January Transfer Needs

[KentExile]

3 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

The most confusing thing for me is the narrative from VI that this evolution to 352 wasn’t planned. A few of us called it in the summer when we were offloading wingers and signing wingbacks. Signing Andri and keeping Gueye, then stockpiling CM’s.

On a personal note, I saw the formation change coming a mile away and only the sale of Hyam on the final day of the window went against it. If Hyam had stayed, Gueye stayed in favour and Kargbo kicked on, then we’d be 100% built for 352 anyway! It was inevitable. Wonder why VI is spinning that!? 

Sorry, I think you just applied logic where there was none

The summers recruitment was a shambles

Not enough strikers or centre backs for a 3-5-2, no back up for either wing back, started the season with 4 players who they called wingers in Kargbo, De Neve, Morishita & Hedges.  Miller was signed as a right back, the squad had 2 left backs in Pickering & Ribeiro

De Neve - “His primary position is a winger – a number seven or 11.

Morishita - A versatile attacking player, who can operate as a winger

Miller - The 24-year-old right-back

They have since stumbled onto a system that keeps things tight, but they struggle to create anything.  Congrats for assessing the squad during the summer and seeing that a 3-5-2 suited more of our better players more so than a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 (faster than our coaching staff), but do not make the mistake that it was pre-planned

Edited 1 hour ago by KentExile

[Emerald Isle Rover]

8 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

Why a winger? We don’t play with wingers…

2x strikers, a RWB and a CB for me.

I would be happy with O’Riordan back from loan. No point in Gibson for me but looks like we want 2x CB’s because we don’t trust Wharton and Carter to stay fit for a prolonged period of time. If they get two in, they can use Miller as RWB cover. Though Pratt and Litherland have been outstanding, you can’t pin our hopes on them.

We’ve plenty of Midfielders, still creating chances, and once we get a couple back from injury we’ll be fine there. Review again and Address it in the summer. 

Because we need speed and badly we need a different option whether that player can play either wing back I’m not fussed but we are crying out for some pace 

don’t want Gibson but if a cb became available after other positions are filled then by all means

we have plenty of midfielders? When tronstad is out of the team we are hopeless. Forshaw self explanatory too old and injured 

Tavares a big flop

montgomery injured 

baradji only available now and Gardner Hickman is meh…we need better quality in there ideally a starting mf with tronstad 

priority of course is a number 9 

[neophox]

Pears, Ribeiro, Tyjon and Gueye to be sold in January. 

[roverblue]

Desperate for firepower and another who can dribble and make things happen. 

Imagine it will be dependant on sales first and then loans of people we have never heard of who turn out to be shit.

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

Because we need speed and badly we need a different option whether that player can play either wing back I’m not fussed but we are crying out for some pace 

Why not a striker with pace?

1 hour ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

don’t want Gibson but if a cb became available after other positions are filled then by all means

Why cant sign a centre back whilst bringing in other players?.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

8 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Why cant sign a centre back whilst bringing in other players?.

On a limited budget other positions are a priority. Once those positions are filled then a centre half can be addressed

[chaddyrovers]

1 minute ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

On a limited budget other positions are a priority. Once those positions are filled then a centre half can be addressed

Then you missed out of players might want. 

Rovers will sign 3 or 4 players and 3 or 4 will leave in this window. We need sign players we want when we can. 

For all we know, we come back close to signing a striker. Who knows? 

Edited 50 minutes ago by chaddyrovers

[Emerald Isle Rover]

10 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Why not a striker with pace?

Why cant sign a centre back whilst bringing in other players?.

We need more than one body so ideally a striker and another winger/wingforward with pace - don’t care who has the pace 

because our massive need is up top so I’d prefer us when the window opens to prioritise the attack - defence at present isn’t a priority 

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, Emerald Isle Rover said:

We need more than one body so ideally a striker and another winger/wingforward with pace - don’t care who has the pace 

because our massive need is up top so I’d prefer us when the window opens to prioritise the attack - defence at present isn’t a priority 

Winger? For what? 

We played with wing backs and 2 striker. 

Yes we need a striker and centre back was the priority. Maybe creative midfielder we might look for. 

Do we right wing back? Probably not. Litherland has done great there 

[Emerald Isle Rover]

1 minute ago, chaddyrovers said:

Then you missed out of players might want. 

Rovers will sign 3 or 4 players and 3 or 4 will leave in this window. We need sign players we want when we can. 

For all we know, we come back close to signing a striker. Who knows? 

Well that would be a massive concern because if Val and the recruitment team don’t have an attacking player on their list (as confirmed recently by Val they have drawn up and are ready to approach) then they are failing us 

Ben Gibson from a loose Nixon story shouldn’t be on our radar 

[Emerald Isle Rover]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Winger? For what? 

We played with wing backs and 2 striker. 

Yes we need a striker and centre back was the priority. Maybe creative midfielder we might look for. 

Do we right wing back? Probably not. Litherland has done great there 

Wing forward or winger - be adaptable centre back is no longer the priority 

7th best defence in the league but bottom 5 attack

that’s the issue 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

2 hours ago, KentExile said:

Sorry, I think you just applied logic where there was none

The summers recruitment was a shambles

Not enough strikers or centre backs for a 3-5-2, no back up for either wing back, started the season with 4 players who they called wingers in Kargbo, De Neve, Morishita & Hedges.  Miller was signed as a right back, the squad had 2 left backs in Pickering & Ribeiro

De Neve - “His primary position is a winger – a number seven or 11.

Morishita - A versatile attacking player, who can operate as a winger

Miller - The 24-year-old right-back

They have since stumbled onto a system that keeps things tight, but they struggle to create anything.  Congrats for assessing the squad during the summer and seeing that a 3-5-2 suited more of our better players more so than a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 (faster than our coaching staff), but do not make the mistake that it was pre-planned

I agree there appears to be little logic but I also think that the coach tried at the start of the season to play one tactic that his squad didn't fit. Remember he does not sign players so maybe others had a different idea to him.

You mention Pickering but I still think he was not meant to be here still, just like Gueye and Pears. As numerous occasions this season has shown, Miller is too slow to play full back. How many centre backs does a club need but I'll grant you that they need them fit. The intention was to use Montgomery as cover for the right side defender.

[davulsukur]

The only signing they need to have lined up to come in very early in January is a striker. Any other positions can follow as and when.

As for Centre back, we now have: Miller, Litherland, Pratt, McLoughlin & O'Riordan. Obviously we don't know for sure that O'Riordan is up to it and Litherland has been good, albeit he's playing out of position. I can see the logic in getting another CB but I think signing a RWB and moving Litherland back into CB would be better?

Absolutely has to be a striker in first and quickly. 

[RoversTilliDie]

We need more practice on the training ground, on putting the ball in the net, with 2 home games on the horizon. A striker is a must, in the January transfer window, and 2 or 3 more to strengthen the squad, and ease the burden of our flimsy squad.

[JCRovers]

There is no planning at the club. No vision in how they want to play or build the squad which leads to no proactivity on the transfer market. Wouldn't be surprised if Gueye was sold without any replacement lined up.

- We continue playing with two up front when one of them isn't even a striker (Henriksson).

- We bought Miller to replace Brittain but he ended up becoming a centre back.

- We sold Hyam on deadline day without bringing in a replacement. We brought in TGH on loan presumably to cover for Alebiosu with Miller moving in to centre back, but only for him to start at central midfield instead to fill the gap left by Travis.

- We have two left backs on the bench for our matches (Ribeiro, Pickering) but they don't fit into the wing-back system and thus rarely plays. 

- We only have one creative player in the squad who's currently playing with a bandaged knee which restricts his mobility (Cantwell). If he gets injured, what do we have left?

- We sold Travis and replaced him with an injured player who has only recently been getting minutes after five months (Baradji).

- We still don't have any players with pace and technique who can take on their man in 1v1 situations. Kargbo is perhaps the closest one we have but he lacks in decision-making and is therefore not very effective.

- Attacking movements and play must be poor in training. No running in behind, ball control and first touch is below par (see: Ohashi) and we keep shooting from range or from difficult angles (see: TGH).

We are a reactive side, not a proactive one. This mindset can be seen across all areas, from recruitment to tactics, changing course as we move along with the season. 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

11 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Then you missed out of players might want. 

Rovers will sign 3 or 4 players and 3 or 4 will leave in this window. We need sign players we want when we can. 

For all we know, we come back close to signing a striker. Who knows? 

With a limited budget then yes we might miss a player. We have just gone several games without conceding so is a cb a priority at the moment bearing in mind we have several due back in the coming weeks?

Or do we sign another cb and miss another forward who can score goals for the sake of a few quid on wages that has been taken by the not essential cb?

The stats show that conceding is the issue but converting chances is. 

I understand there is an argument that Hyamn wasn't replaced and this needs addressing and at the start of the season I would agree but as last night proved it is the other end of the pitch where we need to focus.

[Waggy76]

6 minutes ago, RoversTilliDie said:

We need more practice on the training ground, on putting the ball in the net, with 2 home games on the horizon. A striker is a must, in the January transfer window, and 2 or 3 more to strengthen the squad, and ease the burden of our flimsy squad.

I could not agree more but it will not happen !

A couple of washed up footballers , no one wants will arrive on the last day !

[Comfortably numb]

Really think the return of ORiordan and the impact of Pratt and Litherland, along with Atcheson has lessened the need for a CB and highlights the real issue now is obviously a striker. With the new formation, and Gueye out of favour,I I would personally prefer to sign 2 strikers than another CB.

A rwb to challenge Alebiosu and possibly lwb as well we should be covered for this season hopefully 

 

[KentExile]

7 minutes ago, Comfortably numb said:

Really think the return of ORiordan and the impact of Pratt and Litherland, along with Atcheson has lessened the need for a CB and highlights the real issue now is obviously a striker. With the new formation, and Gueye out of favour,I I would personally prefer to sign 2 strikers than another CB.

A rwb to challenge Alebiosu and possibly lwb as well we should be covered for this season hopefully 

 

cover/eventual replacement for Tronstad would also be nice, but I suspect you are already asking for too much, without throwing in my additional request on top of that

Edited 10 minutes ago by KentExile

[DutchRover]

Two strikers has to be the priority, especially now Gudjohnson is injured for a while. I love Ohashi and he works so hard up top with no service whatsoever most of the time, but he also clearly needs a rest to maintain his effectiveness. Remember even with Gudjohnson he does most of the running and pressing up front. 

After ST, wing back options as competition/back-up to Hedges and Alebiosu is key; again we need to be able to rotate, and De Neve has proven he's not good enough, while we have nothing on right (Litherland and Miller are CBs, or at a push RBs, but not RWBs).

Back-up for Tronstad in defensive midfield next; Baradji, TGH, Morishita etc can all do the box-to-box role, but we have no-one behind Tronny except an ancient Forshaw.

CB by my reckoning should only be the 6th guy we bring in; Pratt, McLoughlan, Miller, O'Riordan, Litherland, Atcheson, with Wharton and Carter returning is enough. I would like an experienced (c.27 not 37 y/o) to replace Hyam's role in middle of back three but that's a luxury given our needs elsewhere and the relatively strong performances of our defense since the change in formation.

[TheKitGuy]

Genuinely who will come to us? 

Say we need a striker - any in the top half of league one will probably look at us and think no chance. So then we look to the lower league one sides which then begs the question are they any good? Get a prem loan in - lightweight, no relegation battle experience recipe for disaster. Do you look at the SPL? SPL is on the up and most strikers will not move to a relegation threatened champ team. Abroad? no one from any of the top 6 leagues. Okay we will go further abroad eastern Europe perhaps? or a rogue hidden gem? Have been tracking a few that could work, in the fact they can absolutely hit the target. 

 

Aljosa Matko - Ujpest (Hungarian top flight sit 8th out of 12) has 11 goals in 18. 62 in last 4 seasons.

Brayan Muniz - Indepente Medillin (Colombian top flight side) 29 goals in last 2 years.

Bissoli - Buriram United (Thai premier league usually top or there abouts) 64 goals in last 2 years.

 Stefan Sigurdsson - Sandefjord (5th in Norway top flight last year so missed out on Europe I believe) 15 in 27

 

 

[chaddyrovers]

43 minutes ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

Well that would be a massive concern because if Val and the recruitment team don’t have an attacking player on their list (as confirmed recently by Val they have drawn up and are ready to approach) then they are failing us 

Ben Gibson from a loose Nixon story shouldn’t be on our radar 

Nicko confirmed just now, we want striker and we have targets in mind. 

We still need another centre back cos we cant rely on Carter. My preference would a right footed. 

27 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

With a limited budget then yes we might miss a player. We have just gone several games without conceding so is a cb a priority at the moment bearing in mind we have several due back in the coming weeks?

Or do we sign another cb and miss another forward who can score goals for the sake of a few quid on wages that has been taken by the not essential cb?

The stats show that conceding is the issue but converting chances is. 

I understand there is an argument that Hyamn wasn't replaced and this needs addressing and at the start of the season I would agree but as last night proved it is the other end of the pitch where we need to focus.

Maybe they will use Miller more as wing back now going forward. Plus can we rely on Carter fitness? No we cant. 

We will bring a striker in. We have targets as Nicko has said today.