Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[Mar]

Acknowledging you're not advocating it, I doubt the return of Mr Crellin would be met with universal acclaim...

It'd probably set fans seething as its a sign of clear lack of progression.

I was however thinking of a goalkeeper loan signing as one of those that we bring in to just cover the injury and nothing else (not Crellin). Can't imagine we'd manage to get anyone better than Baxter, and even if we did, it wouldn't be financially in our interests to promote the loanee over Baxter either. We should be progressing the players we have rather than the loans of others.

That being said. We're in clear need of cover for RB. Bradley swapping with JDC would be really decent.

Bradley is out until November at least.

Hadn't heard that. Still, gotta be chance for rehabilitation somewhere.

Think i'd prefer someone who is going to push for a spot at Bolton, rather than someone who is likely to increase the sale value for another club.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

The thing with hiring a back-up goalie is that we don't usually pick a sub goalie.

"Can we borrow your player and put him in the stands?" is only going to get a small number of yeses.

Of that already small number, "Do you fancy sitting in our stands?" is only going to get a small number of yeses.

I think we might get like a Frank Fielding or something. Or just not bother.

[Worthy4England]

The thing with hiring a back-up goalie is that we don't usually pick a sub goalie.

"Can we borrow your player and put him in the stands?" is only going to get a small number of yeses.

Of that already small number, "Do you fancy sitting in our stands?" is only going to get a small number of yeses.

I think we might get like a Frank Fielding or something. Or just not bother.

T'other one gets injured, you can use the emergency loan thingy, I think, for keepers...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

The thing with hiring a back-up goalie is that we don't usually pick a sub goalie.

"Can we borrow your player and put him in the stands?" is only going to get a small number of yeses.

Of that already small number, "Do you fancy sitting in our stands?" is only going to get a small number of yeses.

I think we might get like a Frank Fielding or something. Or just not bother.

T'other one gets injured, you can use the emergency loan thingy, I think, for keepers...

Yeah you have to apply for permish, I think, but if your only option is a lad you've just lent to the fifth or sixth division I daresay the EFL would assent.

Of course, whether any team would lend you a goalie is another question...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Elsewhere...
• Charlton have signed defender Tennai Watson and brought in Udinese defender James Abankwah and Luton midfielder Louie Watson on season-long loan deals.
• Cheltenham have brought in two promising youngsters from higher division sides on loan deals – 20-year-old Arsenal forward Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and Birmingham right back Josh Williams, also 20.
• Fleetwood Town have signed Peterborough United striker Kabongo Tshimanga on a season-long loan deal.

[Mar]

Yet another depressing transfer deadline day. How about throwing us a bone and signing someone for the B-team at least?

I know the club are after doing business in the right manner and signing players with a long term strategy, but for them to come up with nothing on transfer deadline day, and not even look like making moves just sounds like they've considered their business long since done.

Nobody wants to see John or Sadlier just sat here not contributing but that looks like what we're going to get. Their lack of involvement in the first team will hopefully change should they stay as we have the FLT matches to play.

There's still time left. I was hoping that we'd be at least looking to loan someone on a pay as you play style deal where their parent club manages to get some additional education for a player, ala Owen Beck style transfer. Reality looks to be that we're not doing any business.

Sure you would've thought that clubs would be at least touting their players our way and the messaging should be striking the right sort of deal. This deathly quiet is very disconcerting.

[Worthy4England]

I don't think there "volumetrically" a problem - we've signed 8? Players. So most folks would likely be happy with none on deadline day, had they all been seen as fixing the "problems" people still perceive exist...but quite a few have come across as "second picks" which I think is adding to the frustration...

3 wins in the next three, will see it right for a bit.

[jmjhb]

Sadlier released.

[Mar]

I don't think there "volumetrically" a problem - we've signed 8? Players. So most folks would likely be happy with none on deadline day, had they all been seen as fixing the "problems" people still perceive exist...but quite a few have come across as "second picks" which I think is adding to the frustration...

I think if people were to look at the start of the transfer window I think people would've been expecting better. Especially in terms of solving our problems.

Our strike force was clearly an issue last time round. We've not changed that. It is exactly the same as the strike force that we finished last season with. Unless you are counting CMG as a forward, the doubters won't have had their doubts alleviated. We've lost Kachunga's efforts but that's likely to be covered by CMG. Hopefully the return of Dad Bod will help.

Midfield wise, looks an improvement with CMG and Maghoma. Lee has gone as has Kacha and MJ. Looks decent improvements, but given we've just been run off the park with Wigan, it gives pause for thought.

Wingbacks, we lost Bradley's efforts so that was likely to be tough to replace, but it looks like Evatt has done well there with JDC. Matheson may have some decent backup, but I wouldn't count on it. We've lost Isgrove, but given he wasn't used, thats no different than what we're getting from Matheson at the moment. Ashworth looks good, but that's no different than John looking good last season. Sadlier going makes it even worse, but you can't blame the players or staff for ending that one.

Defensively, we're similarly setup to last season. Forrester for MJ Williams, at the moment seems like an equivalent signing, especially considering the plaudits MJ was getting prior to this transfer window.

Goalkeepers, we've lost Dixon and Trafford, and brought in Baxter and Coleman. Decent work from the staff, but not an improvement. Too difficult to improve on this role, so I think we can be happy with the GK situation.




As far as transfer windows go, its been pretty good. It's not solving our problems, but for the most part they've done good business. Have we progressed enough to get top two? Doesn't look like it, guess we'll wait and see.

Decent window. Terrible deadline day, but that's no different than most under Evatt.

[TANGODANCER]

Letting Sadlier go is a mistake, he's a goal outlet... my view

[jmjhb]

Declan John to Salford on loan.

[jmjhb]

All in all, with no-one coming in, the worst deadline day in quite some time.

[Mar]

Declan John to Salford on loan.

John off to Salford on a 6 month loan?

That'll take him to March? Odd timing with John I guess. Probably a case of them paying half a years worth of wages and Bolton paying the rest with him being released by ourselves at the end of it, or John sacrificing his wages? Who knows. Strikes of the same issues we had with the Craig Dawson deal.

[jmjhb]

Honestly, going into a tough run of games with 1 recognised keeper and 2 wing-backs is sheer pigheadedness, never mind the steel in midfield.

An injury to any one of them and shit will really hit the fan. And this time the criticism will be warranted.

[TANGODANCER]

Somehow, I think we'd better win tomorrow.

[BWFC_Insane]

Evatt does the same thing every season. A poor summer of recruitment, tells everyone we don’t need more or better players says the squad is amazing then goes on the defensive before starting the ‘January is a big month’ rhetoric.

It’s too late by then.

I hope he’s not Phil Neal but his record is virtually identical season on season and I’m beginning to wonder if this is his ceiling. We will find out.

[Mar]

Emergency goalkeeper signings IIRC can be signed outside the window so I suspect that's the reason we've not seen a fresh goalkeeper coming in.


Squad (no particular order)
GK (2): Baxter, Coleman
CB (8): Jones, Santos, Forrester, Toal, Ashworth, Randell, Iredale, JDC
MF (6): Thomason, CMG, Sheehan, Morley, Maghoma, Dempsey
FW (5): Bodvarsson, Charles, Nlundulu, Jerome, Adeboyejo
Out: Johnston

Looks like 21 players for a squad of 11. Chance to promote from the B team with the rest I guess, so maybe Andreucci, Carty, Khumbeni, Lockett, etc. can start making headway.

Sure we've got players who can cover a few other roles, N'lundulu in mid, CMG in attack.

I don't get the impression we're likely to sign anyone on a free transfer. Not Evatt's usual strategy. Maybe we've trimmed the wage bill to spend more later on.

Either way, I think we'd be hard pressed to say deadline day has been squad progression.

[officer_dibble]

Feels like a player or two short to me
And I think nlundulu is a waste of money

[Prufrock]

Baffled by that. I think he genuinely buys into the not wasting money thing, so could just about see Sads and John staying if we couldn't get the right money for them and a replacement. Disappointed, but there's logic.

Letting both go and no ins. Yeesh. Going to be fun if the last two games turns into a full wobble.

[Mar]

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 and despite plenty of wishful thinking you can't help but feel it would've been better playing with the toys you had a few weeks ago.

Sure we may end up appreciating the toys we've got now a little more and we may end up getting the most out of them, but there's always the thought in the back of the mind going, what if.