Rate our Transfer Window

[SOTONS EAST SIDE]

2/10 and thats being generous . Carrillo maybe overpriced (poss panic buy) for a bit part player in the Monaco team. Black box has turned into a Black mark for transfers. A real Clusterf*ck of a transfer window!!

[Supersubpuckett]

If our objective is to get relegated then we're doing everything right

 

When it looked clear we would get relegated in 2005 I wondered (and heard others say in the media) that perhaps Lowe had 'modeled' life in the championship which showed the economics looked better. I'm wondering if the management of the club have got that spreadsheet back out and see the championship offers us the optimal platform for selling the talent from the academy, especially as at that level we will be able to use more academy players. We are a small club after all and surely as a small club this is the best we should hope for.....although I'm curious to know which pledge this might fall under.

 

What a prize w4kner Ralph is

[aintforever]

We get a £75mill windfall yet virtually all the other relegation candidates sign more players than us.

 

Something is seriously ****ed up at our club

[Miltonaggro]

1/10.

 

Signed an overpriced and unproven striker, presumably on the choice of a manager who is inept in tactics and team selection.

 

CB - not addressed

Pace - though linked with Walcott and Promes , nothing to show for it. Good job we signed Nathan Redmond when we did.

GK - the most glaring of failings over 18 months. Les F^ckwit brings in Taylor ages ago but we all know they dare not let him near actually playing, and then hands Fraser Forecast a contract extension last summer.

 

Could they make a bigger f^ck up of this if they tried?

 

On the money! Incredible recklessness, and hard to decipher any level of planning.

[bazza]

Simply awful. The board knew VVD was going to be sold long before the window opened and had plenty of time to sort realistic transfer targets to strengthen the squad. Yet they end up buying a forward who started two league games in France this season and embarrassingly trying to get another deal done on the final day ffs. Given our predicament what we needed was players with Premier League experience weeks ago who could have been up and running immediately. Do they want us to go down?

[angelman]

I really don't think that the transfer window is our main problem. The main problem is using what we already have. Last night was a classic example of it - why have Lemina, Boufal, Gabbi (and Guido) on the bench to start with?

 

Now the central midfield seems to be a big problem area for us. As I mentioned on another thread, why not push Lemina further forward? While he is primarily a DM, he has played CM plenty of times. He is strong enough, quick enough and is skilful enough.

[Saint Without a Halo]

We get a £75mill windfall yet virtually all the other relegation candidates sign more players than us.

 

Something is seriously ****ed up at our club

 

We also had a head start as the Van Dyck move was negotiated prior to the start of the window

 

Where are

 

1) Our pacey winger

2) Cover at keeper

3) Cover at Centreback

4) Creative attacking Midfielder

5) Authoratitive experienced hard captain to manage and motivate on the pitch

 

Carillo plus two of the above would be a five out of ten for the Window as a whole

Just Carrilo is a rather generous two

 

The teams we are in competition with not only brought in new managers to invigorate them and change tactics but strengthend significantly too

We are not helped by seeing Wallcott scoring 2 on his debut for a rival and a rivitalised Rodriquez sold to rivals WBA!

It seemed we had one option only after Carillo and when we couldnt get him there was no plan B, C or any plan whatsoever

 

I thought the idea of GAO coming in was to give us access to investment. We didnt even spend half the VVD fee!

[hypochondriac]

I really don't think that the transfer window is our main problem. The main problem is using what we already have. Last night was a classic example of it - why have Lemina, Boufal, Gabbi (and Guido) on the bench to start with?

 

Now the central midfield seems to be a big problem area for us. As I mentioned on another thread, why not push Lemina further forward? While he is primarily a DM, he has played CM plenty of times. He is strong enough, quick enough and is skilful enough.

Yep. On form at the moment team should be Mccarthy, Soares, hoedt, Stephens, Bertrand, jwp, lemina, Tadic, boufal, carillo and gabbiadini replaced with Austin when he's back.

[angelman]

WeAlao had a head start as the Van Dyck move was negotiated prior to the start of the window

 

Where are

 

1) Our pacey winger

2) Cover at keeper

3) Cover at Centreback

4) Creative attacking Midfielder

5) Authoratitive experienced hard captain to manage and motivate on the pitch

 

Carillo plus two of the above would be a five out of ten for the Window as a whole

Just Carrilo is a rather generous two

 

The teams we are in competition with not only brought in new managers to invigorate them and change tactics but strengthend significantly too

We are not helped by seeing Wallcott scoring 2 on his debut for a rival and a rivitalised Rodriquez sold to rivals WBA!

It seemed we had one option only after Carillo and when we couldnt get him there was no plan B, C or any plan whatsoever

 

I thought the idea of GAO coming in was to give us access to investment. We didnt even spend half the VVD fee!

 

We did ave a head start, that is undoubtedly true.

 

To address your points, with what we have, and it really is down to the manager to be able to use what we have (and it is now the only thing that we can change)....

 

1) Pacey wingers. It seems we have one in Long although he is played up the middle. I am presuming that he gets picked mainly due to pace, as it can't be his goal scoring!! Other than that, we might have to change at the back, and use Bertie and Cedric as wing backs. However that would bring into play point 3.

 

2) TBH I think FF is probably good enough (!!) as cover.

 

3) CBs - I think that we can discount Gardos. So Yoshi is cover. To me though, our problems aren't so much at the back.

 

4) Hmmmm. Move Lemina up the pitch?

 

5) I would almost make PEH captain. OK not experienced, but I think he might be able to do it.

[angelman]

Yep. On form at the moment team should be Mccarthy, Soares, hoedt, Stephens, Bertrand, jwp, lemina, Tadic, boufal, carillo and gabbiadini replaced with Austin when he's back.

 

No Romeu or PEH?

[hypochondriac]

Hmm I forgot about hojbjerg you are right. Personally I'd give lemina a go a bit further forward than romeu but I think it would be unfair to drop jwp at the moment so that's a bit of a quandary. I'd definitely play boufal and Tadic together and 2 up front is a must.

[supersonic]

With Redmond seemingly banned from the first team, our failure to bring in a packet winger is even more criminal.

 

Still a massive 0/10 for me.

[angelman]

Hmm I forgot about hojbjerg you are right. Personally I'd give lemina a go a bit further forward than romeu but I think it would be unfair to drop jwp at the moment so that's a bit of a quandary. I'd definitely play boufal and Tadic together and 2 up front is a must.

 

But it points out that the depth of the squad is better than it might appear. Which again all comes back to how it is used by the manager.

[sfc6mufc3]

Awful transfer window. It begs the question, where is the money from the VVD sale??? We only brought in one player and this was a striker unproven in the PL. Jesus a few months ago Everton were below us and look at them now, bought well and changed manager and we are left looking weaker than we do when we last got relegated.

[hypochondriac]

But it points out that the depth of the squad is better than it might appear. Which again all comes back to how it is used by the manager.

I don't disagree. I would have much rather had no incoming signings and a new manager

[Donatello]

It was always unlikely that we would sign 3+ players (i.e. GK, CB, WINGER/AM, FWD) in January, and personally, I never expected that, but we should've at least been able to sign 2 in the context of the VVD deal. We got 1, and admittedly, one of the more important ones given that Austin is out and the added variety (target man) that it will it bring. Ordinarily I might give us a 5/10, but in the context of the league, it has to be a 2/10. Abysmal. The worst window for a looooong time.

[patred44]

one word for this window, and that is FAILURE

[IronCitySaint]

0/10 and another total transfer window fail. It seems like Reed lives in his own alternative universe bubble, completely neglecting to patch the problems that are so clear to everyone else. Does he even see them? Maybe he and everyone else at the club has just given up. Unfortunately, a lot of good people are going to lose their jobs due to relegation and the incompetence of those in charge. Bet old Les is not one of them - he'll be alright. I was hopeful that they would get rid of the useless manager to compensate for the pathetic transfer window but don't suppose Les has the faintest idea who to bring in as an alternative. Long term planning my arse...

[Chez]

I didn't think we sign anyone, so I guess Carillo was a bonus (although that remains to b see).

 

Not that I wouldn't have wanted us to sign a few. I think our squad is terrible. I don't think there is a single position that could not have been improved. Even the two fullback positions, which most regard as our strength, have been pretty average and are under zero pressure from their understudies. Sadly I think we are paying way way too much to what I would describe as average premiership players. Our wage bill is monstrous and big wages mean its pretty much impossible to reshuffle the pack.

[S-Clarke]

I didn't think we sign anyone, so I guess Carillo was a bonus (although that remains to b see).

 

Not that I wouldn't have wanted us to sign a few. I think our squad is terrible. I don't think there is a single position that could not have been improved. Even the two fullback positions, which most regard as our strength, have been pretty average and are under zero pressure from their understudies. Sadly I think we are paying way way too much to what I would describe as average premiership players. Our wage bill is monstrous and big wages mean its pretty much impossible to reshuffle the pack.

 

The makeup of the squad is poor, I'll give you that. There are good players in the side, but the makeup is wrong so it's near on impossible to form a cohesive unit. This is the reason we’ve had two managers who keep chopping and changing the side. We have too many of the same types all over the pitch, especially in midfield. All our midfielders know how to do is retain the ball sideways and backwards.

 

We've got a very talented player in Boufal and equally Tadic who are not going to excel in a side which has no power or strength down the spine. I have no idea what he was meant to do when he came on yesterday, he was so deep it was ridiculous. We've basically lost a spine of Pelle/Lambert, Morgan/Wanyama, Fonte/VVD/Toby and replaced them with quite ‘slight’ talented technical footballers. Not particularly strong, not nasty in nature. Just nice. Not going to get anywhere with that as your makeup, no matter how talented certain individuals are.

 

Congratulations to the recruitment team is in order I think.

Edited 1 February, 2018 by S-Clarke

[Norm]

Disappointing, really poor. Needed a CB, Winger. I will be delighted if we stay up but doubt we will.

[Matthew Le God]

0.5/10

[Wadge]

-2/10 - offered so much getting VVD sold straight away, and then one signing, who has been on the bench since signing....

[trousers]

0.5/10

 

Is that a rating for our transfer window or for Glasgow's attempts to mask his baiting?

[Matthew Le God]

Is that a rating for our transfer window or for Glasgow's attempts to mask his baiting?

 

A little from column a) and a little from column b)

 

In other news...

 

Edited 1 February, 2018 by Matthew Le God

[Dig Dig]

The makeup of the squad is poor, I'll give you that. There are good players in the side, but the makeup is wrong so it's near on impossible to form a cohesive unit. This is the reason we’ve had two managers who keep chopping and changing the side. We have too many of the same types all over the pitch, especially in midfield. All our midfielders know how to do is retain the ball sideways and backwards.

 

We've got a very talented player in Boufal and equally Tadic who are not going to excel in a side which has no power or strength down the spine. I have no idea what he was meant to do when he came on yesterday, he was so deep it was ridiculous. We've basically lost a spine of Pelle/Lambert, Morgan/Wanyama, Fonte/VVD/Toby and replaced them with quite ‘slight’ talented technical footballers. Not particularly strong, not nasty in nature. Just nice. Not going to get anywhere with that as your makeup, no matter how talented certain individuals are.

 

Congratulations to the recruitment team is in order I think.

 

The most baffling thing is how obvious these observations are to the average fan yet supposed experts using supposed advanced statistical analysis and scouting have been willing or able to observe the same thing and address this.

 

4 recent record signings on the bench last night another damning indictment of our recruitment team and the cohesiveness between them and the manager.

[Saint Albert]

I’m going to rate it on the pass / fail scale.

 

We needed a centre forward target man. We got one, and the jury is still out on how he will fit in. He had some decent moments in the second half against Brighton, I thought. His affiliation with Pellegrino could see some strife / confusion on his part if Les ever pulls his finger out and sacks Pellegrino before it is too late. When Austin gets fit, which one of the two will start given Pellegrino’s predilection for only playing one striker? For me it would be Austin.

 

We needed attacking pace on the wing. We did not get it. Although there was some effort to bring Walcott and Promes in, ultimately we ended up with neither.

 

We needed a big CB to handle aerial deliveries, a proper VVD replacement. We did not get it and I am not sure if the club identified this as a need (perhaps thinking that Bednarek and Hoedt were replacements for Fonte and VVD) and made no effort to bring in a new signing in this area.

 

The club failed to address two out of the three main needs. They get a big fat F in my book.

[jasonb]

In danger of believing their own hype at board level. The decline has been appreciable and totally predictable IMO based on recent transfer activity.

 

A perfect storm was allowed to develop due to inexperienced managerial appointments and the famed black box going awol. Did it ever exist or did Mitchell take it with him?

 

I personally don't buy the narratives spun by the club and whilst not a numbers person, the apparent misnomer that funds received contribute to extended contracts to stave off being pillaged every summer seems more and more ludicrous.

 

Gah! The annoying thing is it's been obvious to even a simple fan like myself. Of course the unpredictable nature of the sport is what keeps us coming back for more but systematic failures seem to have prevailed and remain unchecked.

 

A total fiasco from top to bottom.

 

Saying all that, and since this is a ratings thread, the cynic in me wonders if it has been an excellent window for the bean counters?