HalfTimePost Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 (edited) I thought Rowe had a good game but (not through any fault of his own) I don't think a squad slot to replace Taylor just yet. At 21 and no first team football he needs a loan to prove it week in week out, we also need to see some attacking attributes from him before he can deputise at LB for a squad hopefully challenging Europe (although fair play the through ball was good). Taylor shouldn't be on the pitch again, we need another LB to push Targett. If the club believe in Rowe maybe that LB can be a veteran for 18-24 months before Rowe steps in but we need somebody to legitimately push Targett. So we need to buy a good Left Back for the squad, it'll stunt Rowes development with us a bit but it's what we need to do. So loan him out for a full season next year. Kessler however, maybe Dean doesn't believe it but Guilbert and Elmo should be enough to challenge Cash. Kessler for me showed he had some strong attacking attributes aswell as a decent game defensively. I would perhaps let Elmo go at the end of the season and keep Guilbert (Dean won't) and start integrating Kessler. Maybe a 6 month loan now and cup games next year. We should still be looking at CM x2, LB, Striker and a CB over the next two windows. With more of these guys and less of Lansbury, Taylor, Elmo and Engels in the early cup stages Edited January 9, 2021 by HalfTimePost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 12 hours ago, tonyh29 said: So now we have Wesley close to returning and Barry showing he can offer something at this level , guess we can tick strikers off the list and decide if we spunk £40m on a midfielder or a defender in Jan No way, we still need a striker. Barry still needs plenty of time to grow, fill out and continue his development at junior levels. Yes I want him to be around the first team learning as much as possible but lets not think of him as a first team member and yet. He's a star of the future not the next 18 months. Wes, I'm a big fan of, but this season is basically over for him. He's still going to take time to get back to full training and much longer before first team action, and even more time before truly match fit and more time before he's effective. For me, I'd be surprised if we see anything decent from him this season given how long he's been out and we are half way through the season. So basically we have Ollie only upfront. Davis is getting virtually no time, even really as a sub, so I'm guessing that Smith doesnt trust him enough, so he needs to get loaned out or sold when we get chance (which given how few strikers we do have I'm guessing not soon). Then we have Traore as extreme back up. We desperately need another striker in the club, especially if we want to take advantage of the start of the season we've had. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson1 Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 7 minutes ago, nick76 said: We desperately need another striker in the club, especially if we want to take advantage of the start of the season we've had. I cannot agree more. We have a fantastic opportunity to finish within the top ten this season and to achieve this I think we need a good back up to Watkins. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, ferguson1 said: I cannot agree more. We have a fantastic opportunity to finish within the top ten this season and to achieve this I think we need a good back up to Watkins. Thank you. Even if people disagree with us, hopefully they can at least see that if Watkins gets an injury we are in trouble. Yes Watkins doesnt have an injury record but we have to remember there are Ben Mee's of this world that have a habit of taking players out for a year or more with their reckless tackles. I mean if Watkins has Covid, which apparently 10 of our first team players have it can take time to come back, it's already taken some PL players a month. That's a lot of games without a striker. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 Yep we need a striker. I do wonder whether some clubs will gamble in thinking the season might not finish though so might leave signings until the summer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson1 Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, nick76 said: Thank you. Even if people disagree with us, hopefully they can at least see that if Watkins gets an injury we are in trouble. Yes Watkins doesnt have an injury record but we have to remember there are Ben Mee's of this world that have a habit of taking players out for a year or more with their reckless tackles. I mean if Watkins has Covid, which apparently 10 of our first team players have it can take time to come back, it's already taken some PL players a month. That's a lot of games without a striker. yep. I think with the current situation it needs to someone on these shores though and there isn’t many gettable ones. Origi possibly but is he going to sit on our bench when he gets little game time already. Doubt it. Josh King maybe? However, does he have the right hunger and attitude? I really don’t know. It’s slim pickings this January to be honest. Edited January 9, 2021 by ferguson1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 6 minutes ago, ferguson1 said: yep. I think with the current situation it needs to someone on these shores though and there isn’t many gettable ones. Origi possibly but is going to sit on our bench? Doubt it. Josh King maybe? However, does he have the right hunger and attitude? It’s slim pickings this January to be honest. I agree, there must be somebody even if the somebody is not within our usual transfer policy like a veteran or maybe a loan. I have tried thinking but hopefully our recruitment team have somebody in mind if they are thinking we need somebody. Obviously ideally to get somebody really good and for the future as well but even a stop gap will help until Wes is back, Barry is more experienced and/or we can really decide what we want to do or the right player is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guardian_Angel_M Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 https://youtu.be/sDL8u84zVag Rafael Santos Borré has a similar playing style to Watkins, and the system Gallardo uses for River Plate demands constant pressing from him. He already has European experience at Atletico and Villarreal, also River lost the first match of the Libertadores semifinal against Palmeiras 3-0 so they're virtually out of the competition. He hasn't been involved that much in the national team because of the competition, mainly Duvan Zapata and Muriel from Atalanta both of whom are playing at the highest levels of their careers. https://youtu.be/vs0MU8qoFGc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guardian_Angel_M Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 He will be a free agent this summer I just found, so he's now available to start negotiations with whatever team wants him 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 Bayern Munich are apparently looking to sign Reading left back Omar Richards on a free in the summer. I've never heard of him but he must be half decent if they're after him, Reading would probably be desperate for any kind of transfer fee rather than lose him for free. A promising understudy for Targett is one of the signings I'd be looking to sort out ASAP. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhan_Zhuang Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 2 hours ago, Guardian_Angel_M said: https://youtu.be/sDL8u84zVag Rafael Santos Borré has a similar playing style to Watkins, and the system Gallardo uses for River Plate demands constant pressing from him. He already has European experience at Atletico and Villarreal, also River lost the first match of the Libertadores semifinal against Palmeiras 3-0 so they're virtually out of the competition. He hasn't been involved that much in the national team because of the competition, mainly Duvan Zapata and Muriel from Atalanta both of whom are playing at the highest levels of their careers. https://youtu.be/vs0MU8qoFGc Ask Juan Pablo Angel to sweeten the deal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazrim Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 Barry is easily good enough for cameos this season. I see no reason to hold him back. Who cares if he isnt built like a thug? It never held Owen, Messi, Defoe etc back. All regulars by 17. His technique is right and the rest will only come with experience. Watkins, Wesley, Barry ubtil Summer. Send Davis out on loan for one last chance to prove himself. I'd be up for sending Barry out too if we had a few top strikers. We do not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 5 hours ago, ferguson1 said: It’s slim pickings this January to be honest. It’s going to be slim pickings every transfer window going forward, we are now at the stage where the type of player we want will be looking for European action and probably wages that only the top 6 can afford. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazrim Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 Didn't Slim Pickings come on late in the second half last night? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaVilla Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 Does anyone else think that we probably wont sign anyone in Jan? Sure i saw an interview with Deano where he said something like "we may or may not look to sign someone in Jan, but we will keep our finger on the pulse and if something comes up we like we might". From experience, isnt that effectively Deano talk for "ye....we wont be signing anyone". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 1 minute ago, Mazrim said: Didn't Slim Pickings come on late in the second half last night? Nah, but I'm fairly certain Mungo Jerry played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HalfTimePost Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 Just been going through the list of forwards in the Prem to find a striker we could loan or buy realistically and genuinely there is nobody. Vinicius, Austin (about to go on loan to QPR) and Benteke is practically it and not sure they're reasonable either. No great options for a 6 month loan or cheap transfer to do a job for a year or so. Mitrovic maybe? He'd be a different option but not sure I want him in our side. Sturridge? As above.. Really really slim pickings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, HalfTimePost said: Just been going through the list of forwards in the Prem to find a striker we could loan or buy realistically and genuinely there is nobody. Vinicius, Austin (about to go on loan to QPR) and Benteke is practically it and not sure they're reasonable either. No great options for a 6 month loan or cheap transfer to do a job for a year or so. Mitrovic maybe? He'd be a different option but not sure I want him in our side. Sturridge? As above.. Really really slim pickings Joshua King scored 2 today for Bournemouth, against Oldham... We've been linked to him before and he's out of contract in the summer. Would be a OK-ish squad player perhaps but I still think Bournemouth will want a hefty fee for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-R Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 7 hours ago, nick76 said: No way, we still need a striker. Barry still needs plenty of time to grow, fill out and continue his development at junior levels. Yes I want him to be around the first team learning as much as possible but lets not think of him as a first team member and yet. He's a star of the future not the next 18 months. Wes, I'm a big fan of, but this season is basically over for him. He's still going to take time to get back to full training and much longer before first team action, and even more time before truly match fit and more time before he's effective. For me, I'd be surprised if we see anything decent from him this season given how long he's been out and we are half way through the season. So basically we have Ollie only upfront. Davis is getting virtually no time, even really as a sub, so I'm guessing that Smith doesnt trust him enough, so he needs to get loaned out or sold when we get chance (which given how few strikers we do have I'm guessing not soon). Then we have Traore as extreme back up. We desperately need another striker in the club, especially if we want to take advantage of the start of the season we've had. While I agree with most I do not agree with Barry bit, he could play in the first team and quite easily to be fair. You dont go scoring goals like that against a liverpool side who are full of first eleven and class names all while playing alongside Youth. You have to be a special talent to go do that and Barry is clearly one of them. You shouldn't wrap him up, he doesnt need sending on loan. Baryy should be around the first team and even get some game time against better opponents it's where hes at now. Hes a young lad who is very ready to take on better opposition and you have to relise when in the stage of someone's career it's right to help propel them in an upwards trajectory and the timing is right for Smith to do that with Barry. Why do we have to be the club that holds Youth back Arsenal, Pool, UTD, chelsea and spurs do not. We keep talking about sending them on loan or they should not even be near the first team, yet if they can perform against the leagues no1 team, they can certainly fit into our first 25 squad with ease. Our club in the past has been so reluctant to bring youth through and while sometimes it's understandable some times, in some cases it's also holding them back to much. we are holding onto them tightly and months or years go by and we end up having to release them because they didnt come through at the right time, this needs to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 1 hour ago, MaVilla said: Does anyone else think that we probably wont sign anyone in Jan? Sure i saw an interview with Deano where he said something like "we may or may not look to sign someone in Jan, but we will keep our finger on the pulse and if something comes up we like we might". From experience, isnt that effectively Deano talk for "ye....we wont be signing anyone". Yep, I’d be surprised if we sign any new players this January 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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