January Transfer Window

[Din]

Who do we want in then? I personally don't think too many additions need to be made, I think it is crucial we get another winger in though, preferably one that plays on the left. I was talking to some Wolves fans on another forum, and they said that Bakary Sako's contract is up at the end of this season, and he doesn't look like signing a new contract. They said that therefore he'd be available for about £3m. I would love us to go in for him at that price. Callum McManaman is another player that I would like to have here, however he's probably too expensive.

I also think we need another right back. Martin seems to be settling in at centre back, and Whittaker this season has been down-right awful. We can't have him playing right back every week. Sam Byram of Leeds is probably the main name that sticks out for me.

Also, who do we think will leave? I'm hoping that we can keep our current squad of players together, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Hooper/Redmond leave. I really hope they stay though.

 

[Canaryboy]

I'd actually feel a bit let down if we let any of our star players leave in the middle of the season (Hooper, Ruddy, Redmond, Howson, etc). It sends the wrong message and shows a lack of ambition, lets try and get ourselves out of this division by keeping our most talented players at the club. If we do need to sell to balance the books then I think it would be much more sensible to sell in the summer if we don't go up rather than causing any disruption. We aren't going to get the feel good factor back by flogging one of our best players. 

It can also set off a chain reaction. You flog Redmond and suddenly Hooper and Ruddy question our ambition and request transfers too? They are all contracted players and none of them have contracts which expire in the summer, why sell now? 

If we need to sell one of our best players to buy players then perhaps better if we just didn't buy at all. 

 

[Yellow Fever]

IMO, possibly a left-sided player could be brought in, but far more important to keep what we have.

 

[ZLF]

we need to keep what we have (although I wouldnt mind the replacement post sale of whittaker and bj to remove them from starting 11 temptation)  as its the options to cover injury and form loss that is essential to a sustained promotion push.      Keeping hold of the strikers,  redmond, howson and ruddy are the essential players for me.

However we do need a player who can start week in week out for wide left - its a glaring gap being filled with less than ideal options.  

Any signings need to have an eye on next season;   few of the summer signing are prem league starting quality/potential (good in a squad at best).    That will be tough but would send out a powerful message.   If a buy cant be made then a loan signing to for the rest of the season of similar quality would be good.  

 

[Salopian]

I agree with Din that a priority has to be right back. NA now seems to feel that Martin is better at CB, which leaves only Whittaker as a recognised RFB, and at times he is shaky defensively, even if he can be good going forward.

Otherwise our strikers, perhaps only intermittently, show promise, and the midfield is now scoring goals. Redmond is at last showing more consistency in delivery. We have numbers in central midfield, or will have when Vidas returns.

I  am not sure what people mean by a player on the left. We have Johnson in midfield and we have the fleet footed Josh wide left, and Olsson can play there as well.. Josh needs more game time, I feel, but has already shown that he is very good prospect. There are also some very good prospects among our juniors out on loan. The future looks good.

Apart from possibly Becchio and Bassong we should try to hang on to all our contracted players, unless we are offered a ridiculously high price. I would not be too disappointed if we sign only one, or even none, because prices in January are higher than in the summer, and we may be able to sign a Bosman or two in June/July.

Much depends on whether we feel we must have promotion in 2015, - to hang on to the better players, or whether we feel we lack sufficient players of quality, even supplemented by one or two big signings in the summer, to offer a reasonable chance of survival in the Prem. 

 

[ZLF]

For me murphy is a season away from starting but a great sub this year;  

lafferty is the only natural left midfielder but is currently on the bench

We has been used there but is criminally wasted when there - he is best central and not a left midfielder.

BJ is the only other option and the one currently in possession.  He  was poor in the first half yest and v lucky not to be subbed probably only staying on because he is left footed and he is superb in the air;   being left on a diamond does not play to his strengths which is hard running and filling space;  his use of the ball remains poor,  his break up play worse than tetteys although his sense of timing for the goals superb and masked an otherwise poor effort.

Some competition for lafferty or bj would be perfect,  especially one better than both.   A pilkington type is what we need.

And agree whole heartedly about a right back.    I think we can cope with whit and martin this season (imo neither are that bad) but we do need better

 

[eatonparkboy]

I would like to see a real leader brought in. Hopefully a left footed CB. The rest are fine with one or two exceptions but every manager makes errors in the market.

Trouble is, who is this left footed giant among men who is going for a song?

 

[Suffolk Canary]

I'd be more than satisfied if we didn't sign anyone, on the condition that no one left.   We've now got Wes back and looking better than ever,  and Ryan Bennett and Vadis coming back will pretty much be like 2 new signings!

 

[morty]

IMO, possibly a left-sided player could be brought in, but far more important to keep what we have.

Yup, this for me.

 

[lyb]

+1 for the right back. With Olsson being a very quick player who works up and down the left wing, it would be great to have somebody who can offer that level of performance on the other wing as it opens up so many more options.

 

[morty]

+1 for the right back. With Olsson being a very quick player who works up and down the left wing, it would be great to have somebody who can offer that level of performance on the other wing as it opens up so many more options.

Or maybe once one of the several centre backs we have bought finds some form, Russel Martin will revert to RB?

 

[lyb]

Or maybe once one of the several centre backs we have bought finds some form, Russel Martin will revert to RB?

The only issue there is that the signs are he'd rather be at centre back than right back, but I agree he does a good job at right back.

 

[morty]

The only issue there is that the signs are he'd rather be at centre back than right back, but I agree he does a good job at right back.

I wonder where this came from though, other than speculation. I'm sure if he was asked he'd trot out the stock answer of "I'll play anywhere the gaffer asks me to"

Frankly I couldn't second guess what Neils plans are for the defence!

 

[lyb]

Well, possibly I'm reading too much into it, but he usually plays centre back for Scotland, he started this season with the number 5 shirt, which you normally associate with centre back and, given he spent much more time at right back last season, getting the number 5 shirt in spite of that made me think that he must have expressed some preference for centre back. 

I agree, I've no idea what defensive plans are. I used to be able to guess lineups under Hughton quite accurately, mostly because they hardly ever changed save for injuries.   Given that Adams has demonstrated an interest in using diamond some of the time, I'd have thought a quick right back comparable to Olsson would be a must to give enough width.

 

[morty]

Well, possibly I'm reading too much into it, but he usually plays centre back for Scotland, he started this season with the number 5 shirt, which you normally associate with centre back and, given he spent much more time at right back last season, getting the number 5 shirt in spite of that made me think that he must have expressed some preference for centre back. 

I agree, I've no idea what defensive plans are. I used to be able to guess lineups under Hughton quite accurately, mostly because they hardly ever changed save for injuries. 

Yeah, you could well be right!

 

[lyb]

Yeah, you could well be right!

What, that I'm reading too much into it? lol

 

[morty]

What, that I'm reading too much into it? lol

No, that he has expressed a preference to play at centre back. I have no idea if players would be able to make such demands.

 

[Yellow Fever]

IMO, Martin could revert to RB when Bennett is fit again, but Martin does offer more mobility than the other CBs other than Miquel, who, at 21, still lacks experience.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

+1 for the right back. With Olsson being a very quick player who works up and down the left wing, it would be great to have somebody who can offer that level of performance on the other wing as it opens up so many more options.

We already have a player perfect for this role - we loaned him out to Brighton

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

The only issue there is that the signs are he'd rather be at centre back than right back, but I agree he does a good job at right back.

Russell Martin has expressed a preference to play at CB. Im not sure if this is because he feels this enhances his chances at international level, but when Hughton was sacked it was implied that Russ wasnt too unhappy to see him go as Hughton had been reluctant to indulge Martin's centreback claims. It was a statement of intent that Adams backed his man by making him captain, and reinforcing the concept of him as a centre-back by swapping the traditional rightbacks shirt for the traditional centrebacks shirt, and (most certainly deliberately) insulting/emasculating Bassong in the process ('Know who I am now b*tch?')

Martin came out when he filled in as emergency centreback for Lambert so well as saying this was where he saw his future at both club and international level. He said that for now he would play wherever selected, but that there may come a time where he says 'I am considered for this position and nowhere else'.

Russ doesnt want to play rightback. Whether he is better there or not is immaterial, he doesnt want to be there. We'd be better off finding someone who does want to play rightback. Whittaker for me looks out of his depth even at this level, his pace seems to have dropped off a lot since we bought stole him and he seems to be troubled by most opposition wingers - he doesnt have the pace to play there safely anymore.

Rightback with some speed would be nice in the window, and a left winger. Both being players who play there primarily (and arent square pegs in round holes) and are conventionally footed