January 2025 Transfer Window

Well yeah, I classified the two potential signings as the tweaks.

If the rumours are true, one is a lad (CM) from Huddersfield who could be promising, no idea who the other would be.

I think what I find most disappointing is the way it's worded.

If you're making one or two changes I don't want to hear the word "tweaking", I want to hear about how we're upgrading critical positions to make a serious promotion charge. We shouldn't be merely "tweaking" such a poorly performing squad, we should be adding real value and investing with real purpose.

Our bang average squad is still top half, and looks like it will be all season. Bring in some banging signings and we should still be able to push for top 3. But that's not the message, it just sounds like we should be expecting more mediocrity and a loan player or two that might marginally improve us, might not.

I want to hear the manager acknowledge that we're not there, not that we're close to being exactly where he wants to be. Why are we understating it, because we have no confidence, or because we've kinda settled for what we've got because we know there's no investment coming?

Give us a bloody rallying cry and get VP bouncing. Not this feeble crap he's spouting.

 

Obscure reference. Or maybe he dropped the dead donkey

 

To be honest Jon I agree with what you have to say. I'm not over keen on his football, I'd like us to sign a couple of wingers but GA doesn't play with wingers so that ain't gonna happen. From his point of view he's probably looking at the players coming back from injury and suspension and think we only need a couple of "tweaks". He's probably worked out like we have that there aren't really any standout teams this season.
If we are right about his football and signings there is a good chance he will be gone at the season as we will probably miss out even on the playoffs. If it turns out he is right about us not being far off and we get promoted (ha ha ha) I for one will be prepared to eat humble pie come the season's end.

 

His formations don’t include wingers…never have done, so they would be spare willies in a brothel.

 

To be honest I've kinda stopped reading too much into what GA says. He usually contradicts himself given a week or two.

I'm fairly certain that at the start of the summer he said similar that there wouldn't be an overhaul and he only wanted a few in. Ended the summer with 9 new faces in the first team and 2 more signed since.

 

He's basically a bit lost...like Kev's spare willy in the brothel

 

It’s a case of …”Don’t get high expectations”

 

If this rumour about the lad from Huddersfield is correct then why is the bloody man is obsessed with midfielders??

 

Yes please, give me some of that humble pie too, I hope so badly that GA proves me wrong!

This would be a major wasted opportunity. I imagine Rupp is the kind of mug that waits until other sides are investing heavily before doing so himself, which is so, so stupid...

 

Well yeah fair point mate, he was telling us how he was going to trim the squad because it was clearly some gargantuan beast or whatever.

We're down about 2-3 players...

The 'trimming' has amounted to little more than a few unwanted youth players exiting as you can expect every single season.

 

This. We are sat in 10th and churning out lackluster performances. He should be acknowledging it isn't good enough and there will be recruitment that will match the fans ambitions. That said, tweaking is probably just that as mediocrity and happy to have a club to support seems enough nowadays.

 

I'm of the opinion that the squad does only need 2 or 3 additions to make us a viable proposition for promotion, especially now the injured players are coming back.

My issue is with GA. I don't think he gets the formation and tactics right from the players at his disposal.

Interesting that GA mentioned David Sharp being in charge of negotiations for recruiting players and not Sparks.

 

Get that midfield sorted and we won't be far off. It's been our achilles heel for years now. Players that will complement Andy Cook would be advantageous.

 

That’s always been the case Idle. He came in as the “ deal maker”. Presumably because Rupp thought that Sparks was overpaying on deals and contracts in some case were too long…..Cough Oliver! That’s certainly how I understood his role.

 

Think Jamie Walker is out of contract at the end of the season. I would anticipate offers for him. Carlisle were after him last summer. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them take him next month. Would be a shame as he is one of our better players and none of our managers have got the best out of him. Don’t want to see him go but it wouldn’t be a big surprise if he did especially if Carlisle offer some cash. He may want to move north as well hailing from Edinburgh.

 

His ship has sailed …..We need to move on from players like him and Smallwood at the end of the season. He won’t have much value to sell anyway.

 

I think we need 2 new strikers, 1 to compliment Cook and 1 to challenge Cook. Competition in goals for Walker, a goalscoring midfielder and another centre back. I would argue a case for a LWB as well because if Richards gets injured back we go to Wright. I would be using Wright in a forward role now anyway.

Diabete, Walker, Oduor, Sanderson, Oliver, Smith can all make way. I dont know what will happen with Huntington and Evans but I suspect both will remain a wee while longer. I wont lose sleep if both are let go though.

Thats what Sharp was brought in for? If Sparks was still doing it I would be questioning why the hell are we paying Sharp 6 figures!

 

How is that surprising? He’s not the chief scout so his main job is negotiating for players.

 

Walker has been a decent servant, but this season he just isnt having the same impact on games or chipping in with the goals. He is obviously a high earner, which is why we tried to reduce his wages and if Carlisle are willing to pay him a fee then its good business. He wont be here next season and we have Sarcevic back now, Pattison and Pointon. Plus if Walker goes you would expect another body.