Do We Need To Buy In January?

[giles_23_bcfc]

That's a pretty sound argument, because City face six League fixtures in twenty-four days from Saturday and will require plenty of cover to cope with inevitable

injuries, which could force Johnson into blooding Ribeiro and/or Plummer. I still see a place for Russell in the engine room, especially if the heavy schedule takes its toll on Noble and we wish to retain what is essentially a five-man midfield.

The other problem lurking on the horizon is suspensions. Fontaine is a single booking away from a one match ban and both Carey and Byfield have totted up three yellows.

Returning to the main question, we need a pacy striker and an ugly brutish accomplice who are good enough to start matches, plus a creative central midfielder.

I'm off to write my letter to Santa.

I'm happy with the playes weve got in reserve to come in and do a job when injuries and suspensions come in. Skuse can doa job as weve seen. Murray is still effective. Russell can do the holding role when need be. Along with the youngsters coming through.

As stupid as this sounds, maybe it would be a good idea for Fontaine to pick up that 5th booking ASAP. Show a little bit of dissent or something, maybe make a little bit of a rash challenge near the halfway line or something. That way, we don't have to worry about him AND Carey being out for the same game. McCombe would come in at centre back and McCallister back in at Left back. Whereas Byfield is concerned, we have the strikers that can cover in Trundle and Enoch, also Brookers coming back, granted it wont be for at least another month. Murray has played up top this season so he is another option.

IF and when he gets back to full fitness, i think Brooker could be that "ugly brutish accomplice good enough to start matches" and could partner Byfield. Its sort of the little and large combo that could work very well for us. Look how well Brooks and Lita worked.

Can you ask Santa for a top 6 finish in May please?

[always hoping]

Can we afford to speculate, but then fail to accumulate? And judging by the season so far, the play-off bid is well on course. Our young players need to prove themselves sometime, surely that should be when the current first-teamers are injured?

Totally agree. However this approach is obviously seen as too great a risk by the club. Evidenced by simply playing others out of position rather than playing the younger pro's when an opportunity arises.

A difficult situation for all concerned. If this trend continues to become the norm, City may lose its youngyers to other clubs who use a different policy. Not a problem in the short term, however, as the best youngsters see the attraction of playing 1st team football elsewhere, City may be left in a postion where it has to buy all of its next generation team. One for Steve to consider.

There is an alternative view. Maybe our current crop of youngsters such as, Artus, Wilson, Ribeiro and Plummer, are just not good enough to compete with the quality of the 1st team squad. Therefore buying new players is our only option.

[mozo]

There is an alternative view. Maybe our current crop of youngsters such as, Artus, Wilson, Ribeiro and Plummer, are just not good enough to compete with the quality of the 1st team squad. Therefore buying new players is our only option.

Not much I can say to that, except that I presume that the academy is doing it's job, particularly judging on previous trainees. (Even Anyinsah looks to be finding his feet again.)

I just thought that this was a long-term strategy set by Johnson and Lansdown. For example, Gary didn't spend big until after our promotion last year. He heavily relied on loans.

I presume that this season's gamble was to spend 2 million quid and to survive, setting us up for future progress. Developing from within is the only affordable method of squad-buiding nowadays and we already pay for that through the academy.

Saying that, I still think that senior players such as Trundle, Byfield, Brooker, B Wilson, Murray, Skuse and Showumni have a part to play and deserve a prolonged chance to prove themselves. The first eleven haven't done much wrong, have they?