Coventry transfer deadline day (2 Viewers)

[Manchester_sky_blue]

If he's that desperate to play for us then he can do so on non-contract terms. He can turn up, do a bit of coaching, make the tea, scrub the bogs and if the bench is looking a little light and he's fit and able then on you go Son. Here's 50 notes for your trouble.

 

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[Liquid Gold]

Baker played most of last season for Portsmouth in a central midfield role. From what I've heard from them they thought of him as a bit of a weak link as his legs have gone.

 

[Hobo]

With Baker I'd have no objection to him training with us and helping out with coaching in return.

If Robins then thinks there's a role he can fill then some pay as you play type deal would be best.

Has he got his coaching badges? I don't know if he has or hasn't? But if he has not got them you can forget the coaching angle.

 

[RoboCCFC90]

At the beginning of the window I was hoping we would sign another striker, but our chances of doing that now are slim and Mark Robins seems content to stick with what he has, rather than push the boat out for anything more.

With McNulty playing well, Biamou now finding the net and the partnership the two have striked up I feel confident about those players - on top of that we have Beavon and Ponticelli in reserve, who are banging in goals at U23 level, so do we really need that extra striker?

We need to ship out Kwame Thomas and Kyel Reid..

 

[Otis]

Baker played most of last season for Portsmouth in a central midfield role. From what I've heard from them they thought of him as a bit of a weak link as his legs have gone.

Well surely Robins will identify that. If that is the case it is a futile exercise.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

I'm the opposite. A new face to freshen things up wouldn't be a bad thing, but I'd rather keep the momentum we've built and just move on one or two like Beavon that are not featuring and can't be good to have too many of those around. I actually think that our team are benefitting for togetherness and not too many changes to the side. If we can not be any further unlucky with injuries than we already have been, then I fancy our chances of the automatics with what we currently have.

Ideally, I’d like to sign a new striker, I think we’re sound everywhere else, good enough to win promotion.

The thing is, we need to shift out some bodies before we can bring in players. You mention Beavon, but I think the priority is to offload Thomas and Reid first. My impression is that’s Beavon, if anything, is a good experienced professional to have around the squad and he’s banged a few U23s goals. Hopefully, he can chip in with a couple of goals before the end of the season.

Also, we may need an ‘experienced’ or ‘creative’ midfielder but, injured players like Jones and Andreu are still at the club and they’re wages still make up the budget. Unfortunately, we can’t keep squeezing the budget - I think we’ve done well to have got 2 loans and still have enough to make an acceptable bid for Davies.

I just don’t think there’s that many viable targets out there for us.

At the beginning of the window I was hoping we would sign another striker, but our chances of doing that now are slim and Mark Robins seems content to stick with what he has, rather than push the boat out for anything more.

With McNulty playing well, Biamou now finding the net and the partnership the two have striked up I feel confident about those players - on top of that we have Beavon and Ponticelli in reserve, who are banging in goals at U23 level, so do we really need that extra striker?

We need to ship out Kwame Thomas and Kyel Reid..

You beat me to it! You covered the exact same ground I wanted to!

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Baker played most of last season for Portsmouth in a central midfield role. From what I've heard from them they thought of him as a bit of a weak link as his legs have gone.

A weak link? He was their 3rd highest scorer with 9 goals. The only midfielder we had who was scoring goals is injured, and whilst everyone is fixated on needing a ‘Number 9’, we’ve forgotten that only Doyle has scored more than 1 league goal who is fit...

If you lean too heavily on your strikers for goals, you’re screwed if they don’t score. Hence you need defender and midfielders to also chip in with a few goals.

 

[Liquid Gold]

A weak link? He was their 3rd highest scorer with 9 goals. The only midfielder we had who was scoring goals is injured, and whilst everyone is fixated on needing a ‘Number 9’, we’ve forgotten that only Doyle has scored more than 1 league goal who is fit...

If you lean too heavily on your strikers for goals, you’re screwed if they don’t score. Hence you need defender and midfielders to also chip in with a few goals.

Don't tell me, tell Pompey fans.

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

Has anyone considered that if we don't sign another striker Robins might just recall Thomas? Surely if he saw nothing in him at all he would just have been let go, rather than loaned out as he can't be on a huge amount of money.

Not saying he is the answer to the problem but if it's a case of needing another option and cover then its plausible isn't it. Wiki says he's scored 2 goals in 12 appearances for Solihull but you don't know what kind of service he is getting.

 

[Otis]

Has anyone considered that if we don't sign another striker Robins might just recall Thomas? Surely if he saw nothing in him at all he would just have been let go, rather than loaned out as he can't be on a huge amount of money.

Not saying he is the answer to the problem but if it's a case of needing another option and cover then its plausible isn't it. Wiki says he's scored 2 goals in 12 appearances for Solihull but you don't know what kind of service he is getting.

As long as we have a recall clause in place.

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

As long as we have a recall clause in place.

I would have thought so. Mind you this is City we are talking about...........

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

As long as we have a recall clause in place.

From MR’s comments, to me, it’s apparent to me he doesn’t rate Thomas. Telling a player they need to ‘reinvent’ himself, then loaning him out to Sutton and then Solihull, it doesn’t look good for his future at our club.

 

[Liquid Gold]

I think Thomas might be one who coasts through training and Robins likes the players who put the effort in. One of the reasons Biamou kept getting games. I don't mind Thomas, he has that stage ability where goals just seem to bounce in off him.

 

[chiefdave]

Has he got his coaching badges? I don't know if he has or hasn't? But if he has not got them you can forget the coaching angle.

Google tells me he has his FA Level 2 and did the course at the same time as Doyle!

 

[Nick]

Has anyone considered that if we don't sign another striker Robins might just recall Thomas? Surely if he saw nothing in him at all he would just have been let go, rather than loaned out as he can't be on a huge amount of money.

Not saying he is the answer to the problem but if it's a case of needing another option and cover then its plausible isn't it. Wiki says he's scored 2 goals in 12 appearances for Solihull but you don't know what kind of service he is getting.

Or we couldn't find any takers for him to get rid of him?

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

Or we couldn't find any takers for him to get rid of him?

Perhaps but surely if he had no future under Robins we would have just released him on a free.

 

[SkyBlueCRJ]

Perhaps but surely if he had no future under Robins we would have just released him on a free.

Then we would've had to pay off 6 months of his contract unnecessarily.

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

Then we would've had to pay off 6 months of his contract unnecessarily.

not doing us much good where he is though is he? I don't think Solihull will be covering all his wages so he is costing us money either way

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

The squad looks good but we need another striker in really, otherwise I do worry for our promotion hopes without that little bit of extra support.

Hopefully Robins can get someone good in!

 

[SkyBlueCRJ]

not doing us much good where he is though is he? I don't think Solihull will be covering all his wages so he is costing us money either way

Regardless of what they're paying it's still saving the club money by having him on loan. Don't forget there are more costs attributed to retaining a player than not, it's not just wages that are a factor to why he has been sent on loan. E.g. Time Robins has to spend on him, the various costs Thomas produces at Ryton such as medical bills, food, drink...

So it's doing us good and it's doing him good by being at Solihull Moors.

 

[MusicDating]

And to think I clicked on this thread hoping to see some actual transfer news...Yay more Baker arguments...

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

Regardless of what they're paying it's still saving the club money by having him on loan. Don't forget there are more costs attributed to retaining a player than not, it's not just wages that are a factor to why he has been sent on loan. E.g. Time Robins has to spend on him, the various costs Thomas produces at Ryton such as medical bills, food, drink...

So it's doing us good and it's doing him good by being at Solihull Moors.

Can't argue with any of that. As i said, its clear he's not the solution, just musing the possibility.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Regardless of what they're paying it's still saving the club money by having him on loan. Don't forget there are more costs attributed to retaining a player than not, it's not just wages that are a factor to why he has been sent on loan. E.g. Time Robins has to spend on him, the various costs Thomas produces at Ryton such as medical bills, food, drink...

So it's doing us good and it's doing him good by being at Solihull Moors.

The costs you talk about are very much marginal and besides, since he's been gone we've signed two players on loan

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

Perhaps we should be looking at Kwame's strike partner at Solihull, Oladapo Afolayan.
15 goals in all competitions so far according to t'interweb

 

[SkyBlueCRJ]

The costs you talk about are very much marginal and besides, since he's been gone we've signed two players on loan

They are marginal (excluding medical costs) but I was answering a question to why it's better for the club that he's on loan. People often forget that these costs mount up. Especially when a player is a dead weight and not playing, they're effectively sponging off a club. Coventry City is a business as much as it is a football club. As many managers like to say "every pound counts."

 

[Londonccfcfan]

Baker played most of last season for Portsmouth in a central midfield role. From what I've heard from them they thought of him as a bit of a weak link as his legs have gone.

He hasn't really kicked a ball since Portsmouth , add an injury to boot. No thanks.

Theres only really 3 to 3.5 months of season left. We don't really have time to bed him in. besides it will take a him a month getting match fit if he hasn't played in 7/8 months.

 

[clint van damme]

The squad looks good but we need another striker in really, otherwise I do worry for our promotion hopes without that little bit of extra support.

Hopefully Robins can get someone good in!

I'd like another midfielder as well. Wasn't overly bothered but the shifts I see Shipley and Bayliss putting in will take their toll.
Early days yet but I'm not convinced Barrett and MD will get up to speed too quickly, I may be wrong.
Although with Stevenson showing a bit of a return from form, Vincenti back from injury and DKE doing everything asked of him when he's been called on we may have enough.

 

[Londonccfcfan]

Burge, Obrian
Grimmer, Willis, McDonald, Davies, Stokes, Haynes, Dion KE, Hyam
Shipley, Barratt, Doyle, Kelly, Stevenson, Bayliss , Vincenti, JMD
Biamou, McNulty, Beavon, J Ponticelli

These are the 22 players to go with till rest of the season.

That's two teams we can easily put out and be competitive.

From this you can see we need a Striker as back up and rotation for Max/McNulty especially as the games will 2 a week scenario soon.

Defence and Midfield look very strong now!

 

[RoboCCFC90]

Burge, Obrian
Grimmer, Willis, McDonald, Davies, Stokes, Haynes, Dion KE, Hyam
Shipley, Barratt, Doyle, Kelly, Stevenson, Bayliss , Vincenti, JMD
Biamou, McNulty, Beavon, J Ponticelli

These are the 22 players to go with till rest of the season.

That's two teams we can easily put out and be competitive.

From this you can see we need a Striker as back up and rotation for Max/McNulty especially as the games will 2 a week scenario soon.

Defence and Midfield look very strong now!

I don't think we need a striker though, I look at Beavon and Ponticelli look good in the U23's, we need to believe in these two more.

 

[Londonccfcfan]

I don't think we need a striker though, I look at Beavon and Ponticelli look good in the U23's, we need to believe in these two more.

Apparantly Barratt can play that role too...he scored a hatrick the other week in under 23s. but did look out of his depth vs MK Dons

 

[RoboCCFC90]

Apparantly Barratt can play that role too...he scored a hatrick the other week in under 23s. but did look out of his depth vs MK Dons

I disagree, while Barrett didn't have the pace that Jodi Jones posseses, Barrett did provide some fancy footwork and looked good when he had the ball at his feet..

I am not sure he is an out and out winger, as he didn't show willingness to track back and defend.

I think Barrett would be more suited as a No 10, but I think first impressions on Saturday were good, I imagine he will play again tonight which will provide decent viewing.

 

[wingy]

Going to take 5-6 games for the new lads to aclimatise .

 

[Otis]

I wonder if anyone might be missing from the squad tonight who we would expect to be there.

Might just be injured, but bound to get tongues wagging with tomorrow's deadline looming.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Looks like Stevenson to Wolves will be completed:

 

[fernandopartridge]

Apparantly Barratt can play that role too...he scored a hatrick the other week in under 23s. but did look out of his depth vs MK Dons

He didn't look out of his depth just not fit