25/26 January Transfer Window (100 Viewers)

JSL

Well-Known Member
I do see a CM coming in, its just a matter of who and when. But rightly, if an LB is also coming, then either Bidwell or Brau need to be loaned / sold first as we definitely don't need 4 LBs. Two good ones would be obviously desirable.

But if the right players aren't available though, then it makes no sense to buy anyone thats not as least as good as we have. That's Doug's get out clause.
 

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
There's not many players good enough for the Grimes role that are realistic targets so it's difficult to bring someone in.
This is the thing. People always talk about transfers like it's ordering players off Amazon. You've got to have the right players available and even if they are you've still got to persuade both the club and the player to come in.

We have no idea who has been identified and what attempts have been made to sign someone. Not sure you can just default to its being Kings fault if more players don't arrive before the deadline.
 

SBT

Well-Known Member
I don't think many, if anyone, is saying we're doomed.

Grimes, until about 4 games ago, was probably our player of the season and one of the main reasons we were flying away with it at the top.

I am a really big fan of Eccles, but Eccles can't do Grimes' job.

If Grimes for a long term injury, we would struggle, I'm sure. Torp's injury prone and has been out for a number of spells, or the odd game or two here and there.

We could easily get caught out of we don't get a CM in and it does seem like we are indeed aiming for a CM.

If Dasilva got injured, I don't feel that Bidwell or Brau are able to step up.

Not saying we are doomed by any means, but we could get into trouble if we don't have good cover for every position.

And hardly anyone is calling for 4 or 5 players
Grimes has been superb this season and I want to see him play every minute of every remaining game this season if possible - I imagine Lampard agrees.

If he’s not able to do that then we do indeed have a problem, but that is not a problem we are able to solve by signing a Grimes-level replacement who is magically both available and willing to sit on the bench for much of the next 18 games. Given that a player of Grimes’ ability will likely only be barely good enough for the PL next season, that further complicates who you decide to bring in and when.

If you can find that player and you can bring them in without it hampering our business in the summer then I’m all for it. We’ve done so twice already this window in positions where we really didn’t have any cover and it’s made the squad look so much stronger. Where I disagree with many people is that doing this two more times this window is a dealbreaker for whether or not we get promoted. Personally I back the players who’ve got us this far to finish the job, and the backups we already have to fill in if required in the limited time left.
 

procdoc

Well-Known Member
The vitriol that this one opinion of mine inspires is really quite something
It’s not vitriol. I struggle to understand why you wouldn’t want us to strengthen our position when we will likely never get a better chance to go up
 

Lamps

Well-Known Member
This is the thing. People always talk about transfers like it's ordering players off Amazon. You've got to have the right players available and even if they are you've still got to persuade both the club and the player to come in.

We have no idea who has been identified and what attempts have been made to sign someone. Not sure you can just default to its being Kings fault if more players don't arrive before the deadline.
We have a few people on here that either don't understand the complexities of transfers or are simply WUM's.

We are where we are because of King. He isn't going to risk losing 180m just for not doing what is best. It isn't King choosing the players. He just does the negotiating.
 

procdoc

Well-Known Member
Because he wants the players who’ve got us there to see us over the line.

It’s unnecessarily risky imo
It’s lunacy not to want to bring in at least a quality central midfielder, considering Torp struggles to put together a run of games and Rudoni’s form has fell off a cliff
 

SBT

Well-Known Member
It’s not vitriol. I struggle to understand why you wouldn’t want us to strengthen our position when we will likely never get a better chance to go up
As explained above, it’s not just about strengthening our position, it’s about making sure you don’t do so in a way that limits what you can do in the summer. Loaning someone like Esse clearly doesn’t. Signing someone like Dan Neil probably would.

I happily admit there’s an element of risk to that, but it’s offset by our likelihood of promotion, and I think people are wildly overestimating the chances of two teams overtaking us at this stage.
 

Ccfcisparks

Well-Known Member
As explained above, it’s not just about strengthening our position, it’s about making sure you don’t do so in a way that limits what you can do in the summer. Loaning someone like Esse clearly doesn’t. Signing someone like Dan Neil probably would.

I happily admit there’s an element of risk to that, but it’s offset by our likelihood of promotion, and I think people are wildly overestimating the chances of two teams overtaking us at this stage.
Why would signing Neil limit us in the summer. Genuine question?
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
bigger longer and uncut hello GIF by South Park
 

Deity

Well-Known Member
Why would signing Neil limit us in the summer. Genuine question?
Because IF he isn’t good enough for a higher league and we IF got promoted that deal would take a chunk of both signing fees and player wages away from the squad strengthening in the summer.

The issue is does he materially improve our chances of promotion…. Different fans have different views on that
 

Mucca Mad Boys

Well-Known Member
Esse was a smart signing as we needed cover on the wings and someone to push/rotate with Tats.

It definitely isn’t a statement signing however
The guy was signed by a prem team for £15m last season after putting up league leading numbers in the championship.

He’s an obvious upgrade on Sakamoto who is already a good winger. Esse would start for most, if not all Championship clubs this if he hits the form that earned him a move to Palace.
 

mrtrench

Well-Known Member
The guy was signed by a prem team for £15m last season after putting up league leading numbers in the championship.

He’s an obvious upgrade on Sakamoto who is already a good winger. Esse would start for most, if not all Championship clubs this if he hits the form that earned him a move to Palace.

I'd argue it's not obvious yet from his performances for us. If Tats were the same age he'd be worth at least the same. Can only assume Tatsu wasn't as good when he was 20.
 

SBT

Well-Known Member
Why would signing Neil limit us in the summer. Genuine question?
Because his wages and transfer fee would be a non-trivial amount and I would rather that every available £ (and squad position) go towards a player we are more confident can perform to the required standard in the PL.
 

Ccfcisparks

Well-Known Member
Because IF he isn’t good enough for a higher league and we IF got promoted that deal would take a chunk of both signing fees and player wages away from the squad strengthening in the summer.

The issue is does he materially improve our chances of promotion…. Different fans have different views on that
So let me break down your post as there are a few assumptions in there

1) You say IF we get promoted, we aren’t yet. We need to do what we can NOW without thinking of the summer

2) just because sunderland have deemed him not good enough, doesn’t mean he isn’t. West Ham are interested for example. Lampard may see him as a player that would work well in our system in that league

3) who is to say it will eat into a budget next season, usually a club will allocate a budget per season. If there is room to move this season then it won’t effect the next. This also ignores the money we come into should we go up

4) it also assumes that Neil would have no resale value. Should we sign him, and decide for whatever reason he isn’t good enough he isn’t gonna go on a free, yes he may go for a few million less but that’s a drop in the ocean compared to what we would gain from the signing
 

mmttww

Well-Known Member
at least there's only one week left of the window!

Sounds like we're after exactly the right profile of player (Martel) for where we are as a club and what the squad doesn't have already. It's all gonna hinge on how deep the list of options after the first choice is.
 

Gibbo

Well-Known Member
The main benefit of Esse has been that it has given Sakamoto a kick up the pants and made him perform better. See also the Wolfenden effect. He arrived, didn't play but we had a succession of clean sheets immediately afterwards.. Nothing like a bit of competition.

Re Otis comment above. I am not sure Eccles could not sub for Grimes in the short term, particularly as Grimes is not in the best of form
 

SBT

Well-Known Member
4) it also assumes that Neil would have no resale value. Should we sign him, and decide for whatever reason he isn’t good enough he isn’t gonna go on a free, yes he may go for a few million less but that’s a drop in the ocean compared to what we would gain from the signing
Why would he sign for a team that's already strategising how to flip him for a loss next season?
 

Ccfcisparks

Well-Known Member
Why would he sign for a team that's already strategising how to flip him for a loss next season?
Well this is all hypothetical. i doubt we would be signing him if we didn’t think he could play a part.

Convenient you ignore all the other points
 

Deity

Well-Known Member
So let me break down your post as there are a few assumptions in there

1) You say IF we get promoted, we aren’t yet. We need to do what we can NOW without thinking of the summer

2) just because sunderland have deemed him not good enough, doesn’t mean he isn’t. West Ham are interested for example. Lampard may see him as a player that would work well in our system in that league

3) who is to say it will eat into a budget next season, usually a club will allocate a budget per season. If there is room to move this season then it won’t effect the next. This also ignores the money we come into should we go up

4) it also assumes that Neil would have no resale value. Should we sign him, and decide for whatever reason he isn’t good enough he isn’t gonna go on a free, yes he may go for a few million less but that’s a drop in the ocean compared to what we would gain from the signing

You can’t run a business focussing only on today.

I agree we need a new CM and I think we will get one but unless it’s a loan any signing will impact the budget we have in the summer.
 

SBT

Well-Known Member
Well this is all hypothetical. i doubt we would be signing him if we didn’t think he could play a part.

Convenient you ignore all the other points
I'm happy to nitpick with all your other points but we don't have all day

The point is that there are more considerations at play than "I'm scared that Grimes might get hurt so let's sign another Grimes"
 

Ccfcisparks

Well-Known Member
You can’t run a business focussing only on today.

I agree we need a new CM and I think we will get one but unless it’s a loan any signing will impact the budget we have in the summer.
I think the other thing not considered is the prospect that should we get promoted the interest from other investors, or maybe even the sale of the club which could boost finances.

To me, any fee we pay now is immaterial compared to what we could benefit
 

Ccfcisparks

Well-Known Member
I'm happy to nitpick with all your other points but we don't have all day

The point is that there are more considerations at play than "I'm scared that Grimes might get hurt so let's sign another Grimes"
can you nitpick please, interested to know your thoughts
 

SBT

Well-Known Member
Toys well in pram my working is several transfer sites linking us with CMs and multiple ITKs saying we are after a CM
Well yeah, sorry, I don't think that Saddle and Alan Nixon etc are concrete proof of what the club is thinking right now, but I guess we'll see
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Well yeah, sorry, I don't think that Saddle and Alan Nixon etc are concrete proof of what the club is thinking right now, but I guess we'll see

Haha ok. Guess they all got together to pull our leg. The rascals.
 

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