Decent window all things considered. Yes we’d have like more attacking options but there is notoriously little value in January and no point spending for the sake of spending. is the right player were available at a reasonable rate we’d have paid it. Nathan Jones will have to work with what we’ve got and I believe he will keep us safe and spend a few months working out exactly what he needs next season
If someone had predicted on 1st January we’d make 5 permanent signings and bring in 3 loans they’d have received 10s of LOLs and been told no chance, believe it when I see it etc.
In terms of numbers it’s as much of a rebuild for a January window as we could have realistically expected.
How many we’ve heard of is irrelevant, the biggest names we’ve signed have been some of the worst signings in recent years.
Hopefully the majority work out well, Jones is announced as manager soon and we get the 20 or so points we need to stay up, that’ll give us a good platform for the summer - I’m glad the owners now appear to understand this can’t be done on the cheap.
So, we lost 2 attacking midfielders, CBT and Fraser, and did not replace them. We may have brought in a decent defender Gillesphey, which remains to be seen. We bought in Coventry, who appears to be in Dobson's position, so no improvement there, Fiorini is unfit so who knows. Bakinson looks good. Ladapo is unfit. REG who looks like a utility player. And some lad from league 2. Overall not much to write home about. Where is the creativity? Who is the leader in defence? Whoever is the next manager is now stuck with this squad.
If the one who is tasked with keeping us up and taking us forward, got who he wanted in a targeted position and has who he needs, with the right technical components for his tactical plan, then it’s been a good window!
Yesterday was a good day! Time to enjoy the process (through gritted teeth for a couple of weeks)
Harrogate Town are in League Two and you forgot Edmond’s-Green too but I agree with the sentiment that we have brought in numbers but are they any good and that’s if they are even ‘oven ready’ in some cases as we were promised.
Stay up this season and hopefully Jones can shape the squad in the summer but again there will be a churn again with players on loan going back, players out of contract and then those left in contract who we want to ship out.
Teams wont make their better players available for transfer unless they're surplus to requirements, have a Contract running down... Or its a loan
Always felt its more of a month for teams who have fucked up in the Summer, and is basically a "Get out of Jail" attempt for the most part.
That being said; Coventry | Edmonds-Green | Gillesphey seem decent permanent options - Just have to hope this can get us through the rest of the season; February is going to be a difficult month, and whilst we're too good to go down, the League Table wont care about that - We can then spend the rest of this season, and start of the summer, addressing the squad as a whole.
I’m giving this window. … 5 out of 10. Massively disappointing we were out muscled for JCH and Collins, and lost CBT.
Could we have done that much more on those 3 players though?
JCH - put in a big bid for a guy with 5 months left on his contract. He's decided to stay and see out his contract. Collins - put in a big bid but he's chosen a club who look like they're going up. CBT - offered him a new deal but he wanted to move back closer to home.
I'm not trying to claim it's been an amazing window, but i don't think the club can be faulted for much on those 3 players. And when you factor in the signings of the likes of Coventry, Ladapo and potentially also getting Jones as manager, it's clear the owners are upping their game. If we are after similar level targets in the summer to JCH and Collins then next season should see us contending at the right end of the table.
The problem is, you could argue we did what we could with the likes of CBT and JCH, but then what was our back up plans?
If we had money, and bid for JCH, why didn't we find another target. I know we did with the young lad from Cheltenham who we of course lost out to (again) but is that as far as our scouting goes?
Aaron Collins would have been a good CBT replacement, similar playmaker stats and versatile enough to replace CBTs potency on the left flank. We were outbid by Bolton, that's the key part here, Collins didn't outright pick them, he went to the highest bidder. If we outbid Bolton, he'd be a Chartlon player. Undoubtedly would have had a preference, which would have been Bolton due to league position, but ultimately we didn't outbid them and that's why he's ended up there. So again, where is the money?
Ladapo always needed to come in on top of someone like JCH and Collins, as we were short on attacking options due to the injuries of Aneke and Leaburn.
I feel like all they've done is put bids in on very obvious players to go for in this league, this isn't unfamiliar territory for us, as we did it with a different regime.
The only thing that doesn't make me as dubious is the Jones link and Coventry as both wouldn't have been cheap.
I don't think we did anywhere near enough to secure our league 1 safety personally and the current crop haven't shown enough from the last two managers that they can kick and fight for the points up for grabs. We have took a huge gamble here, whichever way you look at it.
For me, the transfer window has been pretty whelming. I’m glad we got our business done early and strengthened in key positions. But our best player has gone and has not been replaced on a like for like basis. Where are the goals coming from! We desperately needed a winger in this window and we didn’t get one. Just need the new manager to mould them into a cohesive unit 🤔
Really surprised right at the death Peterborough sold Ephron Mason-Clark to Coventry (and loaned back).
Posh must have been absolute desperate for cash and banked on JCH playing ball and providing it. EMC looked a massively exciting talent and I can’t believe Cov are particularly cash-rich.
Really surprised right at the death Peterborough sold Ephron Mason-Clark to Coventry (and loaned back).
Posh must have been absolute desperate for cash and banked on JCH playing ball and providing it. EMC looked a massively exciting talent and I can’t believe Cov are particularly cash-rich.
Would be gutted if I was a Posh fan
Covs new owners are decently rich but nothing crazy , sold Gyorkeres to Sporting for £28m in the summer which I think is funding a lot of it.
Agree that it looks very weird from Posh unless the fee is exceptional (haven't seen one mentioned)
Really surprised right at the death Peterborough sold Ephron Mason-Clark to Coventry (and loaned back).
Posh must have been absolute desperate for cash and banked on JCH playing ball and providing it. EMC looked a massively exciting talent and I can’t believe Cov are particularly cash-rich.
Bakinson. C Campbell. PLUS Fiorini. Fraser. NOT SURE Coventry. CBT. NOT SURE Ladapo. Tedic. PLUS Ward. Walker. NOT SURE Ramsey. Kirk. PLUS? Gillesphey. Abankwah. PLUS REG. McGrandles NOT SURE
Even though Ladapo hasn’t hit the ground running he offers more than Tedic, and based on previous form should offer more of a goal threat. Ramsey is a bit of a punt, and plays in a different position, but I can’t help but feel positive him when Kirk’s name is mentioned, so he get a ‘PLUS?’ I suspect REG will be an upgrade on McGrandles who was a bit of an enigma, but too early to tell.
Coventry is on paper our most significant signing, but CBT is our most significant loss. If we were going to play with wingers then this would be a NEGATIVE, but apparently we’re not. Even so, losing his goals & assists is a real blow. I like Bakinson, but I’d like him more if he learned to shoot. At least he gets into good positions and can’t be bumped off the ball like Fraser.
Overall it’s better than I was expecting, but not as good as I hoped it might be, and keeping Dobson feels like a bonus.
But for a club hovering just above the relegation zone it could have been worse. Why would Collins want to join us rather than Bolton? Swap league position and it would have been different.
Signing Jones would be a significant boost though.
Really surprised right at the death Peterborough sold Ephron Mason-Clark to Coventry (and loaned back).
Posh must have been absolute desperate for cash and banked on JCH playing ball and providing it. EMC looked a massively exciting talent and I can’t believe Cov are particularly cash-rich.
Would be gutted if I was a Posh fan
Now you tell us you’re not posh ? Sherlock Holmes needs to be asked how he had not spotted this…
We sold our 2nd best player - have we replaced him with similar? Nowhere near. Hopefully the accumulation of improvements in other areas will make up for it.
Still looking very light up front which will become a serious concern with any injuries.
I can't get on board with being impressed by the club failing to sign players like JCH, Collins, etc. If anything it just underlines the fact that we can't bring in the quality we need to get out of this league.
Still the window could've been a lot worse.
Now just waiting for the Andy Scott End Of Window video, where he comes out and holds his hands up for the failure of the season, like he said he would.
Really surprised right at the death Peterborough sold Ephron Mason-Clark to Coventry (and loaned back).
Posh must have been absolute desperate for cash and banked on JCH playing ball and providing it. EMC looked a massively exciting talent and I can’t believe Cov are particularly cash-rich.
Would be gutted if I was a Posh fan
Sold two in the summer for a total of about £37M and expect to get substantial add ons in the summer for one of them. They purchased two strikers in the summer for £9m and £7m. They have deeper pockets than you would expect I think. Shows how important getting to the Championship with a half decent transfer policy is as the money that can be made selling kids tot he PL is crazy (see the Blackburn lad joining Palace for £18M)
I would always be frustrated as a Peterborough fan, as they have a great record of player recruitment & trading but they never seem to actually build on it in the way similar clubs like Brentford & Brighton have.
Bakinson. C Campbell. PLUS Fiorini. Fraser. NOT SURE Coventry. CBT. NOT SURE Ladapo. Tedic. PLUS Ward. Walker. NOT SURE Ramsey. Kirk. PLUS? Gillesphey. Abankwah. PLUS REG. McGrandles NOT SURE
Even though Ladapo hasn’t hit the ground running he offers more than Tedic, and based on previous form should offer more of a goal threat. Ramsey is a bit of a punt, and plays in a different position, but I can’t help but feel positive him when Kirk’s name is mentioned, so he get a ‘PLUS?’ I suspect REG will be an upgrade on McGrandles who was a bit of an enigma, but too early to tell.
Coventry is on paper our most significant signing, but CBT is our most significant loss. If we were going to play with wingers then this might be a NEGATIVE, but apparently we’re not. I like Bakinson, but I’d like him more if he learned to shoot. At least he gets into good positions and can’t be bumped off the ball like Fraser.
Overall it’s better than I was expecting, but not as good as I hoped it might be.
But for a club hovering just above the relegation zone it could have been worse. Why would Collins want to join us rather than Bolton?
Tbf to him, Tedic actually scored in his first few appearances.
The proof of the pudding is always in the eating. I would say, to be fair, that the pudding has been served but we haven't got to taste it yet. It might be ok or it might be horrible. I am concerened it lacks CBT, who has been a key offensive player for us this season. One or two of the new guys need to step up. If they can make us a harder team, that would be a positive. A turning point for be will be us winning more second ball and have a bit more bite,
Overall a decent window, signed some players on the up and players who have done at at the level above, all good ages too.
Key issue is lack of creativity, it feels naive to have lost CBT, Fraser and Chem campbell and not added anyone who can play in an attacking midfield role (Fiorini aside as he is more of a central midfielder and in any case has looked miles off it so far).
Hope Bakinson or Louis Watson can make that further forward role their own and add a spark behind the strikers but it feels like a big gamble.
Really surprised right at the death Peterborough sold Ephron Mason-Clark to Coventry (and loaned back).
Posh must have been absolute desperate for cash and banked on JCH playing ball and providing it. EMC looked a massively exciting talent and I can’t believe Cov are particularly cash-rich.
Would be gutted if I was a Posh fan
Coventry spent 32m but brought in 37m for 23/24 season according to transfermarket.
I feel like if a manager (hopefully Jones if only to end the uncertainty/debate) can get a bit of passion and belief out of the current squad we should be safe and quite comfortably.
Problem being that "if" is doing a lot of the heavy lifting there, the players we got in suggested we're trying to mold a proper squad but then Appleton going bought the whole thing to a grinding halt.
We lost our best winger but we haven't completed the transition into a dedicated 352 type squad yet either, leaving us stuck not being able to play either properly.
Whoever the new manager is needs to tell Scott, Methven and Co. to let him do his job and not try and pull the strings IMO.
Comments
Nathan Jones will have to work with what we’ve got and I believe he will keep us safe and spend a few months working out exactly what he needs next season
Kirk back to Crewe, hopefully he can get things back on track
In terms of numbers it’s as much of a rebuild for a January window as we could have realistically expected.
Hopefully the majority work out well, Jones is announced as manager soon and we get the 20 or so points we need to stay up, that’ll give us a good platform for the summer - I’m glad the owners now appear to understand this can’t be done on the cheap.
So, we lost 2 attacking midfielders, CBT and Fraser, and did not replace them. We may have brought in a decent defender Gillesphey, which remains to be seen. We bought in Coventry, who appears to be in Dobson's position, so no improvement there, Fiorini is unfit so who knows. Bakinson looks good. Ladapo is unfit. REG who looks like a utility player. And some lad from league 2.
Overall not much to write home about.
Where is the creativity? Who is the leader in defence? Whoever is the next manager is now stuck with this squad.
Harrogate Town are in League Two and you forgot Edmond’s-Green too but I agree with the sentiment that we have brought in numbers but are they any good and that’s if they are even ‘oven ready’ in some cases as we were promised.
Stay up this season and hopefully Jones can shape the squad in the summer but again there will be a churn again with players on loan going back, players out of contract and then those left in contract who we want to ship out.
Names like Collins and Clarke-Harris get bandied about and we end up signing players no-one has heard of.
Epic.
Ladapo will hopefully come good
Teams wont make their better players available for transfer unless they're surplus to requirements, have a Contract running down... Or its a loan
Always felt its more of a month for teams who have fucked up in the Summer, and is basically a "Get out of Jail" attempt for the most part.
That being said; Coventry | Edmonds-Green | Gillesphey seem decent permanent options - Just have to hope this can get us through the rest of the season; February is going to be a difficult month, and whilst we're too good to go down, the League Table wont care about that - We can then spend the rest of this season, and start of the summer, addressing the squad as a whole.
If we had money, and bid for JCH, why didn't we find another target. I know we did with the young lad from Cheltenham who we of course lost out to (again) but is that as far as our scouting goes?
Aaron Collins would have been a good CBT replacement, similar playmaker stats and versatile enough to replace CBTs potency on the left flank. We were outbid by Bolton, that's the key part here, Collins didn't outright pick them, he went to the highest bidder. If we outbid Bolton, he'd be a Chartlon player. Undoubtedly would have had a preference, which would have been Bolton due to league position, but ultimately we didn't outbid them and that's why he's ended up there. So again, where is the money?
Ladapo always needed to come in on top of someone like JCH and Collins, as we were short on attacking options due to the injuries of Aneke and Leaburn.
I feel like all they've done is put bids in on very obvious players to go for in this league, this isn't unfamiliar territory for us, as we did it with a different regime.
The only thing that doesn't make me as dubious is the Jones link and Coventry as both wouldn't have been cheap.
I don't think we did anywhere near enough to secure our league 1 safety personally and the current crop haven't shown enough from the last two managers that they can kick and fight for the points up for grabs. We have took a huge gamble here, whichever way you look at it.
It is what it is, just about scrapping for our lives now for those vital wins to avoid relegation.
Posh must have been absolute desperate for cash and banked on JCH playing ball and providing it. EMC looked a massively exciting talent and I can’t believe Cov are particularly cash-rich.
Covs new owners are decently rich but nothing crazy , sold Gyorkeres to Sporting for £28m in the summer which I think is funding a lot of it.
Agree that it looks very weird from Posh unless the fee is exceptional (haven't seen one mentioned)
In. Out.
Bakinson. C Campbell. PLUS
Fiorini. Fraser. NOT SURE
Coventry. CBT. NOT SURE
Ladapo. Tedic. PLUS
Ward. Walker. NOT SURE
Ramsey. Kirk. PLUS?
Gillesphey. Abankwah. PLUS
REG. McGrandles NOT SURE
Even though Ladapo hasn’t hit the ground running he offers more than Tedic, and based on previous form should offer more of a goal threat.
Ramsey is a bit of a punt, and plays in a different position, but I can’t help but feel positive him when Kirk’s name is mentioned, so he get a ‘PLUS?’
I suspect REG will be an upgrade on McGrandles who was a bit of an enigma, but too early to tell.
I like Bakinson, but I’d like him more if he learned to shoot. At least he gets into good positions and can’t be bumped off the ball like Fraser.
We sold our 2nd best player - have we replaced him with similar? Nowhere near. Hopefully the accumulation of improvements in other areas will make up for it.
Still looking very light up front which will become a serious concern with any injuries.
I can't get on board with being impressed by the club failing to sign players like JCH, Collins, etc. If anything it just underlines the fact that we can't bring in the quality we need to get out of this league.
Still the window could've been a lot worse.
Now just waiting for the Andy Scott End Of Window video, where he comes out and holds his hands up for the failure of the season, like he said he would.
Hopefully no excuses and the usual rosier spin at the end of August.
Sold two in the summer for a total of about £37M and expect to get substantial add ons in the summer for one of them. They purchased two strikers in the summer for £9m and £7m. They have deeper pockets than you would expect I think.
Shows how important getting to the Championship with a half decent transfer policy is as the money that can be made selling kids tot he PL is crazy (see the Blackburn lad joining Palace for £18M)
Key issue is lack of creativity, it feels naive to have lost CBT, Fraser and Chem campbell and not added anyone who can play in an attacking midfield role (Fiorini aside as he is more of a central midfielder and in any case has looked miles off it so far).
Hope Bakinson or Louis Watson can make that further forward role their own and add a spark behind the strikers but it feels like a big gamble.
Problem being that "if" is doing a lot of the heavy lifting there, the players we got in suggested we're trying to mold a proper squad but then Appleton going bought the whole thing to a grinding halt.
We lost our best winger but we haven't completed the transition into a dedicated 352 type squad yet either, leaving us stuck not being able to play either properly.
Whoever the new manager is needs to tell Scott, Methven and Co. to let him do his job and not try and pull the strings IMO.