| What areas would you improve in January? 12:39 - Dec 3 with 9195 views | bournemouthblue |
We are crying out for a striker who can hold the ball up when Hirst goes off but I'd say we probably need backup for Davis. He does a tonne of work and if he was to get injured, having Clarke or Williams there for any length of time, isn't going to be ideal.
I suppose Humphreys is probably the backup currently but that's surely not ideal?
With Luongo and Morsy possibly away, we desperately need another combative midfielder who can get amongst it |  |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 09:31 - Dec 4 with 3303 views | Gary_Knows |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 09:25 - Dec 4 by DarkBrandon |
Hmm. That’s a lot.
I think we are being a little optimistic, based upon what happened last season, which surprised everyone.
If we can get a striker in I’m happy. One that we would expect to genuinely offer a threat from the bench. Like either Harness or Hutchinson do. If the budget only stretches to the one signing … so be it.
The other obvious position is cover for Luongo/Morsi, but I don’t look at the squad and think we need a number 10 or a wide player. |
It's 3 players really, because as I said, if we can find someone like a Taylor who can play both as an 8 and a 10, we wouldn't need to sign either.
I think we've seen with McKenna that if he feels he can improve the starting 11, he will. He signed Harness in Summer 2022, only to then sign Broadhead in January 2023, so he's clearly not afraid to make big decisions like that.
If we want to maintain a top 2/top 6 push, then we'll need to strengthen the squad, because I guarantee you Leicester, Leeds and Southampton won't rest on their laurels come January (albeit I appreciate their budgets are bigger than ours). [Post edited 4 Dec 2023 9:32]
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 09:59 - Dec 4 with 3245 views | tractorboy1978 |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 09:25 - Dec 4 by DarkBrandon |
Hmm. That’s a lot.
I think we are being a little optimistic, based upon what happened last season, which surprised everyone.
If we can get a striker in I’m happy. One that we would expect to genuinely offer a threat from the bench. Like either Harness or Hutchinson do. If the budget only stretches to the one signing … so be it.
The other obvious position is cover for Luongo/Morsi, but I don’t look at the squad and think we need a number 10 or a wide player. |
I don't think we will leave any stone unturned in January. We really have to cash in on this absurdly good start because we won't ever have a better chance to get promoted than now. McKenna will be backed to do whatever he wants to do. [Post edited 4 Dec 2023 10:00]
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:26 - Dec 4 with 3183 views | DarkBrandon |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 09:59 - Dec 4 by tractorboy1978 |
I don't think we will leave any stone unturned in January. We really have to cash in on this absurdly good start because we won't ever have a better chance to get promoted than now. McKenna will be backed to do whatever he wants to do. [Post edited 4 Dec 2023 10:00]
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I agree with that. My concern isn’t whether the owners want to put the money into the club … it is whether they are able to and to stay within FPP rules. |  | | |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:31 - Dec 4 with 3177 views | tractorboy1978 |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:26 - Dec 4 by DarkBrandon |
I agree with that. My concern isn’t whether the owners want to put the money into the club … it is whether they are able to and to stay within FPP rules. |
I expect we will front load a bit of spending knowing that if we don't go up Davis will go for big money in the summer. I'd imagine once you deduct all allowable costs (depreciation, academy spending, infrastructure spending, women's team costs etc) we probably have a decent amount of headroom anyway. | | | |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:40 - Dec 4 with 3161 views | DarkBrandon |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:31 - Dec 4 by tractorboy1978 |
I expect we will front load a bit of spending knowing that if we don't go up Davis will go for big money in the summer. I'd imagine once you deduct all allowable costs (depreciation, academy spending, infrastructure spending, women's team costs etc) we probably have a decent amount of headroom anyway. |
Front loading spending is the typical football fans cry. Gamble now, and pay off the debt when we get promoted. Or sell someone. The difference here is that we wouldn’t be getting into debt, but would be going past our FPP limits.
I can certainly see the appeal though. The start is astonishing, and we are phenomenally well placed.
Regarding how much headroom we have … I’ve no idea. I just worry that the striker we need might be very expensive, and I wonder if we’d be better off putting all our eggs in that basket. So to speak. | | | |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:42 - Dec 4 with 3124 views | FrimleyBlue |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 13:56 - Dec 3 by jayessess |
If Davis gets injured, we're just going to have to accept being a worse team. There's no way of carrying a player even vaguely as good as a reserve. |
Altho. Isn't williams more of a left back than a right back?
I know he's only played at rb for town.. but could have sworn he was always left back for utd |  |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:47 - Dec 4 with 3142 views | BiGDonnie |
What about Jack Rudoni from H'field? |  |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:48 - Dec 4 with 3136 views | textbackup |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:26 - Dec 4 by DarkBrandon |
I agree with that. My concern isn’t whether the owners want to put the money into the club … it is whether they are able to and to stay within FPP rules. |
I don’t know the rules around all this, but if we were to spend (for example) £10m in Jan, then flog Davis for £20m in the summer, the books are well and truly balanced…? |  |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:50 - Dec 4 with 3126 views | tractorboy1978 |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:40 - Dec 4 by DarkBrandon |
Front loading spending is the typical football fans cry. Gamble now, and pay off the debt when we get promoted. Or sell someone. The difference here is that we wouldn’t be getting into debt, but would be going past our FPP limits.
I can certainly see the appeal though. The start is astonishing, and we are phenomenally well placed.
Regarding how much headroom we have … I’ve no idea. I just worry that the striker we need might be very expensive, and I wonder if we’d be better off putting all our eggs in that basket. So to speak. |
FFP limit is a rolling £39m loss (excluding the allowable expenditure mentioned) over three seasons though so you can manage your finances over that 36 month period. It isn't a hard limit every season. | | | |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 12:06 - Dec 4 with 3081 views | jayessess |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:42 - Dec 4 by FrimleyBlue |
Altho. Isn't williams more of a left back than a right back?
I know he's only played at rb for town.. but could have sworn he was always left back for utd |
Yes, he was left back for Man U and is more or less natural there in every way other than being left footed.
One reason why he was such a good bit business for us in the Summer. Incredibly difficult to upgrade reserve full backs, but with a player as versatile as Williams we could make the case that he'd play plenty of games one way or another. We've got three full backs of a very high standard, plus a steady fourth one and a couple of midfielders who can fill in across both slots. Don't think we'll look to upgrade there. |  |
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| I'd look at getting a tried and tested manager in on 12:09 - Dec 4 with 3076 views | Dyland |
Someone who has been promoted from the Championship and knows what's needed. Too much of a risk going into the second half of the season with a rookie manager, after this start, no other chance so got to be brave and take it. Big Sam and Colin are available, get one in before it's too late. |  |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 12:59 - Dec 4 with 3026 views | gosblue |
Who would we miss the most? For me it’s Davis, Hirst, Luango and Morsey. Everyone else can be replaced from within the squad. I think it’s more a case of who we can offload. I can see Walton going on loan as backup to a prem team and I can see Freddie loaned out to a L1 team. I think Scarlett would have been moved on if he hadn’t already played for 2 clubs this season. McKenna was at Man U so he should understand the need to be ruthless for the good of the club. | | | |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 13:04 - Dec 4 with 3023 views | Dyland |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 12:55 - Dec 3 by MK1 |
I think a RB/CM/CF are the 3 departments to add quality alternatives to. The RB has to have pace, the CM has to be a no nonsense type and the CF has to be Hirst esque to take some of the pressure off him. Out of the 3, I would prioritise the CM. |
Without Hirst we are not nearly as potent.
Without Morsy we are not nearly as dominant, and to a lesser extent Luongo.
Without Morsy AND Luongo, we are going to ride our luck to stay anywhere near the top two spots.
So those two positions are essential we add quality to.
EDIT: as in CF and CM... [Post edited 4 Dec 2023 13:05]
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 13:59 - Dec 4 with 2971 views | jayessess |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 12:59 - Dec 4 by gosblue |
Who would we miss the most? For me it’s Davis, Hirst, Luango and Morsey. Everyone else can be replaced from within the squad. I think it’s more a case of who we can offload. I can see Walton going on loan as backup to a prem team and I can see Freddie loaned out to a L1 team. I think Scarlett would have been moved on if he hadn’t already played for 2 clubs this season. McKenna was at Man U so he should understand the need to be ruthless for the good of the club. |
I think that's a massive mis-read of McKenna's methods. He's been here nearly two years now and he's shown very little inclination to ruthlessly/casually dispose of players. The likes of Jackson, Evans, Donacien, Harness have all been worked on rather than let go and only really players like Leigh and Edwards who wanted to search for first team football have been moved on. | |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 14:02 - Dec 4 with 2966 views | Gary_Knows |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 13:59 - Dec 4 by jayessess |
I think that's a massive mis-read of McKenna's methods. He's been here nearly two years now and he's shown very little inclination to ruthlessly/casually dispose of players. The likes of Jackson, Evans, Donacien, Harness have all been worked on rather than let go and only really players like Leigh and Edwards who wanted to search for first team football have been moved on. |
He signed Harness in the summer of 2022 only to literally replace him 6 months later in January 2023 with Broadhead. | |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 14:16 - Dec 4 with 2929 views | jayessess |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 14:02 - Dec 4 by Gary_Knows |
He signed Harness in the summer of 2022 only to literally replace him 6 months later in January 2023 with Broadhead. |
Despite being widely tipped for the chop in the Summer, he's still here and has played some part in almost every game he's been available for. | |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 14:52 - Dec 4 with 2874 views | Zapers |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 11:42 - Dec 4 by FrimleyBlue |
Altho. Isn't williams more of a left back than a right back?
I know he's only played at rb for town.. but could have sworn he was always left back for utd |
Correct, Left back is his favoured position as i uderstand. | | | |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 15:03 - Dec 4 with 2858 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 13:59 - Dec 4 by jayessess |
I think that's a massive mis-read of McKenna's methods. He's been here nearly two years now and he's shown very little inclination to ruthlessly/casually dispose of players. The likes of Jackson, Evans, Donacien, Harness have all been worked on rather than let go and only really players like Leigh and Edwards who wanted to search for first team football have been moved on. |
Edwards is still our player.....For now.... |  |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 15:53 - Dec 4 with 2815 views | jayessess |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 15:03 - Dec 4 by Cheltenham_Blue |
Edwards is still our player.....For now.... |
Indeed, and I think if he'd turned round and said "no boss, I'm determined to fight for my place", I suspect he might still be in our squad. | |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 15:57 - Dec 4 with 2809 views | DanTheMan |
ST who can play a similar role (and level) to Hirst.
CM who is more in the Morsy / Luongo role than Taylor is. |  |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 15:58 - Dec 4 with 2805 views | gosblue |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 13:59 - Dec 4 by jayessess |
I think that's a massive mis-read of McKenna's methods. He's been here nearly two years now and he's shown very little inclination to ruthlessly/casually dispose of players. The likes of Jackson, Evans, Donacien, Harness have all been worked on rather than let go and only really players like Leigh and Edwards who wanted to search for first team football have been moved on. |
Where have I said that McKenna is ruthless? I said that as he was at Man U who, btw let dozens of players go every year, he should understand the need to be ruthless. So what do you suggest, that we keep all our squad and bring in the two or three players we need for a promotion push? That’s a 10 point deduction and missing out on the playoffs. He’s already shown that he is capable of making tough decisions, otherwise Walton, Harness and Ladapo would be starting some games. | | | |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 16:01 - Dec 4 with 2799 views | Gary_Knows |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 14:16 - Dec 4 by jayessess |
Despite being widely tipped for the chop in the Summer, he's still here and has played some part in almost every game he's been available for. |
The point was more that McKenna has shown that if he can improve the starting 11, he will do, even if it means signing players to compete/replace ones he's already signed. | |
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 16:14 - Dec 4 with 2777 views | Metal_Hacker |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 12:41 - Dec 3 by ArnieM |
Someone next to me yesterday said he’d heard Wet Spam are eying Davis and a figure of £30m being mentioned. I bloody hope not! |
I rate Leif as much as the next man but we’d never get &30m for him
Somewhere in the region of £10m with potential add ins rising to perhaps £15m would be a little more realistic surely ?
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| What areas would you improve in January? on 16:16 - Dec 4 with 2773 views | tractorboy1978 |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 16:14 - Dec 4 by Metal_Hacker |
I rate Leif as much as the next man but we’d never get &30m for him
Somewhere in the region of £10m with potential add ins rising to perhaps £15m would be a little more realistic surely ?
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In 2015 perhaps. He will go for £20m+ in the summer if we don't up for sure. | | | |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 17:12 - Dec 4 with 2736 views | Metal_Hacker |
| What areas would you improve in January? on 16:16 - Dec 4 by tractorboy1978 |
In 2015 perhaps. He will go for £20m+ in the summer if we don't up for sure. |
£20m+ really ? WOW !
Can’t see it myself but I’ve been wrong before so I’m reminded | |
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