Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

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hallamblue
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Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by hallamblue » Mon Jan 31, 2022 11:22 pm

GK: Walton, Hladky.

CB: Edmundson, Woolfenden, Donacian, Burgess,

RWB: Burns, Vincent-Young.

LWB: Thompson, Penney.

CM: Morsy, Evans, Carroll, Bakinson, El Mizouni, Harper.

WG/AMC: Aluko, Celina, Chaplin, Edwards.

ST: Bonne, Norwood, Pigott, Jackson, Simpson.

Source EADT:

That’s 24 players ( I’ve ignored Simpson)

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Tangfastic » Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:34 am

Harper’s gone as well.

Still not ideal when we’ve got both Jackson and Simpson here….. and Pigott. Offloaded midfielders, but now more top-heavy with strikers. And unlikely we can give them all game-time.

Still work to be done in the summer. Offloading more players sitting on contracts. Just hope we’re a bit more smarter this time in who we bring in.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Charnwood » Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:49 am

We could always try 433 in selected games.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Charnwood » Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:55 am

On a more serious note our wage bill is way out of line for League One and more than many Championship clubs which isn’t sustainable. Until this season our wages have been less than Sunderland’s who were the highest payers in this league. After this seasons recruitment programme our current wage bill is £9m+ compared with Sunderland’s £6m+ and I’m not sure how this sits with the EFL Financial Fair Play rules. Does anyone know the rules ?

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by hallamblue » Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:20 pm

Question is , is the squad now stronger or weaker than before the Jan window? I’d suggest smaller AND weaker .

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by marko69 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:54 pm

hallamblue wrote:
Mon Jan 31, 2022 11:22 pm
CB: Edmundson, Woolfenden, Donacian, Burgess,
That quartet certainly ain't knock knock knocking on the Championships door.

Image

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Bluemike » Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:13 pm

Why is it weaker ? We've only lost players that never play and aren't likely to, no weaker for me.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by AzzurroMark » Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:34 pm

hallamblue wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:20 pm
Question is , is the squad now stronger or weaker than before the Jan window? I’d suggest smaller AND weaker .
Certainly smaller, but not sure i would say any weaker. Apart from Toto, none of those exiting have really staked a claim for a starting place or even in the match day squad. Even Toto didn't seem to fit KM's style.

The problem i have is the lack of cover in defence if we want to persist with a back 3! An injury and a suspension (as with the central midfield currently) could spell big problems! I appreciate that a back 4 would then be the go to option, but is that ideal?

Signing young Hayes as 3rd choice keeper is ok in my eyes, as Holy (while nowhere near a No1 in many people's eyes) is too good to play 3rd fiddle.

Thompson i am hoping will flourish. He has hardly even got his foot through the door yet. Bakinson, to a lesser degree, but still has not had many games. I personally was happy with what i saw of him in the Wimbledon game, i feel he needs the experience of Morsy with him to really see him shine (i think Evans too looks a better player whwn Sam is in the team).

Upfront i would like to have seen Jackson gone, as for me, take his pace away and he offers very little.

So yes, we are light in a couple of areas, but what we have is strong enough, i feel, with back up from a nucleus of players who can be deployed in more than one position, we are goid enough. I just don't want to see that treatment room filling up as then we are likely to struggle!

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by number 9 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:52 pm

AzzurroMark wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:34 pm
hallamblue wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:20 pm
Question is , is the squad now stronger or weaker than before the Jan window? I’d suggest smaller AND weaker .
Certainly smaller, but not sure i would say any weaker. Apart from Toto, none of those exiting have really staked a claim for a starting place or even in the match day squad. Even Toto didn't seem to fit KM's style.

The problem i have is the lack of cover in defence if we want to persist with a back 3! An injury and a suspension (as with the central midfield currently) could spell big problems! I appreciate that a back 4 would then be the go to option, but is that ideal?

Signing young Hayes as 3rd choice keeper is ok in my eyes, as Holy (while nowhere near a No1 in many people's eyes) is too good to play 3rd fiddle.

Thompson i am hoping will flourish. He has hardly even got his foot through the door yet. Bakinson, to a lesser degree, but still has not had many games. I personally was happy with what i saw of him in the Wimbledon game, i feel he needs the experience of Morsy with him to really see him shine (i think Evans too looks a better player whwn Sam is in the team).

Upfront i would like to have seen Jackson gone, as for me, take his pace away and he offers very little.

So yes, we are light in a couple of areas, but what we have is strong enough, i feel, with back up from a nucleus of players who can be deployed in more than one position, we are goid enough. I just don't want to see that treatment room filling up as then we are likely to struggle!
Pretty much agree with all of that, AZ. I did read somewhere that Thompson can play CB if needed. Still wondering if Burgess will get another game and if he's improved.

It does seem like Bakinson is being judged too soon. Let him have a run of games especially when Morsy returns. Yeah, Jackson just won't go away...but it's not his fault. I hope Bonne regains some form soon, otherwise we could possibly become a bit weak in attack with a few injuries.

For me the best bit of business is signing Walton on a permanent deal. Super stuff, Ashton!

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by AzzurroMark » Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:08 pm

number 9 wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:52 pm

For me the best bit of business is signing Walton on a permanent deal. Super stuff, Ashton!
With you on that. Someone behind the defenders who can be relied upon breeds confidence. I believe (hope) we will see that quality CB come in during the close season and along with Walton in goal, will make up the defence we need going forward.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by marko69 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:53 pm

AzzurroMark wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:34 pm
Signing young Hayes as 3rd choice keeper is ok in my eyes, as Holy (while nowhere near a No1 in many people's eyes) is too good to play 3rd fiddle.
Debatable. I don't think he'd even make the orchestra. The largest human being ever to be beaten at his near post ---- >> consistently.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by hallamblue » Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:47 pm

Bluemike wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:13 pm
Why is it weaker ? We've only lost players that never play and aren't likely to, no weaker for me.
I’d say we’re weaker because we no longer have those more experienced players in our squad . Fraser is a bloody good signing for Charlton. I think the only reason he didn’t get a look in is because Celina/ Chaplin kept him out . Would you say that Bakinson is better than Fraser ? Not sure I would , and now we don’t have that option of using Fraser.

Coulson , supposedly injured , now is suddenly “fit and raring to go” as soon as he’s signed for Posh. Is Thomas, or Penny better than him ? Again I don’t think so .

The fact that they didn’t play for us is more a question to ask of the manager (s) I feel .

We have shipped out some young players ( Harper, Clements ) only to loan in others . Why?

If it’s with a view to building for next season , well that’s remains to be seen if they are any better ( assuming they even sign permanently).
If it is the latter then we appear to have given up on top 6 for this season … we have not strengthened in defence , we are in my view weaker.

We have decluttered the midfield numbers but again we haven’t brought in experience. I’d have thought if we were “going for it for one last push” we’d have bolstered with experience not other clubs youngsters who might not be any better than what we’ve just shipped out .

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by number 9 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 7:30 pm

hallamblue wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:47 pm
Bluemike wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:13 pm
Why is it weaker ? We've only lost players that never play and aren't likely to, no weaker for me.
I’d say we’re weaker because we no longer have those more experienced players in our squad . Fraser is a bloody good signing for Charlton. I think the only reason he didn’t get a look in is because Celina/ Chaplin kept him out . Would you say that Bakinson is better than Fraser ? Not sure I would , and now we don’t have that option of using Fraser.

Coulson , supposedly injured , now is suddenly “fit and raring to go” as soon as he’s signed for Posh. Is Thomas, or Penny better than him ? Again I don’t think so .

The fact that they didn’t play for us is more a question to ask of the manager (s) I feel .

We have shipped out some young players ( Harper, Clements ) only to loan in others . Why?

If it’s with a view to building for next season , well that’s remains to be seen if they are any better ( assuming they even sign permanently).
If it is the latter then we appear to have given up on top 6 for this season … we have not strengthened in defence , we are in my view weaker.

We have decluttered the midfield numbers but again we haven’t brought in experience. I’d have thought if we were “going for it for one last push” we’d have bolstered with experience not other clubs youngsters who might not be any better than what we’ve just shipped out .
Some good points, Hallam. I wonder if the transfer activity has something to do with balancing the books?...Or even analytics maybe? I'm not sure what Bakinson and Thompson's injury records are, but maybe that's been vetted? Who knows???

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by hallamblue » Tue Feb 01, 2022 8:59 pm

I think on the one hand it’s a good window ( if you are taking the steady, gradual, sustainable rebuild approach). But if we were meant to push for play offs this season ( some would say it’s still possible), then I’d be disappointed with this windows activity.

I’d have no doubt that any player we bring in now will have been scrutinised to within an inch of his life on Mark Ashtons data analysis matrix lol :lol: … that’s the way we are going ( we’ve been dragged into modern football finally ) … but I’m sure he said they’d be recruiting with a view on the short term and long term ( eg youngsters we can bring in and develop ). We’ve clearly done that with these two loanees haven’t we … and more recently the rest signed young GK.

So guess we will have to all be patient and accept what we see and “trust”.,,, but sometimes it’s not easy to do that is it .

COYBs

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Bluemike » Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:43 pm

I think Thompson will prove to be much better than Coulsen, no question in my mind. Fraser and Bakinson are completely different types of player, I never saw Fraser do anything special for us tbh, it remains to be seen if its a good buy for Charlton but its certainly good business for us. I don't get the Bakinson bashing, he has been thrown in with no settling in period and I have actually quite like what I've seen of him, I think its way to early to be questioning a player after 2 and a half games, let's face it he was in Midfield the other night with El Mizouni who has very limited experience, will be different with Morsy alongside him.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by MasseyFerguson » Tue Feb 01, 2022 11:39 pm

AzzurroMark wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:34 pm
hallamblue wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 3:20 pm
Question is , is the squad now stronger or weaker than before the Jan window? I’d suggest smaller AND weaker .
Certainly smaller, but not sure i would say any weaker. Apart from Toto, none of those exiting have really staked a claim for a starting place or even in the match day squad. Even Toto didn't seem to fit KM's style.

The problem i have is the lack of cover in defence if we want to persist with a back 3! An injury and a suspension (as with the central midfield currently) could spell big problems! I appreciate that a back 4 would then be the go to option, but is that ideal?

Signing young Hayes as 3rd choice keeper is ok in my eyes, as Holy (while nowhere near a No1 in many people's eyes) is too good to play 3rd fiddle.

Thompson i am hoping will flourish. He has hardly even got his foot through the door yet. Bakinson, to a lesser degree, but still has not had many games. I personally was happy with what i saw of him in the Wimbledon game, i feel he needs the experience of Morsy with him to really see him shine (i think Evans too looks a better player whwn Sam is in the team).

Upfront i would like to have seen Jackson gone, as for me, take his pace away and he offers very little.

So yes, we are light in a couple of areas, but what we have is strong enough, i feel, with back up from a nucleus of players who can be deployed in more than one position, we are goid enough. I just don't want to see that treatment room filling up as then we are likely to struggle!
I agree with all of that. I think Thompson will be good for us. I also was encouraged by what I saw of Bakinson.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by number 9 » Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:17 am

marko69 wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:53 pm
AzzurroMark wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:34 pm
Signing young Hayes as 3rd choice keeper is ok in my eyes, as Holy (while nowhere near a No1 in many people's eyes) is too good to play 3rd fiddle.
Debatable. I don't think he'd even make the orchestra. The largest human being ever to be beaten at his near post ---- >> consistently.
He might make the set at a Texas honky tonk, but I agree he’s no cowbell! :lol:

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by rossi » Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:04 am

hallamblue wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:47 pm
Bluemike wrote:
Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:13 pm
Why is it weaker ? We've only lost players that never play and aren't likely to, no weaker for me.
I’d say we’re weaker because we no longer have those more experienced players in our squad . Fraser is a bloody good signing for Charlton. I think the only reason he didn’t get a look in is because Celina/ Chaplin kept him out . Would you say that Bakinson is better than Fraser ? Not sure I would , and now we don’t have that option of using Fraser.

Coulson , supposedly injured , now is suddenly “fit and raring to go” as soon as he’s signed for Posh. Is Thomas, or Penny better than him ? Again I don’t think so .

The fact that they didn’t play for us is more a question to ask of the manager (s) I feel .

We have shipped out some young players ( Harper, Clements ) only to loan in others . Why?

If it’s with a view to building for next season , well that’s remains to be seen if they are any better ( assuming they even sign permanently).
If it is the latter then we appear to have given up on top 6 for this season … we have not strengthened in defence , we are in my view weaker.

We have decluttered the midfield numbers but again we haven’t brought in experience. I’d have thought if we were “going for it for one last push” we’d have bolstered with experience not other clubs youngsters who might not be any better than what we’ve just shipped out .
I think the reason for this is that KM definitely sees them in his plans for next season, and wants them to get more game time this season than he can give them.

As for the squad, for me it's no stronger or weaker than pre transfer window - but as we succeeded in signing CW and reducing the overall squad size, I'd say it was a fairly good window for us.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by bluejacko » Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:01 pm


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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Charnwood » Thu Feb 03, 2022 9:38 am

I don’t think we have anything to complain about. We bagged Christian Walton who would have been a massive loss had he gone elsewhere. We kept Macauley Bonne who could have been recalled by QPR, hopefully his early season goal scoring form will return sometime soon, and we filled the gaping hole at LB which was potentially a massive problem.

Add to that loading off some of the deadwood albeit not all will have reduced the payroll and made it easier for the manager to manage with fewer players to try to keep happy.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Bluemike » Thu Feb 03, 2022 9:50 am

Exactly that Andy, it was being said we had a way too bigger squad, now we ship out a couple we are short in numbers, Just don't get it. It's been a good window.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by hallamblue » Thu Feb 03, 2022 11:15 am

Don’t think I’d say “short in numbers” , but I’ll be interested to see in the newcomers are better or stronger than what’s departed. I suppose the acid test will be if we sign then permanently won’t it .

Andy you’re right the biggest outcome of this window was keeping Walton and Bonne 👍

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Tangfastic » Thu Feb 03, 2022 12:47 pm

hallamblue wrote:
Thu Feb 03, 2022 11:15 am
Don’t think I’d say “short in numbers” , but I’ll be interested to see in the newcomers are better or stronger than what’s departed. I suppose the acid test will be if we sign then permanently won’t it .

Andy you’re right the biggest outcome of this window was keeping Walton and Bonne 👍
Yes, I’m not sure I’ve heard many, if any at all, saying we need more players. Just questioning the quality? Too early to comment on Thompson, but it’s obvious we’re short of a Morsy replacement. So we get yet another non- physical (“languid”) midfielder in Bakinson. Really unfair on the lad to criticise him so early, but stylistically he’s more like a Harper than a Morsy. I find his signing pretty bewildering and especially since Morsy gets immediately banned for 4 games and we need him to cover for him. And it’s obvious he wasn’t the type who could.
So the highlight of the window has been Walton, but still a bit annoyed we brought in Bakinson. Ashton did well to offload some midfielders and create a space for another midfielder- yet we bring in the wrong type. Seems like an opportunity wasted and we haven’t learnt our lesson from bringing in players who can’t compete physically. Feels like a really lazy, unnecessary Ashton signing with the Bristol City connection. Apart from that, nice work, Ashers.

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Re: Towns trimmed squad for 2nd half of season then

Post by Bluemike » Thu Feb 03, 2022 1:43 pm

I think you'll find McKenna said it was totally his signing so he must view it as the type of Midfielder we needed, someone versatile who can play several different positions.

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