January 2023 Transfer Window

[Prufrock]

Johnstone I think is the best bet. He's looked a cut above this year. Wouldn't surprise me if Champo teams playing 3 were having a look.

[irie Cee Bee]

I would say Johnston and DadBod who still has the quality to cut it higher up.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Johnstone I think is the best bet. He's looked a cut above this year. Wouldn't surprise me if Champo teams playing 3 were having a look.

That's the thing. When he plays well you can see the Liverpool/Feyenoord coaching. But when he doesn't, you can see a small boy who couldn't play in a back four.

I like him and I wish him well, and I agree that he could play in a higher tier in a back three, but only in a back three.

[GhostoftheBok]

The advantage of Nlundulu is his age and that "ceiling" people like to talk about.

If we can get a loan with an option then he seems to have a lot more upsides than Baka. Baka is younger than Charles, if I recall correctly, but he's still probably the finished article now. The best Baka we've seen in a Bolton shirt is the best Baka we will ever see and that's not the level we need.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Baka is younger than Charles, if I recall correctly, but he's still probably the finished article now.

You do.

Nlundulu 05/02/99 (23)
Dapo 11/09/97 (25)
Baka 01/01/96 (26)
Dion 07/10/95 (27)
Kacha 22/04/92 (30)
Bod 25/05/92 (30)

[Worthy4England]

Johnstone I think is the best bet. He's looked a cut above this year. Wouldn't surprise me if Champo teams playing 3 were having a look.

That's the thing. When he plays well you can see the Liverpool/Feyenoord coaching. But when he doesn't, you can see a small boy who couldn't play in a back four.

I like him and I wish him well, and I agree that he could play in a higher tier in a back three, but only in a back three.

I think to be a regular starter one league up, he still needs to cut out a few brainfart passes (quite a few of which we've recovered this season, so they've not showed up as much as last years). Much improved over last years model, though...

[BWFC_Insane]

Take Dapo out because I don’t think he’s been great this season but we know he can be brilliant in the right role there are only two (actual not loanee) Bolton players I think clubs higher up the ladder should be interested in….

See if you can guess which ones….

Great game. I would guess Toal because he hasn't really enraged you yet and Aimson because he's not Santos

Half right. Johnstone for sure. He’s a very very good player. And I didn’t rate him initially but he’s definitely a very very good left side CB in a back three.

And Toal. Who is very early days. But I think that lad could play in the championship based on what I’ve seen so far. Bit to learn still.

I think those two are our best prospects for a decent money sale.

Bar Dapo obviously who for me would need to find some form (and a position) for that to happen. If he does he’d fetch most as attacking players always do.

[GhostoftheBok]

Glad to see Johnston getting some appreciation.

Well deserved. I was very keen on us getting another centre back in in January, but with him and Toal playing so well at the moment I think resources are better used elsewhere. We know Santos is likely to play when back up the speed.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Glad to see Johnston getting some appreciation.

Well deserved. I was very keen on us getting another centre back in in January, but with him and Toal playing so well at the moment I think resources are better used elsewhere. We know Santos is likely to play when back up the speed.

Which raises a question. If we concentrate on strengthening two, three at most positions this month, what are they?

[sonicthewhite]

I'd say LWB, CM/AM and a striker. But as always these things can be dictated by who could leave.

[BWFC_Insane]

Glad to see Johnston getting some appreciation.

Well deserved. I was very keen on us getting another centre back in in January, but with him and Toal playing so well at the moment I think resources are better used elsewhere. We know Santos is likely to play when back up the speed.

Which raises a question. If we concentrate on strengthening two, three at most positions this month, what are they?

Priority has to be LWB, midfield and up front. In that order.

[GhostoftheBok]

Which raises a question. If we concentrate on strengthening two, three at most positions this month, what are they?

Politician's answer - it depends who leaves.

Better answer:

For me the main issues are up front, that wide left attacking space and in central midfield.

We need a reliable fulcrum in attack, more pace/intent in the left final third and more athleticism (and a calm head) in the middle.

I thought we saw yesterday that a fully fit Dempsey solves a lot of issues in midfield. He filled those channels, won the ball and kept it really well. If he can stay fully fit and Nlundulu comes in then you've got a choice of what you want to do.

You could argue for a '10', a ball-winner or a LWB - depending on how you think we need to develop. Long term I think we'll need to add all those options in the next two windows. I'd suspect that we will stick with Iredale on the left and look to fill one of the two central areas. Looking at injuries and depth, you'd suspect it might be the ball-winner we look for - even though I've been calling for a natural '10' for a year or so.

I think Dad Bod or Nlundulu making the ball stick and drawing defenders may improve both Dapo and Charles - as they both get to buzz around more of a physical unit. Nlundulu isn't a one-dimensional target man, but he does attract markers. Dapo's issue is that teams deny him space to work when he's in the middle and he can't figure out how to get free. If we can tweak things and let him wriggle out and attack that left position from '10' he might yet show his worth in this system.

I suspect that's how Markham will approach this window. Looking to get lads in who make what we have better and not just solving one issue themselves. I think that's also why a ball-winner makes the most sense after that fulcrum. It releases players like Morley and Dempsey to impact the game and take risks. Against ten men Dempsey had that licence and was a completely transformed player.

[GhostoftheBok]

Priority has to be LWB, midfield and up front. In that order.

As with calls to replace Johnston previously, I suspect we'll stick with Iredale. We've made an investment there and sold him on a long term plan for his role in the team. I still think he's one of the best left-sided centre backs in this division, but Evatt and Markham wanted him for that left wing back role and I think they'll look to fix what's around him - rather than just replace him.

[BWFC_Insane]

Priority has to be LWB, midfield and up front. In that order.

As with calls to replace Johnston previously, I suspect we'll stick with Iredale. We've made an investment there and sold him on a long term plan for his role in the team. I still think he's one of the best left-sided centre backs in this division, but Evatt and Markham wanted him for that left wing back role and I think they'll look to fix what's around him - rather than just replace him.

There’s nowt at all wrong with Iredale. I like him. He’s just no more a wing back than Dapo is and playing him there is absolutely destroying the lad. He can barely run after an hour in games.

It’s the most obvious problem in the side. We have no attacking impetus down the left hand side.

Were it me I’d abandon this system and put Iredale to LB. But if we are sticking with it we need a LWB who can get down the line put the ball in and stretch teams.

And I don’t think Evatt sees him as a wing back either. Maybe a stand in one. But he became one after John fell out of favour and Beck failed to really register.

I think it’s a massive massive priority area. Fix it with something or change system to suit players better and I think we are serious contenders.

[TANGODANCER]

I'd say LWB, CM/AM and a striker. But as always these things can be dictated by who could leave.

Ha ha, love the new Sonic..

[DJBlu]

I'd say LWB, CM/AM and a striker. But as always these things can be dictated by who could leave.

Ha ha, love the new Sonic..

A few here for you Tango!

[TANGODANCER]

Ha ha. I'll go for number one; the rest look a bit er....camp.

[DJBlu]

One for DSB

[GhostoftheBok]

And I don’t think Evatt sees him as a wing back either. Maybe a stand in one. But he became one after John fell out of favour and Beck failed to really register.

Not entirely sure I agree with that.

For me, the solution to that left attacking space will come from further up the pitch. Assuming we find one at all.

My view is that we've made an investment in Iredale (just as we made one in Johnston) and we will look to bring in players further up the pitch to do what he can't. We didn't can Johnston after a few months, despite calls to. I don't think we'll can Iredale either. I think Evatt intended those two to start games in this formation, having had a few months to look at everything.

I don't believe we're switching to a 4-at-the-back system for any great number of games this season. I think we'll end up seeing that back six settle as: Trafford, Bradley, Toal, Santos, Johnston and Iredale. The players we have fought hardest to get and/or made the longest term commitments to.

Evatt will look to the midfield and forwards to fix our attacking issues. As well as utilising that running power we will have in the back three, with Toal and Santos in there, to break lines - which will again cover a deficiency that might otherwise have required us to sign a new midfielder.

I suspect we'll see that "Wonky Wanderers" thing again. We saw against Barnsley that Dempsey can run those channels and provide the overload we require on the left. The question is how we tweak the patterns so he (or someone else) can offer that consistently against 11 men.

I don't disagree with your assessment of the issue. I just think we'll fix it by investing further in other areas, rather than undermining the investment we made in Iredale. It may be that if Iredale's role hasn't been nailed down by the summer we will then look at whether we need a new solution - as we did with John. I suspect not, though.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

One for DSB

Jings!