolf]

Have you watched us play this season?

Why don't you actually answer his question?

 

[prawnking]

However, it’s Nuno I feel sorry for. He’s basically working with players that don’t fit his new system, and been told to get on with it until some of the injured lads come back.

He's not a stooge, he wasn't forced into a different system, so I wouldn't exactly say I feel sorry for him.

He's had money to spend, if he spent it in the summer and then decided he wanted to change our playing style he probably got it the wrong way round.

 

[lemonjelly]

1 win in 9 and we're actually in an open transfer window and aren't going to sign anyone. Laughable stuff, really!
How is it "laughable"? Arsenal have signed Omar Rekik (Hertha Berlin). Burnley Benn Ward (Hastings), Palace Rob Street (Torquay), Man U Amad Diallo (Atalanta) & west brom snodgrassand andy lonergan. That's 6 players, 5 teams, and snodgrass being the only likely regular starter. So in reality, there's been 1 signing so far in the window.
Also have to laugh at the folk (and there are less than the summer, admittedly) that are happy to continue burying their head in the sand and telling others not to “panic”, when it looks like another absolute failure of a window.
Seems odd that the preference is to "laugh at" other posters (your own words). The vast majority seem to have concerns about style of play, and results, amongst other things. Absolutely no one is saying everything is rosy.
I know people don’t like him being criticised on here (and I’m sure the hilarious packet of crisps gag will be bought up in 3...2...1...) but Shi seems totally out of his depth.
Based purely on no statement? or no signings? If so, 18 others are out of their depths too, no?
However, it’s Nuno I feel sorry for. He’s basically working with players that don’t fit his new system, and been told to get on with it until some of the injured lads come back.
Again, based on what? I think Jeff backed Nuno's decisions in the summer. he club are being pragmatic currently - the ability to recall Cutrone is simple and instant in providing a striker that at some point in the not too distant past Nuno wanted - he has the final say on all transfers remember. Nuno will be aware of the boards strategy and financial considerations. Fairly sure he'd have been involved in the decisions to bring back Cutrone and Gibbs-White.
Difficult as the window may be, throwing a season with 20 odd games left is ridiculous, really.

We're not throwing a season. We are part of 95% of the premier league who haven't made a first team signing yet. Whether we do, time will tell.

 

[Jinky]

We're not throwing a season. We are part of 95% of the premier league who haven't made a first team signing yet. Whether we do, time will tell.

How many of the other “95%” have a small squad, with 7+ of their first team missing through injuries, and have won 1 of their last 9 league games?

 

[Trips]

How many of the other “95%” have a small squad, with 7+ of their first team missing through injuries, and have won 1 of their last 9 league games?

The squad isnt actually that small though, its just the amount of players injured that makes it looks small currently, although the bench did look a bit stronger at the weekend.

I would like us to add a striker/forward this window if possible, but I dont want it just to be anybody. It needs to make financial sense, and fit with what we need. If the right player isnt available, I'd rather we leave it until the summer

 

[lemonjelly]

How many of the other “95%” have a small squad, with 7+ of their first team missing through injuries, and have won 1 of their last 9 league games?

We've not actually been down to the bare bones though have we?
Everyone is having a topsy turvey season. Arsenal were at one stage one win in 10. Newcastle haven't won in 9 now. Brighton are similar (up to the weekend). Southampton are currently having a bit of a blip.
Every team has/is carrying injuries. Man city have had one striker out at every point this season. Liverpool have round pegs in the centre of their defence and a mis-firing forward line. Spurs have a series of injuries.
No club is clamouring for making signings. Our situation isn't massively different from others.
So why is our apparent "activity" or lack of laughable?

 

[slink]

1 win in 9 and we're actually in an open transfer window and aren't going to sign anyone. Laughable stuff, really!

Also have to laugh at the folk (and there are less than the summer, admittedly) that are happy to continue burying their head in the sand and telling others not to “panic”, when it looks like another absolute failure of a window.

I know people don’t like him being criticised on here (and I’m sure the hilarious packet of crisps gag will be bought up in 3...2...1...) but Shi seems totally out of his depth.

However, it’s Nuno I feel sorry for. He’s basically working with players that don’t fit his new system, and been told to get on with it until some of the injured lads come back.

Difficult as the window may be, throwing a season with 20 odd games left is ridiculous, really.

It's not laughable though is it. Did we need a striker? Yes, it's not ideal we have had to recall Cutrone but the club want Silva to get minutes, it seems like they're pretty sure Raul will be back asap so signing a striker in this market who will more than likely become 3rd choice or just go back to his parent club doesn't make any sense to me.

Do we need a midfielder than can carry the ball? Yes i think we do. I think Otasowie could do that from a deeper role if we go that way or Podence/Vitinha/MGW could do it from a 10 position. We've invested time in Vitinha, recalled MGW and OO is very highly rated, we also have Neves. Donk and Moutinho to play in central positions. If we sign someone, probably would be an over inflated fee or someone not playing right now so more than likely wouldn't be any better than what we have. Would aslo take away game time form OO/MGW/Vitinha if Nuno actually plays them in roles that suit them.

Do we need a centre half? Yes!!! We've needed one since we got promoted and have failed on that for me. We've missed out on several and i don't mean Dias, we were never getting him. Should we be in that market now? Definitely for the summer, we won't be signing a player that can make a difference for years to come if we bring them in now as clubs won't let those players go.

Some fans will bury their head in the sand but i generally don't think that happens that much on here. We need players definitely, we need a centre half without a doubt. We need a midfielder to carry out the roles above but they might already be here. If there's better players to sign we should be signing them though.

I don't think you know whether Shi is out of his depth or not as you don't know what actually goes on, neither do i so i can't really comment on that. Same with Nuno really, how do you know he's being told to just get on with it. Pretty much everything we've heard on transfers is that Nuno gets final say so until we know more that's all we can go on.

I've said on another thread that Nuno is right when he says the solutions are here. The whole squad including him aren't getting the best out of themselves at the moment and we're much better than our position shows for me. I don't get where we're throwing the season either, if that's because we aren't buying anyone i direct you to the point above. Maybe they know that deals aren't ideal in this window and that we should be getting better out of what we have right now.

Just to sum it all up, we do need players and have done for a while (centre back) and imo the club including Nuno have failed in terms of bringing in some players but i also understand it's not that simple and they might think different to me as it's all opinion. Should we be doing better this season? yes we should but i do understand that there's several reasons as to why we aren't doing as well as i think we should. Am i disappointed that imo Nuno is struggling to find a system to stick with and play players in roles/positions to get the best out of them yes but i'll just say it and debate with people when they reply. You have got the right to disagree with me on all that i've said but for me the hyperbolic shit doesn't come across great.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Have you watched us play this season?

Yes.

I haven’t suggested that I agree or disagree with you. I was intrigued by your comments and wanted to understand them better.

4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, 3-4-3, 3-5-2 (we’ve played all of these at some point recently) are all different. Some of the players fit 1, multiple, or all of them. Some players can work in them without it being a great fit.

Just wanted to discuss football on a football forum.

 

[prawnking]

I think the jury's most definitely out on whether we have even one, let alone two, centre-backs who are good enough to play in a 4, for a start.

Our other big issue for me is the balance in central midfield. If we play three I feel we don't really have a driving midfielder to go beside Neves and Moutinho, so have Donk trying his best. Wouldn't mind seeing Otasowie in that role, but haven't seen enough to be sure.

Up front I don't have a clue. I feel we need to stick with either Silva or Cutrone as our focal point if we're playing three and then decide which two plays best with them. Neto and especially Adama have work to do in terms of interplay and not just bombing forward. We miss combinations and understanding up front, whether it's a two or a three

 

[PuntsWolf]

I think the jury's most definitely out on whether we have even one, let alone two, centre-backs who are good enough to play in a 4, for a start.

Why does everyone make out that Romain Saiss and Willy Boly are championship cloggers. Teams have been playing 4 at the back with success for decades with worse players at their disposal.