January Transfer Window 2024

[Philosopher]

I definitely echo the calls for a new right back. Personally I'd go for a genuinely threatening attacking one. Livramento would have been good, but his injury is a little concerning for the price.

I like Cash, but for a top 4 -6 team, he is more of a squad player than first choice. 

Zaniolo is a but if a gamble, but I still maintain he could be world class. He needs some confidence. We have to remember he is a loan deal that will cost us less then Livramento even if we make it permanent. And players with his pedigree cost 50m plus if it wasn't for the ACL injury. 

[Leeroy]

12 hours ago, Kiwivillan said:

Someone posted reference from Emery that we sold likes of Archer, JPB due to FFP. That would line up with Zaniolo on loan, Tielemans on a free, and was it Evans or Preece months ago that said we were tight for spending due to FFP

I'd be amazed if we can't spend any money. Net spend very low last couple of years and we got nearly £40m for Archer, Ramsey and JPB which is pure profit. Whether they were sold for FFP reasons I don't know, I actually think it was more they weren't ready to make an impact on our team and that's why we inserted buyback clauses into the deals. Two of them were sold to teams likely to be relegated and one to a Championship team, hardly shows they're ready for a team going for Champions League. 

 

I'd certainly hope there is money to spend as we are 2-3 quality players short in our first 11 of being a top 4 team. Emery is a great manager but not a miracle worker, he can get us 7th maybe 6th but that will be the ceiling for this team until we improve it further. 

[MaVilla]

32 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

I'd be amazed if we can't spend any money. Net spend very low last couple of years and we got nearly £40m for Archer, Ramsey and JPB which is pure profit. Whether they were sold for FFP reasons I don't know, I actually think it was more they weren't ready to make an impact on our team and that's why we inserted buyback clauses into the deals. Two of them were sold to teams likely to be relegated and one to a Championship team, hardly shows they're ready for a team going for Champions League. 

 

I'd certainly hope there is money to spend as we are 2-3 quality players short in our first 11 of being a top 4 team. Emery is a great manager but not a miracle worker, he can get us 7th maybe 6th but that will be the ceiling for this team until we improve it further. 

Emery said they were partly sold for ffp reasons.

[Philosopher]

3 hours ago, Leeroy said:

I'd be amazed if we can't spend any money. Net spend very low last couple of years and we got nearly £40m for Archer, Ramsey and JPB which is pure profit. Whether they were sold for FFP reasons I don't know, I actually think it was more they weren't ready to make an impact on our team and that's why we inserted buyback clauses into the deals. Two of them were sold to teams likely to be relegated and one to a Championship team, hardly shows they're ready for a team going for Champions League. 

 

I'd certainly hope there is money to spend as we are 2-3 quality players short in our first 11 of being a top 4 team. Emery is a great manager but not a miracle worker, he can get us 7th maybe 6th but that will be the ceiling for this team until we improve it further. 

Do not forget we have Ramsey and Moreno out, which would transform our left flank.

So I'd say we are a right back away from our first team being as good as possible while we aren't a champions league team. By this I mean until we get champions league the calibre of player required to improve the first team beyond its current level (bar right back) requires champions league football to attract the next level of player.

If we get champions league, the first place we will look to spend money is striker. Ollie is just below top tier for me. Currently that's the best we can do. But Champions league will change that. In fact the whole spine bar goalkeeper will be looked at. CF, DM, and CD. While Kamara and our centre backs are very good. To go to the next level a genuine world class operator is required in each of those 3 positions. 

 

Edited November 6, 2023 by Philosopher

[sne]

Wilfred Ndidi is out of contract in the summer and by the looks of it his agent is trying to shop him to a bigger club. We are mentioned along with Newcastle, Brentford and so on. Still only 26.

Defensively he should be an upgrade on the Donk but don't remember how he was with the ball and I don't follow the Championship. Guess he'll also be off to the AFCON in January.

[cheltenham_villa]

right  back and a forward option that Unai trusts. Id like us to be smart though. Everytime we throw 10-15m at a Dendonker, Nakamba, Traore, players that just arent used then we need to sell an Archer to balance the books.

Id like to see genuine quality or some trust in the academy to delivery players.

[duke313]

14 minutes ago, sne said:

Wilfred Ndidi is out of contract in the summer and by the looks of it his agent is trying to shop him to a bigger club. We are mentioned along with Newcastle, Brentford and so on. Still only 26.

Defensively he should be an upgrade on the Donk but don't remember how he was with the ball and I don't follow the Championship. Guess he'll also be off to the AFCON in January.

Was dreadful last season.  Didn't he pass the ball straight to Bert for his winner versus Leicester last season?

[MaVilla]

1 hour ago, sne said:

Wilfred Ndidi is out of contract in the summer and by the looks of it his agent is trying to shop him to a bigger club. We are mentioned along with Newcastle, Brentford and so on. Still only 26.

Defensively he should be an upgrade on the Donk but don't remember how he was with the ball and I don't follow the Championship. Guess he'll also be off to the AFCON in January.

not great on the ball, a very athletic and in your face defensive midfielder, covers ground well, but even Leicester fans will tell you he isnt technical at all, or at least not to the level you would want in a possession based team.

[TRO]

Ndidi for Dendoncker....its a thought.

not sure he's good enough....right type, need better quality.

Edited November 8, 2023 by TRO

[skarroki]

10 minutes ago, TRO said:

Ndidi for Dendoncker....its a thought.

not sure he's good enough....right type, need better quality.

Think Ndidi has been playing much higher up the pitch this season in the championship and excelling in that new role. He might need some adjustment time to slot back into something more defensive and if he's thrown into a hectic schedule at a new club where he's not first choice or even first off the bench, he might find it tough. 

Already having Tielemans is a bonus though for that move, providing they get along off the pitch. They certainly clicked on the pitch together when Leicester were flying a couple years back. 

[MaVilla]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

Ndidi for Dendoncker....its a thought.

not sure he's good enough....right type, need better quality.

you just need to read the Leicester forum to see what they think of him, and it isnt pretty reading, he isnt a technical player, he's just a very good defensive midfielder, not what we need imo.

also, he's 5ft 9, we do seem to like midgets.

[cheltenham_villa]

2 hours ago, MaVilla said:

you just need to read the Leicester forum to see what they think of him, and it isnt pretty reading, he isnt a technical player, he's just a very good defensive midfielder, not what we need imo.

also, he's 5ft 9, we do seem to like midgets.

not commenting on the player but i wouldnt necessarily go by a forum for guidance. If anyone came and read VT over the last few years, theirs points where Mings, Luiz, Mcginn and Watkins were all described as very poor. 

[TRO]

3 hours ago, MaVilla said:

you just need to read the Leicester forum to see what they think of him, and it isnt pretty reading, he isnt a technical player, he's just a very good defensive midfielder, not what we need imo.

also, he's 5ft 9, we do seem to like midgets.

I think we need one of them, for certain games, thats why we have a squad....Wiki has him at 6' 0

Not surprisingly, I too favour a more physically, athletic type.......but that is not to replace Dougie or Boub....its to give the manager ,options in varying games, and be able to give them a rest.

I am keen to get a high quality one.....If the current 2 in the pivot get a lengthy injury, we are snookered.

 

[MaVilla]

4 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think we need one of them, for certain games, thats why we have a squad....Wiki has him at 6' 0

Not surprisingly, I too favour a more physically, athletic type.......but that is not to replace Dougie or Boub....its to give the manager ,options in varying games, and be able to give them a rest.

I am keen to get a high quality one.....If the current 2 in the pivot get a lengthy injury, we are snookered.

 

yeah, i see your point.

I just think, right now, with Dougie, Kamara & Donk, coupled with McGinn and Tielemans who "could" play there, as well as Timmy if Emery thinks he is good enough, personally i think we need to spunk the money at right back in Jan.

Im assuming we dont have "that much" to spend in Jan, and RB would be priority for me, not sure what second choice would be.....?, maybe a forward/inside forward, dunno.

If we got rid of Donk in jan, then ye i agree we need another DM.

[TRO]

29 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

yeah, i see your point.

I just think, right now, with Dougie, Kamara & Donk, coupled with McGinn and Tielemans who "could" play there, as well as Timmy if Emery thinks he is good enough, personally i think we need to spunk the money at right back in Jan.

Im assuming we dont have "that much" to spend in Jan, and RB would be priority for me, not sure what second choice would be.....?, maybe a forward/inside forward, dunno.

If we got rid of Donk in jan, then ye i agree we need another DM.

There are few, questionable examples for me.....If Timmy can make the impact at DM that JJ has in his position.......Great.

Donk is simply too slow, mentally and physically, for me.....SJM is better on the right, moving him around, as a jack of all trades, don't work for me.

I don't see Tielemans as a DM either....decent player on his day, and can thread some great balls, .....but not a presence, to physically dominate the centre of the park, like a Rodri.....sure I am highlighting one of the best around, but we need a version of him.

However, I also agree, a right back, who can defend, and a striker, to challenge Ollie.....but that maybe 2 windows.

We have to be careful, when we appraise players, because managers have to play, players out of position to improvise, for all sorts of non availability reasons....being the consummate professional, and playing anywhere for the club, doesn't always help in maximising your own game....John McGinn will play anywhere for our club, but it doesn't always work in his favour.

Over the years, I have seen many players play the DM role, when in my eyes, they are simply helping out, and are not really DMs.....thats just my view.

Edited November 8, 2023 by TRO

[allani]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

There are few, questionable examples for me.....If Timmy can make the impact at DM that JJ has in his position.......Great.

Donk is simply too slow, mentally and physically, for me.....SJM is better on the right, moving him around, as a jack of all trades, don't work for me.

I don't see Tielemans as a DM either....decent player on his day, and can thread some great balls, .....but not a presence, to physically dominate the centre of the park, like a Rodri.....sure I am highlighting one of the best around, but we need a version of him.

However, I also agree, a right back, who can defend, and a striker, to challenge Ollie.....but that maybe 2 windows.

We have to be careful, when we appraise players, because managers have to play, players out of position to improvise, for all sorts of non availability reasons....being the consummate professional, and playing anywhere for the club, doesn't always help in maximising your own game....John McGinn will play anywhere for our club, but it doesn't always work in his favour.

Over the years, I have seen many players play the DM role, when in my eyes, they are simply helping out, and are not really DMs.....thats just my view.

In 100% agreement with all of this.

Timmy is the dream.  I'd love to see him come through (and Kellyman) and really give us the options we need in midfield.  With Ramsey, Luiz and Kamara that's real strength in depth at a young age.

I am struggling to work out how Donk has as many caps as he has for Belgium.  Maybe he needs a run of games to recapture some form - but he just seems slow (mentally and physically) and I can't see how he really fits into Emeryball.

Tielemans looks like a much better player higher up the pitch.  We need him closer to the attackers so that his cute forward passes are less easy to cut out and more decisive.

On the RB - I'm actually thinking we need more than a solid defensive RB (which is what I thought we'd need).  I do think we need someone who is good at going forward and getting crosses in but also someone who is stronger defensively (and a bit quicker) than Cash.  Cash is a great back-up though.

I think we need another attacking player too - someone whose maybe a bit more of a fox in the box (or a powerful aerial threat) to give us options when teams defend deep and counter some of Ollie's main threats.  Maybe Duran will become that player.  Hopefully Rory Wilson will be one of the best strikers to come through our academy (but still a way off before he's unleashed into the first team).  I'd like that forward / striker to be someone that we can play alongside Ollie and Diaby (when required) rather than being a rotation / back-up option.  It would have been nice to have someone who thrives in the box to throw on against Forest for example - whilst still having Ollie and Diaby there to exploit gaps.  That type of player (even though the fox in the box and the aerial dominator are very different types!!) might have been better at getting on the end of one of the 50 odd touches in the Forest area or have distracted the defenders enough to give Diaby / Ollie or one of the midfielders more time and space on the edge of the box.

[Pongo Waring]

Roony Bardghji Please. 

[jacketspuds]

16 minutes ago, Pongo Waring said:

Roony Bardghji Please. 

In one of the biggest shocks of all time, Chelsea are apparently after him.

[Zatman]

Because people always seem to mention him every window but Eze is signing a new deal at Palace

[MaVilla]

7 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Because people always seem to mention him every window but Eze is signing a new deal at Palace

interesting that they have managed to hold on to both Olise and Eze (new contracts).