Am I right in thinking we have already got a deal in place to sign Famewo? Am sure it was announced when he signed on loan?
As to others, we need another striker in and I'd like to sign Lee on a perm.
Arter will no doubt go back. I also wouldn't be surprised if Kirk goes back up North. Hasn't worked out for him at all and the formation Jackson plays absolutely does not suit him.
With have an option to buy at a fixed price, which is £500,000 according to Sports Interactive.
We’ve supposedly got similar money for James Beadle, which should help with getting the Famewo deal done.
We have a strong starting 11 but With the exception of Leko and Blackett Taylor, I don’t have a lot of faith in our reserves. There is a serious step down in quality with Davison, Albie, Kirk, Watson etc. we need depth given JJs high energy style of play
We only have 1 squad space left don't we, which was created when Schwartz left? You'd expect JFC will take up that space so anyone else coming in (unless U21) would mean someone leaving.
Arter will no doubt be favourite to go. Personally if we sign a striker, i wouldn't be against loaning Davison to league 2 (he takes up a squad space and Burstow doesn't). Also wouldn't be surprised if Kirk is loaned out as well, not even on the bench yesterday and clearly doesn't fit Jackson's preferred system. I'm sure a bottom half northern club would take him, maybe he could even go back to Crewe?
I'd also like us to try and get Morgan a league 2 loan but i can't imagine there will be a long queue of takers.
Can’t see Tucker signing unless Inniss left. Lavelle was signed instead of Tuckerin the summer. Priorities are strikers, a mobile cdm in case Dobson gets injured, a Centre mid/AM incase Lee/Gilbey get injured and maybe if Brum recall Leko then a rwb/rm will be signed. Outs I can see Gunter, Arter, Kirk and maybe Davison.
After watching us against Cambridge yesterday I would suggest the no 15,,Jubril Adesope Okedina, is worth a punt. He is very quick, good in the air, and according to Wiki comes from Woolwich.
The absolute priority has to be centre backs Inniss ain't up to it physically - 2 seasons now same story Lavelle looked like a slimmer younger Jason Pearce (2021 version) then broke down with serious injury Pearce is older, slower and now injured Gunter - last night was just one example Famewo has improved dramatically in recent weeks but could be recalled Elerewe and Barker are talented teenagers with little experience
If we are to sustain a promotion push we need to keep the back shorne up and to do that we'll need 2 more capable experienced campaigners at CH, even if we don't carry on playing 3 at the back
We're continuing to score despite all the pant wetting B/S on here about lacking strikers. We're probably overladen in midfield and one or two might need to get loaned out or sold to make room in the permitted squad, candidates? Morgan, Watson, Kirk are all off the list of starters, harsh on a couple but needs must.
This is how I see it... I get the approach that we need more Strikers and need to just out score the opposition.
But we've scored eleven goals under Jackson and conceded just three.
Two of which were when we started with just one recognised Centre-Back
Scoring goals isn't the issue
It was last night.
Erm... We were 2-0 up
If we had proper defensive cover we would have won
If we had scored 3 we would have won. We had enough pressure in the final 3rd to have scored more than 2.
Meaningless quote. If you attack & score more goals than your opponent then you win the game. If you win all your games then you win the title.
Ergo - Scoring more goals than your opponents will win you the title. Keeping clean sheets is only good if you can score as well. If you cant score then the best you'll do is 0-0. 46 0-0 draws won't win you the title.
Scoring goals is therefore more important than keeping clean sheets.
Oh for goodness sake golfie. It’s not meaningless. Read it again.
The first part of the Ferguson quote - “Attack wins you games” - is your entire point. Nobody disagrees with that. It’s demonstrably and obviously true. But you’re willfully refusing to think long term.
The second part - “Defence wins you titles” - deals with the more long term point that you can’t score a hatful of goals every game. There will always be dry spells up front due to form, injury, luck or numerous other reasons. Its unavoidable. It’s at these times where a solid defence comes to the fore. Good defences are less likely to have bad spells, these bad spells will be less frequent and won’t last as long because they’re more about organisation, shape and understanding, rather than skill, flair and invention. Ferguson’s point is all about building solid foundations at the back as a priority to guard against the lean spells. He made this comment, I believe, as a reaction to Keegan’s free scoring Newcastle side of the 90’s who scored goals for fun but also let them in frequently. Great to watch, but lost or drew too many games to scorelines like 4-3, 3-2 or 2-2. That crazy game against Liverpool where, I think, Collymore got the winner and Keegan slumped in his seat in despair is a case in point. Ferguson was, of course, absolutely correct. Newcastle won loads of games and put many teams to the sword, building a 12 point lead by Christmas, but the lean spells followed and they couldn’t keep the opposition goals out and no matter how much Keegan “would love it”, if Man U got beaten, he should have concentrated on keeping his own defence tighter, then he wouldn’t have needed to hope that some other team did him a favour.
Whether you liked Ferguson or not, he was probably the best football manager of my lifetime. And he was on the money with this.
Outs. Arter & Morgan. Kirk is an interesting one as if he doesn’t fit the formation then zero point of him just making up the numbers.
Imagine Davidson will probably go on loan if we sign another striker, and don’t think being 4th choice would be beneficial to his career. Think Burstow will go on loan if we go out the cups early in January.
It’s great going into the window hoping we are going to strength the side and not lose our best players.
I've been assuming we'll use our buy-back to sign Sarpong-Wiredu and then cancel Arter's loan, also assuming we're able to do that. That will give us cover for Dobson at CDM as well as a bit of WB cover if we want to go a bit more defensive as games tick on. We need another striker in and assuming Kirk can't fill that CM role we need another there. Other than that though I don't know that the squad needs major surgery in this window. As CB options we have Matthews (who genuinely might be dead, does anyone know what's going on with him?), Gunter, Inniss, Lavelle, Pearce, Clare, Deji 2.0, Famewo. Inniss and Lavelle are due back I'd hope by the end of January and Clare has proven he can consistently perform in that role. There could be a temptation to get a younger defender in on loan who doesn't affect the squad cap but then chucking in kids at CB is a rarity. Mostly we need a third striker to seriously compete with Stockley and Washington, someone you know you can start with or bring on if the game needs to change. Davison is an honest hard worker but I don't trust him to change a game from the bench.
Providing we can cancel Arter's loan, he will surely go back to Forest.
More interesting is what happens to Kirk. I wonder if there will be some phone calls to Crewe to see if they want to take him back on loan to get him in the shop window so we can try to recoup some of his transfer fee.
Gunter is another interesting one. Not on the subs bench for the last 2 games with Elerewe preferred. JJ sending out a message?
And whilst we are talking about who might go, much more concerning to me is bids from championship clubs for Gilbey, Washington, Stockley and possibly Dobson. If anyone comes calling, I fear they are gone.
Sandgaard's quotes are really promising. Strengtten at the back, in midfield and upfront. If this happens we could well make the playoffs. At present we are an injury away from Pearce, Gilbey or one of our two strikers making us much weaker. With better replacements available we should stay strong in the second half of the season.
I've been assuming we'll use our buy-back to sign Sarpong-Wiredu and then cancel Arter's loan, also assuming we're able to do that. That will give us cover for Dobson at CDM as well as a bit of WB cover if we want to go a bit more defensive as games tick on. We need another striker in and assuming Kirk can't fill that CM role we need another there. Other than that though I don't know that the squad needs major surgery in this window. As CB options we have Matthews (who genuinely might be dead, does anyone know what's going on with him?), Gunter, Inniss, Lavelle, Pearce, Clare, Deji 2.0, Famewo. Inniss and Lavelle are due back I'd hope by the end of January and Clare has proven he can consistently perform in that role. There could be a temptation to get a younger defender in on loan who doesn't affect the squad cap but then chucking in kids at CB is a rarity. Mostly we need a third striker to seriously compete with Stockley and Washington, someone you know you can start with or bring on if the game needs to change. Davison is an honest hard worker but I don't trust him to change a game from the bench.
I’d still like a left sided CB, be in trouble if Famewo was unavailable. Someone who can play either middle or on the left of the three would be perfect. Lavelle still out for a while and Inniss crocked constantly. Longer term Lavelle is our only permanent CB option so looking at it now won’t hurt.
That and another striker would probably be enough for January, with JFC strengthening the midfield.
Providing we can cancel Arter's loan, he will surely go back to Forest.
More interesting is what happens to Kirk. I wonder if there will be some phone calls to Crewe to see if they want to take him back on loan to get him in the shop window so we can try to recoup some of his transfer fee.
Gunter is another interesting one. Not on the subs bench for the last 2 games with Elerewe preferred. JJ sending out a message?
And whilst we are talking about who might go, much more concerning to me is bids from championship clubs for Gilbey, Washington, Stockley and possibly Dobson. If anyone comes calling, I fear they are gone.
I would be very surprised if any of those moved just yet. There seems to be a spirit in this squad now that they are here on a mission to progress with the club. Stockley on record saying he wants to end his career here. For the 1st time in years I genuinely believe we will only sell players that we want to sell
Providing we can cancel Arter's loan, he will surely go back to Forest.
More interesting is what happens to Kirk. I wonder if there will be some phone calls to Crewe to see if they want to take him back on loan to get him in the shop window so we can try to recoup some of his transfer fee.
Gunter is another interesting one. Not on the subs bench for the last 2 games with Elerewe preferred. JJ sending out a message?
And whilst we are talking about who might go, much more concerning to me is bids from championship clubs for Gilbey, Washington, Stockley and possibly Dobson. If anyone comes calling, I fear they are gone.
I would be very surprised if any of those moved just yet. There seems to be a spirit in this squad now that they are here on a mission to progress with the club. Stockley on record saying he wants to end his career here. For the 1st time in years I genuinely believe we will only sell players that we want to sell
I hope you're right.
But if someone says to stockley we'll treble your wage from say £5k a week to £15K a week I wonder if he would still want to end his career with us?
I've been assuming we'll use our buy-back to sign Sarpong-Wiredu and then cancel Arter's loan, also assuming we're able to do that. That will give us cover for Dobson at CDM as well as a bit of WB cover if we want to go a bit more defensive as games tick on. We need another striker in and assuming Kirk can't fill that CM role we need another there. Other than that though I don't know that the squad needs major surgery in this window. As CB options we have Matthews (who genuinely might be dead, does anyone know what's going on with him?), Gunter, Inniss, Lavelle, Pearce, Clare, Deji 2.0, Famewo. Inniss and Lavelle are due back I'd hope by the end of January and Clare has proven he can consistently perform in that role. There could be a temptation to get a younger defender in on loan who doesn't affect the squad cap but then chucking in kids at CB is a rarity. Mostly we need a third striker to seriously compete with Stockley and Washington, someone you know you can start with or bring on if the game needs to change. Davison is an honest hard worker but I don't trust him to change a game from the bench.
I’d still like a left sided CB, be in trouble if Famewo was unavailable. Someone who can play either middle or on the left of the three would be perfect. Lavelle still out for a while and Inniss crocked constantly. Longer term Lavelle is our only permanent CB option so looking at it now won’t hurt.
That and another striker would probably be enough for January, with JFC strengthening the midfield.
I'd much prefer bringing in strikers than defenders.
Currently we have just 3 strikers - 4 if you include Burstow. That is 2 strikers light & we all saw what happens when 1 is missing for just a 3 match suspension.
We currently have 5 central defenders plus 5 players who can play rb/rb. I admit 2 of those Central defenders are injured but one will be back by the time the january window opens & the other in a couple of months time.
As for Matthews - I was wondering if there was a clause in his contract where x games triggers another year. We've been burnt with Watson over this & wondered if a similar clause might exist.
Striker x2 work horse/water carrier midfielder to replace arter Winger
then use bakrin & elerewere as CB cover with innis
A winger is the last position we need, especially in our current formation
With CBT injured, and Kirk not kicking on - hate having to rely on Leko who is extremely hit and miss!
But we’re not playing with wingers. With DJ and Purrington starting, we’ve got 3 players capable of playing down the wing who already can’t get in the starting XI. Got to remember we’ve got a squad cap, could always be better but got to be realistic too.
Comments
Was the inside gossip
Gilby/Dobson have certainly upped their games.
My guess is return Arter and loan out others or like Dempsey just don't include them in the squad.
Arter will no doubt be favourite to go. Personally if we sign a striker, i wouldn't be against loaning Davison to league 2 (he takes up a squad space and Burstow doesn't). Also wouldn't be surprised if Kirk is loaned out as well, not even on the bench yesterday and clearly doesn't fit Jackson's preferred system. I'm sure a bottom half northern club would take him, maybe he could even go back to Crewe?
I'd also like us to try and get Morgan a league 2 loan but i can't imagine there will be a long queue of takers.
Any stand out u21s in our league and below? Or clubs struggling financially that need the money?
I'm probably whistling in the wind for the latter so someone like Chuks would make it an ideal window
The first part of the Ferguson quote - “Attack wins you games” - is your entire point. Nobody disagrees with that. It’s demonstrably and obviously true. But you’re willfully refusing to think long term.
The second part - “Defence wins you titles” - deals with the more long term point that you can’t score a hatful of goals every game. There will always be dry spells up front due to form, injury, luck or numerous other reasons. Its unavoidable. It’s at these times where a solid defence comes to the fore. Good defences are less likely to have bad spells, these bad spells will be less frequent and won’t last as long because they’re more about organisation, shape and understanding, rather than skill, flair and invention.
Ferguson’s point is all about building solid foundations at the back as a priority to guard against the lean spells. He made this comment, I believe, as a reaction to Keegan’s free scoring Newcastle side of the 90’s who scored goals for fun but also let them in frequently. Great to watch, but lost or drew too many games to scorelines like 4-3, 3-2 or 2-2. That crazy game against Liverpool where, I think, Collymore got the winner and Keegan slumped in his seat in despair is a case in point.
Ferguson was, of course, absolutely correct. Newcastle won loads of games and put many teams to the sword, building a 12 point lead by Christmas, but the lean spells followed and they couldn’t keep the opposition goals out and no matter how much Keegan “would love it”, if Man U got beaten, he should have concentrated on keeping his own defence tighter, then he wouldn’t have needed to hope that some other team did him a favour.
Whether you liked Ferguson or not, he was probably the best football manager of my lifetime. And he was on the money with this.
It’s great going into the window hoping we are going to strength the side and not lose our best players.
work horse/water carrier midfielder to replace arter
Winger
then use bakrin & elerewere as CB cover with innis
More interesting is what happens to Kirk. I wonder if there will be some phone calls to Crewe to see if they want to take him back on loan to get him in the shop window so we can try to recoup some of his transfer fee.
Gunter is another interesting one. Not on the subs bench for the last 2 games with Elerewe preferred. JJ sending out a message?
And whilst we are talking about who might go, much more concerning to me is bids from championship clubs for Gilbey, Washington, Stockley and possibly Dobson. If anyone comes calling, I fear they are gone.
But if someone says to stockley we'll treble your wage from say £5k a week to £15K a week I wonder if he would still want to end his career with us?
Currently we have just 3 strikers - 4 if you include Burstow. That is 2 strikers light & we all saw what happens when 1 is missing for just a 3 match suspension.
We currently have 5 central defenders plus 5 players who can play rb/rb. I admit 2 of those Central defenders are injured but one will be back by the time the january window opens & the other in a couple of months time.
As for Matthews - I was wondering if there was a clause in his contract where x games triggers another year. We've been burnt with Watson over this & wondered if a similar clause might exist.