A Good Window?

[Shane]

Letting Albrighton go is a mistake. If Tete or Barnes get injured Brendan will go to 3atb, which will cost us points because we rarely play well in that formation.

 

[DerbyshireFox]

Decent window for me. Brought in some much needed new faces and more ‘Leicester’ type signings. We know we need a rebuild, but we were never going to get a total rebuild in January. I’d have maybe liked another one in to make up for Albrighton going on loan (mainly an upgrade - as good as Sharky has been

for us, he’s not a regular top flight player anymore), but Tete is a big signing for us. Hopefully he can hit the ground running 

[Suzie the Fox]

Certainly not the player I wanted to leave. This is out of nowhere. Am Sad .. 

 

We will miss his cameos, always puts in a performance 

 

[STUHILL]

I think this still leaves a lot up in the air. Key for me is still whether Maddison can stay fit and play every game. He is essential to us and will likely be the difference. 

It's going to be tight, but I think we may have enough to stay up. We will likely need a slice a luck as well though. 

[Buzzell]

Three new names in the door, all in areas that required urgent attention so all in all it’s been a decent window for us.

[LeePhilpottsBaldSpot]

To be judged at the end of the season, but it feels like a good window. 3 potential starters in, 2 squad players out. I've only seen one of the new signings play (Souttar in the WC) but they seem like what we needed on paper, plus all their Twitter fans are sad to see them go which is always a good sign!

 

£30m for two young, physical, dynamic defenders with lots of upside is smart business. If nothing else we'll be a lot less easy to bully with them at the back. And I think they'll offer a lot more than that.

 

A winger was badly needed and should balance the attack much better and give us stronger options going forward. Maddison will thrive even more with options out wide. I think a loan makes sense -. If it works out we'll buy him or invest elsewhere in the summer, but if we go down we won't be stuck with an unhappy player whose value is diminishing. Plus Albrighton could just come back in for him...

 

In terms of the outgoings, I would have liked to keep Albrighton but if he wanted first team football he's more than earned the right. Perez had some real highs but was never a reliable player, and we need reliability if we're going to stay up. The other fringe players presumably won't move on because of personal circumstances (Veste) or their wages won't be matched elsewhere (Praet, Soumare, Soyuncu, Bertrand etc). Annoying but understandable.

 

I'm glad we didn't lose any first teamers, though part of me wouldn't have minded Tielemans leaving. He's a quality player but having anybody who wants out must create a strange culture - not least if he's your sodding captain.

 

All in all, feels like an 8/10 window. Come June it could feel like a 10/10 or could feel like a 1/10...!

Edited 1 February 2023 by LeePhilpottsBaldSpot

[mozartfox]

Excellent window, just a shame we could not move out some of the surplus to requirements.  This is effectively the start of the summer re-build, not withstanding Tete is, at the moment,  only a loan.

 

Well done Top, Glover and the fax machine operator.

[Lichfieldfox.]

Good window, on paper 3 good acquisitions. Let's hope BR can get a song out of the team now so we don't have to listen to the excuses for poor results anymore.  I'd have preferred us doing business a lot earlier rather than leaving everything so late but new faces are here, happy days. 

[Xen]

On paper, it's an 8/10

 

Notoriously a tough window to be a buying club (unless you're Chelsea) and yet we've addressed the 3 most troublesome areas in the squad with some very promising signings, and at good value too. A nice balance to the squad now.

 

Our wage bill has been an issue and we're starting to make inroads on that. Vestergaard hanging around despite our best efforts, but at least it's confirmed that we're trying to make the changes we need.

 

Clear intent on Harrison too. Not surprised a deal was tricky given the circumstances, but reckon we'll be back in for him in the summer.

 

GK would have been nice to see a change, but 3 first XI signings is already a busy January so I'm not surprised we held our hand on that. Would be nice to see Iversen get a go - we might be able to save ourselves from needing to buy in the summer if so - but imagine we'll stick with Ward...

[Plastik Man]

On the upside we have 3 fresh and exciting new signings in the positions we needed to strengthen.

 

On the downside, with our need to shift players out to make room for those incoming, our inability to shift either Soyuncu or Vestergaard makes me wonder whether letting Albrighton go was to allow for Souttar to come in rather than for the failed attempt to sign Harrison.

 

As has been stated on these pages, whilst the first 11 is stronger, the squad isn't, and is more imbalanced with 2 CBs we won't even play.

[Claudio Fannieri]

Decent window for incomings with 3 glaring gaps in the squad filled and with what would seemingly be very good quality. What has also pleased me is we seem to be heading back to the recruitment model that served us so well pre-Rodgers. Being greedy would have been great to bring in cover for Barnes on left as I actually believe we are well stacked on the right if we play Rodgers preferred formation, with Madders, Tete and Praet all more than capable of playing that role. 
 

outgoings is the disappointment for me, we are left with a number of squad fillers who have been in the departure lounge for some time and with the exception of Perez we have been unable to work deals to move at least a proportion of their wages off the books. It leaves me more than a little concerned to the squad dynamic for the remainder of the season, and how engaged/focused some of these players will be. 
 

finally really disappointed that the likes of Brunt and Braybrooke haven’t been sent out on loan to aid their development. 
 

Glover has made a very impressive start and it does make me wonder if the club held back in the summer so Glover had the opportunity to start the refresh in this window. 
 

incomings 7.5/10 would have been 10 if we had managed to bring in cover for Barnes

 

outgoings 3/10 poor but you can only shift players if clubs want them and the player is open to the move 

 

loans 5/10 good to see some players recalled and sent back out to try and get them game time but disappointing that the likes of Brunt and Braybrooke haven’t got the chance to play  1st team football in L1 or even championship 

[Hack]

6 hours ago, Tuna said:

I think the key areas we needed to address were left back, centre half and right wing and I'm delighted we've gotten decent players in in these positions, however I'm disappointed with the Albrighton departure as it leaves us weak plus he is a leader in the squad.

Didn't we have to move at least 2 registered players to fit the new guys into the 25.

[Gazza M]

Looks like we will have a clapped out Ricardo as RW back up. Shame Albrighton couldn't hang on until the summer. 

[FoxesWalk]

The players we have bought I am happy with, but no goalkeeper and some baffling outgoings reduce it down to a 7/10 for me. 
 

We went into the window with a shortage of wide players, and we let two go and got one in… losing our vice captain in the process. Tete is also only a loan. 
 

All three signings in do look good though, and are better than what we have in the positions they have been signed for. First team has been improved. 

[Aus Fox]

From the clubs point of view it’s been a fantastic window. We’ve identified the right areas for improvement, and brought in young highly rated players.

For those who say they are untried at Premier League level, I’d remind you of those players we’ve previously signed that are proven at Premier League level.

 

The back four with Kristensen Souttar Faes and Castagne is so much better than Thomas Amartey Faes and Castagne.

 

Tete improves the whole midfield and attack, he should be an upgrade on Albrighton, Perez and will allow Maddison to take a more central role. This should also take all the pressure off Barnes who I think has been affected by having to be the only creative spark.
 

There is also a below zero net spend for the season, with 75 million coming in for Fofana and a combined 45 million for Faes, Kristiansen, Souttar and Tete.

I would also imagine the four who have come in this season would be on lower combined wages than Kasper, Fofana, Perez and Albrighton (assuming wages are being paid for the loan players).

 

We've also kept hold of all of our important players. 
I think at the end of January we have a better 11 than at the start. 

All in all an outstanding window, now to go an utilise the squad and move up the league.

[st albans fox]

52 minutes ago, Hack said:

Didn't we have to move at least 2 registered players to fit the new guys into the 25.

Not if we left vestergaard out and JJ probably won’t be available until last few games of the season so could have been left out too. 

[BillyFOX12]

Pretty good transfer window on paper, but I fear that not replacing Ward will continue to cost us dearly. 

[phoneticerror]

Would’ve liked a new keeper, and will miss having Marc on the bench as a second choice. Vesty still being here has tarnished the window a bit, but I’ve got faith in us staying up now.

[Deeg67]

It was a good window, but just in terms of sheer numbers it’s tough to justify two wingers out and only 1 back.  Right now the squad is alarmingly thin with attacking options.  let’s say you start Tete and Barnes on the wings and Daka as a striker, with Maddison as a #10.  What are your attacking options off the bench, besides Kelechi?  Who do you bring in if you’re chasing a result late?  And what happens if any of the starters gets injured?  Perez needed going but if Albrighton was going to leave I would have loved to see some sort of wing or pure attacking MF option brought in, even a free agent or a loan.

[FosseSpark]

Squad of 25 for rest of season

 

WARD, Iversen, Smithies

CASTAGNE, Ricardo, (Justin)

KRISTIANSEN, Thomas

FAES, SOUTTAR, Evans, Amartey, Soyuncu

TIELEMANS, KDH, Ndidi, Mendy, Braybrooke

TETE, MADDISON, BARNES, Praet

IHEANACHO, Vardy, Daka

 

Vestergaard, Bertrand, Perez, Albrighton out of squad and Justin not quite training yet.

Light at left back an RW as per. 1 injury in each area and we are toast

 

 

[brookfox]

Three first teamers in is the big plus. Hopefully Ricardo is back soon which will soften the blow of Albrighton. Plus I like the profile of player we’ve signed, feels like we’ve learnt lessons from the past and leaves me optimistic about Glover.

 

Two big downsides. Firstly I’d have like to see a few more move on; Vesty, Soyuncu, Praet spring to mind. Secondly we still look very short on the wings.

 

Overall a B+ and lots to do again in the summer. 

[Bptiger]

So 3 new signings, BUT will Rodgers play them straight away or will he do what he has done on so many occasions, take weeks to get them into the team , I say throw them in and let’s get the team back on track , we can’t do any worse can we . 🥴

[Jobyfox]

We have to also assess our window against the other teams in the division. Some, like Bournemouth and Forest, have shown real intent. Everton have signed nobody. 

[Bptiger]

3 minutes ago, FosseSpark said:

Squad of 25 for rest of season

 

WARD, Iversen, Smithies

CASTAGNE, Ricardo, (Justin)

KRISTIANSEN, Thomas

FAES, SOUTTAR, Evans, Amartey, Soyuncu

TIELEMANS, KDH, Ndidi, Mendy, Braybrooke

TETE, MADDISON, BARNES, Praet

IHEANACHO, Vardy, Daka

 

Vestergaard, Bertrand, Perez, Albrighton out of squad and Justin not quite training yet.

Light at left back an RW as per. 1 injury in each area and we are toast

 

 

U forgot one , soumara 

[Dames]

On paper the incomings this window have been very good, lets just hope its enough for us to kick on.

 

No more excuses now.