January shopping list

There was a wee bit of analysis on the present failings of the team following the disappointing loss yesterday. Talk inevitably skirted on potential team-changing transfers, but we didn’t get that deep into it.

First and foremost, I reckon we need a strong right back to keep Cedric on his toes. Martina doesn’t look to be it right now, and while I think both players can improve, they won’t improve each other.

Caulker just hasn’t worked. Anyone questioning the wisdom of that deal was correct to do so. We haven’t looked reliable with him in the side. We need better defensive options, and despite him being a good servant, we really need to improve on Yoshida too.

I like much of the midfield. Davis has been good this year, Romeu has been fairly solid and Clasie has the potential to be a great player, even if he hasn’t found consistency in this league yet. If we get a fantastic offer in for Vic and have a black box replacement that Paul Mitchell hasn’t nicked, then I think we need to consider offloading him too. No-one seems to know where his head is at this year, and he could be worth more to us as funds to buy someone committed to the cause.

Juanmi hasn’t done it either. Possibly the kind of player to flourish in a second season, and the outlay means there is nowhere near as much pressure on him, but he’s not doing what RK is presumably bringing him on to do; change the outcome of games.

What do we think we need? I know it’s bloody difficult, because January is never a good time to buy, and no-one knows how the Premier League will end this season. Assuming the target is still qualification for Europe via league position though, I think we need more.

Where do we start and who can we get?

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Unless we can pick players up from the championship or abroad that are a better option to what we have, I think it will be hard to strengthen the first team.

Las you mentioned, I think the other option is to strengthen the squad, with some back up players that could step into the side. Thus keeping the first team on their toes.

I agree we are lacking as a squad, but we smashed Arsenal. I gave up years ago trying to make sense of football and now just enjoy it, for its ups and downs.

January is tough to find a gem, but off the top of my head I cannot think of anyone. The top teams in the championship will not want to let their prize assets go, as the dream of the promise land will bring far more financial reward and teams scrapping relegation, will not want to let their players go for the same reason.

I do not think we will do much business in January, if any.

Charlie Austin is the obvious striker choice, but there must be a reason he hasn’t moved on. Wages, dodgy knees?

i like Pelle, but we suffer from his lack of movement.

Defence wise, we have too many defenders who lack positional sense and composure on the ball (Yoshida, Martina, Caulker).

Transfers Pap? Thought this was going to be about what bargains there were in the sales that you charming folks at papsweb towers had your beady eyes on.

Most of the bigger teams have difficulty getting their second string anywhere near the first, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that we have difficulty buying real quality for that purpose. Fit, motivated and in form, I’m happy with most of the first eleven. We’re usually screwed when we lose a couple of them, and it has been an ongoing problem for years now.

Remember playing without Lambert or Lallana in L1 or the Championship? Without decent keepers in the Premier League? When our first choice Prem left-back was Danny Fox? It’s a difficult problem to address, but it’s one that the club must get over if we’re to retain any sort of consistency and residual hunger to win games.

Too many players know they’ll play if they’re fit, and too many of their replacements know they’ve got no serious chance at dislodging them permanently. The difference in quality and composure is just that great.

Also, what the fuck happened to this “bringing youth players through” lark? Where’s Harrison Reed this season?

Bamford.

Thinkthe only thinkg we dont know is how well h shows in training and whether he has come on… having said that, nothing like a few games in the first team to really bring a player on…

Originally posted by @Goatboy

Bamford.

Who has just thrown his toys out at Palace at not playing regularly and quit?

I read the interview with him. Didn’t come across like that. Wasn’t getting picked and was frustrated so decided it was best to look for something else. Certainly didn’t seem like he fell out with anyone. Was great for Boro last season.

Just had a delve into Patrick Bamford. That would seem a likely one, assuming we were interested. Comes from a very similar route as two of our other players, “not good enough for Chelsea”. He’s not impressed with Palace, but then he was loaned out to get first team experience and hasn’t ended up getting much.

Loan with option to buy might be the best route, as long as there are no Alderweireld-like shenanigans.

We won’t sign anybody - and I’m actually fine with that. Quite frankly I’d prefer we spent the time making sure that next Summer’s transfers are spot on (not to mention getting better value from the market).

Originally posted by @Goatboy

Bamford.

Maybe.

I’d have some reservations though. Palace, good as they are, don’t exactly have an abundance of top strikers. Who has been keeping him out of the team? Campbell, Gayle, Wickham & Chamakh. They are hardly superstars.

Something seems up to me.

Agree he was great for Boro. My concern though is he wants games and even Shane does not get many starts as a striker, so I am not sure he will get more games here.

There’s a lot of wisdom in this. I still remember the chaotic transfer deadline day that Liverpool went through, spending 35M to effectively hold Andy Carroll’s career back for a couple of years. Don’t ever want to be in that situation.

I think the problem with no new players is that we all know we need a bit of strengthening, and in this season where a European place is still realistic, lack of investment from the board could seem like a lack of ambition for this year, especially if our nearest rivals choose to bolster their squads.

I guess the real question is what is our aim this year?

Lovely Fjallraven coat I’m hoping comes down in the sales.*

* No one decent ever moves in January but probably worth chucking some cash at Sam Byram now that Martina’s moment has passed.

Can’t see us spending £35 million pap :lou_wink_2:

Originally posted by @Goatboy

Can’t see us spending £35 million pap :lou_wink_2:

Brendan Rodgers hasn’t got a job yet. Can’t we get that bastard some work so he can over-pay us for players?

It doesnt seem to take much to knock our confidence. I would like to see a player come in with some fire in his belly who can help to rally the troops when things go against us. We are just too nice.

Its not the players fault that they are “too nice”. That is an issue for the manager and Koeman should take heed of the Alan Latchely approach. I’d suggest the kidnap of players wives and girlfriends. See here from 10.43

Originally posted by @Fatso

Its not the players fault that they are “too nice”. That is an issue for the manager and Koeman should take heed of the Alan Latchely approach. I’d suggest the kidnap of players wives and girlfriends. See here from 10.43

I am up for this. Can I have dibbs on kidnapping Virgil’s girlfriend please?