Transfer Window January 2024 Transfer Window Thread

[FatOldSun]

W

We seemed to have loaned a few players out well before the end of the window no problem, but when the boot is on the other foot struggle to get them in.

We’ve been very light on numbers available and had a very weak bench since the start of Dec at least.

We've had a very weak bench since the start of Des. I can't help but think that Manning knew we'd start struggling with the players we had available, and decided to jump before results and performances began to wane and clubs higher up changed their mind on him. While we've had an indifferent and inconsistent run of late, we've still won a few games and only Peterborough have properly outplayed us. We just need to hang in there for the moment and then, assuming we get some good players in on loan and avoid more bad luck with injuries, we can finish the season strongly and take some momentum into the playoffs. Automatic promotion is now very unlikely, I'd say.

 

[BicesterU]

We managed to find Bennett didn’t we? Someone like that but who plays as a forward would have helped tide us over

The fact we found Bennett suggests we’re very much looking for players in that kind of situation. The fact we haven’t signed anyone suggests they don’t exist or aren’t good enough.

 

[Symp59]

Derby outplayed us ,they could have scored 6/7 and Coventry could have been 10 ,totally outplayed and we looked like we had no idea in both games .And Peterborough was the same.

 

[battman]

The fact we found Bennett suggests we’re very much looking for players in that kind of situation. The fact we haven’t signed anyone suggests they don’t exist or aren’t good enough.

Impossible, it’s easy to find players - just open up your laptop, boot up Football Manager, go on player search and filter by free agents (you can even sort by attributes if you disable player attribute masking). Don’t know why the recruitment team makes everything seem so difficult!

 

[andystroud]

Derby outplayed us ,they could have scored 6/7 and Coventry could have been 10 ,totally outplayed and we looked like we had no idea in both games .And Peterborough was the same.

Possibly true, but not sure what it has to do with Transfer thread

 

[werthersoriginal]

Impossible, it’s easy to find players - just open up your laptop, boot up Football Manager, go on player search and filter by free agents (you can even sort by attributes if you disable player attribute masking). Don’t know why the recruitment team makes everything seem so difficult!

Are you implying it's literally impossible to find an affordable short-term striker to sit on the bench? They just have to be better than GOD!

 

[Symp59]

Possibly true, but not sure what it has to do with Transfer thread

Sorry put it in transfers instead of the Barnsley match thread

 

[battman]

Are you implying it's literally impossible to find an affordable short-term striker to sit on the bench? They just have to be better than GOD!

It’s not impossible to find one no, but are we really so desperate for *anybody* that it doesn’t matter one jot who they are anymore?

I really don’t get where this impatience has come from from a significant portion of the fanbase, especially when the frustration is directed at Ed Waldron, who has done a good job so far of rebuilding our side, and Des Buckingham who has only been here since mid November and has had to deal with an already thin squad losing 4/5 of its loan players.

To be only a winger and a striker short with a week left to go in the window is actually not bad, so I don’t really get why there are those that are treating it like the end of the world.

 

[BicesterU]

Are you implying it's literally impossible to find an affordable short-term striker to sit on the bench? They just have to be better than GOD!

I’m saying they've looked (which based on Bennett’s signing, they will have) and haven’t found anyone that fits the bill.

Are you implying (against previous evidence) they haven’t looked?

Or that they’ve looked, found someone and inexplicably haven’t signed them?

 

[m]

It’s not impossible to find one no, but are we really so desperate for *anybody* that it doesn’t matter one jot who they are anymore?

I really don’t get where this impatience has come from from a significant portion of the fanbase, especially when the frustration is directed at Ed Waldron, who has done a good job so far of rebuilding our side, and Des Buckingham who has only been here since mid November and has had to deal with an already thin squad losing 4/5 of its loan players.

To be only a winger and a striker short with a week left to go in the window is actually not bad, so I don’t really get why there are those that are treating it like the end of the world.

I can only think it's a hangover from the KR days, ie the fear that we just won't get it done.

(I'd argue that we're a CM short too fwiw)

 

[werthersoriginal]

It’s not impossible to find one no, but are we really so desperate for *anybody* that it doesn’t matter one jot who they are anymore?

I really don’t get where this impatience has come from from a significant portion of the fanbase, especially when the frustration is directed at Ed Waldron, who has done a good job so far of rebuilding our side, and Des Buckingham who has only been here since mid November and has had to deal with an already thin squad losing 4/5 of its loan players.

To be only a winger and a striker short with a week left to go in the window is actually not bad, so I don’t really get why there are those that are treating it like the end of the world.

People are impatient because we've been a striker short all season! Once it became clear that GOD and Perkins weren't up to it we needed to sign one ASAP, which was 1 Jan not 31 Jan.

 

[battman]

People are impatient because we've been a striker short all season! Once it became clear that GOD and Perkins weren't up to it we needed to sign one ASAP, which was 1 Jan not 31 Jan.

I mean we have brought in a striker, but because we’re not risking him for two weeks, somehow he doesn’t count anymore despite being available for more games than he’ll be injured for. And I’m sure we’ll bring in another striker before the end of the window.

And if it were that easy to sign a top striker on Jan 1st, why doesn’t everyone do it? If only Des had explained why things are the way they are in say, I don’t know, a Dub podcast last week, then all this confusion could have been avoided.

 

[tonyw]

People are impatient because we've been a striker short all season! Once it became clear that GOD and Perkins weren't up to it we needed to sign one ASAP, which was 1 Jan not 31 Jan.

We signed one on January 19th. We spent big money for them. The club has just made the strategic decision that it's more important to get the right player (i.e. someone who offers us something different, is young and has big potential and resale value) even if they're not going to be available for a couple of weeks, than it is to get someone who's ready to play today.

And some on here clearly want us to sign both - and that's fine and understandable, and it would be nice. But I reckon it's taking the focus off other priorities.

One is central midfield, which WuTang described perfectly a couple of pages ago, so I won't repeat all that.

The other is on the wing. We saw very vividly last night the potential shortcomings of the 3-4-2-1 system. We were completely outplayed for most of the time we had that shape, and only improved once Burey replaced Stevens and we reverted to four at the back......

......but four at the back requires us to play two wingers, and our only fit wingers are Goodrham and Burey - neither of whom offered much going forwards yesterday. Yes, we've got three potentially excellent League One wingers in our treatment room, but I'm not even hearing whispers about Murphy, Browne or Edwards playing imminently.

4-2-3-1 suits the bulk of our squad, but we can't play it reliably without getting another wide player in the building. That needs to be the first priority, with CM the second.

 

[Callum93]

Take with a pinch of salt as always, but over on the Bristol Rovers forum they seem to think we are interested in Kamil Conteh from Grimsby. Although we aren't the only club listed.

 

[werthersoriginal]

We signed one on January 19th. We spent big money for them. The club has just made the strategic decision that it's more important to get the right player (i.e. someone who offers us something different, is young and has big potential and resale value) even if they're not going to be available for a couple of weeks, than it is to get someone who's ready to play today.

And some on here clearly want us to sign both - and that's fine and understandable, and it would be nice. But I reckon it's taking the focus off other priorities.

One is central midfield, which WuTang described perfectly a couple of pages ago, so I won't repeat all that.

The other is on the wing. We saw very vividly last night the potential shortcomings of the 3-4-2-1 system. We were completely outplayed for most of the time we had that shape, and only improved once Burey replaced Stevens and we reverted to four at the back......

......but four at the back requires us to play two wingers, and our only fit wingers are Goodrham and Burey - neither of whom offered much going forwards yesterday. Yes, we've got three potentially excellent League One wingers in our treatment room, but I'm not even hearing whispers about Murphy, Browne or Edwards playing imminently.

4-2-3-1 suits the bulk of our squad, but we can't play it reliably without getting another wide player in the building. That needs to be the first priority, with CM the second.

Des has said he's looking for another striker and a right winger - though I really do agree about needing a tough midfielder. Amen to four at the back with wingers, but letting January drift while we chase signings feels very Robboesque.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

I totally recognise the need for a striker now, but I’d rather we bring in the right players who miss a few games in January than the wrong player ready to go from the off.

Once again, and without any basis whatsoever, someone on this forum asserts that a delay in making signings equates to making better signings.

Is there any evidence for this?

Surely you can sign good players at any time in the window, and sh*te players at any time too?

For example:
Ruben Rodrigues - signed 1st July.
Sonny Perkins - signed 25th August.

Players don't get incrementally more talented as the January days tick by.

Joe Taylor was a great signing for Lincoln on the 9th January, but by your rules he can't be as good as anyone signed after this date? Or not as good a fit perhaps? Were Lincoln flustered and panicking when they signed him?

It's not too much to expect good and timely recruitment, and patronisingly asserting that it's one or the other is counter productive.

 

[Jster]

Take with a pinch of salt as always, but over on the Bristol Rovers forum they seem to think we are interested in Kamil Conteh from Grimsby. Although we aren't the only club listed.

I'm sure I read Bristol Rovers were on the point of signing him - has that fallen through then?

 

[Callum93]

I'm sure I read Bristol Rovers were on the point of signing him - has that fallen through then?

I believe Matt Taylor said something last night along the lines of another club has came in for one of their targets, and Rovers fans are assuming he's referencing Conteh. That seems to be the word across their forum as well. But I'm sure we'll find out soon.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

I believe Matt Taylor said something last night along the lines of another club has came in for one of their targets, and Rovers fans are assuming he's referencing Conteh. That seems to be the word across their forum as well. But I'm sure we'll find out soon.

Wouldn’t surprise me if it is us interested that there’s something in that mcguane link we heard about previously. Would rather he was an addition but with mcguane having 6 months plus the year, I wonder if we would prefer to cash in now and replace him with Conteh who is more of a combative midfielder and probably a better foil for Brannagan if we do play 2 in central midfield.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1750171496809390246