Who opened the door? My money is on Janus! 2024 January transfer thread.

[BWFC_Insane]

If we lose the three players to Australia and ANC as rumoured then it will need to be a busy early month. Thats sort of season derailing especially if coupled with injuries.

[GhostoftheBok]

As others have said, there's no panic; but there's work to be done if we can find the right ones for the right price.

Any permanent deal we do will hopefully spend most of their time here as a Championship player.

We probably won't want to do much to just cover the internationals, as you then end up with a bloated squad once they are back. That "MJ but better" type would probably cover most sins there. Wiredu at Fleetwood gets my vote on that front, but given that we've said we have no targets in mind you'd expect that to be a loan - if anything.

Then it's a question of whether someone comes up who is so good we can't pass up getting it done before the summer ruck. Wide options and a striker with pace would seem to be the obvious targets if we want to step up a level.

Thomason's emergence as a very serious player and the continued development of others means we're in far better shape going into this window than we might have been. Injuries can always scupper you, but for now we're fine.

[TANGODANCER]

We probably won't want to do much to just cover the internationals, as you then end up with a bloated squad once they are back.

That's a very relevant point Ghost. Not sure how that effects others around us or just how many players already play at international level. That, injuries and cup games can certainly be a factor in the Leagues at season end. If it's not broke etc, has to be considered. Bare minimum then?

[GhostoftheBok]

So who should/could/might we go for?

No idea on "could" and "might", given the noises coming out of the club about having no targets...should?

If we're not worrying too much about realism for a minute, the stand-out "Evatt would kill for him" player is Ty Campbell at Stoke.

Local lad, City trained, all the physical and technical attributes Evatt is clearly looking for in a striker. Stoke have completely failed to make the most of him (he may not have helped himself there), but Markham was a known admirer a few years ago and there's a very serious footballer in there somewhere.

If we went up he's the kind of player who could help cement us as a proper Championship side. He's also a lefty, which we are lacking up front.

I firmly believe he'd be an absolute star for us, but likely unrealistic as an actual suggestion.

[GhostoftheBok]

That's a very relevant point Ghost. Not sure how that effects others around us or just how many players already play at international level. That, injuries and cup games can certainly be a factor in the Leagues at season end. If it's not broke etc, has to be considered. Bare minimum then?

I'd only be guessing, Tango, but I can't see us bringing in 3 for 3 to cover a few weeks absence.

First we need confirmation of who will be gone. You'd imagine conversations are going on behind the scenes, but we won't be sure until the announcements. Meulensteen was in, but that's all thus far regarding the Ozzy two. Carlos is definitely going.

We're already relying on versatility to cover all positions (in terms of depth), so losing all 3 would mean *something* would likely need doing.

I think I'm right that that's what Evatt was quoted as saying. We'll wait and see whether they go and if they do we're "flexible" in terms of covering them, or some such.

I'd say if it's just Carlos we'll do nothing and if both Ozzies go we'll maybe get one in. If only one of the two defenders go will we risk it? Dunno. Could see us trying it.

[BWFC_Insane]

Right now CMG probably doesn't need a direct replacement but I'd say a wing back would help alleviate his loss as it would offer the wide cover that in theory he does provide. But it would depend on their not being midfield injuries.

The two at the back would be problematic given we'd have Toal, Santos and Forrester only with - no RWB cover other than Matheson and maybe only Ashworth on the left (and I'm not so sure he's up to it yet in that role). It would be too stretched at a time of year where you''re likely running with injuries and illnesses.

[GhostoftheBok]

Right now CMG probably doesn't need a direct replacement but I'd say a wing back would help alleviate his loss as it would offer the wide cover that in theory he does provide. But it would depend on their not being midfield injuries.

The two at the back would be problematic given we'd have Toal, Santos and Forrester only with - no RWB cover other than Matheson and maybe only Ashworth on the left (and I'm not so sure he's up to it yet in that role). It would be too stretched at a time of year where you''re likely running with injuries and illnesses.

We've shown a willingness to take those kinds of risks, but the fact it's come up probably means we're looking at possible cover if it happens.

We're in a funny position now. We're clearly not swimming in money and we're having to try and find solutions to long term investment issues (pitches, etc), so every penny in the squad matters. If we can avoid adding additional wages we probably will.

At the same time, the budgets will be looked at over the medium term and not just window to window, so if someone comes up that we know we want past the summer you'd imagine we'd have a go. A 6 month loan to cover a 6 week absence is dead money. That's not to say we wouldn't do it (we might have to), but you'd imagine we'd look to push forward a piece of summer recruitment if we could.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

BIG NEWS

Nlundulu out for "a number of months" - so is a striker signing back on the cards?

[GhostoftheBok]

Gutted for Dan, I really am. We were just starting to see him put things together and this happens.

Definitely need to look at strikers now. Hard to know what the options are, though. Not many clubs will loan us a decent striker to have them sit on the bench - which they might given our depth. On the other hand buying strikers is expensive business.

Maybe we can find another Dan/Dapo type deal?

[truewhite15]

Gutted for Dan, just as he was starting to come into his own.

Got to be at least one striker signing next month then - Dion, Vic and Bod are the only ones we've got who most would trust to pose any sort of danger. All respect to Cameron, but he's a distant emergency option at best.

As Ghost says (and a pleasure it is to have you back) it would be an ideal opportunity to look at those strikers we might have been shopping for in summer for a Championship campaign...

[GhostoftheBok]

The other option, I suppose, is Conor Carty. Not convinced he's ready for primetime, but he has certainly come on a lot.

[jmjhb]

Yes, a striker with the ability to play at Championship level is thr priority now.

[Worthy4England]

Yes, a striker with the ability to play at Championship level is thr priority now.

The nature of the JDB extension, being one year, seemed to me, to be indicating that we probably wouldn't go another year in the event we got promoted and maybe might not have extended had we sneaked up via the PO's last season. In that sense, this might be just pulling a signing forwards 6 months (assuming one such is available within budget)....

[GhostoftheBok]

The nature of the JDB extension, being one year, seemed to me, to be indicating that we probably wouldn't go another year in the event we got promoted and maybe might not have extended had we sneaked up via the PO's last season. In that sense, this might be just pulling a signing forwards 6 months (assuming one such is available within budget)....

I think that's correct.

Budget would probably be available, but it's whether the player is available.

It's also not really one we can get wrong, given that we have 3 strikers under contract and forwards are where the money is.

Regardless of the feelings of anyone else, Evatt clearly believes Dion, Vic and Dan can all make it a division up. We need another the manager feels can work at that level. Those three all cost a fair whack.

It may be that we say, "Hey, we can use CMG there with the other 3(4) and add one to midfield who can cover centre half - killing all birds with one stone."

Not a clue. Will be fascinating.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

The other option, I suppose, is Conor Carty. Not convinced he's ready for primetime, but he has certainly come on a lot.

Interview with Craddock suggests he thinks another loan is likely. It'll be intriguing to see what level that's at, but I doubt it's third tier.

[BWFC_Insane]

I don’t think we will sign another striker. I think we should. I don’t think we will.

For me CMG can cover up front. The issue then is how long will he end up being away for?

[Worthy4England]

It doesn't feel very comfy with three strikers + Cameron, given the work rate we expect of them. CMG hasn't yet really impacted in League for me nor Bod (recognising some very limited game time). Feels a bit thin and we're clearly going to have to make calls on both Bod and Cameron in summer, as I think they're both out of contract at that point.

I don't think he'll be in a rush to buy anyone he doesn't think would fit long term.

But flip side of that is we've lost 1 league goal and a bucket of hope.

[GhostoftheBok]

There's always a balancing act. We really do need to go up this season, but we also need to stay up. We can't rob Peter to pay Paul with a short term bodge.

The other issue is how much we demand of our strikers, in terms of the press and shape. Nlundulu was just starting to show his quality with the ball, but he'd been pressing well for a while. We'd just reached the point where there was no drop off in defensive impact when we switched the forwards over.

Getting a new lad up to speed will take time, more so if it's a kid on loan who doesn't know his job yet. That will make it tricky this season, but getting a lad in in January would help us a lot next season (hopefully) in the Champo if it's a long term deal.

This is why they get paid the big bucks and it's hard to argue with their record.

[Prufrock]

Think that changes things and we need a forward. Probably depends on where we are for summer targets. If we went up we'd surely be looking to strengthen there, possibly we can bring forward one of those. Otherwise a loanee.

We ask so much of the forwards and he pretty much always changes them both.

If CMG was here through all of Jan we might try to muddle, and if the right player isn't there I think we're likely to go with Jerome. But that would be a definite priority for me now.

1 FWD one CB, please.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Would it be viable to change shape a little and play 1 striker with an extra midfielder?