| This "terrible window" may not be so 09:12 - Feb 4 with 6065 views | Mullet |
Diagouraga clearly wants to play. He was busting his sizeable gut at PNE and has some class about him. He complimented Skuse perfectly. I would sign him permanently if given the choice, simply because he needs a fresh start and we need players exactly like him to go again before others get a march on us..
Huws was a talent. I remember being impressed when he broke through. Seems that injury has been part of his quick disappearance. I'm intrigued to know what shape he is in. Again the fact he'll take a pay cut to get football in is promising. If we could, we probably should tap him up fairly quickly I'm guessing.
Spence amazes me that he couldn't get a deal. He looks handy at this level. I can only assume he was one who took an ME style approach to the market and value this summer. Or was very unlucky.
Part of me hopes Taylor might be the new JdV rather than a reverse Reo-Coker plummeting through football's tiers and we're now lower than an MLS franchise in scale.
The big issue being, with MM likely being shown the door as it is. We'll need a new man, new faces and lots of them any way. But all three of those are exactly the sorts of players we'll be looking at if we carry on as we are, or change only a little bit in terms of upping investment.
Similar to when we got McGoldrick and Murphy permanently. Players that had a question mark or three over their heads but previous talent. That said, Leon Best fits that category too.
The others are punts. I like the look of Moore and at least he and Rowe are ours. I fear for them though, they're going to have to work bloody hard to impress a new manager and even if Mick did stay, they might not do enough like so many others.
For me the big problem is the next six months aren't certain. I just don't see us going down unless the fans and players implode upon each other and we set ourselves into a death spiral. The bottom three seem just too crap and far away still.
If we knew Mick was staying/going you could see if these stopgaps are just that and accept Evans is probably selling as soon as too. If Mick is being backed in the summer you could argue that he's getting the basis of his new squad together now in some respects.
I don't think the window has been terrible. It's the season and leadership as a whole. You get the impression that Mick straddles the gap between ME and fans. As that's become increasingly bigger, he hasn't and will be the one to disappear while "us and them" drift further apart.
The future of the club looks bad. Evans needs to, for want of a better phrase "sort it out" sharpish. |  |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:22 - Feb 4 with 3668 views | TLA |
Great post.
I think if we'd bought Huws and Samuel, that would have been good. Of course we're shopping in the bargain basement but that matches our resources, which I have no problem with at all. I'd have been gutted to spend £4m on Hugill, who was valued at less than a quarter of that 4 weeks earlier.
If the players we brought in were all permanent, or likely to be, and if we'd confirmed that Mick would be in charge next season, I would accept that. it's the uncertainty and lack of clarity that makes things challenging.
How the window is viewed is clouded by not knowing who will work with those brought in beyond the next couple of months. |  | | |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:23 - Feb 4 with 3647 views | SWGF |
Good grief. Did you get some last night? |  |
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| This on 09:28 - Feb 4 with 3618 views | Mullet |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:22 - Feb 4 by TLA |
Great post.
I think if we'd bought Huws and Samuel, that would have been good. Of course we're shopping in the bargain basement but that matches our resources, which I have no problem with at all. I'd have been gutted to spend £4m on Hugill, who was valued at less than a quarter of that 4 weeks earlier.
If the players we brought in were all permanent, or likely to be, and if we'd confirmed that Mick would be in charge next season, I would accept that. it's the uncertainty and lack of clarity that makes things challenging.
How the window is viewed is clouded by not knowing who will work with those brought in beyond the next couple of months. |
I agree about Hugill. I said to someone in twitter you can't judge him on one game, but having scored the equaliser in jammy circumstances he also did a lot 'wrong' throughout the game. Starting with a sitter of a header he should have buried really.
If he was a £2m signing I could rationalise it a bit.
I know I left Samuel out, but it feels a bit like when Rotherham signed Hyam. They probably would have welcomed him, but the deal doesn't suit either club or the player's ambitions most likely. I only see it as a make do and mend scenario to see us canter to mid table.
The biggest let down have been the view of the youngsters. People accused ME of being cheap on one hand and then did the typical Ipswich thing of over-expecting from all of them and everything between. Of the three we've seen regularly, all look like squad fillers for the time being.
Kenlock looks the most likely to play regularly and he's not quite there yet. In an ideal world he would have remained fit, and got what Emmanuel's getting in terms of exposure. Had they been more sparsely used and we had Smith, Hyam and Bishop fit this season would have been a decent one.
It does feel like every aspect of this campaign has gone wrong too often. [Post edited 4 Feb 2017 11:16]
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:30 - Feb 4 with 3601 views | SWGF |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:22 - Feb 4 by TLA |
Great post.
I think if we'd bought Huws and Samuel, that would have been good. Of course we're shopping in the bargain basement but that matches our resources, which I have no problem with at all. I'd have been gutted to spend £4m on Hugill, who was valued at less than a quarter of that 4 weeks earlier.
If the players we brought in were all permanent, or likely to be, and if we'd confirmed that Mick would be in charge next season, I would accept that. it's the uncertainty and lack of clarity that makes things challenging.
How the window is viewed is clouded by not knowing who will work with those brought in beyond the next couple of months. |
If Hugill was worth a quarter of £4m at the beginning of the window, we should've bought him then. From the outside, looking in, we just seem to be bloody awful at "transfer windows". | |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:34 - Feb 4 with 3557 views | Mullet |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:30 - Feb 4 by SWGF |
If Hugill was worth a quarter of £4m at the beginning of the window, we should've bought him then. From the outside, looking in, we just seem to be bloody awful at "transfer windows". |
Why would PNE sell early on, for so low though? Assuming they were ever going to sell at all.
January is a terrible time to do business, let's face it the best January signing we've managed for a while is probably Sears.
It's not like they were a league below and we blew them out of the water relatively speaking. When Rotherham were talking about £5m for a player out of contract in the summer, shopping in the Championship this window was never going to be easy.
Looking at the sales for £10m+ going through makes me think we've got little hope of getting big targets bar the summer. The loss of the loan window has crippled clubs like us, add in the extra money these sh1thouse clubs get for failure and it only makes Evans look more out of his depth unfortunately. | |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:36 - Feb 4 with 3525 views | SWGF |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:34 - Feb 4 by Mullet |
Why would PNE sell early on, for so low though? Assuming they were ever going to sell at all.
January is a terrible time to do business, let's face it the best January signing we've managed for a while is probably Sears.
It's not like they were a league below and we blew them out of the water relatively speaking. When Rotherham were talking about £5m for a player out of contract in the summer, shopping in the Championship this window was never going to be easy.
Looking at the sales for £10m+ going through makes me think we've got little hope of getting big targets bar the summer. The loss of the loan window has crippled clubs like us, add in the extra money these sh1thouse clubs get for failure and it only makes Evans look more out of his depth unfortunately. |
Ian, save this for when you're on the radio at midday. | |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:38 - Feb 4 with 3513 views | itfcjoe |
The window was a shambles. The club needed a lift with 2 or 3 quality signings and we got nothing in that mold.
We've ended up with 5 stop gap signings who come into the club unfit, with no permanent deals lined up, including loan players of clubs in our division including developing a striker for Reading.
And 2 punts from non league.
The club needed a pick me up and got a kick in the balls. |  |
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| This on 09:38 - Feb 4 with 3504 views | TractorWood |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:30 - Feb 4 by SWGF |
If Hugill was worth a quarter of £4m at the beginning of the window, we should've bought him then. From the outside, looking in, we just seem to be bloody awful at "transfer windows". |
We were clearly nowhere near landing any of £1m+ bids. It was just used to appease anyone naïve enough to not understand how things work.
We were crying out for some quality, permanent signings which we didn't land. Summer is massive for us, if it's the same dithering, unrealistic bids and escapism we are heading for league one with 9,000 season tickets. [Post edited 4 Feb 2017 9:41]
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:40 - Feb 4 with 3473 views | TLA |
| This on 09:28 - Feb 4 by Mullet |
I agree about Hugill. I said to someone in twitter you can't judge him on one game, but having scored the equaliser in jammy circumstances he also did a lot 'wrong' throughout the game. Starting with a sitter of a header he should have buried really.
If he was a £2m signing I could rationalise it a bit.
I know I left Samuel out, but it feels a bit like when Rotherham signed Hyam. They probably would have welcomed him, but the deal doesn't suit either club or the player's ambitions most likely. I only see it as a make do and mend scenario to see us canter to mid table.
The biggest let down have been the view of the youngsters. People accused ME of being cheap on one hand and then did the typical Ipswich thing of over-expecting from all of them and everything between. Of the three we've seen regularly, all look like squad fillers for the time being.
Kenlock looks the most likely to play regularly and he's not quite there yet. In an ideal world he would have remained fit, and got what Emmanuel's getting in terms of exposure. Had they been more sparsely used and we had Smith, Hyam and Bishop fit this season would have been a decent one.
It does feel like every aspect of this campaign has gone wrong too often. [Post edited 4 Feb 2017 11:16]
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We probably got unlucky with Hugill - I think he played well on the telly, scored twice at Villa Park and then against us. Mick clearly liked what he had seen previously and a bid of £1m at the start of January would have seemed reasonable.
There is still a chance that we could field a match day squad including Kenlock, Emmanuel, Smith, Hyam, Bishop and Dozzell next season, with one or two home grown players waiting in the wings. Along with young players like Webster, Ward and Rowe, there are reasons to be optimistic. I do think that needs to come with lower expectations though - I'd be proud to have all those players in our squad but wouldn't expect them to perform better than a team like Newcastle over 46 games! | | | |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:45 - Feb 4 with 3423 views | Mullet |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:38 - Feb 4 by itfcjoe |
The window was a shambles. The club needed a lift with 2 or 3 quality signings and we got nothing in that mold.
We've ended up with 5 stop gap signings who come into the club unfit, with no permanent deals lined up, including loan players of clubs in our division including developing a striker for Reading.
And 2 punts from non league.
The club needed a pick me up and got a kick in the balls. |
But where were this "2 or 3 quality signings" going to come from? This is what I don't understand.
We're always going to be overpaying for Champ players. Is it better to burn up that money now, when it might be better spent in the summer?
The season's over. We're probably not going anywhere of note bar Burton Albion for a jolly. "Developing a striker for Reading" in the space of what 3-4 months? I know Mick is an excellent manager but even I can't see that as anything but an exaggeration.
The issue is, none of us know where stand any more. We're like a character from a Bob Dylan song. People can chuck about the "once great club" sh1te all they like, but we've got an owner who seems to be wandering from one shelf of BOGOF deals to another trying to make a tenner stretch to the whole week.
Meanwhile other clubs are just getting the credit card out and worrying about it tomorrow. As nasty as it sounds, if one or two went bust ME might be vindicated a little. That's not going to happen though, so we're stuck wondering if he's being shrewd and biding his time when the suspicion and easier conclusion is to presume he's just outgunned, badly so. | |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:47 - Feb 4 with 3399 views | Guthrum |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:38 - Feb 4 by itfcjoe |
The window was a shambles. The club needed a lift with 2 or 3 quality signings and we got nothing in that mold.
We've ended up with 5 stop gap signings who come into the club unfit, with no permanent deals lined up, including loan players of clubs in our division including developing a striker for Reading.
And 2 punts from non league.
The club needed a pick me up and got a kick in the balls. |
For me, that's a different issue and you can both be correct.
Yes, the club needed a lift from some significant signings, especially if we were looking to climb up the table. And we didn't get those.
But Mullet is also right in saying that, for what they were - stopgaps - it's not an awful selection of signings. The players are typical of the slightly-flawed-but-with-potential footballers who have done ok for Town over the last four years. They're not the ready-made improvements who are certain to boost the squad, but neither are they worse than what we already have. And they did cover several positions which needed filling. |  |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:51 - Feb 4 with 3333 views | clive_baker |
Are you on a wind up? |  |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:51 - Feb 4 with 3332 views | SWGF |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:45 - Feb 4 by Mullet |
But where were this "2 or 3 quality signings" going to come from? This is what I don't understand.
We're always going to be overpaying for Champ players. Is it better to burn up that money now, when it might be better spent in the summer?
The season's over. We're probably not going anywhere of note bar Burton Albion for a jolly. "Developing a striker for Reading" in the space of what 3-4 months? I know Mick is an excellent manager but even I can't see that as anything but an exaggeration.
The issue is, none of us know where stand any more. We're like a character from a Bob Dylan song. People can chuck about the "once great club" sh1te all they like, but we've got an owner who seems to be wandering from one shelf of BOGOF deals to another trying to make a tenner stretch to the whole week.
Meanwhile other clubs are just getting the credit card out and worrying about it tomorrow. As nasty as it sounds, if one or two went bust ME might be vindicated a little. That's not going to happen though, so we're stuck wondering if he's being shrewd and biding his time when the suspicion and easier conclusion is to presume he's just outgunned, badly so. |
"overpaying" or "paying the going rate"?
We receive more than our players are worth but baulk at doing the same.
Not going to help us progress (or arguably tread water). | |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:56 - Feb 4 with 3269 views | TLA |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:51 - Feb 4 by SWGF |
"overpaying" or "paying the going rate"?
We receive more than our players are worth but baulk at doing the same.
Not going to help us progress (or arguably tread water). |
I'd say if you can't afford the going rate, that's overpaying.
We're in a downward spiral of lower gates, less income and therefore, less money to spend. Hence the need to sell players to service the debt, along with what the owner puts in. | | | |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:17 - Feb 4 with 3123 views | Dubtractor |
It was a shambles of a window, but probably not the end of the world.
If Mick is to leave in the Summer, as seems likely, then it is probably better that we keep our powder dryish now.
I'd like to know what we have spent on these loanees though - we're constantly told that they all take a chunk out of our budget, and if we have spent any significant sum on squad filler then I'd be disappointed. |  |
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| This on 10:25 - Feb 4 with 3068 views | Bluebell |
Good post Mullet. To be honest I'm not too disappointed with the players we have bought in the window.
Hopefully 3 or 4 of them will kick on and start playing regularly in the first team. If we can pick up some points here and there, we should avoid relegation. As long as we continue playing 'on the ground' football, I can see us ending up 10th to 12th.
Maybe once (obviously that should be 'if') we are safe, he can let the youngsters get some game time. I think it is them that will suffer from the new players being involved.
We also still have Smith, Hyam, Bishop and Williams to return so I'm hoping for the best. |  | | |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:26 - Feb 4 with 3053 views | SWGF |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 09:56 - Feb 4 by TLA |
I'd say if you can't afford the going rate, that's overpaying.
We're in a downward spiral of lower gates, less income and therefore, less money to spend. Hence the need to sell players to service the debt, along with what the owner puts in. |
"Can't afford" or "not willing to pay"? The game (and cost of that game) has moved on. Evans and McCarthy have not. | |
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| This on 10:27 - Feb 4 with 3047 views | PJH |
| This on 10:25 - Feb 4 by Bluebell |
Good post Mullet. To be honest I'm not too disappointed with the players we have bought in the window.
Hopefully 3 or 4 of them will kick on and start playing regularly in the first team. If we can pick up some points here and there, we should avoid relegation. As long as we continue playing 'on the ground' football, I can see us ending up 10th to 12th.
Maybe once (obviously that should be 'if') we are safe, he can let the youngsters get some game time. I think it is them that will suffer from the new players being involved.
We also still have Smith, Hyam, Bishop and Williams to return so I'm hoping for the best. |
Don't think "hoping for the best" is a good idea,MM has already said that he will not be playing again for us.  |  | | |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:31 - Feb 4 with 3003 views | TLA |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:26 - Feb 4 by SWGF |
"Can't afford" or "not willing to pay"? The game (and cost of that game) has moved on. Evans and McCarthy have not. |
The cost of the game has indeed moved on at a ridiculous rate. I don't think we will match that under the current regime, meaning the first thing that needs to change is our expectations. | | | |
| This on 10:36 - Feb 4 with 2959 views | SWGF |
| This on 10:25 - Feb 4 by Bluebell |
Good post Mullet. To be honest I'm not too disappointed with the players we have bought in the window.
Hopefully 3 or 4 of them will kick on and start playing regularly in the first team. If we can pick up some points here and there, we should avoid relegation. As long as we continue playing 'on the ground' football, I can see us ending up 10th to 12th.
Maybe once (obviously that should be 'if') we are safe, he can let the youngsters get some game time. I think it is them that will suffer from the new players being involved.
We also still have Smith, Hyam, Bishop and Williams to return so I'm hoping for the best. |
"As long as we continue playing 'on the ground' football"
We don't and the stats bear that out. | |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:37 - Feb 4 with 2937 views | 3_5_2 |
Agree with most of your post except Spence. I don't see anything Josh doesn't already have in a 3 or a 4 at the back |  |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:41 - Feb 4 with 2903 views | PJH |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:37 - Feb 4 by 3_5_2 |
Agree with most of your post except Spence. I don't see anything Josh doesn't already have in a 3 or a 4 at the back |
I thought Spence looked pretty good in a poor team performance at Huddersfield but not so good in a poor team performance against Derby.
So far I cannot say that he looks any better than Josh who has also had good and not so good games. | | | |
| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:49 - Feb 4 with 2827 views | Superfrans |
You are being extremely positive, congratulations for that.
I'm not sure about some of them, but Diagouraga did indeed look handy vs Preston, Moore is raw but has potential, Taylor I'm pleased with and am looking forward to seeing the loans and how focussed they are.
The window was marred by our inability to sign the striker we need (and has compounded the view that we're either targeting the wrong players or not willing to spend market rates), the treatment of Chambers and (not unconnected with the second point) the terrible first half vs Derby.
But none of that is the fault of the new guys. We should support them and hope they deliver on some level - personally, I'm reasonably confident some of them will. |  |
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| This "terrible window" may not be so on 10:50 - Feb 4 with 2808 views | m14_blue |
In isolation each of the signings look ok, particularly Huws and Diagouraga. However, the combination of more short term and loan signings was always going to be viewed negatively. It's the complete opposite of what was outlined in our 'plan' and is even more frustrating given the narrative of several million pound bids being in place.
The signing that worries me most is Taylor, don't see how an injury prone, error prone defender who is uncomfortable in possession adds anything we don't already have. Happy to be proved wrong but feels like we've signed the name rather than the player. |  | | |
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