In, Out, Shake It All About: January 2025 Transfer Window

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

There's been a few iffy windows for me. We didn't push on from last Jan, we fell back. We didn't improve over the summer, we fell further back. Doesn't feel like we improved this window either, but maybe Schumaker will work better with what we have...

If I look at our target of 2 points per game over a season in relation to the windows, once out of 7 we've bettered 2 ppg.

We improved 1/1/22 to end of season, 1/1/23 to end of season, and 1/8/24 to Christmas 2024, so far this year, we're about first half of 2022/23 season level...

Whether that's more manager or players or both, maybe the next few games will help us work that out...

Really interesting way of looking at it, thanks Worthy.

It does feel like after those first two seasons, the idea took hold that "January will save us" and we'd kick on after Christmas... but a bit like the half-time team-talk, it didn't always have the desired effect.

If you have three windows where you don't improve, let alone go backwards, you're probably in trouble.

(I say "probably" because the players who stay can improve - see Thomo, for example - although again, he's arguably not currently improving at the rate he was... not even a sniff of a bid from a Champo club this month.)

[GhostoftheBok]

We designed the summer window to let us kick on in a system Evatt couldn't get to work. It didn't improve us for the old system and he also had injuries to deal with.

I am hoping (and it's hope, rather than expectation) that Schumacher is inheriting a squad that's ideal for his football and doesn't have the same injury list to deal with.

I think he'll see this as a massive gift falling into his lap. He's a confident guy.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Last few windows (major signings only, listed in vaguely GK-FW order)

JAN 25
IN Murphy (loan), Morley (loan return), Randall, Etete (loan)
OUT Arfield, Williams, Charles

SUMMER 24
IN Southwood, Forino, JOT, Schon, Matete (loan), Arfield, Lolos, McAtee
OUT Iredale, John, Morley (loan), Nlundulu (loan), Bodvarsson, Jerome

JAN 24
IN Collins, Ogbeta (loan), Ramsay (loan), Taylor (loan)
OUT -

SUMMER 23
IN Baxter, Coleman, JDC, Ashworth (loan), Forrester, Maghoma (loan), CMG, Nlundulu
OUT Dixon, Isgrove, Lee, MJ, Sadlier, Kachunga

Interesting to look back.
• Summer 23 was definitely a strengthening, man-for-man (even Coleman's better than Dixon). But there's two midfielders there - Lee and MJ - that arguably we've missed (to a greater or lesser extent) ever since.
• Jan 24 brought us Collins, who's now overwhelmingly our main man, although it can be (and has been) argued that his signing split the successful Dion-Vic partnership and neither of those has looked the same since. However, it can't be said that the squad got weaker... even if the results did.
• Summer 24 attempted to plug a few gaps (decent sub keeper, first-choice attacking wingbacks, Big Man At The Back, snappy midfielder, Wise Old Head In Midfield, new striker) but many of those picks have thus far failed to justify the decision: Forino, Arfield arguably McAtee, perhaps even JOT until he stays fit. And as with the previous summer with MJ & Sexy Kieran, we missed Bod and Jerome more than we expected.
• This time, well, Randall remains to convince and Etete for Dion looks like the opposite of a chef's kiss. We have got Morley back from not just Wycombe but his season-long dip, and most importantly we've changed the gaffer...

[Worthy4England]

Yeah, I think if you discount 1st half season post promotion, where we did a chunk of heavy lifting in the Jan, our average is ~1.81 ppg, and we've been over that in three half seasons and under it in three. I do feel that we've focussed our investments on attack to the detriment of overall performance whilst contriving to crash the bit that was working. I think barring a disaster, new manager gets a free hit until next season by which time we'll have had another summer so comparisions will be pretty subjective. Any upside like a sneaky promotion from the play-offs might feel reasonably convincing though...

[Bijou Bob]

My biggest problem with this window, has been the pish poor communication from the club. We do so well to keep individual transfer targets under wraps, but a simple communique yesterday saying “We’re trying to get one or two in” or “ The club is at a financial threshold that makes increases to the squad size difficult” would have made a huge difference. Instead, social media has gone potty with hundreds of different theories and we all sat there hitting ‘Refresh’ until 2301 hrs.

[BWFC_Insane]

My biggest problem with this window, has been the pish poor communication from the club. We do so well to keep individual transfer targets under wraps, but a simple communique yesterday saying “We’re trying to get one or two in” or “ The club is at a financial threshold that makes increases to the squad size difficult” would have made a huge difference. Instead, social media has gone potty with hundreds of different theories and we all sat there hitting ‘Refresh’ until 2301 hrs.

Can’t agree with this. This feels like modern football gone mad. Maybe they had a possible target but it relied on another club doing something first, so always a distant possibility. Maybe they didn’t know what would happen. Maybe raising expectations only for things to fall through would be worse…. But I don’t think they should be expected to dignify the nonsense of deadline day drama with a message for fans, in fact I think it would cheapen the club. They essentially use the Bolton news as a de facto method to communicate with fans on the day and Iles was pretty clear in his blog through the whole day that it was an outgoing or two and anything else would be a surprise.

[Prufrock]

Do I have the honour of having started the worst transfer thread EVER?!

Consider yourself lengthily banned from starting these threads. We might need a Pru special for summer

I am Evatt to Pru's Schumacher (Prumacher, if you will).

I hope that doesn't make me PP.

"It's an honour to be here and start the transfer window thread at such a massive, massive club. It's a dream come true to come home to my boyhood club, where beginning transfer threads started for me.

The owners and I have the same vision, I want my transfer threads to be front foot, and I know the fanbase want the same.

It's a real shame it didn't work out for Tony, he's one of the gents of the game, been through it all. He actually rang me too congratulate me, and he's given me the inside track, so obrigado Tony. "

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

My biggest problem with this window, has been the pish poor communication from the club. We do so well to keep individual transfer targets under wraps, but a simple communique yesterday saying “We’re trying to get one or two in” or “ The club is at a financial threshold that makes increases to the squad size difficult” would have made a huge difference. Instead, social media has gone potty with hundreds of different theories and we all sat there hitting ‘Refresh’ until 2301 hrs.

Can’t agree with this. This feels like modern football gone mad. Maybe they had a possible target but it relied on another club doing something first, so always a distant possibility. Maybe they didn’t know what would happen. Maybe raising expectations only for things to fall through would be worse…. But I don’t think they should be expected to dignify the nonsense of deadline day drama with a message for fans, in fact I think it would cheapen the club. They essentially use the Bolton news as a de facto method to communicate with fans on the day and Iles was pretty clear in his blog through the whole day that it was an outgoing or two and anything else would be a surprise.

Agree. The angst that went on with Schumacher taking more than 48 hours to be done was bad enough, imagine the same for each inkling of a signing? I might as well go curdle my brain on twatter or whatever the twa*t is calling it these days.

[nicholaldo]

My biggest problem with this window, has been the pish poor communication from the club. We do so well to keep individual transfer targets under wraps, but a simple communique yesterday saying “We’re trying to get one or two in” or “ The club is at a financial threshold that makes increases to the squad size difficult” would have made a huge difference. Instead, social media has gone potty with hundreds of different theories and we all sat there hitting ‘Refresh’ until 2301 hrs.

Can’t agree with this. This feels like modern football gone mad. Maybe they had a possible target but it relied on another club doing something first, so always a distant possibility. Maybe they didn’t know what would happen. Maybe raising expectations only for things to fall through would be worse…. But I don’t think they should be expected to dignify the nonsense of deadline day drama with a message for fans, in fact I think it would cheapen the club. They essentially use the Bolton news as a de facto method to communicate with fans on the day and Iles was pretty clear in his blog through the whole day that it was an outgoing or two and anything else would be a surprise.

+1

[jmjhb]

Craig Dawson cancelling his contract at Wolves. I'd love to see him back here.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Craig Dawson cancelling his contract at Wolves. I'd love to see him back here.

West Ham and Everton fans fancy him too, but he was registered by Wolves so he can't play for anyone in England before August, by which time he's 35...

[BWFC_Insane]

Craig Dawson cancelling his contract at Wolves. I'd love to see him back here.

West Ham and Everton fans fancy him too, but he was registered by Wolves so he can't play for anyone in England before August, by which time he's 35...

Very odd he would agree to rip his contract up with that registration situation unless he has something lined up abroad you’d think.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Craig Dawson cancelling his contract at Wolves. I'd love to see him back here.

West Ham and Everton fans fancy him too, but he was registered by Wolves so he can't play for anyone in England before August, by which time he's 35...

Very odd he would agree to rip his contract up with that registration situation unless he has something lined up abroad you’d think.

It is, I agree, but the manager has made brutally clear he doesn't want him...

[malcd1]

Just noticed Falkirk had an excellent 5-2 win against Partick Thistle yesterday. A certain Scott Arfield scored a hat-trick within 60 minutes including a first minute goal.

[Mar]

Just noticed Falkirk had an excellent 5-2 win against Partick Thistle yesterday. A certain Scott Arfield scored a hat-trick within 60 minutes including a first minute goal.

Saw the highlights. There's a good chance the majority of males his age could've scored those. Still, a hat-trick is a hat-trick, good on him.

[TonyDomingos]

Just noticed Falkirk had an excellent 5-2 win against Partick Thistle yesterday. A certain Scott Arfield scored a hat-trick within 60 minutes including a first minute goal.

Randell has scored for Orient this evening.

[TANGODANCER]

Just noticed Falkirk had an excellent 5-2 win against Partick Thistle yesterday. A certain Scott Arfield scored a hat-trick within 60 minutes including a first minute goal.

Randell has scored for Orient this evening.

None of the things ex Wanderers do are relevant, they simply have better players around them now. .

[Bertie Wooster]

Oh dear it looks like our new tall striker is out for 4-5 weeks, great signing this is turning out to be.

[BWFC_Insane]

Oh dear it looks like our new tall striker is out for 4-5 weeks, great signing this is turning out to be.

Another Markham special. Really recruitment has been awful.

I hope Schuey will get a grip on it now. He must see how dysfunctional it has been.

[GhostoftheBok]

Oh dear it looks like our new tall striker is out for 4-5 weeks, great signing this is turning out to be.