January 2023 Transfer Window

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Traf - I think I agree with BWFCi. Goalkeepers are a funny lot - you can't really just give them the odd game. He's settled and developed brilliantly and weirdly, when you loan goalkeepers out, you want them to be busy – no point sending them to the title-winners to stand and watch. You want them under pressure and City can only be impressed with his time here. The only question is whether they'll have loanee suitors at Premier League non-rivals – say, Sheffield United.

But that's my point. A premiership struggling team won't help his career. Nor will as you say a team that sits near the top of the championship and he rarely has much to do - and is protected by the quality gap. Nor indeed will a team that isn't playing out from the back - skills he will need at City.

He's got the perfect gig here. I doubt very much we can keep him but for me he would hand on heart be well served coming back here. Bradley as much as we'd all love him back I think we all know he needs to play at a higher level now to advance himself.

Sorry, I'm agreeing with you more than you think – I reckon IF we get promoted he might well come back here. He'd be undisputed No.1 in a ball-playing team at the next level up.

Against that, if a top-tier team wanted him and made some sort of first-pick pledge, City might think that would be better. There's no real kick-and-rush teams up there now – they all play out from the back, to a greater or lesser extent (and of course he'd be facing better forwards). The bigger question is whether he would be their No.1; if he's just a sub, they might as well keep him on their own bench.

[Worthy4England]

Funny owd game football, but I think I'd be somewhat stunned if a Prem team took Traff as 1st choice next season...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Funny owd game football, but I think I'd be somewhat stunned if a Prem team took Traff as 1st choice next season...

Fair, although Southampton bought Gavin Bazunu of City after a similar (but less successful) loan to Pompey.

[Worthy4England]

Funny owd game football, but I think I'd be somewhat stunned if a Prem team took Traff as 1st choice next season...

Fair, although Southampton bought Gavin Bazunu of City after a similar (but less successful) loan to Pompey.

They're bottom of the League!

[BWFC_Insane]

Funny owd game football, but I think I'd be somewhat stunned if a Prem team took Traff as 1st choice next season...

Yeah. I think in many ways he’s our best player. As in the one I think will play the highest level and win the most stuff.

He’s also a baby in keeper terms so has so much time on his side. His weaknesses are kicking and maybe command of his box. Shot stopping is as good as anyone I reckon.

But we’ve seen recently he rushes out sometimes recklessly. That needs ironing out.

But all his issues will come with more experience. None of his issues are anything that time in goal won’t fix.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Funny owd game football, but I think I'd be somewhat stunned if a Prem team took Traff as 1st choice next season...

Fair, although Southampton bought Gavin Bazunu of City after a similar (but less successful) loan to Pompey.

They're bottom of the League!

Which league?

[Worthy4England]

Funny owd game football, but I think I'd be somewhat stunned if a Prem team took Traff as 1st choice next season...

Fair, although Southampton bought Gavin Bazunu of City after a similar (but less successful) loan to Pompey.

They're bottom of the League!

Which league?

Doesn't really matter - you're only in one, and don't really want to be bottom of it!

[Worthy4England]

Funny owd game football, but I think I'd be somewhat stunned if a Prem team took Traff as 1st choice next season...

Yeah. I think in many ways he’s our best player. As in the one I think will play the highest level and win the most stuff.

He’s also a baby in keeper terms so has so much time on his side. His weaknesses are kicking and maybe command of his box. Shot stopping is as good as anyone I reckon.

But we’ve seen recently he rushes out sometimes recklessly. That needs ironing out.

But all his issues will come with more experience. None of his issues are anything that time in goal won’t fix.

Yeah - that's sort of why I'd be surprised if he was installed as a Prem No1, next season. I don't doubt he'd capable longer term.

Jussi wasn't the best in the world at kicking...and maybe not at command of his box.

[officer_dibble]

When did Bodvarson get injured? I’m trying to understand the recruitment process this January.

I think we sold Dapo cos we could get a few and he didn’t fit into the 352. Fine with that.
We then added Nlundulu and Jerome as forwards - Jerome as an upgrade to Baka presumably who had not cut it from the bench in the first half of the season. Nlundulu to challenge Kachunga?
Shoretire as a number 10 to replace Dapo.
Then Mbete as a panic as we sold Aimson. A downgrade but it’s not really hurt us. So that’s a pass.

Nlundulu is the big fail I think for me - the only mitigation being we didn’t know Bodvarson was injured… we have missed him!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

When did Bodvarson get injured? I’m trying to understand the recruitment process this January.

I think we sold Dapo cos we could get a few and he didn’t fit into the 352. Fine with that.
We then added Nlundulu and Jerome as forwards - Jerome as an upgrade to Baka presumably who had not cut it from the bench in the first half of the season. Nlundulu to challenge Kachunga?
Shoretire as a number 10 to replace Dapo.
Then Mbete as a panic as we sold Aimson. A downgrade but it’s not really hurt us. So that’s a pass.

Nlundulu is the big fail I think for me - the only mitigation being we didn’t know Bodvarson was injured… we have missed him!

Sat 14 Jan – the second successive home game v Pompey, the league one after the Pizza Cup one that had Bod scored the only goal in – but the extent of the injury wasn't publicly revealed until later, after scans and arguably some reluctance on the club's part to reveal their weakened transfer situation. (You don't want selling/loaning clubs to know you're desperate.)

Nlundulu is the big disappointment as we seemed to want him the previous window. And you don't stay on Saints' books to your mid-20s unless you've got *something*. They gave him a three-year contract at the age of 22 (he turned 24 this February, he's got a year left). Premier League academies don't do that for no reason; either they thought he might make it or he might be an asset worth selling.

[BWFC_Insane]

When did Bodvarson get injured? I’m trying to understand the recruitment process this January.

I think we sold Dapo cos we could get a few and he didn’t fit into the 352. Fine with that.
We then added Nlundulu and Jerome as forwards - Jerome as an upgrade to Baka presumably who had not cut it from the bench in the first half of the season. Nlundulu to challenge Kachunga?
Shoretire as a number 10 to replace Dapo.
Then Mbete as a panic as we sold Aimson. A downgrade but it’s not really hurt us. So that’s a pass.

Nlundulu is the big fail I think for me - the only mitigation being we didn’t know Bodvarson was injured… we have missed him!

Sat 14 Jan – the second successive home game v Pompey, the league one after the Pizza Cup one that had Bod scored the only goal in – but the extent of the injury wasn't publicly revealed until later, after scans and arguably some reluctance on the club's part to reveal their weakened transfer situation. (You don't want selling/loaning clubs to know you're desperate.)

Nlundulu is the big disappointment as we seemed to want him the previous window. And you don't stay on Saints' books to your mid-20s unless you've got *something*. They gave him a three-year contract at the age of 22 (he turned 24 this February, he's got a year left). Premier League academies don't do that for no reason; either they thought he might make it or he might be an asset worth selling.

I'm not sure I'd call him the 'big disappointment'. I just think we need to look at the profile of the players we are signing on the pitch and their career points. Nlundulu was used as a target man at Cheltenham and that's more or less his only real football experience. We're asking him to come here and link up play and whilst I can see the thinking - he's strong and has quick feet - he looks like I'd expect a lad at 24 who's been babied in top flight academies and done little else - a bit lost and a long way from impacting on a promotion run.

But he was signed as a 4th striker I think.

Jerome has been a massive let down - after initial promise off the bench - he just looks like he's struggling. Maybe injuries catching up with an old man?

Adeboyejo - I'd say is the massive disappointment so far. Yes people are going to say 'give him time etc' and fine. He's ours. He gets time. But he looks a wrong 'un to me. Can't trap a bag of cement. Takes half an hour to make a pass. Again at Burton when we went more direct he was a little more of a handful. I could see how he might be decent in a side getting the ball forward quickly. But in a side that wants him involved in the build up? Seriously doubt it. Maybe he'll improve. Maybe. For this season though - I think he's been dreadful so far in the main.

Shoretire - worried me as a 'Dapo replacement' and so its proven. A kid - nowhere near ready and the initial flashes you get from these players are an illusion - he's miles off impacting on our run in.

January is a hard window to operate in. We need to get it right this summer and not need much in January, Evatt hasn't yet managed to do that but that is the requirement now.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

To qualify what I mean – Big Dan has mainly been a disappointment in a ‘trading club’ / Moneyball way. We need to find more Dapos, not just in terms of goals and assists but also players falling off the Big Club Academy production line for us to acquire cheap and sell expensive.

Jerome has not looked like a former Premier League player. He's played 181 minutes now and shown some flashes but has rarely looked like the answer and has more often looked like a man in his late 30s, one born when Wham! were still a going concern.

Your thoughts on Dan and Vic are interesting. We've often bemoaned the lack of a physical presence up front – indeed you did it again this morning – so we can't really complain that we've signed two players with physical attributes. The question is how to integrate them into our play. I'm guessing that forwards hugely blessed with physical prowess and highly-trained to technical excellency aren't that common. Doesn't make Vic a success (yet) or Dan a non-disappointment (so far) but these are tricky improvements to complete.

[BWFC_Insane]

To qualify what I mean – Big Dan has mainly been a disappointment in a ‘trading club’ / Moneyball way. We need to find more Dapos, not just in terms of goals and assists but also players falling off the Big Club Academy production line for us to acquire cheap and sell expensive.

Jerome has not looked like a former Premier League player. He's played 181 minutes now and shown some flashes but has rarely looked like the answer and has more often looked like a man in his late 30s, one born when Wham! were still a going concern.

Your thoughts on Dan and Vic are interesting. We've often bemoaned the lack of a physical presence up front – indeed you did it again this morning – so we can't really complain that we've signed two players with physical attributes. The question is how to integrate them into our play. I'm guessing that forwards hugely blessed with physical prowess and highly-trained to technical excellency aren't that common. Doesn't make Vic a success (yet) or Dan a non-disappointment (so far) but these are tricky improvements to complete.

I think that neither Victor nor Dan have really shown an ability to thrive as a target. They both do better with earlier balls but I think at times we need a Kevin Davies sort to fight defenders and let us play off knock downs in and around the area. Last night was crying out for that option as the game went on.

I wouldn't say that either Vic or Dan are THAT player.

Victor can be a handful like at Burton but that was where there was space in behind him to try and get Charles into directly or indirectly. When he's back to goal and asked to do it he really does struggle.

I think a bit like Parkinson at Wrexham had Mullin who is the best striker at that level but couldn't get the best out of him till he got Palmer in to do the 'donkey work' of fighting off centre backs - we're just a bit lacking up front still.

Bod is the best option when fit.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Evatt still hasn't found his third-tier Scott Quigley – ox-strong but able to play in the technical patterns.

As I say, I suspect they get rarer and dearer as you go up the leagues.

[Worthy4England]

Evatt still hasn't found his third-tier Scott Quigley – ox-strong but able to play in the technical patterns.

As I say, I suspect they get rarer and dearer as you go up the leagues.

Which sort of begs the question as to whether it's a strategy that can work..no?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Evatt still hasn't found his third-tier Scott Quigley – ox-strong but able to play in the technical patterns.

As I say, I suspect they get rarer and dearer as you go up the leagues.

Which sort of begs the question as to whether it's a strategy that can work..no?

Indeed. Which is, I assume, why our manager's trying other ones.

[Mar]

To qualify what I mean – Big Dan has mainly been a disappointment in a ‘trading club’ / Moneyball way. We need to find more Dapos, not just in terms of goals and assists but also players falling off the Big Club Academy production line for us to acquire cheap and sell expensive.

Jerome has not looked like a former Premier League player. He's played 181 minutes now and shown some flashes but has rarely looked like the answer and has more often looked like a man in his late 30s, one born when Wham! were still a going concern.

Your thoughts on Dan and Vic are interesting. We've often bemoaned the lack of a physical presence up front – indeed you did it again this morning – so we can't really complain that we've signed two players with physical attributes. The question is how to integrate them into our play. I'm guessing that forwards hugely blessed with physical prowess and highly-trained to technical excellency aren't that common. Doesn't make Vic a success (yet) or Dan a non-disappointment (so far) but these are tricky improvements to complete.

N'lundulu, I can see the moneyball decision on him. Certainly makes sense from a player who looks like he's got potential and skill but just needs to have it unlocked. It's not worked but I can understand why, as a club, we would take the gamble.

Jerome is another one. I can see the logic. Cover until we recruit for the long term major striking option. Perhaps he wouldn't come to us without the 18 month deal which given the issue we had makes sense to take the risk on him.

It's really unfortunate that we've had a number of players not work out as of yet. No doubt this is somewhat of a worst case scenario. I suspect that, with the exception of Adeboyejo and Randell, that the rest were sticking plaster solutions to get us threatening. Thankfully Randell and Adeboyejo look semi decent and like Dempsey hopefully they'll be good going into their second season.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Blackpool relegated. Wonder what players we could lift off them… Jordan Thorniley and Shayne Lavery among the players out of contract…

[BWFC_Insane]

Blackpool relegated. Wonder what players we could lift off them… Jordan Thorniley and Shayne Lavery among the players out of contract…

If Sharon wins the lotto we can have Yates…

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Blackpool relegated. Wonder what players we could lift off them… Jordan Thorniley and Shayne Lavery among the players out of contract…

If Sharon wins the lotto we can have Yates…

Heh. He’s got another 12 months on his deal, so although he may want to leave, he won’t be free - unlike 15 others (per Transfermarkt), including four former Wanderers of various vintage.