Ranking the Window

[Si Robin]

Having seen someone say this is the worst window in our history, I thought it would be a good idea to break it down completely:

GK:
No Change

Defence:
Out - Josh Williams, Luca D'Auria-Henry, Owen Bevan, Liam Smith
In - Jack Shepherd, Andy Smith

The only real surprise there is that Liam Smith has been allowed to go, leaving us with one natural rwb. Andy Smith looks a more than competent replacement for Owen Bevan and, if what I'm hearing is true, then Tom Bradbury could be out for some time so Jack Shepherd was a late necessity. All in all, I don't think we've really strengthened the defence but, crucially, it's not weakened.

Midfield:
Out - Cameron Peupion, Daniel Adshead, Ellis Chapman, Curtis Thompson
In - Tom Pett (extension to short-term deal), Josh Harrop, Liam Kinsella, Jordan Thomas

I don't think anyone can argue that replacing the first 3 outs with Kinsella and Harrop is a marked improvement to the team. Thomas seems a very exciting risk to take and was being courted by much bigger clubs than ourselves. My guess (and it is just that) is that we've jumped early on him in order to avoid any bidding war in the summer. In any case, there's no doubt at all that, even with the loss of the brilliant Curtis, we are much stronger in midfiled now than on January 1st.

Attack:
Out - Will Goodwin, Jovan Malcolm, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji
In - Joe Nuttall, Matty Taylor

Let's be honest, the big question is have we replaced Will Goodwin or not? Bear with me here because I honestly think I can put a positive spin on this (it's taking some contortion, but I think I can). Goodwin has been outstanding this season, he really has, but has he been prolific? 6 goals would suggest not (even if it is more than our others put together). Also he was consistently crocked. DC knows Matty Taylor, as I've mentioned elsewhere, I've no doubt he is 100% behind his signing. Taylor is a goalscorer, he's scored more than 100 goals in the Football League and if he can find his shooting boots could score the goals to keep us up. Nuttall is a real head-scratcher, but I believe he's not been brought in as a goalscorer. I think he's been brought in to be that physical presence up top for the likes of Taylor and Keena to work off. He's going to be the battering ram. It may not look like it on the surface, and replacing a League 1 standard forward with a player struggling to get into the team bottom of the entire EFL and a player struggling for games in the National League sounds crazy, but it could just work. There is a chance of net positive. This opinion may change come 5pm on Saturday.

So, in ranking it as a whole, I don't think the window has been all bad. The only real issue that sticks out like a sore thumb to me is that we've given a 33 year old (34 next month) a 30 month deal. The biggest concern here is that Vale fans were claiming his legs had gone last season. We just need to hope that rumours of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Out of 10, I'll give it a 6. That could rise once they've all pulled on the shirt. It could also go down though.

Up the Town!!

[asl]

Doesn't look quite so bad when you put it all together like that... Not as exciting as a player like Doidge, but DC obviously has a plan for how it all fits together. Maybe Taylor's contract is offset by lower wages? Maybe there are softening clauses we are simply not privy to (almost certainly)?

[ctfc-fan]

Be interesting to know who courted the young lad. I’m guessing it was between Jerry Gill and Rusty, but even if so and he’s sold for a decent sum in the future, you heard it here first that Rusty won’t get any praise for it.

[Broadway Brian]

This stinks of common sense.

[Ihearye]

Would break some of that down, but what's the point,

[Ihearye]

Be interesting to know who courted the young lad. I’m guessing it was between Jerry Gill and Rusty, but even if so and he’s sold for a decent sum in the future, you heard it here first that Rusty won’t get any praise for it.

If you consider being watched equates to being courted, it is in JP article

[HamTown]

Doesn't look quite so bad when you put it all together like that... Not as exciting as a player like Doidge, but DC obviously has a plan for how it all fits together. Maybe Taylor's contract is offset by lower wages? Maybe there are softening clauses we are simply not privy to (almost certainly)?

These are my thoughts too.

I'll also add that we've got one more to come in. Rumours its Connor Wickham but don't know why he would need to be down the training ground last night being a free agent. Either way the final signing may put a more positive spin on forward signings or it may send the pessimists over the edge

[PCrobin]

A very reasonable summary, cheers for that. Will reserve judgement until I've seen them all play and how DC works the new signings into our system. Slightly nervous that we let Smith go on loan with no cover at RWB, he's been decent every time I've seen him. Hopefully we have a free agent replacement incoming today maybe..?

[Si Robin]

The Smith scenario baffles me, I've got to be honest. If Longy is out for any amount of time, we're well and truly buggered on the right hand side. Unless they think Andy Smith can play there, but he strikes me as a cb only.

[HamTown]

The Smith scenario baffles me, I've got to be honest. If Longy is out for any amount of time, we're well and truly buggered on the right hand side. Unless they think Andy Smith can play there, but he strikes me as a cb only.

Definitely. I hope we can get a proper indepth interview to explain the rationale behind all the incomings and outgoings

[Jerry St Clair]

I was incredibly confident in August after the signings of Street etc. I am underwhelmed by this window.

I hope this will evidence why DC is a successful football manager and I’m not. I can’t fathom the logic but In DC We Trust.

[Broadway Brian]

I agree, but sounds as though he’s rolling the dice re positions / earners to get us out of the mire.

Kinsella possibly back-up too? Switch one of the lefties over?

Not like for like options but maybe warrants the risk to use budget elsewhere? Or maybe an unhappy player?

Definitely a surprise.

[Broadway Brian]

I was incredibly confident in August after the signings of Street etc. I am underwhelmed by this window.

I hope this will evidence why DC is a successful football manager and I’m not. I can’t fathom the logic but In DC We Trust.

Me too but shocking to see that nine of the last window have already left.

[Si Robin]

I think Pett might also be able to cover there - he was initially a winger and is now a defensive midfielder.

[Warwickshire Robin]

With you Si in scoring it a provisional 6 depending on how the players we have brought in perform. It is really the Will Goodwin sale and what is seen to be a lack of credible replacement which has tainted the window in a lot of peoples eyes. Without that I think most people would be happy with where we are.

What has struck me after letting the dust settle is how much more streamlined the squad is now. By my calculations at the start of the season we had a squad of 30 depending on if you include the Academy lads, I have only included Tom King.

Looking at it today I think we are at 24 with probably one further addition to come. But that includes King who likely won't get near the first team barring injuries & Olayinka who is out in the cold. It also includes Bradbury and Street who both seemingly could be missing time and Freestone who is suspended for two games. So basically we have 20 players to choose from for the next few games.

As mentioned the RWB position is the most concerning in terms of cover, you can guarantee Longy who almost never misses games will get something now! That is unless todays addition is a right wing back which would be sensible but probably send a portion of the fanbase into meltdown again!

[tunnelvision]

Ferry can also cover RWB if necessary, so maybe Smith was seen as a bit of a luxury.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

I can only assume Liam Smith was towards the higher end of our wage range, given his age and experience, so letting him go was a financial decision. Same for Thompson. (Interesting aside, Smith’s last appearance was also our last win…).

A cynic might say we are already working on cutting the wage bill budget towards what it will need to be in L1.

Ultimately, we are seven points from safety. Where we are in 19 games time will determine how I personally rank this window.

[Robin]

Having seen someone say this is the worst window in our history, I thought it would be a good idea to break it down completely:

GK:
No Change

Defence:
Out - Josh Williams, Luca D'Auria-Henry, Owen Bevan, Liam Smith
In - Jack Shepherd, Andy Smith

The only real surprise there is that Liam Smith has been allowed to go, leaving us with one natural rwb. Andy Smith looks a more than competent replacement for Owen Bevan and, if what I'm hearing is true, then Tom Bradbury could be out for some time so Jack Shepherd was a late necessity. All in all, I don't think we've really strengthened the defence but, crucially, it's not weakened.

Midfield:
Out - Cameron Peupion, Daniel Adshead, Ellis Chapman, Curtis Thompson
In - Tom Pett (extension to short-term deal), Josh Harrop, Liam Kinsella, Jordan Thomas

I don't think anyone can argue that replacing the first 3 outs with Kinsella and Harrop is a marked improvement to the team. Thomas seems a very exciting risk to take and was being courted by much bigger clubs than ourselves. My guess (and it is just that) is that we've jumped early on him in order to avoid any bidding war in the summer. In any case, there's no doubt at all that, even with the loss of the brilliant Curtis, we are much stronger in midfiled now than on January 1st.

Attack:
Out - Will Goodwin, Jovan Malcolm, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji
In - Joe Nuttall, Matty Taylor

Let's be honest, the big question is have we replaced Will Goodwin or not? Bear with me here because I honestly think I can put a positive spin on this (it's taking some contortion, but I think I can). Goodwin has been outstanding this season, he really has, but has he been prolific? 6 goals would suggest not (even if it is more than our others put together). Also he was consistently crocked. DC knows Matty Taylor, as I've mentioned elsewhere, I've no doubt he is 100% behind his signing. Taylor is a goalscorer, he's scored more than 100 goals in the Football League and if he can find his shooting boots could score the goals to keep us up. Nuttall is a real head-scratcher, but I believe he's not been brought in as a goalscorer. I think he's been brought in to be that physical presence up top for the likes of Taylor and Keena to work off. He's going to be the battering ram. It may not look like it on the surface, and replacing a League 1 standard forward with a player struggling to get into the team bottom of the entire EFL and a player struggling for games in the National League sounds crazy, but it could just work. There is a chance of net positive. This opinion may change come 5pm on Saturday.

So, in ranking it as a whole, I don't think the window has been all bad. The only real issue that sticks out like a sore thumb to me is that we've given a 33 year old (34 next month) a 30 month deal. The biggest concern here is that Vale fans were claiming his legs had gone last season. We just need to hope that rumours of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Out of 10, I'll give it a 6. That could rise once they've all pulled on the shirt. It could also go down though.

Up the Town!!

Fantastic summary. For me yesterday felt like panic buy sale event where we just hoovered up everything that was left in the budget section of the supermarket. Offering a three year deal to a 33 year old who I would assume is an option from the bench is very worrying, the two young centre backs I am ok with as it gives us competition. Midfield I would have wanted to have kept Thompson as when he was on it he was a great driving force and i'm not sure Kinsella offers us the same traits. Harrop is a gamble with his injury record but as he's more cover/competition for Sercs and probably not expensive it's one we can take.

In short it's the lack of of signing a replacement for Goodwin and the length of deal offered to Taylor that are the biggest worry.

[longmover]

It does (and doesn't surprise me) that supporters seem unable to grasp where we are in the pecking order of the transfer window and "realistically" what we can expect to get in for a club of our size and salary structure. Especially in a time where there has never been more information available on football clubs across the nation.