January 2025 Transfer Window

In my opinion it's always been the midfield. If you don't sort that out the rest is immaterial. It dictates how the rest of team plays, from seeing over a year of Alexander I'm not sure we are ever gonna be a free flowing attacking side as it doesn't seem to be his strategy. On the positive I think defensively we don't look too bad, although this maybe a byproduct of us not being particularly attack minded.

 

A stark comparison , when I thought Swindon wouldn’t score if they played until XMas 2025. Is our defence that good?

 

Absolutely bang on! We cannot afford and attempt to appease the fans with more run of the mill/ stocking fillers. We need 3/4 quality signings to push us on for a real attempt at promotion. We as fans can all see this. Surely the board can.

We are nothing more than an average L2 squad lacking real quality. It's the boards last roll of the dice in my opinion

 

Unfortunately it's not your (nor my ) opinion that matters mate. It's all down to Herr Rupp in the Fatherland.

 

That said, I genuinely believe that by failing to recruit adequately in this window, then feelings towards Herr Rupp and the powers that be will turn even more sour.. they've had their warnings previously... this window is a critical time for them

 

Update on Jay Benn...

 

We have a board?

 

We certainly have a plank in there if that counts

 

Has Benn done "really well"? In a setup like ours, wingbacks are the most important roles to get everything in order but they have probably been our biggest hit and miss areas. On the left, Wright was getting forward but looked pretty hopeless in the back line. Richards has had moments so far, with probably his last 3 or 4 games being his best at City but so far has been another with consistency issues overall, form and fitness.

But on the right, Halliday looks a shell of his self from last season. Benn has had his chanced and had again moments but I wouldn't say he's had many stand out performances. Another that seems to drift in and out the game a bit too often offensively and defensively.

 

He’s been an improvement on Halliday , and he’s nailed the spot bar injuries imho.

 

Really? I don't think he's been bad by any stretch, he's just a very average wing back in my view with a bit of work to do either side. I wouldn't say he's done 'really well' as their DOF has, not to the point where I can see him getting L1 football anytime soon at his parent club.

 

Sorry you are confusing me , are you saying Halliday hasn’t had a bad season so far, for me he’s been pretty dreadful ? Error prone, lacking in confidence , looks completely unfit and pace has gone altogether. I’d play Benn over him , even though he’s still learning his trade, bar injuries.

 

I said in my first post how Halliday wasn't the player he was this season. I'm referring to Benn being just an ok player.

I was surprised at how little football Benn has played to be honest to say he's 23, will be 24 at the start of next season.

 

They could be a Championship club by the time Jay is due back to Lincoln.

 

I think some of the talk is media talk, he's going to try to play him up either as they might look to take him back either in January or the summer with an extra or they may be looking to sell him to us/another club.

Looking at his stats he's on 3 assists in 10 league games for us which isn't bad at all. On crossing he's had the most successful crosses in the squad and only 8 players in the league have had more, only 1 of them have played fewer minutes, the rest have played at least 400 minutes more.

For someone who had optimism from probably all of the fanbase when he joined I think he's far exceeded expectations but there is still areas he can improve similar to how Halliday improved last season. Halliday missed a few good chances early on last season similar to how Benn missed a great chance in both of the games against Morecambe, if he can add a few goals then for me he's a very good attacking threat for us.

 

Barnsley Boss happy for Jack Shepherd to stay at Bradford till end of season.
When asked if he would be recalled he said extremely doubtful Jack enjoying his football at Bradford.
Fantastic news in my opinion.

 

The above about Benn and Richards I disagree with.

Both are vast improvements on the players they have replaced. Halliday has lost his Mojo and Benn has looked a good league 2 wing back.

Lewis Richards if he can stay fit has a bright future. He can cross, tackle, doesn't usually give the ball away and is a really good left wing back.

The last position we need to change for me, at the minute. Obviously that's barring injuries.

What we do need is a fast midfielder and ideally a quicker striker. Those for me would be the two immediate signings

 

Looking over the stats of right full backs/wing backs who've had 7 or more starts, he's 12th ranked overall, sort of between 6th and 14th for most stats. As said, i don't think he is a bad player by any means but he isn't someone who ever jumps out at me as someone to pin hopes on.

Interesting we have ended with Benn and Richards as wing backs when it seemed to all at the end of the window it would be Halliday and Wright. If Benn and Richards can stay fit i think give the team a better balance for sure.

 

Link here if anyone wants to read.

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/bradford-city-transfer-news-barnsley-fc-set-to-hand-bantams-a-january-boost-4917744

 

League Two football... if he did it every week, he would be in the Prem