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

[boltonboris]

We probably need to get someone other than Dr Nick from the Simpsons on medicals at some point.

Unless Dr Hibberts the replacement

[boltonboris]

All opinions but I think that's the end for Will. Got his one game after Wycombe then immediately dropped and behind Jones now who's been poor. If we're in for another CB as well...

After seeing how Jones has played since his return, to say I’d be disappointed to be on the bench when he’s on the pitch would be an understatement. In fact, I’m disappointed he’s ahead of me now.

[irie Cee Bee]

My concern is that we have set some low standards for ourselves. Some very average and below average performances by some players are hailed as "fine". Forrester, Jones, Johnston, the new thomason Charles etc are really very average players or, to excuse them, we can say the manager has made them average. We need better.

Form vs quality, though, as ever.

Jones was never really good at this level, but he was solid consistently. Now he's just bad.

We know Thommo, Charles etc can be really good at this level. They're out of form.

You can't write-off every out-of-form player. Especially when the entire team is a mess right now.

Reasonable point Ghost, but they were better last season because most teams feared Bolton and sat off us. Oxford showed teams how to play us. Now our players have less space to play in, so the "quality" needs checking. We are not handling that well.

[GhostoftheBok]

Reasonable point Ghost, but they were better last season because most teams feared Bolton and sat off us. Oxford showed teams how to play us. Now our players have less space to play in, so the "quality" needs checking. We are not handling that well.

Cloughy didn't do anything new, though.

Evatt's turned into a caricature of himself. He went into a crucible and instead of all the impurities being burnt off he's now just the impurities.

[BWFC_Insane]

Reasonable point Ghost, but they were better last season because most teams feared Bolton and sat off us. Oxford showed teams how to play us. Now our players have less space to play in, so the "quality" needs checking. We are not handling that well.

Cloughy didn't do anything new, though.

Evatt's turned into a caricature of himself. He went into a crucible and instead of all the impurities being burnt off he's now just the impurities.

He’s exactly the same he’s always been it’s just he’s been found out by his own players and everyone else.

[GhostoftheBok]

A lot of excitement online about Dion Charles going to Huddersfield.

Feels like one that's been made up, but you never know. Huddersfield need a striker and Dion is one.

Seems odd to me that so many of ours seem to be cheering the idea on. He's not playing well, but who is?

~60 goals for us now, isn't it? 2 seasons with 20+ goals.

There's fickle and then there's saying Dion's been shit for us.

You can make an argument for selling him, but some of the stuff I'm reading is bizarre.

Apparently we should replace him with Ashley Barnes.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

A lot of excitement online about Dion Charles going to Huddersfield.

Thought they were (finally) getting Joe Taylor.

[truewhite15]

A lot of excitement online about Dion Charles going to Huddersfield.

Feels like one that's been made up, but you never know. Huddersfield need a striker and Dion is one.

Seems odd to me that so many of ours seem to be cheering the idea on. He's not playing well, but who is?

~60 goals for us now, isn't it? 2 seasons with 20+ goals.

There's fickle and then there's saying Dion's been shit for us.

You can make an argument for selling him, but some of the stuff I'm reading is bizarre.

Apparently we should replace him with Ashley Barnes.

Dion's form has been awful for the last 12 months - but then, the same can be said for the majority of our team.

He wouldn't be among the first that I'd personally punt over the garden fence; however, I can't honestly say that I'd be heart-broken over his departure. I happen to think a Collins-McAtee strike partnership has a higher potential ceiling anyway.

I do think it would likely have us hunting for another striker in January again, though.

[GhostoftheBok]

I can't honestly say that I'd be heart-broken over his departure.

Nor I, but there's saying "this could make sense" and claiming he's been a dreadful signing or is just a bad player.

I think selling a player who isn't hitting the heights and has 18 months left on his deal may make a lot of sense, if there's a goal scorer available who could come in and offer the fire Dion seems to have lost.

None of these lads have to be kept at all costs, because it's League One and you can almost always find players at this level. Can't say I'll be punching the air and jumping through hoops to see the back of the first player in years to hit 20+ goals for us, though.

[GhostoftheBok]

Thought they were (finally) getting Joe Taylor.

Ah, yes. I saw one lad say promotion was simply a matter of signing Taylor, Randall and Connell.

The magical money tree Sharon got for Christmas is going to come in very handy this window.

[Mar]

A lot of excitement online about Dion Charles going to Huddersfield.

Feels like one that's been made up, but you never know. Huddersfield need a striker and Dion is one.

Seems odd to me that so many of ours seem to be cheering the idea on. He's not playing well, but who is?

~60 goals for us now, isn't it? 2 seasons with 20+ goals.

There's fickle and then there's saying Dion's been shit for us.

You can make an argument for selling him, but some of the stuff I'm reading is bizarre.

Apparently we should replace him with Ashley Barnes.

Dion's form has been awful for the last 12 months - but then, the same can be said for the majority of our team.

He wouldn't be among the first that I'd personally punt over the garden fence; however, I can't honestly say that I'd be heart-broken over his departure. I happen to think a Collins-McAtee strike partnership has a higher potential ceiling anyway.

I do think it would likely have us hunting for another striker in January again, though.

He's got roughly a 1 in 3 record for a creatively poor team. He's not doing badly, we're just not giving our strikers enough chances due to how we play.

It would be madness to get rid if we're looking to get promoted this season.

[GhostoftheBok]

He's got roughly a 1 in 3 record for a creatively poor team. He's not doing badly, we're just not giving our strikers enough chances due to how we play.

This is one of the issues with how Evatt implements his system.

We do create openings, just not for the strikers. A lot of our chances fall to wingbacks, mids and defenders.

If you're going to play a 2-man attack then your system has to be based on getting them chances as your bread and butter.

Weirdly, the Mansfield game was actually a lot more like it. We did get into crossing positions and look to hit the strikers. More of that, with the right players putting it in on their right feet, and we're onto a winner.

If Vic survives the cull I'd be interested in seeing us try crossing to him. Burton found it quite helpful.

[Prufrock]

I love Dion. But I'd be "glad" to see him go if we got good money for him. He's 29 and out of sorts. Couple of hundred k would be bad. Well into the million(s) I'd be happy.

Plus it's one more step to a 433.

[TonyDomingos]

He's got roughly a 1 in 3 record for a creatively poor team. He's not doing badly, we're just not giving our strikers enough chances due to how we play.

This is one of the issues with how Evatt implements his system.

We do create openings, just not for the strikers. A lot of our chances fall to wingbacks, mids and defenders.

If you're going to play a 2-man attack then your system has to be based on getting them chances as your bread and butter.

Weirdly, the Mansfield game was actually a lot more like it. We did get into crossing positions and look to hit the strikers. More of that, with the right players putting it in on their right feet, and we're onto a winner.

If Vic survives the cull I'd be interested in seeing us try crossing to him. Burton found it quite helpful.

I was at a game tonight where the away side had just 31% possession, but managed six shots on target and won 0-3. Funny old game, innit?!

[GhostoftheBok]

I was at a game tonight where the away side had just 31% possession, but managed six shots on target and won 0-3. Funny old game, innit?!

There are lots of ways to win football games.

There are also lots of ways to lose them. We're currently showing off a few of them.

[Mar]

He's got roughly a 1 in 3 record for a creatively poor team. He's not doing badly, we're just not giving our strikers enough chances due to how we play.

This is one of the issues with how Evatt implements his system.

We do create openings, just not for the strikers. A lot of our chances fall to wingbacks, mids and defenders.

If you're going to play a 2-man attack then your system has to be based on getting them chances as your bread and butter.

Weirdly, the Mansfield game was actually a lot more like it. We did get into crossing positions and look to hit the strikers. More of that, with the right players putting it in on their right feet, and we're onto a winner.

If Vic survives the cull I'd be interested in seeing us try crossing to him. Burton found it quite helpful.

I certainly think we get into threatening areas. We're very adept at getting the ball up into the final third, but we're not good at creating clear cut chances. Mansfield got the ball forward quicker and created much better chances despite being in pushed further back.

We don't look effective at creating a pass through the middle that cut open their defence. It looks very much like we cater towards the wings and delay the pass until we've got bodies forward (and their defence settled).

Aaron Collins' goal certainly seemed to catch them on the back foot as they were heading to their net. Quick break and quick cross to an on rushing striker. Instead, we delay the pass and they clear easily, for the majority of the time.

I don't even mind us having the defence and midfields getting the shots off, but it seems strange that we'd spend so much money on forwards only to rely upon the midfield and defenders to do the shooting. Especially when investments havent been made in the back line.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Football League World "understands" we're interested in Joel Randall again. Pity that Posh gave him a three-year deal on what Fergie Jr says is the club's highest wage, then.

Also, Southampton have recalled Dom Ballard, the young loanee striker we were linked with in summer but who went to Blackpool. He's got 1 in 22 there, so I doubt he's the needle-mover (though he did score 5 in 12 at Reading last year).

[GhostoftheBok]

Football League World "understands" we're interested in Joel Randall again. Pity that Posh gave him a three-year deal on what Fergie Jr says is the club's highest wage, then.

Yup. I suppose it depends how big that falling out was over autumn (apparently huge) and how much of that new contract Randall would wave to make any move happen.

Posh fans now hate him. His manager hates him. He feels like he's been lied to by the club.

Could well be we've had a nod from el nobhead in the the big chair down there that he's willing to do business this time. Or he could be leaking to FLW again (as he did last time) to try and get an auction going for his player.

[TANGODANCER]

Football League World "understands" we're interested in Joel Randall again. Pity that Posh gave him a three-year deal on what Fergie Jr says is the club's highest wage, then.

Randall was my choice last season. He'd add the box to box punch we need and is a capable goal score. High on my wish list.

[boltonboris]

I don't get why anybody would rejoice in Dion leaving, but Bolton fans are strange and we have very short memories.

He's been the most likeable BWFC striker for many many years now. Works hard for the team and has scored bucket loads for us. Yes he's been guilty of missing big chances in big games, but every striker in World Football has done the same