The Close Season Transfer Flurry

[davieG]

Are we all agreed that it was all very much a waste of time, much ado about nothing and a lost opportunity considering last nights starting line up included only two players, Clemence and Fulop that weren't at the club last season and even Fulop was a late loan signing with just N'Gotty as an unused sub?

None of the others are commanding a starting place just being used as squad players.

I'm not really wanting to start an argument over who is to blame, MM or Allen just that there was so much optimism from the fans with MM making it possible for us to actually sign anyone and it must be the biggest LCFC damp squib for many a year.

[Simon]

To a point, yes.

I still think that we can consider, on top of those three, James Chambers an essential signing, with the jury still out on players like Hayes, The Sappletiser and even Kaebi. Seven out of fourteen, even it all does come good for those three (and I'm not convinced it will) isn't good enough. I feel now in hindsight (being a big defender of many of the transfers at the time) that the window was a missed opportunity for the club- just look at the holes we appear to have in certain areas. It is heartening to see though that academy youngsters are looking to have the potential of stepping up to the plate...

[Mort]

IIRC we've got a few injuries at the moment, so to be fair we were unable to play some of our consistently decent player who we brought in over the summer.

Out of the players we've added to the squad, Clemence, Campbell, N'Gotty, Chambers and Fulop have all proven themselves pretty useful IMHO and a big improvement on what we were managing with last season.

Some players haven't been given a chance so we cant say, but then again you've got to assume there's probably a reason their not being given a chance.

On balance i don't think bringing the players in was a waste of time if we consider the squad we had last season, but it's hard to deny that we brought in a fair few players who've made zero impact for us for one reason or another.

[Geo V]

The squad overhaul was necessary but unfortunately the choice of signings were poor in general. Its easy for me to say that after the event as some of the players linked to us like Fowler, Hassielbank, Murphy, Morfaw, etc etc have hardly set the world alight elsewhere but all I ask MM to do is take a step back and actually let the manager bring the players in he wants.

[The Stig]

You never know how Martin Allen would have played the players he signed and whether or not they would have done better, also some of MA's young signings may prove worthwile in a year or so's time.

[MPH]

IIRC we've got a few injuries at the moment, so to be fair we were unable to play some of our consistently decent player who we brought in over the summer.

Out of the players we've added to the squad, Clemence, Campbell, N'Gotty, Chambers and Fulop have all proven themselves pretty useful IMHO and a big improvement on what we were managing with last season.

Some players haven't been given a chance so we cant say, but then again you've got to assume there's probably a reason their not being given a chance.

On balance i don't think bringing the players in was a waste of time if we consider the squad we had last season, but it's hard to deny that we brought in a fair few players who've made zero impact for us for one reason or another.

adding to what Mort has said, all very valid btw, we have a reserve team this year which we didnt use last year and although thats a very poor reason to get players in, maybe that has somthing to do with it..

[davieG]

To a point, yes.

I still think that we can consider, on top of those three, James Chambers an essential signing, with the jury still out on players like Hayes, The Sappletiser and even Kaebi. Seven out of fourteen, even it all does come good for those three (and I'm not convinced it will) isn't good enough. I feel now in hindsight (being a big defender of many of the transfers at the time) that the window was a missed opportunity for the club- just look at the holes we appear to have in certain areas. It is heartening to see though that academy youngsters are looking to have the potential of stepping up to the plate...

I wouldn't say Chambers has proved essential, his 'normal position is right back and whatever people may say or think about Stearman he's been preferred, upto now by all our managerial occupants, also forgot about Hayes being there last night

[Calum McDermott]

Are we all agreed that it was all very much a waste of time, much ado about nothing and a lost opportunity considering last nights starting line up included only two players, Clemence and Fulop that weren't at the club last season and even Fulop was a late loan signing with just N'Gotty as an unused sub?

None of the others are commanding a starting place just being used as squad players.

I'm not really wanting to start an argument over who is to blame, MM or Allen just that there was so much optimism from the fans with MM making it possible for us to actually sign anyone and it must be the biggest LCFC damp squib for many a year.

Certainly, they must have saw something in the players...

[Cheese Me]

IIRC we've got a few injuries at the moment, so to be fair we were unable to play some of our consistently decent player who we brought in over the summer.

Out of the players we've added to the squad, Clemence, Campbell, N'Gotty, Chambers and Fulop have all proven themselves pretty useful IMHO and a big improvement on what we were managing with last season.

Some players haven't been given a chance so we cant say, but then again you've got to assume there's probably a reason their not being given a chance.

On balance i don't think bringing the players in was a waste of time if we consider the squad we had last season, but it's hard to deny that we brought in a fair few players who've made zero impact for us for one reason or another.

Agree with most of that - and the likes of Hayes, Sappleton, Hellings were said at the time to be signings for the future and they may still proove to be valuable. Hayes in particular is likely to get some game time this season, especially with Porter's injury.

[Simon]

I wouldn't say Chambers has proved essential, his 'normal position is right back and whatever people may say or think about Stearman he's been preferred, upto now by all our managerial occupants, also forgot about Hayes being there last night

I'm not convinced that Stearman was the preferred choice. Chambers injured himself quite seriously at the beginning of the season (whilst playing right back) which kept him out for a time, and he when he came back he was perceived as 'needed' in midfield. Since that time he's been injured again. Perhaps I should have been clearer and said 'in my opinion'.

[Tommy G]

I agree. If you watch the vid on Leicester City World of the post match press conference then Holloway clearly stated that he would have never bought in that many players in the summer, 4 or 5 I think he said he would have signed. He refused to name and shame who to blame it was, either Allen or Mandy. That gave me a great impression that he certainly wont be bringing in many in Jan.

If people are expecting a big overhaul in Jan then they're wrong. I'd say 2 or 3 new faces max.

I think in the summer MA wen't with quantity over quality in some aspects. Fair play he bought a few decent player such a Clemence, Fulop (loan), Chambers and the jury is still out on DJ in my opinion too.

I think Holloway will bring in fewer players with more about them. He has been using words such as stability and phrases like 'let the dust settle and let me judge the players' bla bla bla. That all points to a couple of players in Jan and maybe 3 or 4 in the summer

[Staf]

IIRC we've got a few injuries at the moment, so to be fair we were unable to play some of our consistently decent player who we brought in over the summer.

Out of the players we've added to the squad, Clemence, Campbell, N'Gotty, Chambers and Fulop have all proven themselves pretty useful IMHO and a big improvement on what we were managing with last season.

Some players haven't been given a chance so we cant say, but then again you've got to assume there's probably a reason their not being given a chance.

On balance i don't think bringing the players in was a waste of time if we consider the squad we had last season, but it's hard to deny that we brought in a fair few players who've made zero impact for us for one reason or another.

I agree that Clemence, N'Gotty and Fulop are good signings but i disagree with Campbell for a 2.1 million pound striker i dont think he has played that well, i think that he doesent score enough maybe it is down to the service but maybe he really isnt a £2.1 million striker but in my opinion i think we still need another striker i would be very pleased if ollie raids plymouth for ebanks-blake

[Joe.]

I agree that Clemence, N'Gotty and Fulop are good signings but i disagree with Campbell for a 2.1 million pound striker i dont think he has played that well, i think that he doesent score enough maybe it is down to the service but maybe he really isnt a £2.1 million striker but in my opinion i think we still need another striker i would be very pleased if ollie raids plymouth for ebanks-blake

ARGH.

DJ CAMPBELL WAS £1.6 MILLION, NOT £2.1 MILLION.

The amount of times an argument against him brings up the figure £2.1 million is unbelievable.

[Staf]

ARGH.

DJ CAMPBELL WAS £1.6 MILLION, NOT £2.1 MILLION.

The amount of times an argument against him brings up the figure £2.1 million is unbelievable.

sorry mate i always thought he was 2.1 million sorry

[Cheese Me]

I agree that Clemence, N'Gotty and Fulop are good signings but i disagree with Campbell for a 2.1 million pound striker i dont think he has played that well, i think that he doesent score enough maybe it is down to the service but maybe he really isnt a £2.1 million striker but in my opinion i think we still need another striker i would be very pleased if ollie raids plymouth for ebanks-blake

Give him time. His career goals to games record is incredibe. He hasn't really had a run in the side yet

[AyewJoking]

Its all Martin Allens fault.He was trying to buy his own squad but he couldnt know how crap they were gonna be or that he'd be out of a job before long anyway.

[Staf]

Give him time. His career goals to games record is incredibe. He hasn't really had a run in the side yet

Fair enough i will give him time but how long can we wait

[DB11]

You've got to give them time to gel

[Mort]

I'd agree that DJ was pricey... but then again all strikers are (especially half decent, english ones like Dudley). But as has been mentioned his goals to game ratio is very solid and I've always seen him as a good deal more useful that most of our strikers.

MPH is right about the reserves, it makes sense having players like Hellings, Stappleton even Kaebi with a decent reserve team set-up... we simply didnt have that last season and it provides a useful platform for younger and periferal players and perhaps justifies them being brought in.

[Fez of Mahrez]

The reality is that Campbell has been no better than Elvis so far this season. Poor first touch, no footballing brain whatsoever, lack of positional awareness (with Campbell this involves standing and waiting for the ball to come to him and reacting late when the pass is played rather than Elvis moving too early and haring offside at every opportunity) and the odd goal. I doubt his goalscoring record is any better than Elvis managed last season either. Whether you rate him as slightly better is immaterial - for £1.6million rising to £2.1million we should be looking at a far superior player to Elvis Hammond.

At the time I welcomed his signing but thought we'd overpaid. Now I'm wondering whether he's even worth half what we paid for him and I'm big enough to admit that. When we signed them, Head Honcho made a good point about N'Gotty, Clemence and Campbell being used to playing alongside quality players. So far none of them have impressed me enough to warrant their transfer fees and wages and I think he had the right idea. Clemence and Campbell in particular need to make the most of the youthful vigour to the side and show why they are the senior players in the squad. Still reserving proper judgment until Holloway has his feet under the desk and DJ gets a run in the (far better on the evidence of the last two games) side after injury.

[Jimmy]

do people forget how light we were in terms of numbers at the end of last season?

Fulop - Easily the best keeper we've had in years, sign him pronto

Nielson - we'll he'll be gone come the end of the next transfer window

Chambers - good quality right back not been used there due to being pressed into emergency midfield duty

N'Gotty - Has been superb when he's played, only his lack of pace lets him down though personally I'd have him starting

Clemence - a bit hit & miss for me so far, but he has the quality to be a key players for many years

Kishishev - has been a major disappointment, his pre-season form has so far failed to materialise in the league

Cort - i was hopeful when we signed him, but he simply isn't good enough to start for us, a good impact sub though

DJ - again hit & miss but 4 goals in 11 (if thrac is right) isn't a bad ratio, slightly better then 1 in 3

Newton - during his loan spell i liked him but now we need to get rid pronto

Kaebi - less said the better, hopefully a move to RW will bring the best out of him

Hayes - looked good in his cameo Vs Blackpool, unfortunate to get injured and looked good Monday when he came on, could be a quality signing

Hellings - not seen much of him but he seems a decent player, probably deserves a chance

Sappleton - looks a good player maybe not quite ready

John - 3 starts 2 goals, get him signed as he is a class above what we have

[Finn Claw]

The reality is that Campbell has been no better than Elvis so far this season. Poor first touch, no footballing brain whatsoever, lack of positional awareness (with Campbell this involves standing and waiting for the ball to come to him and reacting late when the pass is played rather than Elvis moving too early and haring offside at every opportunity) and the odd goal. I doubt his goalscoring record is any better than Elvis managed last season either. Whether you rate him as slightly better is immaterial - for £1.6million rising to £2.1million we should be looking at a far superior player to Elvis Hammond.

Campbell's touch is much better than Elvis' we paid well over the odds I don't doubt that but he shows touches of class, the goal he set up at Colchester was great skill, Elvis couldn't do that.

Neilson/Hellings/adda/Ferreri/cort look like total flops

Fulop/Clemence/John/Campbell/Chambers/Hayes/Ngotty

Kaeibi/Sappleton - i'm going to give them a bit more time, for Kaebi in particular it can take foreign palyers quite a while to adjust to the English game.

We didn't pay that much (wages excluded) for the players except Campbell

[Fez of Mahrez]

Campbell's touch is much better than Elvis' we paid well over the odds I don't doubt that but he shows touches of class, the goal he set up at Colchester was great skill, Elvis couldn't do that.

Be warned, I am as ever bored at work and prepared to argue this into the ground.

It was a nice turn but the assist itself was not dissimilar to Hammond's efforts for Hume's second at Southend last season.

[The People's Hero]

I'm also bored at work with a license to post at will as my boss has vacated the effort.

Hammond is sh ite.

Campbell is mediocre.

[teblin]

The reality is that Campbell has been no better than Elvis so far this season. Poor first touch, no footballing brain whatsoever, lack of positional awareness (with Campbell this involves standing and waiting for the ball to come to him and reacting late when the pass is played rather than Elvis moving too early and haring offside at every opportunity) and the odd goal. I doubt his goalscoring record is any better than Elvis managed last season either. Whether you rate him as slightly better is immaterial - for £1.6million rising to £2.1million we should be looking at a far superior player to Elvis Hammond.

At the time I welcomed his signing but thought we'd overpaid. Now I'm wondering whether he's even worth half what we paid for him and I'm big enough to admit that. When we signed them, Head Honcho made a good point about N'Gotty, Clemence and Campbell being used to playing alongside quality players. So far none of them have impressed me enough to warrant their transfer fees and wages and I think he had the right idea. Clemence and Campbell in particular need to make the most of the youthful vigour to the side and show why they are the senior players in the squad. Still reserving proper judgment until Holloway has his feet under the desk and DJ gets a run in the (far better on the evidence of the last two games) side after injury.

He's put the ball in the new 4 times, that one advantage over elvis.