January Transfer Window

[S-Clarke]

44 minutes ago, VectisSaint said:

I keep reading on here how we have far too many CBs (not you), but as far as I can see we now only have 4, which I would have thought was the minimum for a 4 at the back squad. Have I missed someone?

I said (jokingly) a couple of days ago that Ross is our new striker, think some took me a bit seriously, but really wouldn't be surprised if this is the thinking.

We do have that Sanda guy back with us now, after his loan in France was cut short. Maybe he'll fill that 5th CB slot.

[WALK DMC]

This is a difficult window. We're probably going to be playing Championship football next season, although there is a chance that we could make the playoffs, but alternatively we could still get sucked into a relegation battle. Not knowing what league we'll definitely be playing in next season adds a further complexity to buys in January. 

Shopping in January means that the pool of available talent is small, the price a premium and what is the purpose of buying now ?   Why spend on a forward that will cost more than in the summer, when we'll probably still be stuck in the Championship anyway ? 

We clearly need a physical forward who can hold the ball up and knock in a few goals. However, would it be better to wait until summer before finding a permanent solution, or alternatively bring someone in using the loan market which would be a low risk e.g. a young gun from a Premier reserve side, or (my preferred option) an experienced forward who isn't getting any younger but has seen it, done it and can lead a line for the next 4 months ? 

It is a difficult decision and as SR have demonstrated time and time again, their decision making in the transfer market has been found wanting time after time over the last few years. I'm not confident that we'll get a suitable replacement this January. 

[S-Clarke]

7 minutes ago, WALK DMC said:

This is a difficult window. We're probably going to be playing Championship football next season, although there is a chance that we could make the playoffs, but alternatively we could still get sucked into a relegation battle. Not knowing what league we'll definitely be playing in next season adds a further complexity to buys in January. 

Shopping in January means that the pool of available talent is small, the price a premium and what is the purpose of buying now ?   Why spend on a forward that will cost more than in the summer, when we'll probably still be stuck in the Championship anyway ? 

We clearly need a physical forward who can hold the ball up and knock in a few goals. However, would it be better to wait until summer before finding a permanent solution, or alternatively bring someone in using the loan market which would be a low risk e.g. a young gun from a Premier reserve side, or (my preferred option) an experienced forward who isn't getting any younger but has seen it, done it and can lead a line for the next 4 months ? 

It is a difficult decision and as SR have demonstrated time and time again, their decision making in the transfer market has been found wanting time after time over the last few years. I'm not confident that we'll get a suitable replacement this January. 

I don't think we'll spend in January, I wouldn't be for that. It's the time for clever loans with options, like we've done with the GK (no idea if he's any good though). 

No real risk bringing a loan in now, if it works - great - it fires us up the table, probably not quite enough to get Top 6...but it puts a positive spin on the club again and maybe we go and permanently sign them in the summer. If they flop and don't do anything, we just dump them in the summer at no cost - and then look properly for fully fledged options.

[Football Special]

[bugenhagen]

There has to be some good deals to be made out there in a World Cup year. 

A big striker that is not playing enough, and wants to make sure he gets in the World Cup squad. 

Like that Downs fella, who Hamburg just signed on loan. He would have been pefect 😉

[SaintsRoyalty]

31 minutes ago, bugenhagen said:

There has to be some good deals to be made out there in a World Cup year. 

A big striker that is not playing enough, and wants to make sure he gets in the World Cup squad. 

Like that Downs fella, who Hamburg just signed on loan. He would have been pefect 😉

You kind of answered your own question. That’s the kind of dross available in this window. Not many strikers with a shout of playing on the World Cup are not first choice. We need to be looking at free agents or strong arming a smaller club with less means. Obviously this means taking a punt on someone in a less competitive league in Europe but if we pick someone with the right attributes (tall, strong, scores goals etc) and is above the age of 25 we might have a chance of getting someone that improves us. I’d also take Gabbiadini for 6 months. A poacher isn’t so susceptible to age.

[badgerx16]

Only 3 teams have scored more than Saints, only 2 have conceded more. This indicates to me that a striker is not the end of the pitch we need to be addressing.

Edited yesterday at 16:56 by badgerx16

[richardc]

29 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Only 3 teams have scored more thsn Saints, only 2 have conceded more. This indicates to me that a striker is not the end of the pitch we need to be addressing.

Yeah agree I think we could do with some centre backs on the pitch to shore things up

 

[Willo of Whiteley]

Aribo and Edozie will either be seeing out their contracts or they’ll be loaned out/shifted for a fee.

The comments are interesting from Tonda “I think that’s a question for Johannes Spors”.

Everything that is wrong with modern football.
Someone builds a squad and they chuck any old guy to “coach them”.

[macca155]

We've all seen how the Jan window works. Mainly clubs manoeuvring for the summer transfer window. No club is selling a striker in form. They are pretty rare, and if a club has one they will either want big money or aren't selling. Saints could pounce on a L1 forward in form, someone like Dom Ballard for example ☹️

Leave it .......

However, Saints are scoring goals, just not enough to compensate for the porous defence. I'd prefer they focus on a solid CB who can command the area.

If they sort out the defence, the play offs will be an easy reach.

[Wade Garrett]

Are there any Lambert’s banging them in for fun in lower leagues?

[AlexLaw76]

14 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Are there any Lambert’s banging them in for fun in lower leagues?

Tolaj is the top scorer, despite missing a few games… and for a team near the bottom. But he has played for 2 clubs this seaso .

Then it is a certain D.Ballard 

[spyinthesky]

D Ballard is doing well for Orient but not a player above 5'8" we need

[SuperSAINT]

 

[Harry_SFC]

5 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

At least we've still got Stephens!!

[Willo of Whiteley]

7 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

Another Sport Republic disasterclass.

#TheSportRepublicWay

[Turkish]

11 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

A master class in player trading

sogned cheap, got a loan fee, sold for a profit 
 

way to go SR 👏👏👏👏

[UpweySaint]

6 hours ago, Football Special said:

Genuinely sad to see. I expected him to break the free kick record but it’s looking less likely. No idea why Nuno is so set against him - especially given some of the shite performances West Ham are putting in - I expect we’ll see them next year.

i still think he is better than we have by a long way but I can’t see us being able to bring him back unless say Downs or Charles were moved on. 

[Matthew Le God]

14 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Another Sport Republic disasterclass.

#TheSportRepublicWay

It clearly didn't work out, but they've reportedly made a small profit on him in terms of transfer fee. So not a disaster. 

[Football Special]

53 minutes ago, UpweySaint said:

Genuinely sad to see. I expected him to break the free kick record but it’s looking less likely. No idea why Nuno is so set against him - especially given some of the shite performances West Ham are putting in - I expect we’ll see them next year.

i still think he is better than we have by a long way but I can’t see us being able to bring him back unless say Downs or Charles were moved on. 

Nuno absolutely hates him, not sure what he's done but must have been bad, maybe kept calling him Redmonds Dad?! 

[Willo of Whiteley]

56 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

It clearly didn't work out, but they've reportedly made a small profit on him in terms of transfer fee. So not a disaster. 

He was not brought in to make some small change profit in SR terms.

He was brought in having been heavily scouted with a lot of potential.

One of their many poor transfers over the years.

[SouSaint]

1 hour ago, Matthew Le God said:

It clearly didn't work out, but they've reportedly made a small profit on him in terms of transfer fee. So not a disaster. 

Hopefully it will be enough to fund a bowling alley in the Kingsland Stand.🤞

[East Kent Saint]

5 hours ago, UpweySaint said:

Genuinely sad to see. I expected him to break the free kick record but it’s looking less likely. No idea why Nuno is so set against him - especially given some of the shite performances West Ham are putting in - I expect we’ll see them next year.

i still think he is better than we have by a long way but I can’t see us being able to bring him back unless say Downs or Charles were moved on. 

JWP went on loan to Forest , Nuno was not impressed and his season long loan was terminated in Feb . So when Nuno took over at WHU JWP was frozen out from the start . Not sure where and at what level he can get signed at now , not sure it's Saints either .

[Harry_SFC]

9 hours ago, UpweySaint said:

Genuinely sad to see. I expected him to break the free kick record but it’s looking less likely. No idea why Nuno is so set against him - especially given some of the shite performances West Ham are putting in - I expect we’ll see them next year.

i still think he is better than we have by a long way but I can’t see us being able to bring him back unless say Downs or Charles were moved on. 

I want us to try and move on from sideways and backwards football. Not sign more players who are good at it. 

[CB Fry]

9 hours ago, Football Special said:

Nuno absolutely hates him, not sure what he's done but must have been bad, maybe kept calling him Redmonds Dad?! 

It is strange because surely JWP is a good boy - hard working, dedicated attitude, team player. Can play different positions if required.

Even if you don't like his playing style or whatever it's hard to think he wouldn't be a reasonable option and someone to have about. He's going to put in a shift in whatever is asked.

Fascinating why he really doesn't like him.

[Pamplemousse]

16 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Only 3 teams have scored more than Saints, only 2 have conceded more. This indicates to me that a striker is not the end of the pitch we need to be addressing.

And to add to that, we've conceded the most goals away from home in the entire league.

But at home we actually have one of the best defensive records in the league.

Our away form is hindering us massivrly and there needs to be some sort of tactical rethink.

 

[Sheaf Saint]

7 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

And to add to that, we've conceded the most goals away from home in the entire league.

But at home we actually have one of the best defensive records in the league.

Our away form is hindering us massivrly and there needs to be some sort of tactical rethink.

 

That would require a degree of flexibility that Eckert has not yet shown that he possesses.

Today's cup tie at Donny is the perfect opportunity for him to try something different. Let's see shall we. If he sticks with 3/5 and we get knocked out then whatever remaining goodwill he has from the fans will quickly evaporate.

[Sheaf Saint]

Edit: double post

Edited 12 hours ago by Sheaf Saint

[hypochondriac]

32 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

That would require a degree of flexibility that Eckert has not yet shown that he possesses.

Today's cup tie at Donny is the perfect opportunity for him to try something different. Let's see shall we. If he sticks with 3/5 and we get knocked out then whatever remaining goodwill he has from the fans will quickly evaporate.

I would add we get knocked out or win in an unimpressive fashion.

[Lord Duckhunter]

5 hours ago, East Kent Saint said:

JWP went on loan to Forest , Nuno was not impressed and his season long loan was terminated in Feb . So when Nuno took over at WHU JWP was frozen out from the start . Not sure where and at what level he can get signed at now , not sure it's Saints either .

It can’t just be Nuno though. He was sent on loan by somebody else, and nobody seems interested in him. He’s always been bang average, over rated by a majority of our support. Looked ok with decent players around him, but only really played well in a shite side when Jones pushed him further forward for a few games. I’d have him back in that role, but the thought of him & Downes playing together in a central midfield role is the stuff of nightmares. Fuck me, you think it’s boring now, those 2 would suck what little life there is out of the stadium. If he was further forward playing in their final third, yes. But only if Tonda threatens to shoot him if he drops back to take the ball off the centre halves. 
 

 

Edited 12 hours ago by Lord Duckhunter

[Saint NL]

10 hours ago, SouSaint said:

Hopefully it will be enough to fund a bowling alley in the Kingsland Stand.🤞

At least there will be something worth watching at SMS at 3pm on a Saturday then

[OldNick]

40 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

It can’t just be Nuno though. He was sent on loan by somebody else, and nobody seems interested in him. He’s always been bang average, over rated by a majority of our support. Looked ok with decent players around him, but only really played well in a shite side when Jones pushed him further forward for a few games. I’d have him back in that role, but the thought of him & Downes playing together in a central midfield role is the stuff of nightmares. Fuck me, you think it’s boring now, those 2 would suck what little life there is out of the stadium. If he was further forward playing in their final third, yes. But only if Tonda threatens to shoot him if he drops back to take the ball off the centre halves. 
 

 

I recall when he broke through nobody could quite think where he could play. He is tidy on the ball but likea 3 legged crab. What set him aside and made him the golden boy was that he could score sme cracking free kicks. To me his corners were vicious but the speed he sent them in it was nye impossible to time a run to get on the end of them, at first at WHU he did set up some but they were tailored to winning headers

[Willo of Whiteley]

James Ward-Prowse would be excellent to have back. He’d do well at this level, although he probably knows enough about Sports Republic and the inner workings of the club now to know what a poisoned chalice it is.

[BarberSaint]

8 hours ago, East Kent Saint said:

JWP went on loan to Forest , Nuno was not impressed and his season long loan was terminated in Feb . So when Nuno took over at WHU JWP was frozen out from the start . Not sure where and at what level he can get signed at now , not sure it's Saints either .

Abroad if he'd take a pay cut.

[ally_uk]

18 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

Are there any Lambert’s banging them in for fun in lower leagues?

Lad at Notts County Alassana Jatta 

6.4  26 years old 

58 games / 32 goals 

Got to be worth a look...... 

[egg]

2 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

James Ward-Prowse would be excellent to have back. He’d do well at this level, although he probably knows enough about Sports Republic and the inner workings of the club now to know what a poisoned chalice it is.

Would he? People said that about Romeu. 

Is he more mobile than what we have? More incisive in his passing? More creative? He'd certainly bring experience, but I'm not convinced that he brings enough to improve us and make any meaningful difference. 

[Give it to Ron]

6 minutes ago, egg said:

Would he? People said that about Romeu. 

Is he more mobile than what we have? More incisive in his passing? More creative? He'd certainly bring experience, but I'm not convinced that he brings enough to improve us and make any meaningful difference. 

Would he hold up development of Bragg too? With Shea, Jander , Downes and Romeu plus the other youngsters coming through we are well covered centrally

[Turkish]

17 minutes ago, egg said:

Would he? People said that about Romeu. 

Is he more mobile than what we have? More incisive in his passing? More creative? He'd certainly bring experience, but I'm not convinced that he brings enough to improve us and make any meaningful difference. 

It’d be a pointless signing, he isn’t what we need and not sure he’d improve us now anyway. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

I’d rather have JWP here than Downes. Jander will move onto bigger things in the near future.

[ally_uk]

I agree with Turkish we need to move on from signing former players, Alot of people romanticise about a second coming but it never works out.... 

[jemanson]

Cheeky bid for the Macclesfield team? TCDAJFU

[Gloucester Saint]

3 minutes ago, jemanson said:

Cheeky bid for the Macclesfield team? TCDAJFU

People knock Robbie Savage and he was a dick as a player but built a good side which they’ve improved on with John Rooney and doing a good job at Forest Green. John Rooney is a far better manager than his brother going by what I’ve seen today!

[East Kent Saint]

I've no idea if JWP is a spent force or needs a sympathetic manager , I've only seen him on Motd at WHU and he rarely got a mention . It would be good if he could be that unnoticed player quietly playing the forwards into goal scoring positions but ....

[saintant]

7 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

James Ward-Prowse would be excellent to have back. He’d do well at this level, although he probably knows enough about Sports Republic and the inner workings of the club now to know what a poisoned chalice it is.

He really wouldn't. Right now the last thing we need is a small, weak ball recycler in midfield.

[saintant]

9 hours ago, CB Fry said:

It is strange because surely JWP is a good boy - hard working, dedicated attitude, team player. Can play different positions if required.

Even if you don't like his playing style or whatever it's hard to think he wouldn't be a reasonable option and someone to have about. He's going to put in a shift in whatever is asked.

Fascinating why he really doesn't like him.

Probably for the same reasons the West Ham fans don't like him.

[VectisSaint]

3 hours ago, East Kent Saint said:

I've no idea if JWP is a spent force or needs a sympathetic manager , I've only seen him on Motd at WHU and he rarely got a mention . It would be good if he could be that unnoticed player quietly playing the forwards into goal scoring positions but ....

He hasn't played since 20 September. Don't think he has even been in the match day squad since. Nuno dropped him as soon as he came in, guess something went on between them when they were at Forest last season.