We’ve reached the crossroads - January transfer window

[mozo]

Just now, Prinny said:

Yeah if the recruitment up front fails again, with 3 months of preparation behind it, then no excuses.

If recruitment is a success, but results and performances still aren't up to scratch, LJ has to take the blame in May.

[Lez]

Fact is club put all eggs in one basket for nketiah and got afobe last minute.

[GlastonburyRed]

13 minutes ago, petehinton said:

Under LJ we’ve signed Djuric, Fam, Diony, Woodrow, Engvall, Eisa, Rodri, and arguably Weimann as strikers.  Yet for another window we are still saying we need 2 more ideally. We can’t keep making such poor striker signings, it will ultimately cost us, and him, massively 

Woodrow would be a blessed relief right now! Eisa might be as well, come to think of it. 22 league goals between them. 

[Fordy62]

3 minutes ago, Lez said:

Fact is club put all eggs in one basket for nketiah and got afobe last minute.

Who was good. It’s fair to say I’m happy to stand for leader of the Johnson Out party, but you can’t very well beat him with that stick. 

[Lez]

Just now, Fordy62 said:

Who was good. It’s fair to say I’m happy to stand for leader of the Johnson Out party, but you can’t very well beat him with that stick. 

He looked good yes. Personally think we should have gone for 2 strikers in the summer but thats just my opinion.

[DSTAF]

This should be his last window. Play offs or fug off. 

[spudski]

Well according to the Posts post match interview, it says at the end, that LJ hinted that several will be leaving in January and we will be recruiting several...

Perhaps...and it is only a thought, that some of our players no they are leaving and aren't putting solid performances of late.

[Red-Robbo]

1 minute ago, spudski said:

Well according to the Posts post match interview, it says at the end, that LJ hinted that several will be leaving in January and we will be recruiting several...

Perhaps...and it is only a thought, that some of our players no they are leaving and aren't putting solid performances of late.

Not a great idea to play them then?

[Sir Geoff]

LJ is a few months in to a 4 year contract he's going nowhere. 

[lenred]

3 minutes ago, spudski said:

Well according to the Posts post match interview, it says at the end, that LJ hinted that several will be leaving in January and we will be recruiting several...

Perhaps...and it is only a thought, that some of our players no they are leaving and aren't putting solid performances of late.

Then in all fairness LJ should be aware of that and not playing them. 

[Sir Geoff]

Hopefully COD is at the top of the list.

[Alan Dicks]

Only another 5 defeats to go and clueless equals his own record.

[Fordy62]

but, but, but... we’re 3 points off 3rd*
 

*and 3 points off 14th. 

[milo1111]

59 minutes ago, Lez said:

None of thoe will happen. He will get some faces in 2 or 3 and itll be same old until the summer.

This All day long.

[City_USA]

4 minutes ago, spudski said:

Well according to the Posts post match interview, it says at the end, that LJ hinted that several will be leaving in January and we will be recruiting several...

Perhaps...and it is only a thought, that some of our players no they are leaving and aren't putting solid performances of late.

I thought the same thing. We've all been focused on who we may or may not get in through the doors in the January window, however I think that who we let go will be very telling and might well define our season. The body language of some of the players has been quite interesting this season. I think that there might be some shocking departures in the coming weeks. 

[milo1111]

7 minutes ago, spudski said:

Well according to the Posts post match interview, it says at the end, that LJ hinted that several will be leaving in January and we will be recruiting several...

Perhaps...and it is only a thought, that some of our players no they are leaving and aren't putting solid performances of late.

Heard it all before.

[Harry]

33 minutes ago, petehinton said:

Under LJ we’ve signed Djuric, Fam, Diony, Woodrow, Engvall, Eisa, Rodri, and arguably Weimann as strikers.  Yet for another window we are still saying we need 2 more ideally. We can’t keep making such poor striker signings, it will ultimately cost us, and him, massively 

Who ACTUALLY signed them though? 

That’s the question we need to answer. 
 

We could go and buy another 5 strikers in January if we want but if Mark Ashton is in charge of identifying them then we’ll be no better off. 

[RedM]

We just need a pairing that work well together,  Diedhiou and Weimann never have and if I'm honest I think they never will. Individually they contribute but they are so chalk and cheese that it doesn't work. Not wanting to go over old ground again but we did have the answer in place with Afobe, the midfielders got the ball to him so what has changed from them?

I cannot see LJ leaving anytime soon, so people might as well give up wishing for a change of manager.

I think we will send Rodri back and try to upgrade bringing in a loan or two. At best we are chasing off a playoff place but that should be attractive at least to some. We got Palmer on loan last Jan window didn't we, and he got himself a decent contract. I think we will be looking along those lines, nothing too exciting but a 'safe' addition we aren't commited to.

That pretty much sums us up, safe but occasionally sparkle or collapse, with a fine line between the two

[Sleepy1968]

1 hour ago, Lez said:

He signed engvall and Watkins that's enough for the chop in my book.

Marley Watkins must surely be ahead of half that team. Hell, I think even I'm ready for a starting position ahead of O'Dowda.

[chinapig]

1 minute ago, Harry said:

Who ACTUALLY signed them though? 

That’s the question we need to answer. 
 

We could go and buy another 5 strikers in January if we want but if Mark Ashton is in charge of identifying them then we’ll be no better off. 

My heart sinks every time Mark Ashton refers to "my recruitment team". I suspect that tells its own story.

Having said that, you need to recruit to a defined way of playing and for the life of me I cannot see that we have any preferred way of playing to recruit for.

[Der no.2]

15 minutes ago, spudski said:

Well according to the Posts post match interview, it says at the end, that LJ hinted that several will be leaving in January and we will be recruiting several...

Perhaps...and it is only a thought, that some of our players no they are leaving and aren't putting solid performances of late.

You could be right.

Only managed to watch the last 15mins. Which players could say they put 100% effort into that game? TM & Bents possibly, KS maybe?

If they are not putting 100% in, why not? Whose fault is that?

[spudski]

2 minutes ago, Der no.2 said:

You could be right.

Only managed to watch the last 15mins. Which players could say they put 100% effort into that game? TM & Bents possibly, KS maybe?

If they are not putting 100% in, why not? Whose fault is that?

If memory serves me right...Bryan, Reid and Flint all put in below par performances before they left.

As a Pro footballer, you are going to protect your livelyhood if a deal has already been verbally agreed. 

Wouldn't be surprised if Josh is one of them.

[Fordy62]

2 minutes ago, spudski said:

If memory serves me right...Bryan, Reid and Flint all put in below par performances before they left.

As a Pro footballer, you are going to protect your livelyhood if a deal has already been verbally agreed. 

Wouldn't be surprised if Josh is one of them.

I wonder if we could throw in COD as a buy one get one free deal?

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

January is fast approaching. Performances are as bad as they were under SOD and to be honest, show not much sign of improvement. 
 

You’re a billionaire owner of a club you support, the coach wants some (more) heavy funding in January, but isn’t performing to the level you’d like. Do you:

1. splash the cash and back him?

2. save the cash and see how he gets on without funding and a the current very talented squad?

3. get someone else in and either back them or see how they get on with the squad?

 

If I were SL/JL I’d have a very itchy trigger finger right now. But what would you do?

 

 

 

Have you factored in FFP?

Serious note we need to factor this in too- workings?

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 hours ago, petehinton said:

Under LJ we’ve signed Djuric, Fam, Diony, Woodrow, Engvall, Eisa, Rodri, and arguably Weimann as strikers.  Yet for another window we are still saying we need 2 more ideally. We can’t keep making such poor striker signings, it will ultimately cost us, and him, massively 

It's debatable as to whether the strikers are/have been all that poor tbh.

Mixed bag I'd say...what is IMO definitely a thing is that LJ generally cannot get the best out of them!

I don't think we need 2 more- he does, I' wouldn't agree- one maybe due to the Afobe injury. You've also forgotten Afobe and Taylor in your list?

Weimann though, do we play to his strengths? I'd say not! Even Diedhiou to an extent, do we? Again, no. Eisa never got a proper chance, Roddi was just a free, short term as we were low on numbers, Djuric was often injuired but a useful option, Engvall was a big fail but also no real chance. 

Wouldn't surprise me if Engvall e.g. we see as a respectable Europa League striker in a few years- different trajectories, not al peak at the same time. Perhaps more realistically, Eisa in Championship doing okay?

Strikers can't all be bad surely?

[Curr Avon]

4 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

January is fast approaching. Performances are as bad as they were under SOD and to be honest, show not much sign of improvement. 
 

You’re a billionaire owner of a club you support, the coach wants some (more) heavy funding in January, but isn’t performing to the level you’d like. Do you:

1. splash the cash and back him?

2. save the cash and see how he gets on without funding and a the current very talented squad?

3. get someone else in and either back them or see how they get on with the squad?

 

If I were SL/JL I’d have a very itchy trigger finger right now. But what would you do?

 

 

 

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, I hope that Jack Hunt, doesn't play like a................................................................

.............................................................

.............Sheffield Wednesday player. 

 

[Davefevs]

6 hours ago, mozo said:

Do you think we're as equipped to keep changing formations as LJ thinks? I'm concerned that it's part of the problem. 

No, in a word.  How often do we say the opposition are well organised, well drilled?  Most tend to play with the same set up, changing for the odd game to match up, deal with an injury etc.

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

6 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

IMO #1 with a mind set to say tatty bye byes to LJ if the January window gives us lemons instead of peaches.

Probably end up with spuds.

[CotswoldRed]

7 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I think today is a collective “not good enough”, head-coach, assistant coaches and players.  The response we expected at home to Blackburn, after Millwall, has not come....are we defaulting to the mean?

"We have to be honest with ourselves" they said. 

Whatever that was supposed to mean. 

Hopefully the same honesty will inform them they were utterly pathetic today and should be docked a week's wages. 

Perhaps that's not the sort of honesty they're looking for. 

[Son of Fred]

12 hours ago, mozo said:

I think Johnson has earned the right to finish the season. One good streak and we're back on track. Plus with a striker on board and a genuine left back fit and playing, LJ then has no excuse not to perform.

Buy a striker or two. Get to the end of the season. Reassess.

If we finish lower than 8th, I'd be tempted to look elsewhere. 

I have zero confidence that Lee & Co will bring in anyone of genuine worth to us in January - and see us slipping closer to 12th than eighth....

Would love to be a fly on the wall at "that" conversation if I'm right.................................."but governor,,it was them injuries that done for me!!"..