I remain optimistic, never expected us to bring in anyone like Kelman or Knibbs
We're not necessarily seeing results on the pitch yet, but that's not surprising.
Maybe Left-Back as Josh Edwards backup would have been nice, as don't feel "comfortable" with Bell or Gillesphey there.
Either way we won't truly know how the season went, a couple of years ago in League One we got Leko back for a second time, along with a few others, and a lot of people were saying how pleased they were with the Window, and it turned into a horrible season. So naturally the true proof of our business will come at the business end of the season.
Not overly fussed about Fofana though, would have been fun to sign him, but we didn't
Definitely think we need a striker who can score.. my hopes were up with Fofana, he would have been a top signing for the championship, so feel that has tarnished the window slightly for me, so close yet so far.
If I didn’t know about Fofana I would say good but perhaps not as great as we first thought but still a solid 6.5/10.
We have been brought down to earth somewhat by the last 3 results but that doesn't stop it from being a very decent window.We can't complain about any lack of support from the management. For the most part our signings have been pragmatic although our two " big name " signings the 2Ks still are yet to prove their value. 7/10
If we are lower mid table at the end of April I'll say 8/10
Very good window , only potential stumbling block for me is no cover for Coventry if he gets injured I do wonder how the midfield would function without him.
Didn't expect us to spend anywhere near the type of money we did , thought a few £700k-1m signings and then the rest being quite wheeler dealer free agent type moves for champ experience.
Can't fault the owners at all for backing NJ properly , now to make it all click together
Before yesterday we had made 9 signings. I think 7 of those were from league one. So the transfer policy seemed to be try and cherry pick the best players from league one and hope they can make the step up to the championship. Personally I prefer that approach rather than sign older players who are on their way down like we have done in the past. We will be very fortunate if all 7 make the grade but I'm confident enough of them will well enough to keep us up. Overall I'd say a solid 7 out of 10 for our transfers this window.
Overall we’ve brought in players with a lot of potential to step up and realistically that’s where we are at. Of course none of us know who will/wont make the step up. I have to be honest my biggest concern is the Coventry/Docherty pairing, I’m not sure they are going to be dominant enough in this league. I expect they will be given time to stake their claim but I think others will be given a chance. I think we’ll stay up but be nearer to the bottom than the top. 8/10
Overall I'm relatively happy. I think we did more than I expected to and all the players we've signed will improve the more Jones works with them.
On the other hand there's probably not any fans of other teams that are looking at our window enviously - spending decent money is just the reality of the league these days. Also finding it a bit stressful watching Small, Galbraith and Kone having very good starts to the season.
It's been a good window but I'm surprised we haven't brought in someone of better quality in midfield. Docherty wasn't on my list of starters in the championship but there's not a lot of competition. Rankin-Costello hasn't looked great but too early to judge really and needs a run of games. Hopefully he's an improvement as there's not much else. Anderson not good enough to start games and a bit too soon to expect Fullah to impose himself in this league.
I think our £10m ish spend needs to be put into context that Derby and Swansea - who we should be directly competing with, both spent £7/8m on one striker.
Not knocking it but I think we are all just too used to league one numbers!
It's been a good window but I'm surprised we haven't brought in someone of better quality in midfield. Docherty wasn't on my list of starters in the championship but there's not a lot of competition. Rankin-Costello hasn't looked great but too early to judge really and needs a run of games. Hopefully he's an improvement as there's not much else. Anderson not good enough to start games and a bit too soon to expect Fullah to impose himself in this league.
Knibbs is a midfielder, he could well end up replacing Docherty
It's been a good window but I'm surprised we haven't brought in someone of better quality in midfield. Docherty wasn't on my list of starters in the championship but there's not a lot of competition. Rankin-Costello hasn't looked great but too early to judge really and needs a run of games. Hopefully he's an improvement as there's not much else. Anderson not good enough to start games and a bit too soon to expect Fullah to impose himself in this league.
Knibbs is a midfielder, he could well end up replacing Docherty
Wasn't sure if he and Carey would be in the same team but yeah if it works.
I think if you look overall face value it’s been a very successful window, net spend of 10M adequate cover in every position exceeded my expectations when the final whistle went at Wembley. Question marks probably remain whether some players can make the step up and come good but we’re in a really good position with contracts depth squad age excited to see what’s to come from this side
Good window overall. Main place I thought we were weak coming in was the WB’s, Bree solves that problem on one side and think Jones see’s Bell as the cover on the other.
Fofana would have been the icing on the cake but with the amount of strikers we already have we should be ok. It’s now on Jones to find the right combination of starters and game changers.
I'd say much more positive window than expected, we seem to have decent cover across the pitch now. Whether the new additions plus the best of last year's squad are enough, I guess we'll find out, still anything from 21st or above is going to be seen as a result tbh and the real aim of the season.
Now I've watched a few games across the league the standard is much much higher than had previously (pre summer) thought, but equally I'm not sure there's too much to fear either, with our farely modest aims. The general transfer fees, across all leagues has jumped up massively once again, surely unsustainable but who am I to know on club finances, suspect alot of creative accounting across all clubs abd leagues.
Question caused me to break down each area of the pitch as think the result is a bit different for each area:
GK 8/10 Kaminski is an excellent keeper for this level and will save us points as the season progresses. He hasn’t had a huge amount to do over the first four games except for QPR where he wasn’t at his very best.
DEF 7/10 Bell, Burke and Bree Would be an 8-8.5/10 from a quality perspective, but fitness concerns over Burke dampens my expectations for this crop of signings a bit. Have been very impressed with Bell so far.
MID 7/10 Apter, Carey, Knibbs, Rankin-Costello Lots of potential but can any of them step up sufficiently quickly to contribute enough points on the board pre-Christmas to make us comfortable going into the second half of the season? Jury is out at the minute but they are stronger than what we let go this summer so not complaining.
STR 6/10 Kelman and Oloafe Unproven at Championship level at the minute but have faith that NJ and our coaches will get a lot out of them as the season progresses. As with midfield, can these players get going sooner rather than later or will we be playing points catch up?
Overall, 7/10, feel my expectations have dropped a little after first 4 games but too early to judge more definitively. Hope to see more of Knibbs, Rankin-Costello and Tanto soon…
It's too early to say, but at the very least what we can say is how different it's been having the club actually spend some money. I think it's the first time since early Roland that we've actually spent a bit and for all people seem to have had their optimism blown away by a poor second string result against Cambridge, it's worth remembering how amazed we were that we were actually going to spend multi-million fees on Apter and Kelman. This is a team that was midtable L1 quality until one summer ago and it was mostly improved with low fees and free transfers. Spending around £12m to hopefully get the squad competitive is a great start. The hope is with a bit of time and familiarity the team will get even better (it's not even been bad so far) and we can secure our place and build off what we've put together.
Decent - spent more than I thought we would, and we were never matching wages offered by parachute payment clubs, ir some of the other bigger spenders so looking to identify L1 players we think will be Championship players was a solid idea.
Apter is the pick for me, and I think Oloafe will be a good signing. Bell I wasnt convinced on but he's looked decent, and Carey has been decent too.
Jury is out on Kaminski, Knibbs, Kelman, JRC. Think Knibbs may well do OK, JRC will be a solid but unspectacular squad player, Kelman I was always worried about his record at Championship level, still am but hope I'm wrong.
Burke I think is a mistake given his injury record.
7/10, think and hope we've done enough to stay up.
Jones assembling this squad in the mould of his old successful Luton teams.
Even with a number of those same players!
They know what is required and will drive on this team.
The cherry picked 'best of League One' will get the chance to prove themselves - even if some prove themselves better than others - a vehicle for their own growth. We may not see that immediately or consistently, but reap the benefits as they become more experienced at this level as the season progresses.
It's a squad remember, in NJ's own words 'starters' and 'finishers' - plenty of opportunity to find the right combinations of players.
I can't remember a better window. The areas that most urgently needed to be filled - GK, RWB and forwards - have been filled. We've also strengthen at centre back, in the middle and on the wings.
Comments
I remain optimistic, never expected us to bring in anyone like Kelman or Knibbs
We're not necessarily seeing results on the pitch yet, but that's not surprising.
Maybe Left-Back as Josh Edwards backup would have been nice, as don't feel "comfortable" with Bell or Gillesphey there.
Either way we won't truly know how the season went, a couple of years ago in League One we got Leko back for a second time, along with a few others, and a lot of people were saying how pleased they were with the Window, and it turned into a horrible season. So naturally the true proof of our business will come at the business end of the season.
Not overly fussed about Fofana though, would have been fun to sign him, but we didn't
7/10
If we are lower mid table at the end of April I'll say 8/10
We have shown we can compete which is a start but we need to be more ruthless and a little nasty in games to really get the results we need.
7/10 for me.
I didn't and then he proved to me his capabilities last year.
I think we have enough to finish mid table -
He needs to shift us from performing well and losing to finding a way to cut through.
I think we have enough across the squad to do well.
However we will see the championship teams get stronger as they gel.
We need a few things to fall for us - a few goals to go in and I think that'll raise peoples hope.
Overall I think we have done the best we could expect - a 7.5/10 for me.
I had no idea we would spend 10 million, I did not expect it.
Could we have done more with the money - I don't think so.
Can Jones get the team to that can get 50 points and be comfortably safe - my heart and head says yes.
Didn't expect us to spend anywhere near the type of money we did , thought a few £700k-1m signings and then the rest being quite wheeler dealer free agent type moves for champ experience.
Can't fault the owners at all for backing NJ properly , now to make it all click together
8/10
I think 7 of those were from league one.
So the transfer policy seemed to be try and cherry pick the best players from league one and hope they can make the step up to the championship.
Personally I prefer that approach rather than sign older players who are on their way down like we have done in the past.
We will be very fortunate if all 7 make the grade but I'm confident enough of them will well enough to keep us up.
Overall I'd say a solid 7 out of 10 for our transfers this window.
On the other hand there's probably not any fans of other teams that are looking at our window enviously - spending decent money is just the reality of the league these days. Also finding it a bit stressful watching Small, Galbraith and Kone having very good starts to the season.
7/10
Disappointments for me are we didn't bring in more height and strength or someone that can take a set piece.
Now concerned we have just bought lots of good league one players who cannot score goals in the Championship
we'll be in the bottom 8 'mix' but am confident (hope) we'll have enough to finish towards the top of that mini league
the Championship is brutal but it's an absolutely cracking league to be part of
going to need to keep clean sheets as we won't score as many as others
But I said that last year and we did ok.
Whether you can get away without one at this level remains to be seen.
Fofana would have been the icing on the cake but with the amount of strikers we already have we should be ok. It’s now on Jones to find the right combination of starters and game changers.
Now I've watched a few games across the league the standard is much much higher than had previously (pre summer) thought, but equally I'm not sure there's too much to fear either, with our farely modest aims. The general transfer fees, across all leagues has jumped up massively once again, surely unsustainable but who am I to know on club finances, suspect alot of creative accounting across all clubs abd leagues.
GK 8/10 Kaminski is an excellent keeper for this level and will save us points as the season progresses. He hasn’t had a huge amount to do over the first four games except for QPR where he wasn’t at his very best.
we be playing points catch up?
Apter is the pick for me, and I think Oloafe will be a good signing. Bell I wasnt convinced on but he's looked decent, and Carey has been decent too.
Jury is out on Kaminski, Knibbs, Kelman, JRC. Think Knibbs may well do OK, JRC will be a solid but unspectacular squad player, Kelman I was always worried about his record at Championship level, still am but hope I'm wrong.
Burke I think is a mistake given his injury record.
7/10, think and hope we've done enough to stay up.
Even with a number of those same players!
They know what is required and will drive on this team.
The cherry picked 'best of League One' will get the chance to prove themselves - even if some prove themselves better than others - a vehicle for their own growth. We may not see that immediately or consistently, but reap the benefits as they become more experienced at this level as the season progresses.
It's a squad remember, in NJ's own words 'starters' and 'finishers' - plenty of opportunity to find the right combinations of players.
Work in progress.
Grade:B+
9/10.