January 2022 Transfer Thread

[BWFC_Insane]

Rumour is that its done & will be announced tomorrow fee around £100k (perhaps with incentives etc.), which if true is a good piece of business.

Honestly, I'd love it. He's another "not perfect" signing. I'm sure plenty of people will pick it apart on what he can't do; but he's a local lad and what he can do is impressive. With the right coaching and (really importantly) time, he can be a proper player. I know a lot of people don't care, but I want to see young, Lancashire lads in a Bolton side. Ideally our own products, but this'll do. They have to be up to scratch, obviously, which I think Morley would be.

I’m happy to be signing promising 21 year olds. But we need to stay up and sign players who make the difference and get us over the line here and now. He’s played a fair bit so might be that he’s ready to be that all action commanding midfield player in league one, is he? But if not we’d need to add others who are. You can’t risk this season to look at two seasons time. So I have no issue if he is the best answer for now, or if other best answers are to come in. But if it’s neither that’s when I’d worry about it.

[sonicthewhite]

Maybe privately Evatt is hedging his bets in so much as he'll sign players who MAY do well now but if we did go down will DEFINTELY do well in Lge 2.

[GhostoftheBok]

I’m happy to be signing promising 21 year olds. But we need to stay up and sign players who make the difference and get us over the line here and now.

100%.

He was good in League One last season, so that's a plus.

At 21, he will have gaps in his game. I think he'll offer enough in his role, but there are certainly things he won't fix.

[nicholaldo]

I’m happy to be signing promising 21 year olds. But we need to stay up and sign players who make the difference and get us over the line here and now.

100%.

He was good in League One last season, so that's a plus.

At 21, he will have gaps in his game. I think he'll offer enough in his role, but there are certainly things he won't fix.

The consensus among Rochdale supporters seems to be that his forward play is generally excellent, with the potential to be one of the league's best creative midfielders, but that the defensive aspects are were development is needed (one claiming he has a tendency to switch off out of posession).

I hope we sign him. There've been numerous players in the last few years who, while playing for smaller clubs and with supposedly uninspiring career histories (I'm not claiming that's true of Morley though, quite the opposite really), have played very well against our more "established" players. He feels like he might be of that mould.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

[sonicthewhite]

I would surmise a keeper is incoming and Gilks will focus on his coaching role.

[Prufrock]

More Twitter dot connecting. Apparently Andy Fairman (who had been helping coach the first team keepers while Gilks was playing) has gone back to the academy.

Which apparently suggests Gilks is concentrating on coaching, which apparently suggests we're signing a keeper.

Fine by me if so. Dixon isn't good enough.

[BWFC_Insane]

I’m happy to be signing promising 21 year olds. But we need to stay up and sign players who make the difference and get us over the line here and now.

100%.

He was good in League One last season, so that's a plus.

At 21, he will have gaps in his game. I think he'll offer enough in his role, but there are certainly things he won't fix.

And this is where if this lad is a decent creative type but not someone who is going to dominate the midfield battle then it’s fine signing him. But we also absolutely without fail need to get someone who addresses the other side we have most lacking.

And I guess the obvious question with Morley is whether he is a better player now than Sarce or Thomason? If not I’d say it’s a bad move. If he is then a good move to improve ourselves there.

[GhostoftheBok]

The consensus among Rochdale supporters seems to be that his forward play is generally excellent, with the potential to be one of the league's best creative midfielders, but that the defensive aspects are were development is needed (one claiming he has a tendency to switch off out of posession).

I'm not going to argue with fans who have watched him for 70+ games. The advantage he'd have with us if that he'd not be the deepest point of a midfield. He's not a lad who reads the game well in front of him and you can see the cogs turning in his head as he tries to do the right thing defensively. Next to Williams, who is a defender, I think he'd be able to do more of what he does well - whilst still helping MJ by covering him.

Where the issues would be is that need for some form of energetic battering ram through the middle. He was part of a Rochdale side that had similar issues to us, in that they sometimes got bullied. The Doncaster game they lost 5 or 6 nil, where Marquis and Wilks battered them physically (and Ali Crawford did well with the space they afforded him), being a prime example. MJ Williams played centre back in that one and was diabolical. I think Morley was subbed at half time. He has improved since then, but it's still not his game.

Like I say, won't fix all problems. Also another sign of Evatt leaning into "Evatball" and not away from it.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Assuming we could get both, how would Hartigan fit in?

[officer_dibble]

More Twitter dot connecting. Apparently Andy Fairman (who had been helping coach the first team keepers while Gilks was playing) has gone back to the academy.

Which apparently suggests Gilks is concentrating on coaching, which apparently suggests we're signing a keeper.

Fine by me if so. Dixon isn't good enough.

Or Gilks has retired and the young lad is back as full time cover (decided he was as good as the trialist for example).

[brommers95]

Assuming we could get both, how would Hartigan fit in?

Not sure he would fit in. I get the impression Morley and Hartigan are very similar players so I think money is better spent elsewhere (another ST, CDM, CB or GK)

[GhostoftheBok]

Assuming we could get both, how would Hartigan fit in?

Yeah, I've been pondering that.

Hartigan has more "edge" to him, which is why I was keen to see us get him in alongside Williams. Of the two (him and Morley), though, it's Hartigan who has been seen as the one more likely to adapt his game to include more box-to-box elements.

It's hard to know what mangers see sometimes (Conte with his wing back picks, for example). Maybe Morley has the one-touch play, vision and placement to be a '10' for Evatt. Maybe Hartigan looks a natural box-to-box mid to our lot.

Just on paper, a Williams, Hartigan and Morley midfield doesn't scream "penetration and goal threat" at you. It is 3 lads who are all reasonably well built and can pass a football, though.

[nicholaldo]

I could only see them playing as two central midfielders just ahead of Williams in a front three, a similar sort of shape to the midfield we tried starting the season with. I seem to remember Hartigan playing deeper against us earlier this season, although that was as part of a midfield two.

It might not necessarily be a combination the scores very many goals but it might be successful in a 4-3-3 behind Dapo, Xav and Charles.

[nicholaldo]

Also another sign of Evatt leaning into "Evatball" and not away from it.

Indeed, but I don't think there was the remotest possibility of him leaning in the opposite direction.

[GhostoftheBok]

I could only see them playing as two central midfielders just ahead of Williams in a front three, a similar sort of shape to the midfield we tried starting the season with. I seem to remember Hartigan playing deeper against us earlier this season, although that was as part of a midfield two.

It might not necessarily be a combination the scores very many goals but it might be successful in a 4-3-3 behind Dapo, Xav and Charles.

Yeah, a 6-8-8 would be the natural shape, you'd feel - but as Brommers said it looks an either/or on Morley and Hartigan. Morley likely the far cheaper option, given that Wimbledon wanted half a million for Hartigan. Certainly wouldn't moan about Morley now and Hartigan in the summer for a compensation fee.

Regarding Ian dumping his style. No, never a chance.

[GhostoftheBok]

Not sure he would fit in. I get the impression Morley and Hartigan are very similar players so I think money is better spent elsewhere (another ST, CDM, CB or GK)

Or a '10'.

I think if we were to sign a "CDM" in addition to Morley it would be someone who looks very much like Hartigan. I think Williams is as close as Evatt will get to a midfield spoiler.

I also think it would be quite funny if Jake Beesley showed up here on Monday and not at Blackpool, given that he's another Evatt has been around as a youngster - this time at Chesterfield. Not a prediction, would just amuse me.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

…it would be quite funny if Jake Beesley showed up here on Monday and not at Blackpool, given that he's another Evatt has been around as a youngster - this time at Chesterfield. Not a prediction, would just amuse me.

Heh. And if he did, we could count down the seconds till somebody asked why we’re signing a 25-year-old who hadn’t scored more than seven goals in any season before this one…

[GhostoftheBok]

Heh. And if he did, we could count down the seconds till somebody asked why we’re signing a 25-year-old who hadn’t scored more than seven goals in any season before this one…

Basically the perfect forum signing.

[Worthy4England]

There was an article saying a bid had been accepted by Rochdale for him from Iles. Seems to have disappeared when I click the link...