January

[GazLaz]

One win in three months just isn’t good enough. I actually think our performances have largely been ok in the time, but certainly concerned that if a dip in performances is coming we have nowhere to go.

1 win in 12 games is relegation form. Make no bones about it.

[Alan Southstand]

Whatever we have lined up in January better be good, because that performance stank the Eco power out.
We’re back in L2 if we don’t do something in January and I mean right from the get-go.

[selby]

  We have  some better players on the books. What has happened to Pearson for a start? and after last season why do you think sides were after Flint and Faulkner before a ball was kicked in anger and ignored almost everyone else.
  After showing the lot a clean pair of heels in pre season training we took the silling in three days from Harrogate, and  Flint never put a foot wrong in pre season games and off he went to a team that have never played him in his best position and has not played recently after getting the MOM award in his last game playing out of position, and also having two very good games in our EFL cup run and again not his best position of defensive mid field a position we are crying out for some class and consistency to help Bailey and Broadbent.
  It seems we only rate other teams players coming through other academies who to me are miles off it from what I have seen.

[steve@dcfd]

Last night showed we are a league 2 squad with one or two league one players. Grant and some supporters believe we have players who can take us further in this league. We don't the results are showing that. Whether Faulkner and Flint are better than McGrath we don't know we've not seen them at league one level and will probably not. We don't have any centre half better or as good as ORiorden. Our midfield without Bailey and Broadbent is second rate. Our two wide players in Molyneux and Gibson which we really rely on for the system Grant plays were snubbed out of the game last night and have been in most league 1 games. We haven't got a Striker for our system both try hard but both are not good enough. Stockport were not Brilliant but did enough last night to hold us at bay and scored what was required. Both goals were down to McGrath mistakes poor passing.
So January we need more than a striker to keep us in this league. We are not a top 10 side and never have been. We will be lucky not to be relegated. We are not a poor side but we are a side that are not effective in this league.

[i_ateallthepies]

O'Riorden didn't impress me last night.  He looked to be running in diving boots when needing to put on a turn of speed.

[TonySoprano]

Let's be honest, if TB wants us to be competitive then he needs to get his cheque book out. Plain and simple.
Otherwise relegation is a real possibility.

Also, I wouldn't trust the head of recruitment with the tea budget, never mind the transfer budget.
He needs to go.

[scawsby steve]

Terry most be seething right now. He said that he wants to leave the club with a good legacy. A relegation battle in the 3rd tier of the EFL is hardly a good legacy.

He's obviously put a lot of trust in the manager and the recruitment team. Whether that trust will remain, and whether or not he'll increase the budget, none of us know.

[Nudga]

Not sure how he'd be prepared to open the cheque book after the summer's budget hasn't been spent very well.

[goalkick]

Was sad to watch last night. We have a lot of dead wood in the squad and is difficult to see until January what can be done. Would like to see a striker and a  solid centre half in the middle as a priority.

[Chris Black come back]

I think we will stay up this season. Maybe even have a bit of a McCann second half run. That won’t change the fundamental issue that we haven’t got a business model that monetises talent so we are always on the hook for a large subsidy. Currently from a very generous backer who is happy to do this. That might not be there for too much longer. Our recruitment isn’t great and our monetisation is even worse. We make life difficult for ourselves.

Who allowed McCann to retain Close and Westbrooke on good wages and rarely if ever play them? Even if cheap to the point of being free, who scouted Lasagne? Even if the lad had talent he was clearly way short of fitness for League One.

There is obvious sentimentality for Billy and he does bring something but even he would likely say it is madness for him to start as our main striker. That’s a function of Hanlan being signed on again decent wages and only recently being played. Billy plays because we haven’t recruited an effective alternative.

[In the box]

I hope we go for quality rather than quantity. IMO we need a good striker, and another solid midfielder.

Get this right, and we could greatly improve, as we have done following the last 2 January windows.

When are we ever gonna  go into a January new year window not requiring yet another loan sighing to save our season ! Loan keeper , loan central defender loan midfielders and yet again we need a loan striker !! It’s getting so ridicules that it become habit forming  . Surly the preseason targets are just not being fulfilled and expectations are being exaggerated!!

[GazLaz]

My concern with January is that on our budget it’s much easier to find game changers on loan in L2 than it is in L1.

[Thorney]

  We have  some better players on the books. What has happened to Pearson for a start? and after last season why do you think sides were after Flint and Faulkner before a ball was kicked in anger and ignored almost everyone else.
  After showing the lot a clean pair of heels in pre season training we took the silling in three days from Harrogate, and  Flint never put a foot wrong in pre season games and off he went to a team that have never played him in his best position and has not played recently after getting the MOM award in his last game playing out of position, and also having two very good games in our EFL cup run and again not his best position of defensive mid field a position we are crying out for some class and consistency to help Bailey and Broadbent.
  It seems we only rate other teams players coming through other academies who to me are miles off it from what I have seen.

Selby the 2 players you mentioned ended up below the level we are in. How are they better than what we have?

Flint in national league

And you shout from the roof tops how good bobby is but he has been apart of an harrogate side that sit in the relegation places in league 2
He has played his part in a total of 11 league games in which they have lost 8. And conceded 17 goals in those 11 games.
So why would we think he should be part of a league 1 defence.
We know that no matter how poor of a game he has you do find a way to make it sound like he is the best player on the pitch and was heroic against a very tough opponent. And its always the teammates that is the problem.

[ncRover]

My concern with January is that on our budget it’s much easier to find game changers on loan in L2 than it is in L1.

Could see us getting Ryan Oné on loan now that blades have brought Bamford in.

Big and quick young striker who can also play on the left. Gets in their squads regularly over Louie Marsh.

[steve@dcfd]

Who ever we bring in if any body in January then they have to improve the first team.
We brought in Gotts, Hanlan, Pearson and Middleton all permanent summer signings not young players to develop. None have improved the first team all have had cameos but none have shown the level required at league 1. We brought in Crew and Ajayi loans the cherry on top of the cake one might say again not broke into or improved the first team. ORiorden has been the best loan signing and I would say the best CB. Grehan again a young developing CB but has not broke into the first team. Olusanya well he's been a waste of a loan signing shown he's not up to league one and been injured. TLT a decent loan goalkeeper and regular No1.
So to Grant and the transfer team you've got to do better we need players to go straight in the first team or we will be relegated

[ncRover]

Who ever we bring in if any body in January then they have to improve the first team.
We brought in Gotts, Hanlan, Pearson and Middleton all permanent summer signings not young players to develop. None have improved the first team all have had cameos but none have shown the level required at league 1. We brought in Crew and Ajayi loans the cherry on top of the cake one might say again not broke into or improved the first team. ORiorden has been the best loan signing and I would say the best CB. Grehan again a young developing CB but has not broke into the first team. Olusanya well he's been a waste of a loan signing shown he's not up to league one and been injured. TLT a decent loan goalkeeper and regular No1.
So to Grant and the transfer team you've got to do better we need players to go straight in the first team or we will be relegated

Is Gotts injured? It’s odd that McCann has wanted and admired him for years just to play Ben Close over him if not.

[GazLaz]

Who ever we bring in if any body in January then they have to improve the first team.
We brought in Gotts, Hanlan, Pearson and Middleton all permanent summer signings not young players to develop. None have improved the first team all have had cameos but none have shown the level required at league 1. We brought in Crew and Ajayi loans the cherry on top of the cake one might say again not broke into or improved the first team. ORiorden has been the best loan signing and I would say the best CB. Grehan again a young developing CB but has not broke into the first team. Olusanya well he's been a waste of a loan signing shown he's not up to league one and been injured. TLT a decent loan goalkeeper and regular No1.
So to Grant and the transfer team you've got to do better we need players to go straight in the first team or we will be relegated

Is Gotts injured? It’s odd that McCann has wanted and admired him for years just to play Ben Close over him if not.

Same with Middleton. Neither in the squad.

[steve@dcfd]

Maybe he believes same as me now neither improve or maintain the first team when they play. Middleton okay going down the left wing putting crosses in that's it. Hasn't scored in any of the games he's played.
Gotts a better improvement on Sbarra but that's it he's not a Clifton we need better for that role in January.
Both played in the trophy game and were substituted around the 75 minute. Both on the Bench in Chesterfield FACup game and stayed there. Neither on the Bench for Stockport

[graingrover]

I bet we will sign Robinson to start with for sure .A striker surely and probably a few of our own loanees will leave us permanently eg Hurst , Westbrooke .

[ncRover]

Maybe he believes same as me now neither improve or maintain the first team when they play. Middleton okay going down the left wing putting crosses in that's it. Hasn't scored in any of the games he's played.
Gotts a better improvement on Sbarra but that's it he's not a Clifton we need better for that role in January.
Both played in the trophy game and were substituted around the 75 minute. Both on the Bench in Chesterfield FACup game and stayed there. Neither on the Bench for Stockport

Middleton a strange signing. He is good at going on the outside and swinging crosses in, but that isn’t what wide players in McCann teams generally do. Even then, there isn’t any aerial prowess from any of the centre forwards any more to attack those crosses.

[GazLaz]

Maybe he believes same as me now neither improve or maintain the first team when they play. Middleton okay going down the left wing putting crosses in that's it. Hasn't scored in any of the games he's played.
Gotts a better improvement on Sbarra but that's it he's not a Clifton we need better for that role in January.
Both played in the trophy game and were substituted around the 75 minute. Both on the Bench in Chesterfield FACup game and stayed there. Neither on the Bench for Stockport

I initially thought Gotts could play that lot advanced Clifton role but Gotts’ defensive output throughout his career has never been very good. Probably suited to playing deeper.

[In the box]

If it is possible, ask Ajayi, Crew, Tutala and Olusanya to return to their parent clubs and bring in a more reliable keeper and another, better, striker (someone like Street).So four out and replaced by two better options.

Have you put up stocking for Santa 

[In the box]

Maybe he believes same as me now neither improve or maintain the first team when they play. Middleton okay going down the left wing putting crosses in that's it. Hasn't scored in any of the games he's played.
Gotts a better improvement on Sbarra but that's it he's not a Clifton we need better for that role in January.
Both played in the trophy game and were substituted around the 75 minute. Both on the Bench in Chesterfield FACup game and stayed there. Neither on the Bench for Stockport

Middleton a strange signing. He is good at going on the outside and swinging crosses in, but that isn’t what wide players in McCann teams generally do. Even then, there isn’t any aerial prowess from any of the centre forwards any more to attack those crosses.

Middleton is not L1 standard . He can run and put the ball in .. just can’t find a target . A one trick pony !! 

[DRNaith]

Spending money does not guarantee success in football, otherwise there'd be no such thing as a cup upset. I believe that GM went into this season with the belief that we would be competitive, overall we haven't been and what happens in the next transfer window is the next indicator we have for either the owner's desire or ability to support the club.

We setup this team in August and other than coaching, nothing could be done until January.

At the start of the season it looked like we'd made some shrewed choices, not so now. However, we could have spent a lot more money, money that isn't ours, and be in the same situation.

As I say, January will be interesting

[TonySoprano]

Maybe he believes same as me now neither improve or maintain the first team when they play. Middleton okay going down the left wing putting crosses in that's it. Hasn't scored in any of the games he's played.
Gotts a better improvement on Sbarra but that's it he's not a Clifton we need better for that role in January.
Both played in the trophy game and were substituted around the 75 minute. Both on the Bench in Chesterfield FACup game and stayed there. Neither on the Bench for Stockport

Middleton a strange signing. He is good at going on the outside and swinging crosses in, but that isn’t what wide players in McCann teams generally do. Even then, there isn’t any aerial prowess from any of the centre forwards any more to attack those crosses.

Middleton is not L1 standard . He can run and put the ball in .. just can’t find a target . A one trick pony !!

Disagree. There's no one to find.

With the formation GM likes to play, theres no one in the box to get on the end of his crosses

[DonnyOsmond]

Big January needed but based on what the summer signings have offered can we trust that any signings will improve us?

[scawsby steve]

This is becoming a real conundrum. Terry will surely be alarmed now at how the results are going. He'll know that it's going to take some significant recruitment next month to avoid relegation. The question remains as to how much he's prepared to fund it.

A few weeks back, I thought that a good striker and another midfielder would be enough. It's now become obvious that we need a decent keeper, and possibly another defender.

At the end of the day, it's Terry's money, and will he even be able to trust GM and the recruitment team after the shambles of the last window?

[EasyforDennis]

One thing that everyone seems to have overlooked after assuming that we will be trying to offload those players who haven’t performed and replacing them wih better players.
But what about any of our players who might appeal to other clubs?
I will be very surprised if we dont any enquiries for Mols. I haven’t been his biggest fan but recently he has been head and shoulders above the rest.