January 2021 Transfer Window

[Deutsch Wolf]

I did read the article from Spiers yesterday (the mailbag one) and there were some interesting points raised about the lack of communication/updates from the club on specific topics. Ultimately they can't really win either way.

Yep, it's pointless for them to comment on a lot of things.

We've seen deals for Locadia, Zinchenko and Abraham that were very close to being done collapse to nothing (dodged bullet all times I reckon), so just don't say anything.

 

[Loki]

As an aside, I wish we had taken Semedo as a loan to buy. It is hard to know how much Cutrone can impact us considering the lack of game time he`s getting.

 

[Stan Hullis]

Presuming that Cutrone doesn't develop into some kind of solution over the rest of the season I still feel some kind of forward is as much of a priority as a CM and CB. If we don't do it now I think we'd be daft not to do it in the summer.

Doesn't have to be a Raul clone either, I like YW's suggestion of someone who can play wider too

I don't disagree - I guess it shows how much of a hole Jota leaving has left.

I love Neto + Podence but they don't offer the same flexibility as Jota in terms of being able to play through the middle.

 

[Del Woppio]

There's no point in spending now to try and get us out of a relegation battle that I don't think we're truly in. Keep the money in the bank, write the season off as finishing 10th-16th, see where Raul is and what sort of level he's coming back in, and then reassess. There's no point in signing Josh King now, if (heaven forbid) we have to then replace Raul anyway in the Summer. Plus anybody that fits our wider strategy of having a top 4 ceiling is very unlikely to move now, whether it's because of the pandemic or usual lack of value in January.

I do think it's really important that we play Vitinha and RAN for the rest of the season, so we can make an educated call on whether to make them permanent or not in the Summer.

This Summer is a massive window for us though. We dropped the ball in Summer, and failed to capitalise on our momentum. In reality we haven't had a single particularly good window since the first one in the Premier League, so we really need to make this one count. After a zero net spend for the season, we'll be in a really healthy position from an FFP perspective, so I see no reason that we can't see some significant investment in 3 key areas - centre back, centre mid, and forward.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

As an aside, I wish we had taken Semedo as a loan to buy. It is hard to know how much Cutrone can impact us considering the lack of game time he`s getting.

Barcelona were never going to offer us that kind of deal.

He's been good lately. If we actually are committed to a back four then we absolutely needed a new RB as Doherty isn't even Championship standard in that role.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

This Summer is a massive window for us though. We dropped the ball in Summer, and failed to capitalise on our momentum. In reality we haven't had a single particularly good window since the first one in the Premier League, so we really need to make this one count. After a zero net spend for the season, we'll be in a really healthy position from an FFP perspective, so I see no reason that we can't see some significant investment in 3 key areas - centre back, centre mid, and forward.

Yep. As Kenny has pointed out, our Championship losses drop off the sheet come the end of this season. Means we can to an extent do what we want.

 

[prawnking]

Yep, it's pointless for them to comment on a lot of things.

We've seen deals for Locadia and Abraham that were very close to being done collapse to nothing (dodged bullet both times I reckon), so just don't say anything.

As I've said before, I don't take much of social media seriously, but it amused me yesterday when someone demanded pompously on one of Tim's threads that the club make a statement... I mean, a statement on what? Being in poor form and being lower mid table?

I feel that comms aren't quite what they were when Dalrymple was here, but expectations of what and when the club communicate are bizarre sometimes

 

[Tredman]

He's bloody awful. Just no.

That was partly my point, bloody awful beats having nothing other than a youngster who cannot (or really should not) play every game and Cutrone who it sounds like will have even more trouble to settle than last time.

 

[Del Woppio]

Also, I just had a Facebook memory pop up - ten years ago today I was over the moon that the early bird price had frozen, and we'd signed Adam Hammill. Those were the days...

 

[b3h]

I 'think' that the club are going to gamble on what we have being enough for the rest of the season - if there was a signing available that fit into the long term vision of the squad then I imagine we'd go for them but I think the club are happy with their options once Raul returns.

Do know what you mean but I think we're either gambling or we're looking, not really both

We're not some completely unique club, and 99% of players are not below us, and football still continues through covid (just feels like people think this at times)

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Also, I just had a Facebook memory pop up - ten years ago today I was over the moon that the early bird price had frozen, and we'd signed Adam Hammill. Those were the days...

Then we lost 3-0 to Liverpool with Zubar standing 20 yards behind everyone else to play Torres onside. Plus ça change...

Still, at least Richard Keys got sacked.

How is that 10 years ago...

 

[Del Woppio]

Tbf it's still 2005 in my head, so all that technically happened in the future

 

[YoungWolf]

Do know what you mean but I think we're either gambling or we're looking, not really both

We're not some completely unique club, and 99% of players are not below us, and football still continues through covid (just feels like people think this at times)

I thought we might look to the EFL (Olise, Buendia- there's some good talent in there), but doesn't seem our style.

No one in the Premier League has really bought anyone yet have they? Think biggest deal would be Sanson to Villa. Look at Liverpool, got absolutely no centre backs but still not rushing in to sign one - and it could cost them a title!

 

[Premier Quality]

That was partly my point, bloody awful beats having nothing other than a youngster who cannot (or really should not) play every game and Cutrone who it sounds like will have even more trouble to settle than last time.

I don’t see the difference between Cutrone and origi, apart from that we don’t have to spend even more money on Italian pat.

signing origi would probably mean we couldn’t sign a good player this summer, why on earth would we go down that road?

 

[Tredman]

I don’t see the difference between Cutrone and origi, apart from that we don’t have to spend even more money on Italian pat.

signing origi would probably mean we couldn’t sign a good player this summer, why on earth would we go down that road?

On loan I meant, with a view to a permanent deal which we can sack off.

Its moot as Liverpool won't let him go with Jota injured.

 

[Premier Quality]

On loan I meant, with a view to a permanent deal which we can sack off.

Its moot as Liverpool won't let him go with Jota injured.

Even then, you’re looking at a loan fee plus his wages, so somewhere between £5m and £10m for no real benefit over Cutrone.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He still doesn't play even with Jota injured, which tells you how good he is.

He is a striker who has never once hit double figures in the league in any season in his entire career. He's a Belgian Carl Leaburn.

 

[Tredman]

He still doesn't play even with Jota injured, which tells you how good he is.

He is a striker who has never once hit double figures in the league in any season in his entire career. He's a Belgian Carl Leaburn.

Came on at the weekend.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

And was so good I don't even remember that, despite watching the game.

What has he ever done to make you think it would be worthwhile, even short term? Sign a striker by all means if we have to, but not crap like that.

 

[Loki]

Barcelona were never going to offer us that kind of deal.

He's been good lately. If we actually are committed to a back four then we absolutely needed a new RB as Doherty isn't even Championship standard in that role.

Yes, it was said tongue in cheek. Good point about the RB position though. I keep forgetting it`s horses for courses with regards our plan B.