Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[Prufrock]

fecked if Baxter gets sent off

[sonicthewhite]

Well, it is what it is. We go with what we've got. If Evatt and Markham feel that the players we need are better being acquired in Jan rather than now so be it. It could be any number of reasons why we didn't make the signings needed/hoped for so we'll all just have to trust the people in charge. Until there's a reason NOT to trust them anymore. Anyway, onto today's game

[knobpolisher]

Transfer windows are like birthdays and Christmas. You get all excited wondering whats to come and hoping you get something good. The rich kids get all the best presents there are every year.

This feels like we've just got rid of a few toys to make room for some new ones only to realise that Santa's not coming. Your parents are banging on about a new TV getting installed

To either cut down on beer or the kids new gear , it's a big decision in a town called Malice.

[The_Gun]

Whilst I’m happy that John and Sadlier are gone, and I don’t think we needed to directly replace them, we’re terribly lacking in depth at wing back. If either Randy or JDC get injured we’re fecked.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I'm hoping it was a case of not being able to get the right players within budget and not Evatt thinking everything is reet.

[officer_dibble]

Perplexed why we’ve let Sadlier go. An injury to JDC and we might want to think about a 4 at the back, particularly as Santos is out. Sadlier/Charles/Mendes Gomes as a front 3 could work.

[TANGODANCER]

I'm definitely sensing a "Go with what we've got!" now. Hope I'm wrong, but.....

Seems I wasn't wrong....sadly

[Bertie Wooster]

I can only think that they are saving the funds until January, either that or the new perimeter LED screens, the new scoreboard and spruced up hospitality suites are costing more than anticipated OR we are skint and that's the reason the club were desperate to shift Sadlier & John - to reduce the wage bill ?

[BWFC_Insane]

I can only think that they are saving the funds until January, either that or the new perimeter LED screens, the new scoreboard and spruced up hospitality suites are costing more than anticipated OR we are skint and that's the reason the club were desperate to shift Sadlier & John - to reduce the wage bill ?

Don’t think it has anything to do with money. Evatt could have signed players. He chose not to. I mean he’s been saying for two weeks now he has the squad he wants. Not sure there is much to read into it beyond a managers judgement.

[Worthy4England]

fecked if Baxter gets sent off

Have we worked out who our outfield replacement is now? Isn't Dan quite tall? Evatt's a cunning one...

[The_Gun]

I can only think that they are saving the funds until January, either that or the new perimeter LED screens, the new scoreboard and spruced up hospitality suites are costing more than anticipated OR we are skint and that's the reason the club were desperate to shift Sadlier & John - to reduce the wage bill ?

Sadlier and John weren’t playing, so it made sense to get rid of them. I doubt their wages were crippling us, but why pay players to sit in the stands?

I’m guessing our recruitment team couldn’t see anyone out there they thought could improve us at the right price, but I’d personally be a little surprised if there aren’t some decent wing backs in Prem academies that we could’ve loaned.

There was some talk of exploring the international market in Jan, so perhaps we’re keeping our powder dry for then. Let’s hope we’re still in contention by then.

[BWFC_Insane]

I can only think that they are saving the funds until January, either that or the new perimeter LED screens, the new scoreboard and spruced up hospitality suites are costing more than anticipated OR we are skint and that's the reason the club were desperate to shift Sadlier & John - to reduce the wage bill ?

Sadlier and John weren’t playing, so it made sense to get rid of them. I doubt their wages were crippling us, but why pay players to sit in the stands?

I’m guessing our recruitment team couldn’t see anyone out there they thought could improve us at the right price, but I’d personally be a little surprised if there aren’t some decent wing backs in Prem academies that we could’ve loaned.

There was some talk of exploring the international market in Jan, so perhaps we’re keeping our powder dry for then. Let’s hope we’re still in contention by then.

Evatt made some comment early in the summer that the kids at big club academies available this year weren’t necessarily ‘ready’ presumably he means that the more established ones like Trafford and Bradley weren’t available and it was the younger end.

[Worthy4England]

I can only think that they are saving the funds until January, either that or the new perimeter LED screens, the new scoreboard and spruced up hospitality suites are costing more than anticipated OR we are skint and that's the reason the club were desperate to shift Sadlier & John - to reduce the wage bill ?

Sadlier and John weren’t playing, so it made sense to get rid of them. I doubt their wages were crippling us, but why pay players to sit in the stands?

I’m guessing our recruitment team couldn’t see anyone out there they thought could improve us at the right price, but I’d personally be a little surprised if there aren’t some decent wing backs in Prem academies that we could’ve loaned.

There was some talk of exploring the international market in Jan, so perhaps we’re keeping our powder dry for then. Let’s hope we’re still in contention by then.

I'm not sure shunting them makes any more sense than taking an academy kid who isn't going to play much and clearly isn't ready. Whilst we might have been happy with Bradley/Trafford back, I suspect not everyone would be clamouring for Beck, Shortire and M'bete right now (not saying any of them won't be any good long term). But I'd certainly play John ahead of last seasons Beck. I'd probably play Sads in front of Shortire too...

[The_Gun]

I can only think that they are saving the funds until January, either that or the new perimeter LED screens, the new scoreboard and spruced up hospitality suites are costing more than anticipated OR we are skint and that's the reason the club were desperate to shift Sadlier & John - to reduce the wage bill ?

Sadlier and John weren’t playing, so it made sense to get rid of them. I doubt their wages were crippling us, but why pay players to sit in the stands?

I’m guessing our recruitment team couldn’t see anyone out there they thought could improve us at the right price, but I’d personally be a little surprised if there aren’t some decent wing backs in Prem academies that we could’ve loaned.

There was some talk of exploring the international market in Jan, so perhaps we’re keeping our powder dry for then. Let’s hope we’re still in contention by then.

Evatt made some comment early in the summer that the kids at big club academies available this year weren’t necessarily ‘ready’ presumably he means that the more established ones like Trafford and Bradley weren’t available and it was the younger end.

I don’t deny that this is possible, it just seems improbable. My suspicion is Evatt is overrating what we have in the building.

And Worthy, John and Sadlier were respectively a non-trier and a horrible fit for our preferred system, both seemingly on big wages. I’d rather have young lads hungry to prove themselves.

[BWFC_Insane]

I can only think that they are saving the funds until January, either that or the new perimeter LED screens, the new scoreboard and spruced up hospitality suites are costing more than anticipated OR we are skint and that's the reason the club were desperate to shift Sadlier & John - to reduce the wage bill ?

Sadlier and John weren’t playing, so it made sense to get rid of them. I doubt their wages were crippling us, but why pay players to sit in the stands?

I’m guessing our recruitment team couldn’t see anyone out there they thought could improve us at the right price, but I’d personally be a little surprised if there aren’t some decent wing backs in Prem academies that we could’ve loaned.

There was some talk of exploring the international market in Jan, so perhaps we’re keeping our powder dry for then. Let’s hope we’re still in contention by then.

I'm not sure shunting them makes any more sense than taking an academy kid who isn't going to play much and clearly isn't ready. Whilst we might have been happy with Bradley/Trafford back, I suspect not everyone would be clamouring for Beck, Shortire and M'bete right now (not saying any of them won't be any good long term). But I'd certainly play John ahead of last seasons Beck. I'd probably play Sads in front of Shortire too...

One of the issues I have with Evatt is that whilst he might not have liked Sadlier or his perceived effort he could have been better managed and kept in the squad as he offers a lot more off the bench if we are chasing than Jerome, Nlundulu or one or two others do.

It’s stubbornness for me. Get him involved make him part of it and find a role even if that’s just a game changer off the bench.

Instead we’ve paid him money to go elsewhere.

I’m also not having that John isn’t a better LWB than Ashworth.

[BWFC_Insane]

I can only think that they are saving the funds until January, either that or the new perimeter LED screens, the new scoreboard and spruced up hospitality suites are costing more than anticipated OR we are skint and that's the reason the club were desperate to shift Sadlier & John - to reduce the wage bill ?

Sadlier and John weren’t playing, so it made sense to get rid of them. I doubt their wages were crippling us, but why pay players to sit in the stands?

I’m guessing our recruitment team couldn’t see anyone out there they thought could improve us at the right price, but I’d personally be a little surprised if there aren’t some decent wing backs in Prem academies that we could’ve loaned.

There was some talk of exploring the international market in Jan, so perhaps we’re keeping our powder dry for then. Let’s hope we’re still in contention by then.

Evatt made some comment early in the summer that the kids at big club academies available this year weren’t necessarily ‘ready’ presumably he means that the more established ones like Trafford and Bradley weren’t available and it was the younger end.

I don’t deny that this is possible, it just seems improbable. My suspicion is Evatt is overrating what we have in the building.

And Worthy, John and Sadlier were respectively a non-trier and a horrible fit for our preferred system, both seemingly on big wages. I’d rather have young lads hungry to prove themselves.

I think he’s overrating what we have too but it’s not wet behind the ears kids needed it’s some more established league one men for me. People who have been and done it before. I think Lee is a much bigger loss than anyone makes out. Our midfield is weaker without him.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Colour me surprised, disappointed and a little fearful. An injury to any of Baxter, JDC or Randell leaves us very short.

Across the window as a whole, we haven't made the step improvements to the squad I'd've liked, and in some cases gone backwards.

Up front it's the same as last year's underachieving group minus Kacha, who needed releasing but improving upon.

In midfield we've lost MJ and Lee, for reasons I understand, but we're still in the watching-waiting-hoping stage on their replacements Maghoma and CMG.

One slightly reductive but still somewhat informative way to judge a window is to matrix the incomings and outgoings. Football's a complicated business (literally) so it's a blunt tool, but it gives a broad view. So, bolding up the better players where it seems obvious (and accepting caveats), has the squad improved?

Trafford - Baxter (fair enough)
Dixon - Coleman
Bradley – JDC
John - Ashworth (dunno yet)
MJ - Maghoma (dunno yet)
Lee – CMG (dunno yet)

Also in: Forrester – seems decent, flexible, promising, but a season-changer?
Also out: Kacha, Isgrove, Sadlier - all reasonable releases, but who replaces them?

If I were being harsh, I'd say John at his best was better than we can really expect of Ashworth - would the latter provide a 7-assist season, as Dec did in 21/22? But that's only Dec at his best...

So did we really imporove the squad?

One other thing. Unless you count Luke Matheson, signed for the B team on August 1st, we didn't sign anyone (bar a 17-year-old keeper) for the entire last month of the window. When does caution become inertia? When does keeping your hand in your pocket become sitting on your hands?

[Worthy4England]

I don't disagree with what you're saying about John and Sadlier, in the same sense as Dapo stopped fitting our system. Sure it wasn't working for either. But for me there's a couple of dimensions to it. I'm all for talk about ceilings two years out, but your first XI needs to understand what it's ceiling is at 15:00 this Saturday against likely promotion rivals and if the pick was John or Beck at LWB v Derby, coz Williams was injured, then I'm picking John, every time, understanding his limitations and still agreeing with the notion he needs moving on.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I don't disagree with what you're saying about John and Sadlier, in the same sense as Dapo stopped fitting our system. Sure it wasn't working for either. But for me there's a couple of dimensions to it. I'm all for talk about ceilings two years out, but your first XI needs to understand what it's ceiling is at 15:00 this Saturday against likely promotion rivals and if the pick was John or Beck at LWB v Derby, coz Williams was injured, then I'm picking John, every time, understanding his limitations and still agreeing with the notion he needs moving on.

Aye, it's a complex argument. In that situation I would pick John but I wouldn't know whether the right John would turn up, or we'd get the half-arsed liability he became.

When I was a coach I preferred a limited trier who understood the system and worked hard for team-mates than the errant genius who couldn't be arsed. I think team-mates did too. But I accept they make the difference – one way or another.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Just noticed Fankaty Dabo signed for FGR yesterday. And having gone from Champo to Div 4, he isn't on this list of our division's deadline-day ins and outs.

00:15 Sam Cosgrove [Birmingham - Barnsley] Free
23:30 Josh March [Stevenage - Harrogate] Undisclosed
23:20 Ryan Loft [Bristol Rovers - Port Vale] Free
23:05 Ellis Harrison [Port Vale - MK Dons] Undisclosed
23:00 Declan John [Bolton - Salford] Loan
23:00 Jovan Malcolm [West Brom - Cheltenham] Loan
23:00 Jack Vale [Blackburn - Lincoln] Loan
22:50 Liam Kitching [Barnsley - Coventry] Undisclosed
22:45 Slobodan Tedic [Manchester City - Charlton] Loan
22:35 Brandon Cooper [Swansea - Leyton Orient] Loan
22:30 Joshua Kayode [Rotherham - Carlisle] Loan
22:30 Jacob Wakeling [Swindon - Peterborough] Undisclosed
22:15 Xavier Simons [Hull - Fleetwood] Loan
21:30 Ethan Walker [Blackburn - Morecambe] Loan
21:00 Clinton Mola [VFB Stuttgart - Reading] Free
21:00 Omar Rekik [Arsenal - Wigan] Loan
20:45 James Chester [Derby - Barrow] Free
20:00 Rob Apter [Blackpool - Tranmere] Loan
20:00 Dom Ballard [Southampton - Reading] Loan
20:00 Ben Woods [Inverness - Accrington] Undisclosed
19:30 Ryan Finnigan [Southampton - Shrewsbury] Loan
19:30 Martial Godo [Fulham - Wigan] Loan
18:30 Owen Dodgson [Burnley - Barnsley] Loan
18:30 Charlie McNeill [Manchester United - Stevenage] Loan
18:00 James Amankwah [Udinese - Charlton] Loan
18:00 Jay Mingi [Portsmouth - Colchester] Free
18:00 Josh Williams [Birmingham - Cheltenham] Loan
17:00 Nathan Butler-Oyedeji [Arsenal - Cheltenham] Loan
17:00 Kabongo Tshimanga [Peterborough - Fleetwood] Loan
16:30 Louie Watson [Luton - Charlton] Loan
15:30 Charlie Lakin [Burton - Wimbledon] Loan
14:00 Brandon Fleming [Hull - Shrewsbury] Loan
13:00 Dean Bouzanis [Reading - Sutton] Loan
13:00 Kyle Edwards [Ipswich - Oxford] Loan
12:30 Zach Mitchell [Charlton - Colchester] Loan
12:30 Joe Tomlinson [Peterborough - MK Dons] Undisclosed
12:00 Admiral Muskwe [Luton - Exeter] Loan
10:00 John-Kymani Gordon [Crystal Palace - Cambridge] Loan
10:00 Tennai Watson [MK Dons - Charlton] Free