January 2023 Transfer Window

[nicholaldo]

I think “Andranik syndrome” is harsh for Sadlier - lads scored and created at this level and the one above - he’s hardly an unknown quantity being made better through not playing.

I agree. Sometimes it really is just a case of a good player not starting.

[Worthy4England]

I think “Andranik syndrome” is harsh for Sadlier - lads scored and created at this level and the one above - he’s hardly an unknown quantity being made better through not playing.

I agree. Sometimes it really is just a case of a good player not starting.

It is, but when he's started he's been somewhat "meh"...

I'd like a good LWB and a no10 for Jan...

[irie Cee Bee]

I think “Andranik syndrome” is harsh for Sadlier - lads scored and created at this level and the one above - he’s hardly an unknown quantity being made better through not playing.

I agree. Sometimes it really is just a case of a good player not starting.

It is, but when he's started he's been somewhat "meh"...

I'd like a good LWB and a no10 for Jan...

Like tonight. i thought he was poor. Still, to be fair, a LWB he is not.

[nicholaldo]

I think “Andranik syndrome” is harsh for Sadlier - lads scored and created at this level and the one above - he’s hardly an unknown quantity being made better through not playing.

I agree. Sometimes it really is just a case of a good player not starting.

It is, but when he's started he's been somewhat "meh"...

I'd like a good LWB and a no10 for Jan...

He's just not a left wing-back. By the standards of this league, he'd be a perfectly good enough winger but we don't play with those.

[officer_dibble]

The cynic in me thinks sadlier started tonight cos Evatts lined up a sale for him and didn’t like the idea of being criticised for him not starting a league game. He’s still a sensitive soul is Ian. I take it Beck will go back as well? He’s been a waste of space.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think “Andranik syndrome” is harsh for Sadlier - lads scored and created at this level and the one above - he’s hardly an unknown quantity being made better through not playing.

I agree. Sometimes it really is just a case of a good player not starting.

It is, but when he's started he's been somewhat "meh"...

I'd like a good LWB and a no10 for Jan...

He's just not a left wing-back. By the standards of this league, he'd be a perfectly good enough winger but we don't play with those.

I think he’d be fine as a number ten or a striker. Better than Kachunga any road. But best as a winger.

[Bruce Rioja]

I'd like a good LWB and a no10 for Jan...

Here's a question - do clubs actually get good wing backs at this level? Especially left-footed ones?

It seems to be the Job Description of the wing back to do absolutely bloody everything on their given side, and I really don't think that players who can carry it off well are necessarily available to us.

So I'm going to have to slightly disagree with you on this one, Worthy. I think we're 'adequate' at LWB, but are woefully inadequate in front of goal.

Oh, for another Andy Walker.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'd like a good LWB and a no10 for Jan...

Here's a question - do clubs actually get good wing backs at this level? Especially left-footed ones?

It seems to be the Job Description of the wing back to do absolutely bloody everything on their given side, and I really don't think that players who can carry it off well are necessarily available to us.

So I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one, Worthy. I think we're 'adequate' at LWB, but are woefully inadequate in front of goal.

Oh, for another Andy Walker.

See I think you are both right. We aren’t balanced at all as we have nothing down the left. But finding a suitable wing back is very hard. We also miss chances but finding a striker in January better than we have is probably even harder. What we should do imo is change the system because I don’t think we’ve got a 3 at the back in us at least not going forwards.

[Worthy4England]

I'd like a good LWB and a no10 for Jan...

Here's a question - do clubs actually get good wing backs at this level? Especially left-footed ones?

It seems to be the Job Description of the wing back to do absolutely bloody everything on their given side, and I really don't think that players who can carry it off well are necessarily available to us.

So I'm going to have to slightly disagree with you on this one, Worthy. I think we're 'adequate' at LWB, but are woefully inadequate in front of goal.

Oh, for another Andy Walker.

Not unreasonable Brucie, we're not getting Roberston from Liverpool anytime soon. We look ok getting to the final third, but not for the first or last time, last night, low block is quite happy to let us do that and rely on us not then being able to unlock. Often if we create an overlap we're as likely to pull it back to the apex than whip it in.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

On the above, I've said before that a wingback needs to have a wider range of skills/abilities than just about any other position. Think about it: if you haven't got pace, passing, tackling, crossing, stamina, match-reading and either awareness or astonishing recovery, you're an incomplete wingback and your weakness(es) will be ruthlessly exposed by cunning opponents and cutting forum experts alike. It also helps, considering your defensive duties covering the back post, if you're not a munchkin.

I have a wider squad question though. We're told higher-tier scouts are queueing for the Unibol Bovril in their dozens, but who are they watching? Barring the loanees, who do you think would cut it at a higher level? Afolayan possibly; Santos perhaps given his relatively rare combination of pace and height; maybe just maybe Morley (if developed properly to improve his weakeness) or Johnston (in a back three that helps cover his lack of height). After that, I'm genuinely struggling to imagine who among them might improve, say, Bristol City.

And that ties back to my post from the other day – about hiring second-tier readymades. If we do manage to go up, how many of our squad do you think are genuine second-tier players rather than top-half third-tierers? Essentially it's the same question, right?

Worth recalling that we can release/upgrade those whose contracts elapse in summer – Dixon, Aimson, MJ, Lee, Sheehan, Isgrove, Kachunga, Bakayoko, Bodvarsson. Contracted beyond that - ie potentially into the Championship, we hope – are Jones, Johnston, John (I doubt it), Dempsey, Sadlier, Afolayan (all contracted to summer 2024) and Santos, Toal, Iredale, Morley and Charles (2025). Looking at that list of tied-down players, you would have to hope would would improve on more than a few of them if we weren't to face a tough, tough season.

Evatt said the other day that he wants to hire players with "value and growth," saying he wants to build "a team of assets" but also players that "can improve by being coached and adapt to higher divisions." I keep thinking about those Plymouth loanees and how one or two - Swansea winger Whittaker, Villa schemer Azaz, Brum target man Cosgrove - are exactly the type of fringe players who could be persuaded into a permanent move, especially given promotion; similar to what we did with Dapo/Declan/MJ, etc. That's a different ball park to a Trafford or Bradley who, while undeniably talented, will still be focused on returning triumphant to the parent club. (Yes, if promoted, we can ask again about another loan; but it's not our decision.)

Again, to be clear. I'm happy to borrow boy wonders who can fire us to promotion; it works. I'm just slightly worried about what happens next. As it stands, our first XI next season is a new goalkeeper, Jones-Santos-Johnston, Jones-Dempsey-Morley-Iredale, Sadlier-Afolayan-Charles with Toal and John (ha!) on the bench - that's literally it. Not a terrible team, but not much of a squad. So while I'd welcome wunderkinder I'd also like us to sign players who have done it before, or players who haven't quite cut it at upper-tier clubs but have the talent and desire to change that.

[jmjhb]

I think we need 4-5 in next month and another 4-5 in summer

[Bruce Rioja]

Not unreasonable Brucie, we're not getting Roberston from Liverpool anytime soon. We look ok getting to the final third, but not for the first or last time, last night, low block is quite happy to let us do that and rely on us not then being able to unlock. Often if we create an overlap we're as likely to pull it back to the apex than whip it in.

Indeed. Tell you what I'd really like to hear, not just from Evatt but from any manager really, is what they consider to be the main attributes of a wing back, because it looks to me that ideally they'd be able to defend like Gudni Bergsson, have the vision and the intellect of Hierro coupled with the speed of Bernard Mendy, whilst all the while being able to cross a ball like Peter Thompson, and if anyone's capable of all that then they won't be pitching up at Lostock.

You mention Andy Robertson. Thursday morning I caught up with a good mate and former colleague for a walk over Great Hill. Now, he's a staunch Liverpool fan, and I've always been a great admirer of Robertson; personally I think he receives only a fraction of the recognition he deserves, and my mate knows this. So, I mention it to him that Robertson's just surpassed Leighton Baines' record of most assists for a defender since the formation of the EPL, to which he replied, get this, "Nah, he's still not a good enough defender for me". Unbelievable. What more could possibly be asked of the lad?

As BWFC-I mentioned, with the level of player we have available then we'd possibly/probably be better off playing 4-3-3, but if Evatt insists we're continuing with wing backs, then he'd play Joel Dixon at LWB rather than admit what he's doing isn't working.

[Worthy4England]

I think that has always been the problem playing WBs, it's whether you can get 2 (nay 4, because they need resting) of sufficient quality for the league you're in. Then you get 1 that's reasonable and they get stick for not being good enough to carry the entire team through at age 19.

There are a number of bits not working (so when Bradley puts decent balls in, or Iredale, there's often no one getting anywhere near on the end of them) and apart from the odd flash of brilliance from Lee - not often enough - we're devoid in the middle. Which sort of leads nicely into DSBs post...

Assets. I'm struggling to see a lot of them..but then again I'd have never thought Cardiff would splurge £6m on Madine...quite a few of our "steady L1 team" are already 27 or above and it feels like genuine assets are either an obvious class above or under 24/5 where a higher level coach feels they can work with the player...I'm not seeing too many in either category

[BWFC_Insane]

I think that has always been the problem playing WBs, it's whether you can get 2 (nay 4, because they need resting) of sufficient quality for the league you're in. Then you get 1 that's reasonable and they get stick for not being good enough to carry the entire team through at age 19.

There are a number of bits not working (so when Bradley puts decent balls in, or Iredale, there's often no one getting anywhere near on the end of them) and apart from the odd flash of brilliance from Lee - not often enough - we're devoid in the middle. Which sort of leads nicely into DSBs post...

Assets. I'm struggling to see a lot of them..but then again I'd have never thought Cardiff would splurge £6m on Madine...quite a few of our "steady L1 team" are already 27 or above and it feels like genuine assets are either an obvious class above or under 24/5 where a higher level coach feels they can work with the player...I'm not seeing too many in either category

I’m not giving Bradley stick btw. It’s not his fault. He’s a fine player. He’s just not the magic answer that lets us play this system. In the summer I said that without the curly haired one we’d be better switching systems and that’s how it’s worked out. Easier to find a good attacking full back (I think Iredale and Bradley are fine full backs) and a couple of handy wingers, Dapo and Sadlier for example than it is to make this 352 work without adequate wing backs both sides and a better than but similar player to Sarce as a number ten.

[officer_dibble]

Nixon now has us linked with Tom Eaves. If we’re going through old squad lists can we leave out 2015 - 2020 please!!

[BWFC_Insane]

Nixon now has us linked with Tom Eaves. If we’re going through old squad lists can we leave out 2015 - 2020 please!!

Is Ian Evatt morphing into some sort of sub standard Neil Warnock day by day? I can’t think of a more unsuitable signing for how we supposedly want to play than a 30 year old journeyman target man who hasn’t troubled the scorers as yet this season.

Surely a nonsense rumour.

[officer_dibble]

He’s preferable to Josh Magennis!

[Bruce Rioja]

Nixon now has us linked with Tom Eaves. If we’re going through old squad lists can we leave out 2015 - 2020 please!!

I treat very little of what Nixon has to say seriously. If we do need to 'knock it up to the big lad' then we have Bodvarsson, who at least has some clue as to where the goal is.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

In his last two full seasons at this level, Eaves scored 38 in 84. However, that was for Gillingham, and as BWFCi notes, he’s not exactly Evattball - or indeed an “asset” to “develop”.

It’s just the latest weird transfer rumour that makes very little sense. But presumably some subscriber clicked on it.

Hopefully the relative silence means the real names will make more sense - and the deals will be done smoothly.

[BWFC_Insane]

In his last two full seasons at this level, Eaves scored 38 in 84. However, that was for Gillingham, and as BWFCi notes, he’s not exactly Evattball - or indeed an “asset” to “develop”.

It’s just the latest weird transfer rumour that makes very little sense. But presumably some subscriber clicked on it.

Hopefully the relative silence means the real names will make more sense - and the deals will be done smoothly.

If we had Parkinson as manager Eaves would be a sensible signing at this level. I just don’t see how it fits with Evatt at all.