TRANSFER THREAD - JANUARY 2021

[Ewood Ace]

14 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Rankin Costello will fill in at Right back when hes back. 

Lenihan has missed 7 games in the last 18 months due to Injury. Hardly injury prone is it? 

Left back should have been sorted by signing Ryan Manning permanent not loaning Douglas. 

Rankin-Costello is not a right back he is very suspect defensively.

Even if Lenihan is fit for every remaining game he has still been a liability this season. Also for the majority of the remaining season we only have two senior fit centre backs if we want to get into the top 6 then it is imperative that we sign a centre back, you can't expect to go through the next 3 months with only two centre backs especially two with unreliable fitness records like Ayala and Lenihan.

But we won't sign any defenders this window let alone good ones even though some are desperately needed. Mowbray will continue to neglect the defence just as he has done for the last 4 years.

[chaddyrovers]

8 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

Rankin-Costello is not a right back he is very suspect defensively.

Even if Lenihan is fit for every remaining game he has still been a liability this season. Also for the majority of the remaining season we only have two senior fit centre backs if we want to get into the top 6 then it is imperative that we sign a centre back, you can't expect to go through the next 3 months with only two centre backs especially two with unreliable fitness records like Ayala and Lenihan.

But we won't sign any defenders this window let alone good ones even though some are desperately needed. Mowbray will continue to neglect the defence just as he has done for the last 4 years.

Cheston said at the fans forum that he expect little activity in the transfer window. We have strong squad and some key players coming back from injury. 

Maybe a loan centre back might be available to come in but judging from Cheston's comments that's doesnt look likely

 

[tomphil]

Another reason we'll never really get anywhere.

Can't help injuries but you can cover them short term when a window comes up. We never do but maybe actually doing a bit of business in January is whats been missing all along. Could have a real bearing on final places.

Towels probably gone in on that already though in favour of more plod and player development.

[only2garners]

To be fair Mike Cheston’s comments were on 1st December, before we knew the extent of Wharton’s injury and well before Williams’s injury.

[47er]

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Cheston has already said finance arent there. I will be surprise if we make one signing. 

What's the point of having billionaire owners then? Just to keep paying the debt they created?

[chaddyrovers]

2 minutes ago, only2garners said:

To be fair Mike Cheston’s comments were on 1st December, before we knew the extent of Wharton’s injury and well before Williams’s injury.

Did Cheston make any comments on FFP rules? 

[47er]

11 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Did Cheston make any comments on FFP rules? 

Always used as an excuse for what is really  poor recruitment, never seems to worry other clubs so much.

[roversfan99]

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Rankin Costello will fill in at Right back when hes back. 

Lenihan has missed 7 games in the last 18 months due to Injury. Hardly injury prone is it? 

Left back should have been sorted by signing Ryan Manning permanent not loaning Douglas. 

"Fill in" more than excel at right back and possibly will require Nyambe's threat to also be diluted out of position at centre back. He is also out for a couple of months. Think its self explanatory that having 3 competent defenders across a long period of time will almost certainly pose problems.

[Sparks Rover]

Hearing about Wharton being out long term, we need a centre half.

I'd be sending Douglas and Trybull back and knocking on Jurgens door for young Phillip's for the rest of the season.   He could sit on their bench or compete for play offs.....Sort it Tony.

[Mercer]

1 hour ago, Sparks Rover said:

Hearing about Wharton being out long term, we need a centre half.

I'd be sending Douglas and Trybull back and knocking on Jurgens door for young Phillip's for the rest of the season.   He could sit on their bench or compete for play offs.....Sort it Tony.

Arguably, we need two centre halves!

Magloire and Carter, IMO, are just not going to make it.  Seems like Magloire struggling to get a game anywhere and Carter is all over the place in our 1st team.

Nyambe could fill in at a pinch but he is far and away our best right back by a country mile.

I have been very disappointed with Douglas - IMO, he's washed up and even less effective than Bell.  As for Trybull, IMO, no improvement on either Evans or Smallwood and little wonder Norwich want rid.

[chaddyrovers]

7 hours ago, philipl said:

How many of Lenihan's 7 missed games were due to suspension?

Hes played in 17 games out of 19 league games. Missing 1 due to suspension and 1 for injury

Last season Lenihan played in 37 games out of 46 league. Missing 6 games due to injury, 2 games due to suspension and 1 game for the birth of his child

 

[tomphil]

The best thing for our youngsters imo is going and staying on loan for a season or two. It was obvious it had done Wharton a world of good.

Otherwise staying here just filling in now and again then struggling, getting dropped when playing well or making clangers. That's not doing much good for us or them other than increasing book value with a few championship appearances.

If we are serious about top 6 tilts we need to cover the injuries with some oven ready loans.  If we are just in it to plod on and hope for the best then carry on as we are and carry on having a decent side being let down by a decimated shallow defensive pool.

[arbitro]

Centre half is becoming a real conundrum for Mowbray and in reality we an injury away from a disaster. Today we are likely to have Carter as back up but apart from a brief appearance as substitute he has hardly played this season. Surely when it is practical players like him should play under 23 football if only for match fitness should he be needed to play for the first team.

[Blue blood]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Hes played in 17 games out of 19 league games. Missing 1 due to suspension and 1 for injury

Last season Lenihan played in 37 games out of 46 league. Missing 6 games due to injury, 2 games due to suspension and 1 game for the birth of his child

 

That's just under 20% of games missed. Ignoring previous seasons and assuming he can keep this level of fitness what are we going to do for the 1 in 5 he misses? 

And that's not factoring in how many games are crammed into a shorter space of time, and the attritional effects of this. 

Nor is it considering our Ayala's fitness record. Let's say Lenihen is fine, what if Ayala isnoutm 

Nor is it considering that we might get another long term injury like Warton or Travis or Dack. 

[Blue blood]

12 hours ago, tomphil said:

Another reason we'll never really get anywhere.

Can't help injuries but you can cover them short term when a window comes up. We never do but maybe actually doing a bit of business in January is whats been missing all along. Could have a real bearing on final places.

Towels probably gone in on that already though in favour of more plod and player development.

Agree we haven't covered a single injury with an additional player except perhaps Trybull for Travis. Cunningham out for the season - we don't replace him. Dack out for the season - we don't get any cover. 

It's not like these are minor players either but key components of our side. Daft how we don't adjust for them. 

[philipl]

1 hour ago, Blue blood said:

That's just under 20% of games missed. Ignoring previous seasons and assuming he can keep this level of fitness what are we going to do for the 1 in 5 he misses? 

And that's not factoring in how many games are crammed into a shorter space of time, and the attritional effects of this. 

Nor is it considering our Ayala's fitness record. Let's say Lenihen is fine, what if Ayala isnoutm 

Nor is it considering that we might get another long term injury like Warton or Travis or Dack. 

That is why we have the biggest squad of players with first team experience and quality in the league.

Problem as you rightly highlight, we are stripped bare at the back. Will young Pike get a chance or is it all going Captain Mainwaring?

[Blue blood]

4 minutes ago, philipl said:

That is why we have the biggest squad of players with first team experience and quality in the league.

Problem as you rightly highlight, we are stripped bare at the back. Will young Pike get a chance or is it all going Captain Mainwaring?

Agree with you that it might be the biggest squad but my word it isn't balanced! 3 injury prone centre backs meant it didn't take much to, as you say strip us bare, and a collection of the worst left backs really doesn't help us. 

Not sure what I would do to be honest. Are Stoke still quite a physical side? If so me may need as physical a defence as possible, although not sure who that would include. 

As for longer term we need defensive reinforcements. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

11 minutes ago, Blue blood said:

Agree with you that it might be the biggest squad but my word it isn't balanced! 3 injury prone centre backs meant it didn't take much to, as you say strip us bare, and a collection of the worst left backs really doesn't help us. 

Not sure what I would do to be honest. Are Stoke still quite a physical side? If so me may need as physical a defence as possible, although not sure who that would include. 

As for longer term we need defensive reinforcements. 

We have 2 fit centre backs for today though? Arguably the 2 best ones we have. So it's not that much of a disaster at this point 

[Blue blood]

3 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

We have 2 fit centre backs for today though? Arguably the 2 best ones we have. So it's not that much of a disaster at this point 

We may well do. I missed that! Thought Ayala wasn't fit and that's why Williams started? Glad I got that wrong. 

Yeah it's going to be ok IF those 2 remain fit but it's a hell of an ask. Even before their respective injury records, centre backs pick up cards it's the nature of their position. Factor in the intense load of games this season and I can't see us getting through this period with just 2 centre backs regardless of who they are. 

So yeah, not a disaster as yet but we are wobbling on the edge of one. 

 

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, Blue blood said:

Agree we haven't covered a single injury with an additional player except perhaps Trybull for Travis. Cunningham out for the season - we don't replace him. Dack out for the season - we don't get any cover. 

It's not like these are minor players either but key components of our side. Daft how we don't adjust for them. 

That separates the ambitious from the cautious although we didn't even sign a defender the season we went down.

I know it isn't easy in Jan and the budget is probably swallowed up with adding Downing. If he went to the owners though and said look i need another good player or 2 for a genuine promotion push they'd find the money. Might have to send Trybull back and loan out some more but so be it.

Not the type of thing this manager will push for though i don't think. 

Edited December 19, 2020 by tomphil

[Mercer]

1 hour ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

We have 2 fit centre backs for today though? Arguably the 2 best ones we have. So it's not that much of a disaster at this point 

It will be a battle today at Stoke and Ayala might not come through it if not 100% (and I don't think he is by a long chalk).

[Bigdoggsteel]

9 minutes ago, Mercer said:

It will be a battle today at Stoke and Ayala might not come through it if not 100% (and I don't think he is by a long chalk).

Very possible and we could be in a tricky spot then alright 

[roversfan99]

If we cant bring anyone in to strengthen defence in January I suspect we will struggle to have much hope of the top 6 due to how thin on the ground we are. But if we have no money, would it be better to recall Mulgrew? I know that he isnt up to it but he would surely be less of an issue playing him in defence compared to the current alternatives of Johnson and Buckley!

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

If we cant bring anyone in to strengthen defence in January I suspect we will struggle to have much hope of the top 6 due to how thin on the ground we are. But if we have no money, would it be better to recall Mulgrew? I know that he isnt up to it but he would surely be less of an issue playing him in defence compared to the current alternatives of Johnson and Buckley!

 

I would choose Johnson over Mulgrew. 

[roversfan99]

1 minute ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I would choose Johnson over Mulgrew. 

I suspect that goals will be conceded with either to be fair, the answer has to come externally.