January 2023 Transfer Window

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Is it Marcus Maddison again?

A few have been asking that, but I don't think Allan Saint-Minimum will be making a return.

I would say an "exciting" player could be two things. It could be a dazzling dribbler we've never heard of, or just a "big name" that counts as a surprise he'd play for us - what you might also call a Statement Signing.

No idea who it might be. But I know that it will make for a very sad podcast episode of Dear Hank and John if we sign Ayoub Assal - John Green loves the lad to pieces.

[GhostoftheBok]

Not sure it's even the minutia - I reckon whoever it is, there's probably going to be a fairly low number of people actually seen them play a full game more than a handful of times (unless it's some completely "out there" coup)...

Fair.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I reckon whoever it is, there's probably going to be a fairly low number of people actually seen them play a full game more than a handful of times (unless it's some completely "out there" coup)...

Is it Zach Clough? Or ALF again?

Actually there's a topic in there, while we wait. Which former Wanderer would you most want to see drop into this system? Purely in terms of what we miss and need.

[jmjhb]

Blerim Dzemaili

[boltonboris]

Abdou Faye in front of that Back 3

Ricardo Gardner at LWB

Gary Speed in CM

Diouf behind Anelka up top

God, we could be here all day

[BWFC_Insane]

I reckon whoever it is, there's probably going to be a fairly low number of people actually seen them play a full game more than a handful of times (unless it's some completely "out there" coup)...

Is it Zach Clough? Or ALF again?

Actually there's a topic in there, while we wait. Which former Wanderer would you most want to see drop into this system? Purely in terms of what we miss and need.

I'm going to limit it to those who played outside the premiership for us because otherwise its a little 'star gazing'.

I'd say Gudjohnsen circa 1999 or Michael Ricketts circa 2000/1.

Either of those would be absolutely brilliant.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Abdou Faye in front of that Back 3

Ricardo Gardner at LWB

Gary Speed in CM

Diouf behind Anelka up top

God, we could be here all day

We could if you don't limit yourself to one, greedy-guts

I'm going to limit it to those who played outside the premiership for us because otherwise its a little 'star gazing'.

I'd say Gudjohnsen circa 1999 or Michael Ricketts circa 2000/1.

Either of those would be absolutely brilliant.

Also a sensible limitation, and God I'd love either of those.

IIRC the reaction to the signing of Michael Barrington Ricketts was widespread underwhelmation.... 14 in 76 games for Walsall?! Goes to show that a good manager can spot a player's potential and make him much much better.

Eidur was more the other kind of "exciting" - a former PSV player, when we'd spent much of the previous two decades signing dross from lower-league holes. Toddy did very well to take a calculated gamble on that one.

[BWFC_Insane]

Abdou Faye in front of that Back 3

Ricardo Gardner at LWB

Gary Speed in CM

Diouf behind Anelka up top

God, we could be here all day

We could if you don't limit yourself to one, greedy-guts

I'm going to limit it to those who played outside the premiership for us because otherwise its a little 'star gazing'.

I'd say Gudjohnsen circa 1999 or Michael Ricketts circa 2000/1.

Either of those would be absolutely brilliant.

Also a sensible limitation, and God I'd love either of those.

IIRC the reaction to the signing of Michael Barrington Ricketts was widespread underwhelmation.... 14 in 76 games for Walsall?! Goes to show that a good manager can spot a player's potential and make him much much better.

Eidur was more the other kind of "exciting" - a former PSV player, when we'd spent much of the previous two decades signing dross from lower-league holes. Toddy did very well to take a calculated gamble on that one.

Oh yeah - Ricketts a £400K signing who wasn't a Walsall regular was met with a high degree of 'what'? As he was effectively Eidur's replacement. I suppose we have to keep in mind the club was on the verge of bankruptcy at the time and was living and surviving day to day. Ricketts was a signing that absolutely shows a good manager can see things in players before they demonstrate it.

[Worthy4England]

I reckon whoever it is, there's probably going to be a fairly low number of people actually seen them play a full game more than a handful of times (unless it's some completely "out there" coup)...

Is it Zach Clough? Or ALF again?

Actually there's a topic in there, while we wait. Which former Wanderer would you most want to see drop into this system? Purely in terms of what we miss and need.

Frankie W. Obvs. Dunno what people are farting about with other suggestions for - although, I'm not sure "press" would get used quite as much.

[The_Gun]

I reckon whoever it is, there's probably going to be a fairly low number of people actually seen them play a full game more than a handful of times (unless it's some completely "out there" coup)...

Is it Zach Clough? Or ALF again?

Actually there's a topic in there, while we wait. Which former Wanderer would you most want to see drop into this system? Purely in terms of what we miss and need.

What about which active former Bolton player would we most want back? Relatively slim pickings for that one...

[The_Gun]

Back on topic, is it realistic that all of Baka, Dapo, John and Sadlier would be shipped out during this window?

[BWFC_Insane]

Back on topic, is it realistic that all of Baka, Dapo, John and Sadlier would be shipped out during this window?

My guess is Baka stays meaning we have 4 strikers. I don't detect he particularly wants away and the noises seem to be he's a good lad and we ideally want 4 strikers.

Dapo goes. Sadlier if someone comes in for him and can afford him goes. John might be hard to shift.

[Worthy4England]

I reckon whoever it is, there's probably going to be a fairly low number of people actually seen them play a full game more than a handful of times (unless it's some completely "out there" coup)...

Is it Zach Clough? Or ALF again?

Actually there's a topic in there, while we wait. Which former Wanderer would you most want to see drop into this system? Purely in terms of what we miss and need.

What about which active former Bolton player would we most want back? Relatively slim pickings for that one...

I suspect Mooy wouldn't be a bad shout...There's also Ream, Antonee, Ramsdale (we need a keeper) - that's just the ones that were at the World Cup...

[TANGODANCER]

Dapo goes. Sadlier if someone comes in for him and can afford him goes. John might be hard to shift.

From all that was wonderful, unplayable etc,etc, to "get shut" in one easy sentence. From what I've seen (little granted, but enough) He's twice the footballer of a few out there. I'd only consider moving him if he said he didn't want to play for Bolton. Are we walking before jogging again?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Dapo goes. Sadlier if someone comes in for him and can afford him goes. John might be hard to shift.

From all that was wonderful, unplayable etc,etc, to "get shut" in one easy sentence. From what I've seen (little granted, but enough) He's twice the footballer of a few out there. I'd only consider moving him if he said he didn't want to play for Bolton. Are we walking before jogging again?

I don't think it's that, Tango. It's just good business sense to gather a largeish transfer fee for a player who has become somewhat inconsistent, who doesn't quite fit in this system and who - crucially - could raise us some money.

On a fan level, I would be sad to see him go. But I was sad to see Curcic go, and we reinvested in Frandsen and Johansen, and it worked out well.

[BWFC_Insane]

Dapo goes. Sadlier if someone comes in for him and can afford him goes. John might be hard to shift.

From all that was wonderful, unplayable etc,etc, to "get shut" in one easy sentence. From what I've seen (little granted, but enough) He's twice the footballer of a few out there. I'd only consider moving him if he said he didn't want to play for Bolton. Are we walking before jogging again?

I'm not suggesting we get shut. I'd rather he stayed. I'm simply saying that from the clues out there I'd guess he may be off somewhere else.

As DSB states below the problem is we're not playing a system that is getting the best out of him.

Its not my decision. But I'd agree with you that he's one of our better footballers - he's not very good at the press though so you know....

[Harry Genshaw]

Prem player- Kevin Nolan
Outside of Prem - Karl Henry or Anthonee

[BWFC_Insane]

Prem player- Kevin Nolan
Outside of Prem - Karl Henry or Anthonee

Nolan played outside the premiership too so I think he would count in the same way I counted Ricketts as outside...

And frankly Karl Henry is such a bad pick can you just have Nolan twice?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Karl Henry's the definitive "def-mid snarler" so often cited as missing

Trouble is he was missing half the time too - through suspension

13 yellows in 33 games!!
.

karl.jpg (107.25 KiB) Viewed 665 times

[BWFC_Insane]

I loved Henry (as a footballer less so as a human being) and he was absolutely critical to our eventual survival and that oh so glorious escape on the final day. But I can't think of many players we've had less suited to what Evatt is trying to do. He was relatively immobile and patrolled an area on the pitch, usually as DSB says 'aggressively'. A sitter in a Parky system designed to stop teams to allow us to nick games. But he'd be dead on his feed after 20 minutes trying to play how we are right now and probably sent off a lot too. I think that sort of midfield role is the hardest to fill for us. MJ does a decent job for me but splits the crowd because he definitely is less confident on the ball than you'd want. I suspect that someone who effects more turnovers higher up the pitch would be magic.