Mid-window review: ins/outs?

[Rob]

Whisper it quietly but we've had an excellent first half to the window. If it closed now, I think we'd be happy but what else do we want to see happen?

For me it's:

Out: PEH, Gil, Perisic, Reggy

Werner takes Gil's space, Perisic/Reggy aren't going to get game time anyway so the only issue is PEH who really doesn't fit how we play right now and I think has to go (probably for ok money as well).

In: Gallagher or Vermeeren

This is a bit trickier as there's the question of do we need reinforcements for this season or do we plan for the future. We need an 8 and maybe cover at CB but I'm fine with one of the kids covering 4th choice CB until Ben Davies is fit again. I do think Connor Gallagher would be excellent for us but Arthur Vermeeren would be the more exciting choice for potential and maybe the easier deal.

We seem to have gone from bare bones to being in reasonable shape in the last 3 weeks with everyone returning.

What's everyone else think? Do we need more squad depth still in other positions?

 

[King of the Lane]

Vermereen is more of a 6 so would be great cover for Biss and could move Bentancur into the 8 role. If we want an actual 8 though we would need a different target imo.

 

[Rob]

Vermereen is more of a 6 so would be great cover for Biss and could move Bentancur into the 8 role. If we want an actual 8 though we would need a different target imo.

Yeah, the 6/8 is interesting as we have multiple people who can play the 8 but they can also cover the 6 (I'm thinking especially Bentancur there). I think this comes back to what I said about strengthening the first team now vs building for the future.

 

[Japhet]

Vermeeren, Wharton, Nusa, Soule types for me (maybe with loan backs). If we let PEH go I think Kalvin Phillips would be a nice upgrade but not particularly necessary. Don't see where Gallagher fits in personally.

 

[met was god]

Great window so far. Moving out Lloris, Dier and Spence is great business (hopefully for all parties) and the recruitment of Timo and Dragonsteaks fits the bill brilliantly.

What do we want or need from here? It’s a tricky question but for once we hold the cards.
Gallagher in? Great signing at the right price but this signing can wait. I feel Chelsea’s desire to get him off the books is greater than our desire right now. Let’s see how it unfolds.
PEH out? Yep he doesn’t fit our current mould but still does a worthy job. If a good offer comes in (perm or loan with obligation) then let’s try and deal but if not he continues to do a great squad role giving his all.
Reggie out? If a deal materialises let’s have a serious look but I can’t help but think he could play a role in the second half of the season. Udogie will need a rest at some point and I would see him as capable of filling this role or even further forward on the pitch as last resort.
Gil out? I’m not sure where we go with him. Foreign clubs will be interested but will claim hardship. Doesn’t seem overly suited to British game but has great attitude. Let’s let the market decide but he can still play a role.

For once it feels like we are ahead of the 8 ball and we can dictate the terms of business rather than a last minute panic to get reinforcements of variable quality.

If nothing materialises I hope we focus on summer business early and identify targets early. Other seasons I would scoff at the thought of this but we do seem to have a plan to work to.

 

[HildoSpur]

Whisper it quietly but we've had an excellent first half to the window. If it closed now, I think we'd be happy but what else do we want to see happen?

For me it's:

Out: PEH, Gil, Perisic, Reggy

Werner takes Gil's space, Perisic/Reggy aren't going to get game time anyway so the only issue is PEH who really doesn't fit how we play right now and I think has to go (probably for ok money as well).

In: Gallagher or Vermeeren

This is a bit trickier as there's the question of do we need reinforcements for this season or do we plan for the future. We need an 8 and maybe cover at CB but I'm fine with one of the kids covering 4th choice CB until Ben Davies is fit again. I do think Connor Gallagher would be excellent for us but Arthur Vermeeren would be the more exciting choice for potential and maybe the easier deal.

We seem to have gone from bare bones to being in reasonable shape in the last 3 weeks with everyone returning.

What's everyone else think? Do we need more squad depth still in other positions?

I agree this window to date has been outstanding and if this was all we did I'd be perfectly happy. Having said that, I do think if we can sell/loan Hojberg then we need to bring in another midfielder who can rotate straight into the first team (Gallagher?). Other than that one or two young players with high potential would be excellent even if it means loaning them back to the club we buy them from much like we did with Udogie. If we manage to do either of those things then this window will be talked about in the same way as the Kulu/Bentancur January window.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Love this thread and start to the window has been a 10/10 for me considering we are only on 12th Jan and we've signed our 2 biggest priority positions.

If we sign no-one else this window would go down as about an 8/10 for me but I think we really need CM reinforcement and upgrade to make it a 9 or 10 overall. Gallagher would be nice if we offload PEH but I can't see Gallagher leaving but some good alternative options mentioned. I'd also take Lloyd Kelly with 6 months left to set our defence up for years to come.

There are other areas which longer-term we could strengthen but no real need to do right now in Jan:
-Younger and more suited back-up GK than Forster
-Possibly a better suited player to back-up Porro than Emerson but personally think Emerson is fine as a squad player back-up
-Better more suited back-up to Udogie but I think if we signed Kelly then Davies could go back to covering Udogie for one more season next year
-One more top attacking player (making Werner permeant in summer wouldn't be enough imo), I think we still need someone like a Doku or failing that a Jota type

Those would be my 4 for summer but if any opportunities came up now we could go for them if there is squad space.
If we don't sign anyone else then I'd add another CB and CM to the 4 above in summer.

This is where I feel the squad is at overall.

I have a feeling we will sign a CM later this window and that will be it and i'll be over the moon with that window if so.

 

[Cochise]

Once we get Son, Sarr and Bissouma back I think we'll be fine until the summer. I'm not greedy.

 

[Scot-Spur]

Great start, the two we have signed seem like the type that will slot straight in.

For me the rest of the window should be looking at a CM and tying up a deal for Nusa or someone like that (loan back)

CM is difficult as it seems to hinge on PEH and European clubs are skint. Would we bring in a young HG player without shifting him? Someone like Hackney or Wharton?

We really are putting ourselves in a great position. I also love the type of players we are signing. Great work all round.

 

[carpediem991]

I think even if nothing happens on the market now, we will be fine.

Would love to get another exciting high potential player on a buy+loan deal, like Nusa.

CM for Ange's mood would be decent with Pierre finding a new home, but don't think it is a must.

Don't see the need of Lloyd Kelly now, if two out of Van de Ven, Romero and Dragusin are available he won't get a lot game time anyway. Royal and Davies when fit again should be fine for emergency reasons. Maybe different in the summer when we are hopefully back in Europe.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Out: PEH, Gil, Perisic, Reggy

Perisic won’t leave (or play) - he is still injured.

Having said that, we probably won’t register him if we need the roster spot.

Otherwise, I agree, PEH out, CM replacement in. Bryan and Reggie can leave without replacement - or a young player can come in who won’t need to be ready until next season.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Once we get Son, Sarr and Bissouma back I think we'll be fine until the summer. I'm not greedy.

I'm with you. I think we keep our power dry and assess how the squad does over the remainder of the season.

I think we should be more focused on the outs: PEH, Gil, Reggie

IF, something special arises:
- a young player with significant potential
- someone at a reasonable price that really adds something to the squad, great

But otherwise, I'm happy with where we are, and the Summer is likely to be a better time to buy, certainly in terms of available talent

 

[Pekoni]

Reggy loaned/sold. Replacement for PEH if he's sold. Otherwise I'm quite happy.

 

[the yid]

I'd give it 8/10. If the window shut tomorrow I'd be quite happy going forward the rest of the season.

With 2 weeks to go to make it a 10 for me another CM.

In summer if we shift PEH, Skipp, Gil, Sessengnon and replace them I think we're strong going into next season

 

[Steffen]

Kelly in now, and a buy and loan back deal for Nusa would be great.

I’d like Gallagher just for the ‘babys’, but if Herc is right in saying Devine will be integrated next season, we need to have room for him instead.
Maybe if Skipp will be loaded out?

 

[Wig]

We must be pretty close to the loan limit, as in how many of our players we can loan out?

If we're close to the max, I wonder if this affects our ability to bring in youth prospects... If we wanted to buy and then immediately loan them straight back to the same club for their development, in the way we did for Sarr and Udogie, and also Vuskovic?

 

[Fitchspur]

Its been a great window so far, and we've been doing just what we've wanted to do for so long. Getting players in fast and moving on those who don't fit the style anymore. And not just in the mens team either, the woman's team have done exactly the same.

Hopefully it's a sign of things to come.

 

[dvdhopeful]

Due to contract situation, I'd like to see Kelly in and I'm a fan of Gallagher, so if that's who Ange wants, I'm all for it.

Any more 'surplus to requirement' players we can shift is great. Not in a massive rush to ship out PEH as I think he does a good job but a Gallagher swap would suit.

If the window closes now, I'm personally delighted.

 

[Tucker]

Get Kelly in and our back line is sorted. Other than that it’s all outs for me. Getting the ones we want out now will free us up to act decisively in the summer. Like how selling Sanchez has freed us up to swoop in for Dragusin this month.

Pretty much agree with Ron’s assessment of who should be sold. If we can bring people in now once they’re gone, all the better.

 

[nicdic]

Really pleased so far. Think any further business will be based on outs. So expecting a cm only if we can offload Højbjerg, and so on.

That said would love us to do a couple of buy and loan back deals for young players in the Nusa, Wharton mould.