January 2023 Transfer Window

[sonicthewhite]

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...

I think everything is about a balancing act buddy.

[Worthy4England]

Moaning now about maybes seems a bit churlish.

Not if you're looking to set a "no lose, internet trap" that allows you to say "See, I told you so" often in the absence of any reasonable level of understanding of the detail that's driving decisions...It's why we love the internet.

[GhostoftheBok]

Not if you're looking to set a "no lose, internet trap" that allows you to say "See, I told you so" often in the absence of any reasonable level of understanding of the detail that's driving decisions...It's why we love the internet.

Disasterbation.

[Worthy4England]

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...

I think everything is about a balancing act buddy.

It strikes me that the word strengthen could be interpreted as keep everything we had and add some better players to it, just so we have the convenience of calling on the lesser mortals in the case of injury - I don't think we need or could afford that sort of approach and it seems to be la la land, both financially and in terms of keeping players happy. In amongst all the nuggets that have been picked out of recent IE proclamations where we try and assess, who, what position and where from, I'm sure I read a line or two around not putting the finances at risk.

[Worthy4England]

Not if you're looking to set a "no lose, internet trap" that allows you to say "See, I told you so" often in the absence of any reasonable level of understanding of the detail that's driving decisions...It's why we love the internet.

Disasterbation.

Going to review this in May.

[GhostoftheBok]

Going to review this in May.

There's that balkans joke about Hungarians, isn't there. In the Balkans Hungary is famous as being home to earthquakes and lazy people - so the joke goes "How does a Hungarian masturbate? He finds a little hole in the ground, sticks his manhood in it and waits."

[Worthy4England]

Going to review this in May.

There's that balkans joke about Hungarians, isn't there. In the Balkans Hungary is famous as being home to earthquakes and lazy people - so the joke goes "How does a Hungarian masturbate? He finds a little hole in the ground, sticks his manhood in it and waits."

[sonicthewhite]

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...

I think everything is about a balancing act buddy.

It strikes me that the word strengthen could be interpreted as keep everything we had and add some better players to it, just so we have the convenience of calling on the lesser mortals in the case of injury - I don't think we need or could afford that sort of approach and it seems to be la la land, both financially and in terms of keeping players happy. In amongst all the nuggets that have been picked out of recent IE proclamations where we try and assess, who, what position and where from, I'm sure I read a line or two around not putting the finances at risk.

Completely agree mate. A lot of people though don't see it. Like you I think strengthening doesn't always mean adding more bodies, but adding more TO the body, the body being BWFC. Trading a player for a better player is where we should be at and I know that it doesn't always pay off but so far we seem to be doing well on improving the squad, overall, each season.

[The_Gun]

Nixon now reporting Jerome. If we had to pay a fee for him that would be… not great.

[GhostoftheBok]

Nixon now reporting Jerome. If we had to pay a fee for him that would be… not great.

Depends what "fee" means in this context. I don't know what Al said, but if we're just covering associated costs (the old "minimal fee") then it's no issue. Is he saying Luton want proper money?

[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.

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...

We started the season and play offs was the target and for me achievable with what we had. We went into December found a run of form with the new back three and were 5th. And in my view had we changed nothing going to get a play off place.

We are instead changing a lot. Which is risky. And whether we are stronger or not will not be judged by hypotheticals. But simply by results. Evatt proclaims we will be stronger so we shall see at the end. PPG is a pretty neat measure.

[GhostoftheBok]

I really do LOVE January...

[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...

We started the season and play offs was the target and for me achievable with what we had. We went into December found a run of form with the new back three and were 5th. And in my view had we changed nothing going to get a play off place.

We are instead changing a lot. Which is risky. And whether we are stronger or not will not be judged by hypotheticals. But simply by results. Evatt proclaims we will be stronger so we shall see at the end. PPG is a pretty neat measure.

I'm fairly sure you said "I don’t think we will make the play offs with Evatt. It’s been nagging away for weeks. The players we have could do it. But not without some serious organisation and a sense of purpose that we very clearly lack." - now obviously that refers to the Manager, but I don't think we're changing him in the transfer window. Pre season you had us for 6th, which isn't unreasonable, but 6th can often easily become 5th or 7th - it's not a "nailed on" like maybe 3rd would be. Above 6th you said would be a pleasant surprise...

When we look at the players, there's a huge list of them that you've said aren't good enough or not a fit for the system, including off the top of my head at various times this season, Kacha, Charles, Bradley, Dapo, Santos, Iredale, Morley, Dempsey, Beck, Sadlier - the list is pretty endless and many you've said "we should sell"

I agree that we'll be judged on what happens at the end of the season - T'was generally ever thus unless there's clear underperformance. But to improve on your list of players that need improving on, is going to need some pretty significant changes likely over more than one window, yet when he starts to shuffle the deck to address some of these significant changes you want, you expect that everything will just be an improvement straight away and nothing will break a little....

[BWFC_Insane]

Surely even we wouldn’t be bonkers enough to sell two centre backs in January with days left of the window? That would be stupidity.

[Worthy4England]

I really do LOVE January...

I can hear wailing and gnashing off teeth. I think Johnston has improved a lot this season, over last, but I would think it strange if we let both Johnston and Aimson go right now, but am happy to see how it pans out...

I do have a half baked notion that IE prefers a bigger - re-jig in Jan to Summer - that might be driven by when we have money available, which gives him more opportunity to bed players in for next season...Pure speculation on my part and whatifism....

[Worthy4England]

Surely even we wouldn’t be bonkers enough to sell two centre backs in January with days left of the window? That would be stupidity.

This would indeed be strange - albeit I could see one of them heading for the exit...

[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.

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...

We started the season and play offs was the target and for me achievable with what we had. We went into December found a run of form with the new back three and were 5th. And in my view had we changed nothing going to get a play off place.

We are instead changing a lot. Which is risky. And whether we are stronger or not will not be judged by hypotheticals. But simply by results. Evatt proclaims we will be stronger so we shall see at the end. PPG is a pretty neat measure.

I'm fairly sure you said "I don’t think we will make the play offs with Evatt. It’s been nagging away for weeks. The players we have could do it. But not without some serious organisation and a sense of purpose that we very clearly lack." - now obviously that refers to the Manager, but I don't think we're changing him in the transfer window. Pre season you had us for 6th, which isn't unreasonable, but 6th can often easily become 5th or 7th - it's not a "nailed on" like maybe 3rd would be. Above 6th you said would be a pleasant surprise...

When we look at the players, there's a huge list of them that you've said aren't good enough or not a fit for the system, including off the top of my head at various times this season, Kacha, Charles, Bradley, Dapo, Santos, Iredale, Morley, Dempsey, Beck, Sadlier - the list is pretty endless and many you've said "we should sell"

I agree that we'll be judged on what happens at the end of the season - T'was generally ever thus unless there's clear underperformance. But to improve on your list of players that need improving on, is going to need some pretty significant changes likely over more than one window, yet when he starts to shuffle the deck to address some of these significant changes you want, you expect that everything will just be an improvement straight away and nothing will break a little....

We found a way of getting through a difficult Christmas fixture list with a rock solid back line and I think that changed a lot of opinion. I felt from there play offs were ours to lose.

I am and have been on the record very uncomfortable with this idea of swapping everything in January unless it’s a disaster. I also think it reflects poorly on decisions when you feel the need to change so much. These are Evatts signings. He’s replacing them with new ones. At what point does Evatt have a squad he thinks is ready? It feels like he wants a revolving door. And I’m not convinced that is good. Far from it. I expected to be in a position where each window it’s a couple of changes not wholesale stuff. Especially mid season when we are 5th!

[sonicthewhite]

I'd really hope there was a big fee involved with lots of add ons and young Macari thrown in for good measure. Otherwise it would be a no from me.

[truewhite15]

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...

We started the season and play offs was the target and for me achievable with what we had. We went into December found a run of form with the new back three and were 5th. And in my view had we changed nothing going to get a play off place.

We are instead changing a lot. Which is risky. And whether we are stronger or not will not be judged by hypotheticals. But simply by results. Evatt proclaims we will be stronger so we shall see at the end. PPG is a pretty neat measure.

Are we? Really? Currently going "out", we have...

One 4th choice striker. Played well last season, but hasn't hit the heights this time out.
One winger we've tried to convert, unsuccessfully, into either a striker or an attacking mid. One you yourself said might as well have been invisible so far this season.
One loan LWB from Liverpool. Barely played.
And (possibly) one CB who has been 4th choice most of his time here, was pushed to 5th choice by the emergence of one outstanding Irish bloke, who admittedly experienced a late renaissance by performing excellently during an injury crisis, but now that the crisis is over is back to 5th choice again.

Coming in, we have:

One striker on loan, likely 3rd or 4th choice, unfortunately injured
One attacking midfielder, who can also play wide or up front, wet behind the ears but rated very highly by a club towards the top of the English pyramid, who has already had a promising debut.
One LWB, permanent, who has already started, what, three games? Again, looks promising, and offers that attacking edge you yourself have been decrying the previous incumbent in that position for not offering.

On possible ins, we appear to have two strikers, a midfielder and a defender. Evatt himself has said that additional ins beyond the aforementioned two strikers will be to replace anyone going out.

We're only currently weaker because of three injuries, which the club couldn't have done anything about. Our "ins" have matched our "outs" so far. We certainly haven't intentionally made ourselves weaker in some act of ridiculous transfer window masochism.

But go ahead, you go and set up your "told you so"s for the rest of the season

[TANGODANCER]

When we were kids, transfers at tuppence a sheet, could be washed off with warm water and soap. Pity they now cost millions.