January 2023 Transfer Window

[GhostoftheBok]

This debate has begun to consume this thread

Yup. Fair.

An "Are we on the right track?" thread might be called for at some stage, but probably not worth it now.

[BWFC_Insane]

Lets get back on track, lets profile the sort of striker we need.

So for me priority is:

Physical presence and height
Mobility - they don't need pace but we don't want a lumberer up there.
Good in the air with some technical ability.
Runs the channels but likes the ball back to goal (critical cos if they are playing with Charles he does not).
Has some goals in them but also creates for others.

I think that's more or less JDB to be honest - his one weakness is his work holding it back to goal so an improvement there would be good. Clearly experienced too judging by Evatt's words.

Striker 2 (if we get one) is a freer hit and that for me is someone who can score goals. That could be Adeboyejo who partially fits the striker 1 category above. I'd see this as an option over Charles. Someone to mean we can rotate a bit - have a goal option off the bench, an impact option and maybe just something different. Prime requirement is goals, and I'd say goals from the areas we tend to put the ball into which is mainly edge of the box pull backs. Players demanding the early ball in or over the top tend to be disappointed here.

[Prufrock]

Am just thinking about this Evatt quote reported this morning.

I do think we need an experienced head, someone that knows how to play the position, someone that has a history of goalscoring and someone who I think can help some of our younger players.

I may be staring so hard at the tea-leaves that my eyes are going boggly, but does that sound to me like not so much a 25-year-old as a wiser older head, say 28+?

Yeah, most agree with that. I'd like to think it's both Ade and an experienced one, but players like Marriott and Madden immediately spring to mind as realistic targets in the experienced bracket.

If we're playing guesswork (and lets), does Ade look like a reflex reaction to a Bodvarsson injury, or is he the lost experienced head we need to replace?

I wondered if Quigley might have been the player until I realised he'd gone to Dale!

Not saying that would be the right answer, mind, just advertising that I can make the links to work for Transfers365.com or whatever!

[Prufrock]

Is Dad Bod out of contract in the summer? if so, part of the equation has to be are we looking for his long term replacement or short term with a view to renewing Dad Bod?

Aye I mentioned that on finances the other day. If we were to effectively replace him now, it's only 5 or so months of wages. Which maybe makes that easier.

[Prufrock]

BWFCi, is your entire life just planting seeds to say I Told You So? Sometimes, it feels like it.

As the young lads in Hanson once sang, "keep planting to find out which ones grow".

[Prufrock]

BWFCi, is your entire life just planting seeds to say I Told You So? Sometimes, it feels like it.

I think there is an awful lot of post-event rationalisation going on here. Which frustrates me. If we'd kept Dapo the argument would be 'Evatt has done the right thing, the bid wasn't enough, he's our best player and we have a plan to get the best out of him'.

In other words I feel like there is little in the way of actual opinion its just 'whatever happens I'll say was right'. As you'll recall I was pretty content with the idea of Baka going and Dapo going. Because I felt it made sense. The context of that changed with JDB's injury and the players we've brought in who I feel haven't really addressed the major issues we have - so it feels like - and maybe I'm wrong that we've got a good young number 10 option who will give Lee a rest but probably isn't going to be in the team week in week out and a good target man young developing type in Big Dan who will add something but won't significantly shift our quality.

Now look - I'm also a big realist. When people were wailing about selling Anelka or Cahill the brutal reality was we had zero choice. We needed the money and both were big money in the circumstances, circumstances again beyond our control. And I fully accept that Dapo was needing a sale financially to realise any residual value in his contract. I'm not in any way suggesting that financially it wasn't on the cards. I'm simply weighing it against where we are now.

If it seems like I'm laying the foundations for something then its not intentional but the brutal reality is I will (and most fans will) judge on outcomes. I really hope we end up better off and have that end of season push to secure a play off place and at least one wembley trip. I think we'd have done that as the squad was - maybe with just one addition. I doubt we'd have gone up though.

But the judgement on this will come down to who we bring in and how they perform. That's not setting it up for an I told you so, as I didn't. I thought the sale made sense until the context changed a bit. Its simply that I personally as a fan won't accept the club writing off the second half of the season in these circumstances. I won't be happy with that. I can rationalise arguments about the situation in my head all I like, but its a visceral reaction to what is happening. That's how I feel.

This is all well and good if it's Feb 1 and we're were we are.

But it's obvious they're after a forward. In which case we'll be in the same place we were numbers wise (Dan for Back, Shoretire for Sap and X for JDB).

I never thought we were short on numbers up top pre-Xmas, just quality. So then it's a case of are the players you've brought in better than the ones you've let go. Which there only one way to find out, but they must think they are.

[GhostoftheBok]

Lets get back on track, lets profile the sort of striker we need.

If we are after two...

One who can make his own space physically and one who can exploit space with movement. Both have to work hard off the ball and be able to play with their feet. Also ideally need one of them to offer a threat from 20-25 years.

Ideally one permanent deal of a good age and one short term loan of an experienced striker.

We can get away with two permanents in this month, because we will be refreshing that '10' spot in the summer to shake up that forward line. However, I'd rather go into the summer with room to add a new striker even if Dan impresses and stays - which I think was the plan with Bod's contract expiring.

We have, I think, learnt our lesson from not having that option last summer.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Second-tier strikers out of contract in summer (a selection)

Tyler Walker (Cov)
Tyler Smith (Hull)
Gary Madine (Blackpool)
James Scott (Hull)
Kenneth Zohore (WBA)
Danny Ward (Hudds)
Sean Maguire (PNE)
Jordan Hugill (Norwich)
Shayne Lavery (Blackpool)
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
Ashley Fletcher (Watford/Wigan)

[BWFC_Insane]

Second-tier strikers out of contract in summer (a selection)

Tyler Walker (Cov)
Tyler Smith (Hull)
Gary Madine (Blackpool)
James Scott (Hull)
Kenneth Zohore (WBA)
Danny Ward (Hudds)
Sean Maguire (PNE)
Jordan Hugill (Norwich)
Shayne Lavery (Blackpool)
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
Ashley Fletcher (Watford/Wigan)

The name that leaps out at me there (beyond Barnes who's not very realistic) is Hugill.

What a signing that would be. Probably out of wage scope. But has he been injured or something recently? Or just not in Norwich plans?

[The_Gun]

Hugill apparently signing for Rotherham.

[GhostoftheBok]

Hugill apparently signing for Rotherham.

...and if not he has about 6 other options in that division.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I think Derby also went for Hugill, who is probably still on Prem wages.

Moving down a gear, some tier-three strikers out of contract this summer:
Sam Smith (Cambridge)
Joe Pigott (Pompey, loaned from Ipswich)
James Wilson (Port Vale)
Daniel Udoh (Shrews)
Matty Stevens (FGR)

[Bertie Wooster]

Connor Wickham fits Evatt's description of what he's looking for.

[BWFC_Insane]

Connor Wickham fits Evatt's description of what he's looking for.

Does he? He’s got serious injury issues hasn’t he? Wheater like. Not going to be pressing.

[BWFC_Insane]

Hugill apparently signing for Rotherham.

...and if not he has about 6 other options in that division.

Makes sense. A very good player. I’d crawl over broken glass for someone like that.

Rest on the list are either ‘no’ or ‘not happening’.

[officer_dibble]

We need our ex player network to get scouting - come on Dapo find us a German target man!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

[officer_dibble]

Jesus, he isn’t subtle is he!

[DJBlu]

No wonder Kachunga gut-punched that prick tonight.

[The_Gun]

Looks like he’s signed up then. Straight into the squad for Saturday it is…