January Transfer Window (rumours + actuals)

DOUCHER said:

I think the real deflation is that neither signing seems like an oven ready ‘let’s have a crack at promotion’ type signing - more with an eye on the future 

drawnablank said:

If Zach & Terry have clauses allowing us to bring them back if needed, we’re not as exposed to injury as it seems. In addition, both players could be called back having played regularly, which is a better position than having them kicking their heels on the bench / directors box. 

blackpool72 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

ForeverAddickted said:

eaststandmike said:

NabySarr said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

No idea how good or not Gilbert or Mullofkintyre will be but I’d say that one comes with little experience and the other with less than glowing reviews. They seem to me to be spot on Charlton signings that we’ve seen come and go over recent seasons. If I’m honest I’m less than impressed and certainly don’t feel these two will tip us over the edge into genuine promotion contenders. I posted many times on this thread that we shouldn’t get excited or our hopes up and took quite a few lols for the trouble. I have little hesitation in saying the summer will be rinse and repeat. No confidence that we’re moving forward. Clubs treading water and as far as I can see going nowhere. 

We have quite clearly moved forward since Jones came in. We were scrapping for survival then and now we are level with 6th. In just a year that is definitely moving forward 

Need to see where we finish after 46 games, mid table or below is hardly moving forward 

We finished 16th last season... So anything better than that is moving forward

16th, 12th, 7th, 9th 14th - what does it actually matter ? Moving forward as far as I’m concerned is getting promoted. Nothing else moves us forward. The rest is just noise.

So if promotion is the only way to move forward, what happens if we get to the Championship next season... Is 21st failure?

Of course we ALL want to be promoted every season (Until its no longer possible), but equally have to be realistic

If we were to get promoted to the championship the 1st couple of seasons would be trying to stabilise the club and not come back down.
So any positions above relegation would be acceptable. 

blackpool72 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

blackpool72 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

ForeverAddickted said:

eaststandmike said:

NabySarr said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

No idea how good or not Gilbert or Mullofkintyre will be but I’d say that one comes with little experience and the other with less than glowing reviews. They seem to me to be spot on Charlton signings that we’ve seen come and go over recent seasons. If I’m honest I’m less than impressed and certainly don’t feel these two will tip us over the edge into genuine promotion contenders. I posted many times on this thread that we shouldn’t get excited or our hopes up and took quite a few lols for the trouble. I have little hesitation in saying the summer will be rinse and repeat. No confidence that we’re moving forward. Clubs treading water and as far as I can see going nowhere. 

We have quite clearly moved forward since Jones came in. We were scrapping for survival then and now we are level with 6th. In just a year that is definitely moving forward 

Need to see where we finish after 46 games, mid table or below is hardly moving forward 

We finished 16th last season... So anything better than that is moving forward

16th, 12th, 7th, 9th 14th - what does it actually matter ? Moving forward as far as I’m concerned is getting promoted. Nothing else moves us forward. The rest is just noise.

So if promotion is the only way to move forward, what happens if we get to the Championship next season... Is 21st failure?

Of course we ALL want to be promoted every season (Until its no longer possible), but equally have to be realistic

If we were to get promoted to the championship the 1st couple of seasons would be trying to stabilise the club and not come back down.
So any positions above relegation would be acceptable. 

But thats not the case in League One and below, after a couple of rocky seasons with bad signings?

Every season in league one is a failure. 
The championship is our natural place to be.

When we spent 4 years in the top flight under Lenny and 8 years under Curbs we were punching above our weight. 

But every year we are in league one we are under achieving. 
So if we don't win promotion this season many (including myself) will see it as failure. 

Any season spent in the championship as long as it doesn't end in relation would be acceptable. 

blackpool72 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

blackpool72 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

ForeverAddickted said:

eaststandmike said:

NabySarr said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

No idea how good or not Gilbert or Mullofkintyre will be but I’d say that one comes with little experience and the other with less than glowing reviews. They seem to me to be spot on Charlton signings that we’ve seen come and go over recent seasons. If I’m honest I’m less than impressed and certainly don’t feel these two will tip us over the edge into genuine promotion contenders. I posted many times on this thread that we shouldn’t get excited or our hopes up and took quite a few lols for the trouble. I have little hesitation in saying the summer will be rinse and repeat. No confidence that we’re moving forward. Clubs treading water and as far as I can see going nowhere. 

We have quite clearly moved forward since Jones came in. We were scrapping for survival then and now we are level with 6th. In just a year that is definitely moving forward 

Need to see where we finish after 46 games, mid table or below is hardly moving forward 

We finished 16th last season... So anything better than that is moving forward

16th, 12th, 7th, 9th 14th - what does it actually matter ? Moving forward as far as I’m concerned is getting promoted. Nothing else moves us forward. The rest is just noise.

So if promotion is the only way to move forward, what happens if we get to the Championship next season... Is 21st failure?

Of course we ALL want to be promoted every season (Until its no longer possible), but equally have to be realistic

If we were to get promoted to the championship the 1st couple of seasons would be trying to stabilise the club and not come back down.
So any positions above relegation would be acceptable. 

But thats not the case in League One and below, after a couple of rocky seasons with bad signings?

Every season in league one is a failure. 
The championship is our natural place to be.

When we spent 4 years in the top flight under Lenny and 8 years under Curbs we were punching above our weight. 

But every year we are in league one we are under achieving. 
So if we don't win promotion this season many (including myself) will see it as failure. 

Any season spent in the championship as long as it doesn't end in relation would be acceptable. 

Chunes said:

DOUCHER said:

I think the real deflation is that neither signing seems like an oven ready ‘let’s have a crack at promotion’ type signing - more with an eye on the future 

Can two loanees be for the future? Perhaps more of a short term solution

Pudds said:

ForeverAddickted said:

blackpool72 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

blackpool72 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

ForeverAddickted said:

eaststandmike said:

NabySarr said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

No idea how good or not Gilbert or Mullofkintyre will be but I’d say that one comes with little experience and the other with less than glowing reviews. They seem to me to be spot on Charlton signings that we’ve seen come and go over recent seasons. If I’m honest I’m less than impressed and certainly don’t feel these two will tip us over the edge into genuine promotion contenders. I posted many times on this thread that we shouldn’t get excited or our hopes up and took quite a few lols for the trouble. I have little hesitation in saying the summer will be rinse and repeat. No confidence that we’re moving forward. Clubs treading water and as far as I can see going nowhere. 

We have quite clearly moved forward since Jones came in. We were scrapping for survival then and now we are level with 6th. In just a year that is definitely moving forward 

Need to see where we finish after 46 games, mid table or below is hardly moving forward 

We finished 16th last season... So anything better than that is moving forward

16th, 12th, 7th, 9th 14th - what does it actually matter ? Moving forward as far as I’m concerned is getting promoted. Nothing else moves us forward. The rest is just noise.

So if promotion is the only way to move forward, what happens if we get to the Championship next season... Is 21st failure?

Of course we ALL want to be promoted every season (Until its no longer possible), but equally have to be realistic

If we were to get promoted to the championship the 1st couple of seasons would be trying to stabilise the club and not come back down.
So any positions above relegation would be acceptable. 

But thats not the case in League One and below, after a couple of rocky seasons with bad signings?

Every season in league one is a failure. 
The championship is our natural place to be.

When we spent 4 years in the top flight under Lenny and 8 years under Curbs we were punching above our weight. 

But every year we are in league one we are under achieving. 
So if we don't win promotion this season many (including myself) will see it as failure. 

Any season spent in the championship as long as it doesn't end in relation would be acceptable. 

Yes the Championship is our rightful place... Yes promotion would be the ideal scenario in one fowl swoop

I get that no one likes being at this level, and we want to get out of, but if we go from 16th to 10th / 8th this season, to 5th next season, to 2nd the following season... Or even 16th to 6th this season (ending in promotion), that is the definition of moving forward.

Just checking, are you assuming we don't win the play-offs when we finish fifth?

letthegoodtimesroll said:

DOUCHER said:

letthegoodtimesroll said:

DOUCHER said:

I think the real deflation is that neither signing seems like an oven ready ‘let’s have a crack at promotion’ type signing - more with an eye on the future 

When Lee Bowyer brought in Parker, probably like many others, I wasn’t impressed and for most of the games he played, to me, it looked like we were carrying him and for a striker I can’t recall if he actually scored or not but we did look like a team that would win games and as it turned out we were awesome and won at Wembley against an equally strong Sunderland side. Parker was clearly the last piece in the jigsaw puzzle. 

Just over two months ago I’d have had no issues if Nathan went. I wouldn’t have been the only one. We just didn’t look like a team at times. We do now and a lot of that has come at the same time as we’ve been playing with a consistent team selection. Trimming the squad down and bringing in just two players in those positions just looks like the right thing to have done if we are going to give it a good go at challenging for promotion. One, or both of them, could be this season’s ‘Parker’.

You may be right - Gilbert was a priority position for me to improve on Berry - my next priority was a  deputy for TC and small, then an upgrade on Gillesphey. It's the missing TC / Small deputy that will hurt us - everything else in the window makes sense unless Gilbert really can cover for them as well and / or Dixon and Kanu manage to 'help out'   

In a way Small and TC are each other’s cover. You only need one of those in a team and that we’ve got one on each wing is incredible. What’s not great is we’ve not quite worked out how to exploit them and I think it’s been the absence of a natural attacking central midfielder that’s been the missing link. Having one gives us a diamond formation in the opposition goal area and options for where a pass/cross/shot can be made. At present the only option is quite often just to blast it either at the first defender or towards the opposite corner flag.

letthegoodtimesroll said:

DOUCHER said:

letthegoodtimesroll said:

DOUCHER said:

I think the real deflation is that neither signing seems like an oven ready ‘let’s have a crack at promotion’ type signing - more with an eye on the future 

When Lee Bowyer brought in Parker, probably like many others, I wasn’t impressed and for most of the games he played, to me, it looked like we were carrying him and for a striker I can’t recall if he actually scored or not but we did look like a team that would win games and as it turned out we were awesome and won at Wembley against an equally strong Sunderland side. Parker was clearly the last piece in the jigsaw puzzle. 

Just over two months ago I’d have had no issues if Nathan went. I wouldn’t have been the only one. We just didn’t look like a team at times. We do now and a lot of that has come at the same time as we’ve been playing with a consistent team selection. Trimming the squad down and bringing in just two players in those positions just looks like the right thing to have done if we are going to give it a good go at challenging for promotion. One, or both of them, could be this season’s ‘Parker’.

You may be right - Gilbert was a priority position for me to improve on Berry - my next priority was a  deputy for TC and small, then an upgrade on Gillesphey. It's the missing TC / Small deputy that will hurt us - everything else in the window makes sense unless Gilbert really can cover for them as well and / or Dixon and Kanu manage to 'help out'   

In a way Small and TC are each other’s cover. You only need one of those in a team and that we’ve got one on each wing is incredible. What’s not great is we’ve not quite worked out how to exploit them and I think it’s been the absence of a natural attacking central midfielder that’s been the missing link. Having one gives us a diamond formation in the opposition goal area and options for where a pass/cross/shot can be made. At present the only option is quite often just to blast it either at the first defender or towards the opposite corner flag.