January 2023 Transfer Window

[GhostoftheBok]

And I do mean at length, even for Evatt:

If you asked Kieran does he want to play wing-back the answer is probably ‘no’ but he will. Kieran is one of those versatile players who gets moved around a lot because he can play in different positions, and it isn’t always the best thing.

What I will say is that when he has had the opportunity to start games in the forward positions, we haven’t seen what I would like to see. Kieran’s best performances for us have been as an impact substitute – and sometimes that isn’t what players want to be.

There is a trade off there between club, manager and player. How does he get first team football? He needs to be doing X, Y and Z.

Everyone will have an opinion – and some people will think Kieran should be in the team for the way he impacts games. But for us, we need to see that impact from the start, when he does start, more consistently.

He is a very talented player and a bit like Dapo, when we signed him we were still 4-3-3. And then we changed to 3-5-2 and he was most affected alongside Dapo.

It doesn’t mean to say he hasn’t had an impact, or that he won’t continue to have an impact, but for now if he wants to nail down a position in the forward roles we require ‘X, Y and Z’ consistently.

Everyone knows where they stand, they know where it’s at, and we’ll work hard with them to improve.

So basically everything we've said about him the other day.

I do sometime wonder if Evatt reads the forums, but then I remember that he definitely does read the forums.

[Bertie Wooster]

Aimson to Exeter ?

[BWFC_Insane]

Seems the betting odds are between Aimson and Johnston.

Personally I think it would be pretty silly to sell either at this stage short of millions of pounds being exchanged. In either case we’d require another centre back. Someone else to bed in. When I don’t really see the need.

We are 5th and in a semi final. Too many changes just seems counter productive to me.

We also need to consider that we will pick up more injuries on our pitch. Bradley is a yellow away from a ban. It’s all very well saying we sell players to bring new ones in but when that’s disrupting settled areas of the team I do start to question the logic.

If someone bids £2M plus for Johnston then sure. We ain’t saying no. But it would need a player ready to come in immediately to replace him.

Aimson for the money we’d get and the fact we’d need a replacement Id say probably would be a bit ridiculous.

[GhostoftheBok]

Aimson to Exeter ?

He made it fairly clear he was seriously considering that and we obviously had contingencies lined up.

Who knows?

Would be a good move for him. He'd do really well there.

There are five or six you could easily see happening, so I suppose it's about who pulls what triggers leading up to the deadline. We're no longer that team where nobody wants our players, which is refreshing.

[sonicthewhite]

I think it will be Sads. He's got a bit of a cult following ala Andranik so I reckon Evatt is preparing the way ready for the inevitable wailing and gnashing of teeth by the BN comments section. Makes sense to me as Sads has never been able to nail down a position.

I can't see it being Johnston as he's been immense so far and is the only fit LCB we have. I did briefly wonder if that's why Toal was tried there the other night but I then dismissed it, unless a club came in with 2-3 million. Then it's a different story.

Aimson was another brief candidate but I think he'd see out the season with us before making a decision, to see where he ends up in the defensive pecking order. Again, any significant bid would change things.

In fact lets face it, any significant bid for any of our players would test Evatts and Sharons mettle. We shall have to wait and see what transpires.

[The_Gun]

Sadlier sounds like he's off, so there's a chance Evatt is just referring to him. I did have a thought las night that MJ might be a candidate to leave, as he's clearly fallen down the pecking order and I can imagine there would be plenty interested in him.

[Harry Genshaw]

Johnston to Stoke is the other rumour flying around. If its a lucrative deal the clubs in no position to refuse it. I'd be wanting some serious coin though

[BWFC_Insane]

Johnston to Stoke is the other rumour flying around. If its a lucrative deal the clubs in no position to refuse it. I'd be wanting some serious coin though

Whatever happens we need to ensure we have a replacement ready to go and lined up.

[GhostoftheBok]

Toal coming in for Johnston was a bit of a red flag for some people, certainly.

Then you can throw in the possible Lewis Macari makeweight.

First things first. Adeboyejo and Jerome.

[BWFC_Insane]

If Sadlier goes and a centre back goes that leaves us significantly down. Given Sadlier is cover for both wingbacks and Jones covers I guess RWB and CB. Meaning one injury or suspension would be bare bones. Two would be calamitous. And you have to factor in that as we’ve seen up front it’s more than likely to happen. If say Santos and Bradley were both out that’s just normal in football. You’d need to have sufficient cover for normal eventualities.

Given that were Sadlier to go we need wingback cover both sides.

If a centre back goes we need a centre back in who is as good and also is the relevant type, a big dominant centre half for Aimson or a left footed left sided wide centre half in a back three for Johnston. Otherwise we’ve left ourselves issues.

There is no point selling either and bringing in a centre midfield player as it leaves us with massive holes in key areas.

[GhostoftheBok]

We'll be fine. Let's see what happens today and Monday. Might even be a football game at some point, if you like that sort of thing.

[BWFC_Insane]

We'll be fine. Let's see what happens today and Monday. Might even be a football game at some point, if you like that sort of thing.

The judgement will be outcomes at the end of the season. We went into January 5th and in a semi final. The second half of the season has to match up to that. And injuries as Evatt has already said are an expected part of football and something to factor in. Changing the squad round in January also raises increased risk of injury due to players coming in with less than ideal preparation.

We will be able to judge the decision making come May. If we’ve slipped then it will be on Evatt and his decisions.

[The_Gun]

Sounds like it might be Aimson going then. Not the biggest surprise, but we'd certainly need to be bringing in a replacement.

[Worthy4England]

Johnston to Stoke is the other rumour flying around. If its a lucrative deal the clubs in no position to refuse it. I'd be wanting some serious coin though

Weren't we also "linked" to a CD from Stoke - is that where Macari's grandson is?

[The_Gun]

Johnston we're surely not letting leave at this point. Would have to be stupid money to even be considered.

[brommers95]

Looks like the Aimson-Exeter link is legit. Not sure how I feel about it tbh

[GhostoftheBok]

The judgement will be outcomes at the end of the season. We went into January 5th and in a semi final. The second half of the season has to match up to that. And injuries as Evatt has already said are an expected part of football and something to factor in. Changing the squad round in January also raises increased risk of injury due to players coming in with less than ideal preparation.

We will be able to judge the decision making come May. If we’ve slipped then it will be on Evatt and his decisions.

Maybe, maybe not. Depends what goes on during the rest of the season.

The Sheehan, Iredale and Fossey injuries were results of risks we are prepared to take in our recruitment. Dad Bod isn't.

Without boring anyone with numbers, we're targeting the best striker in league one (currently), the best veteran on the market (for us) and one of the best English youth prospects in his age group.

Moaning now about maybes seems a bit churlish. We're clearly going flat out to improve. We are both spending money and being genuinely ambitious. I'll worry about icebergs once the ship is built and ready to sale, not before they've finished laying the deck.

If we get our targets I'm extremely confident, but you'll always be able to say "It could have been better", because counterfactuals can always be perfect. Nobody ever gets injured, or loses form, when we're talking about might have beens.

[GhostoftheBok]

Looks like the Aimson-Exeter link is legit. Not sure how I feel about it tbh

Depends on the replacement, I'd expect.

Fair play to Will. He was off, then we got an issue with the big man and he stayed and did his job brilliantly. Now Santos is back and you'd expect a frank, professional conversation with Ian probably led to him getting his agent to resurrect that deal

I think he's done himself proud there.

I expected him to stay until summer after he didn't go earlier, but best of luck to him.

[sonicthewhite]

I'm a fair believer that everyone is entitled to do what they think is best for them. But I'm a bit concerned with the Aimson rumour as he has turned out to be the player we expected when he signed. Him leaving would definitely leave us short irrespective of Santos waiting to get back in to the team. Aimson gives us something different at CB and unless we could find another ready made replacement or even upgrade that is match fit and up to speed to the rigours of first team football then we could be exposing ourselves to Lady Fate.

But, as I said at the beginning, if Bolton have received a fair offer for him and if Aimson has decided that his fortunes would improve by moving then good luck to him and i wish him well.

[Worthy4England]

We'll be fine. Let's see what happens today and Monday. Might even be a football game at some point, if you like that sort of thing.

The judgement will be outcomes at the end of the season. We went into January 5th and in a semi final. The second half of the season has to match up to that. And injuries as Evatt has already said are an expected part of football and something to factor in. Changing the squad round in January also raises increased risk of injury due to players coming in with less than ideal preparation.

We will be able to judge the decision making come May. If we’ve slipped then it will be on Evatt and his decisions.

We went into January 5th, having made the case that we were unlikely to finish 5th, with the players we had and for a good few to be "got rid of" for the three months prior, some to local pub leagues. I'm fairly sure we saw the "we're in a false position" drum getting a thump too.

The semi-final thing for me would be stretching the bounds (should we lose it), to say "We have been nailed on to win had we only kept players X/Y," as they've adequately shown their ability to be 2 goals down at Accrington once, already this season.

It would not surprise me if behind some of this was "balancing the wage bill" - rather than assuming we can just retain some of the higher earners and add in additional higher earners...