January 26 transfer rumours

"Baldwin can make the step up to the champ" I read this week.

I sh1t you not!

 

Well one things for certain, if we were to go up then its going to need huge investment to be competetive (a chance of staying up) Im not sure how many could make the step...probably count on one hand the amount that could be 'useful squad members'.

 

I thought about you yesterday Monkey. Baldwin overhit a ball into touch for the second time just as the clock hit 40 seconds into the match! I said to my mate @NorthernMonkey is going to be all over this on Bantam Talk .

 

36% of sarc appearances before he joined us were in league 1. He’s played for big clubs like Bolton. We signed him with the view of getting into league 1 and staying there.

Now we are a league 1 team and want to go to the Championship, so now we need players with div 1 experience or higher.

 

I don't think GA was irritated by the question - he straight batted it by basically saying he was ill and we've been playing well so he saw no reason to change the squad, which is a fair answer to a straight question.

 

I watched Barnsley’s highlights against Mansfield , can’t see how he was at fault for any of their goals . The must be referring to another game ?

 

Sells beer

 

On the extended highlights he has a shocker that he got away with which was similar to a mistake which led to Tranmere's penalty last season. He doesn't cover himself in glory with the 3rd goal getting into a really bad position giving Will Evans too much space to get a shot away.


I was talking to a Barnsley fan through work at the start of November and he described Shepherd as an ok 6/10. Reading their forum there's not many positive comments about him https://barnsleyfc.org.uk/search/229510036/?q=Shepherd&o=date&c[node]=130.

 

No question he’d drop straight into the back line on our left side . Yes you are referring to the back pass to the keeper that came to nothing , like 50 other back passes that are the same every week in the Prem to the NL. . Not a patch as bad as Baldwins was last game at VP .

 

Maybe Shepherd is struggling at Barnsley because he is in a back four?

 

Could be. There are certainly defenders you'd like in a 3 and certain defenders who would almost exclusively play in a 4.

 

How many L1 appearances in the last 5 years before joining us? 14 according to wiki.

Agreed re experience, but the club still need to balance the books and won't want to run at a loss.

You look at Smallwood - oodles of Championship experience but overall pretty sh!te. Gotta trust the club to continue to make the right signings whatever league they are in right now.

 

currently, I am more interested in us getting the likes of Cook, Kav, Patto etc of the books.

In terms of replacements I don’t see the point in signing players that are not going to be better than what we have in the 1st team already. It’s about improving.

 

Should be a couple of decent loan players and a couple of youngsters with the potential to step up if needed ................going be a very interesting month though and it will see the mentality of the board if they are prepared to have a go at it ..............

 

Moxon was excellent when at Carlisle but dropped down from champ with pompey. He would be an asset and give some cover. An upgrade in Leigh. Depends on whether we’re looking further ahead or not.

 

We should be looking at an upgrade on what we currently have in the starting 11...not reserves.

Moxon is just another body for L1.

 

How much is a piece of 2"x4" these days at Wickes? That should strengthen the RCB slot.

 

Plank of wood to improve the third best defence in the league

 

We sit third in the league, with one of the best defensive records, yet apparently most of our centre halves are below average
Maybe the sum is greater than parts
The team are finding a way to get results
We can improve on every single position in the team, but not at the expense of the team
Our premier league fancy dans and mr Rahic proved this
Measured and careful squad strengthening required