Would have kept Maddison. Jonny didn't really create much but was an experienced player that might have been good to have around the place.
No idea about the 2 from Swindon (Yes, I know one is actually with Arsenal...) but think Smith will have a lot on his shoulders as it looks like he will be the only "playmaker" in the side. Everyone rates DJ but we have to factor in the Bowyer effect - injured for 6 months & never the same when back or does one dodgy pass, is thrown under the bus (which has space now that Bogle, Williams & Maddison have all departed) and never played again.
Jury out until we've seen them play half a dozen times. Don't forget people were wetting themselves over Levitt after the Lincoln away match.
Overall good. A bit gutted about Williams, and a shame MM hasn't worked out.
I certainly feel like the window felt saved by the last minute signing who we really did need help balance the squad. Just need to really hope Famewo can stay fit and get Inniss back as well and we have a decent squad. A push for play offs and a proper rebuild in the summer awaits I reckon.
Stockley - Unit, I believe he will be a better asset than Aneke and Schwartz
Schwartz - shown glimpses and comes with a good record
Millar - We know how good he has looked recently
Smith - hard to judge, I'll trust Swindon fans on this one and assume he is a decent player but was misjudged a bit
Jaiyesimi - looked a real player in both games, has a good highlight reel and Swindon fans now want their owner dead as a result of selling him? Sounds good enough for me, cherry picking the best players in the lower teams is good business
Outs -
Maddison - personally disappointed it didn't work out, but I am backing Bowyer here and trusting his judgement, a good goal for us and a few promising crosses but almost like Ben Reeves, Marshall, Ajose and the countless other players we have signed I think he flattered to deceive and was maybe a bit 'Charltonised' before he kicked a ball for us
Williams - love Jonny but let's be realistic, he has never played more than 30 games in a season? Doesn't contribute with many goals and assists, injury prone, manager wasn't sure on him. Luxury player, more suited to a team in the championship who can afford to have a player come off of the bench to change things up, not us I don't think. Good luck to him
Bogle - was wrote off from the start, will be surprised if he scores 5+ from now until the end of the season. Works hard, definitely can be a team player but it just didn't work out for him, Stockley a much better player.
Wiredu and Lapslie - With Brendan he has potential but he wasn't getting his chance here, now we will see what he's made of and we have the option to get him back, good luck to him. Personally gutted about Lappo but obviously his touch hasnt always been great and he wasn't getting his chance here, good luck to George.
Bit more wordy than I expected and may have missed a player or 2? But a handsome window imo, promising for the future
Levitt, Maddison, Smyth, Weirdu, Lapslie, Bogle and Doughty were bit part players for us this season due to ability, attitude or injury. For whatever reason Williams had not been in his game much either.
Miller already looks excellent, Stockley showed a decent cameo, DJ has Swindon fans screwing and calling him a Championship player and Arsenal rate Smith highly (he even has an FA Cup winners medal). They are all upgrades. Not really seen enough of Schwartz yet although the way he took his goal showed striker ability.
I think it has been a very positive window where we may even have a lower total wage bill and do to the up Aneke for an extra year or two.
Key will be how quickly they can settle and can Bowyer resist the temptation to continually rotate.
Play Offs are a tall order with the games we have played and our run in but if we make them we could well be the form team so fingers crossed. Let's get to the Championship and go back in for Randall then.
I'm delighted. Millar alone has been a cracking loan signing. Schwarz looks a proper poacher. Stockley doesn't have Bogle's touch but is more of a goal threat. DJ gave Maatsen a hard time, not many have done that. I'm not sure how the new midfielder fits in to things, but we'll see. Williams had to go. Shame about Maddison but look where he's gone - he's 100% proven in this league and nobody wants to touch him.
A very good January window. Remember the last one?
Too soon to know for sure - will they settle? Will they last the season before succumbing to a training injury? - but on the face of it signs to be positive.
As much as we know their pain, Swindon fans' rage at being pantsed at the last minute is a good sign too.
Went to bed before we signed Jaiyesimi and people were ready to march on Sparrows Lane with pitchforks such was the disappointment at the window, woke up this morning and it’s rosey!!
I honestly don’t know much/anything about the players we’ve signed, but excitement is infectious and our fan base seems excited this morning so I am too!!
Of the players that have left I guess Maddison is the biggest disappointment, I know he’s probably a bit of a nightmare but there’s enough talent there to make a big difference to our season and I would have persisted longer. There’s an emerging theme of Bowyer not being able to handle creative players that concerns me. Jonny really hasn’t been at the races this season so I understand that move (but similarly feel like we never got the best out of him).
Very surprised we didn’t sign a CB, our entire season has seemed to hinge on what happens in that position and we currently have one fit, one retuning, one injured and one not good enough. That area would have been my priority.
Disappointed...that this thread isn't called "Rate My Window"
Bad egg moved out ✅ Nice but expensive underperforming international left✅ Two match fit attacking players who know the division signed ✅ Another centre half added ❌ Previous signings in window all good (but overlooked by some as happened four weeks ago) ✅ One too many loans (perhaps still resolvable) ❌
Think it’s a good window in the longer term plan for rebuilding a settled squad and promotion by May 2022. Would like central midfield to be addressed in terms of permanent players next in the summer.
Schwartz is a different type of player to Smyth, jury obviously still out but I'd suggest it will make us better. Stockley has to be an upgrade on Bogle. Jaiyesimi better for the squad than Maddison who barely played anyway. Millar started well so no worse than Williams. Smith cannot be worse than Levitt who again barely played.
So man for man I think we are in a better place overall than 31st December. Only thing I would have liked had we been able to afford it was a CB. February is a big move and with the new players still settling in. we simply have to have a really strong month or top 6 hopes will be fading away.
Bowyer and Gallen look to have a decent job at juggling things. I do fear a CB was way more important than signing Smith when we already have Pratley, Watson, JFC, Morgan, Shinnie and Gilbey in CM.
I think we needed another centre back. Disappointing Williams left, signing the Swindon bloke shows we've a bit of longer term planning. The 3 who came in earlier look decent. Maddison I'm not fussed about it obviously wasn't working.
Think we've signed 18 players now since TS took over. Now it's time to start seeing results which Bowyer needs to deliver now. He's got rid of Bogle, Williams and Maddison who he has all called out in the media
Great window. Everyone we moved out was either a fringe player or not featuring regularly due to fitness or form and the players that we've seen play so far have improved us. Bogle wasn't good enough for us and we were going into games waiting for the time to tick over until Chuks could come on, so we've brought in a quality target man from a Championship club and a known goalscorer with great pedigree. We can now start games with good strikers and then bring good strikers on, that's huge. Maddison has had issues with fitness and apparently application, so he's no loss for the team. People might have an idea of what he can do but he wasn't doing it for us. Similarly Jonny wasn't consistent for us so we've hopefully now brought in two attacking wide players who can play more regularly and offer more consistently. Millar has already brought more consistently in his short time with us than they have this season, which bodes well. I really don't know much about Smith, but if he can offer protection, mobility and good distribution to our midfield then that's perfect.
A CB would have been good, but I think adding the strikers, width and a good midfielder were more important in the priority list. We do have excellent defenders, we just need to get them back fit; even with all our players fully fit in December we still would have been lacking width and varied threat up front so we tackled the holes caused by lack of players, not those caused by (hopefully) temporary fitness issues.
If you take the view that we needed to add some short term stop gaps to give us the best possible chance of promotion. I think it's an A-, a center half would probably nudge it to an A+.
If your view is its window 1 of the the 2 or 3 we needed to rebuild the squad before we have any real chance of promotion it's probably only a C+ or B-.
If your view is that this season doesn't matter because we are lucky to have a club and could only sign the dregs in the summer. The project starts next summer etc it's probably a A++. The most important thing is we certainly won't get relegated and have got out of the options on Maddison and Bogle for next season.
My personal opinion is its an A- because I still think we should have about 10 more points than we have got now and when Famewo is back I can see any reason why we can't/won't go on a great run.
Happy with the signing of Jaiyesimi, a 3 and a half year deal does not strike me as being option 5,6 or 7, sometimes you have to be patient and the selling club folds, it is a signing of intent, getting Maddison, Bogle, Williams off of the wage bill now allows us to plan for the summer window now whatever division we are in, I am optimistic that we will be ahead of the game come the summer. My take on Maddison is two fold we were desperate to get player’s through the door and maybe Bow’s thought he could change him, but mainly don’t think he ever wanted to be here, he didn’t want to come last January and had no club willing to take him when we did so was happy to pick up the wages. I also think this is a huge wake up call for Gilbey ship up or ship out.
Not fussed about any of the players that have left.
The players coming in need to show us/me what they can do before I get excited. Every time we sign a player comments on here go way over the top and most times they turn out to be duff so until the new lads show some promise my judgement will be reserved.
I still think we should have signed a center back as clearly that is a problem area but in the management team we trust.
I am actually glad we got rid of a few of the players. Really have no clue as to the quality of their replacements, though. What are your thoughts?
Good overall. I won't deny I nearly shit the bed when it looked like we had lost Williams and Maddison without getting in a single replacement.
In the end it kind of felt like when we nabbed Lyle then the season after Deji from AFC Wombles... Only this time we've done it mid-season to a side I quite like. It is what it is and we've been raided plenty of times in January.
Ins: Schwartz - Permanent ✅ Happy with that, gets in good positions, taking longer than hoped to get up to speed. Millar - Loan ✅ Has hit the ground running, someone who runs as much as Washington! Smith - Loan Too early to tell yet, but has looked okay both times he played us. Stockley - Loan Too early to tell yet but has looked okay in his two games. Jaiyesimi - Permanent ✅ This lad is a talent and works hard. Seems to be in good positions often and tore Maatsen to bits both games he played against us.
Outs: Levitt - Loan Ended ✅ Wasn't working out, not given much chance either. Smyth - Loan Ended ✅ Hard worker, scrapped too but ultimately not a winger and not a striker. Maddison - Loaned Out Obviously I was in his fan club for his raw talent. Sadly it seems his ego & attitude have overtaken his ability. Williams - Permanent Move Sad but probably the best time for him to wrap up his time here and a great opportunity for him to remain relevant under a manager that understands what he brings. Bogle - Permanent Move ✅ Wasn't working out, worked hard but simply didn't have the strikers incident. Wiredu - Permanent Move ✅ Hadn't broken through, if the stories of a fall out with Bowyer are true him moving on is the least of our issues. Not much of a loss as a result. Lapslie - Loan to Permanent Move ✅ Pleased for him, seems to have found his level where he can stand out. Like Jonny a good lad and deserves a chance under a manager that understands what he brings.
Would have liked a defender in there, but assume we couldn't get one in the cap allowance that would be better than Gunter/Oshilaja covering.
Overall good. A bit gutted about Williams, and a shame MM hasn't worked out.
I certainly feel like the window felt saved by the last minute signing who we really did need help balance the squad. Just need to really hope Famewo can stay fit and get Inniss back as well and we have a decent squad. A push for play offs and a proper rebuild in the summer awaits I reckon.
This.
I think we are still light on RM if Bowyer is playing 442, without any cover for Jaiyesimi. And perhaps a little overloaded in CM where we've got Watson, Pratley, Shinnie, Morgan, Gilbey and now Smith vying for, in effect, 2 or 3 places.
But overall, stronger coming out of the window than when we went in, and I'm feeling hopeful that our form in the second half of the season will reflect that.
Can't grumble really. A little disappointed to lose Jonny but he wasn't having much of an impact for us so not the end of the world
Wiredu might come back to bite us in the bum as I know a few of the academy players have been bigging him up and one of his coaches was particularly pissed off with losing him. Seems he was well thought of and didn't get the chances
As for the incomings - you have to say we have strengthened and improved on those who have departed. Jaiyesimi was a bit of icing on the cake really! Very tricky and quick though may frustrate by beating his man multiple times but a 3.5 year contract is a signal of intent which is great to see
Hopefully we can get them all to work well together quickly and who knows
Overall good. A bit gutted about Williams, and a shame MM hasn't worked out.
I certainly feel like the window felt saved by the last minute signing who we really did need help balance the squad. Just need to really hope Famewo can stay fit and get Inniss back as well and we have a decent squad. A push for play offs and a proper rebuild in the summer awaits I reckon.
This.
I think we are still light on RM if Bowyer is playing 442, without any cover for Jaiyesimi. And perhaps a little overloaded in CM where we've got Watson, Pratley, Shinnie, Morgan, Gilbey and now Smith vying for, in effect, 2 or 3 places.
But overall, stronger coming out of the window than when we went in, and I'm feeling hopeful that our form in the second half of the season will reflect that.
I don't know if we are light on RM. I think apart from a few months of madness under Luzon, when we played both Bulot and JBG, in what was effect a 424 we haven't regularly played 2 wingers amd 2 strikers since Robinson and Newton in the 90s?
Even with Powell's team it was Wiggins that provided the natural width on the left.
I can't see him only playing one of the 4 strikers regularly?
Comments
No idea about the 2 from Swindon (Yes, I know one is actually with Arsenal...) but think Smith will have a lot on his shoulders as it looks like he will be the only "playmaker" in the side. Everyone rates DJ but we have to factor in the Bowyer effect - injured for 6 months & never the same when back or does one dodgy pass, is thrown under the bus (which has space now that Bogle, Williams & Maddison have all departed) and never played again.
Jury out until we've seen them play half a dozen times. Don't forget people were wetting themselves over Levitt after the Lincoln away match.
I certainly feel like the window felt saved by the last minute signing who we really did need help balance the squad. Just need to really hope Famewo can stay fit and get Inniss back as well and we have a decent squad. A push for play offs and a proper rebuild in the summer awaits I reckon.
Ins -
Stockley - Unit, I believe he will be a better asset than Aneke and Schwartz
Schwartz - shown glimpses and comes with a good record
Millar - We know how good he has looked recently
Smith - hard to judge, I'll trust Swindon fans on this one and assume he is a decent player but was misjudged a bit
Jaiyesimi - looked a real player in both games, has a good highlight reel and Swindon fans now want their owner dead as a result of selling him? Sounds good enough for me, cherry picking the best players in the lower teams is good business
Outs -
Maddison - personally disappointed it didn't work out, but I am backing Bowyer here and trusting his judgement, a good goal for us and a few promising crosses but almost like Ben Reeves, Marshall, Ajose and the countless other players we have signed I think he flattered to deceive and was maybe a bit 'Charltonised' before he kicked a ball for us
Williams - love Jonny but let's be realistic, he has never played more than 30 games in a season? Doesn't contribute with many goals and assists, injury prone, manager wasn't sure on him. Luxury player, more suited to a team in the championship who can afford to have a player come off of the bench to change things up, not us I don't think. Good luck to him
Bogle - was wrote off from the start, will be surprised if he scores 5+ from now until the end of the season. Works hard, definitely can be a team player but it just didn't work out for him, Stockley a much better player.
Wiredu and Lapslie - With Brendan he has potential but he wasn't getting his chance here, now we will see what he's made of and we have the option to get him back, good luck to him. Personally gutted about Lappo but obviously his touch hasnt always been great and he wasn't getting his chance here, good luck to George.
Bit more wordy than I expected and may have missed a player or 2? But a handsome window imo, promising for the future
Miller already looks excellent, Stockley showed a decent cameo, DJ has Swindon fans screwing and calling him a Championship player and Arsenal rate Smith highly (he even has an FA Cup winners medal). They are all upgrades. Not really seen enough of Schwartz yet although the way he took his goal showed striker ability.
I think it has been a very positive window where we may even have a lower total wage bill and do to the up Aneke for an extra year or two.
Key will be how quickly they can settle and can Bowyer resist the temptation to continually rotate.
Play Offs are a tall order with the games we have played and our run in but if we make them we could well be the form team so fingers crossed. Let's get to the Championship and go back in for Randall then.
we are definitely stronger
what's not to like ??
A very good January window. Remember the last one?
As much as we know their pain, Swindon fans' rage at being pantsed at the last minute is a good sign too.
we need to see the team play
is the lack of CD cover a big issue?
Of the players that have left I guess Maddison is the biggest disappointment, I know he’s probably a bit of a nightmare but there’s enough talent there to make a big difference to our season and I would have persisted longer. There’s an emerging theme of Bowyer not being able to handle creative players that concerns me. Jonny really hasn’t been at the races this season so I understand that move (but similarly feel like we never got the best out of him).
Very surprised we didn’t sign a CB, our entire season has seemed to hinge on what happens in that position and we currently have one fit, one retuning, one injured and one not good enough. That area would have been my priority.
Bad egg moved out ✅
Nice but expensive underperforming international left✅
Two match fit attacking players who know the division signed ✅
Another centre half added ❌
Previous signings in window all good (but overlooked by some as happened four weeks ago) ✅
One too many loans (perhaps still resolvable) ❌
B+
overall 8/10
Rating: B.
Good:
Stockley - will add some bite up top.
Millar - has transformed our attacking play.
Jaiyesimi - A player I think we can get excited about and certainly looks like he will improve us.
Meh:
Schwartz - clearly can shoot, but at the moment seems so far of the pace of the game I'm worried he will be able to adapt.
Smith - No doubting his talent, just not sure where he fits into the team currently.
Bad:
No defender - With our injury record and Jason Pearce seemingly mistake prone I'm suprised we didn't go in for someone else.
Overall you have to ask if you think we have improved our team in January, and I think we have. So I'm happy and looking forward to the game tonight.
Glad we got rid of some of shite though.
So man for man I think we are in a better place overall than 31st December. Only thing I would have liked had we been able to afford it was a CB. February is a big move and with the new players still settling in. we simply have to have a really strong month or top 6 hopes will be fading away.
Bowyer and Gallen look to have a decent job at juggling things. I do fear a CB was way more important than signing Smith when we already have Pratley, Watson, JFC, Morgan, Shinnie and Gilbey in CM.
Think we've signed 18 players now since TS took over. Now it's time to start seeing results which Bowyer needs to deliver now. He's got rid of Bogle, Williams and Maddison who he has all called out in the media
If you take the view that we needed to add some short term stop gaps to give us the best possible chance of promotion. I think it's an A-, a center half would probably nudge it to an A+.
If your view is its window 1 of the the 2 or 3 we needed to rebuild the squad before we have any real chance of promotion it's probably only a C+ or B-.
If your view is that this season doesn't matter because we are lucky to have a club and could only sign the dregs in the summer. The project starts next summer etc it's probably a A++. The most important thing is we certainly won't get relegated and have got out of the options on Maddison and Bogle for next season.
My personal opinion is its an A- because I still think we should have about 10 more points than we have got now and when Famewo is back I can see any reason why we can't/won't go on a great run.
Not fussed about any of the players that have left.
The players coming in need to show us/me what they can do before I get excited. Every time we sign a player comments on here go way over the top and most times they turn out to be duff so until the new lads show some promise my judgement will be reserved.
I still think we should have signed a center back as clearly that is a problem area but in the management team we trust.
In the end it kind of felt like when we nabbed Lyle then the season after Deji from AFC Wombles... Only this time we've done it mid-season to a side I quite like.
It is what it is and we've been raided plenty of times in January.
Ins:
Schwartz - Permanent ✅ Happy with that, gets in good positions, taking longer than hoped to get up to speed.
Millar - Loan ✅ Has hit the ground running, someone who runs as much as Washington!
Smith - Loan
Stockley - Loan
Jaiyesimi - Permanent ✅ This lad is a talent and works hard. Seems to be in good positions often and tore Maatsen to bits both games he played against us.
Outs:
Levitt - Loan Ended ✅ Wasn't working out, not given much chance either.
Smyth - Loan Ended ✅ Hard worker, scrapped too but ultimately not a winger and not a striker.
Maddison - Loaned Out
Williams - Permanent Move
Bogle - Permanent Move ✅ Wasn't working out, worked hard but simply didn't have the strikers incident.
Wiredu - Permanent Move ✅ Hadn't broken through, if the stories of a fall out with Bowyer are true him moving on is the least of our issues. Not much of a loss as a result.
Lapslie - Loan to Permanent Move ✅ Pleased for him, seems to have found his level where he can stand out. Like Jonny a good lad and deserves a chance under a manager that understands what he brings.
Would have liked a defender in there, but assume we couldn't get one in the cap allowance that would be better than Gunter/Oshilaja covering.
I expect we'll start with the following tonight:
Matthews - Gunter - Oshilaja - Maatsen
Pratley
Shinnie - F.Caskey
Millar
Aneke - Schwartz
Subs: M.Brewer, Purrington, Pearce, Morgan, Smith, Gilbey, Stockley,
I think we are still light on RM if Bowyer is playing 442, without any cover for Jaiyesimi. And perhaps a little overloaded in CM where we've got Watson, Pratley, Shinnie, Morgan, Gilbey and now Smith vying for, in effect, 2 or 3 places.
But overall, stronger coming out of the window than when we went in, and I'm feeling hopeful that our form in the second half of the season will reflect that.
Wiredu might come back to bite us in the bum as I know a few of the academy players have been bigging him up and one of his coaches was particularly pissed off with losing him. Seems he was well thought of and didn't get the chances
As for the incomings - you have to say we have strengthened and improved on those who have departed. Jaiyesimi was a bit of icing on the cake really! Very tricky and quick though may frustrate by beating his man multiple times but a 3.5 year contract is a signal of intent which is great to see
Hopefully we can get them all to work well together quickly and who knows
Even with Powell's team it was Wiggins that provided the natural width on the left.
I can't see him only playing one of the 4 strikers regularly?