January 2021 Transfer Window

[JOSWolf]

Have I once said that. I've said the threat of relegation isn't a concern because frankly the bottom three are trash. You can point at signings, performances whatever you want but the cold hard fact is between them they have amassed 6 wins in 60 games so there form over the season is worse.

We could well lose the next 8 games and still be away from them.

I'll leave you to it now. I cant be bothered to go over and over it again today. We lose the next 8 games and we will be in the bottom 3.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

I'll leave you to it now. I cant be bothered to go over and over it again today. We lose the next 8 games and we will be in the bottom 3.

So fulham are averaging 0.7 points per game over 20 games and somehow they are going to turn that into nearly 1.5 points per game. How?

We'll lose the next 2 and this place will go into meltdown for sure, but we will still stay up.

 

[Golden Arrow]

I'll leave you to it now. I cant be bothered to go over and over it again today. We lose the next 8 games and we will be in the bottom 3.

Don't believe we will lose the next 8 JOSWolf, plus the bottom three are all unlikely to turn poor form into Champions League performances.
Back on thread, Nuno and his team believe the answer is within so let's see how that's addressed later today with the visit of the Gunners.

 

[Contrarian]

The Mix does a tremendous job of having rose-tinted glasses for other teams in the league - this statement is an example of this.

I think it also goes the other way. Very dismissive of other teams, often with a sense that we are innately superior and really *should* be above certain clubs. Especially those outside the big 6 who have been trying for years to get in. Like West Ham, Everton, Newcastle, even Villa (hating them is understandable, of course).

It's quite understandable that there are more pairs of gold-tinted spectacles being worn. Now the reality of our current situation is sinking in to more and more...t here might be a bit of "oversteering" going on, as the general mood back last summer was one of inevitable progression. If you said that West Ham, EVerton and Villa would be just a few points off top where we'd be near the bottom, you'd have been certified insane. Nobody rated ANY of the players those teams were buying - even the likes of Rodriguez were dismissed by many as "not good enough for us". You'll find someone who was *100% sure* that "our Silva" would score bucket loads more than that overrated waste of money Watkins, for example. Based on nothing other than partisan loyalty and bias.

Not trying to be holier than thou - I was exactly in that group, dismissing Everton and West Ham as the usual "also rans". Villa would be nailed on for relegation this year, Martinez was a reject ,Watkins overpriced etc etc I thought all that, too.

It's a bit like the ex-smokers who become the fiercest anti-smoking from the day they give up! After months of drifing along, for me it was only around 3 or 4 weeks ago I woke up and saw how bad we were playing. Since then I've become probably too negative, the result of waking up after months of that smug "of course we'll overrtake Villa, we'll start by hammering Albion into oblivion because we are so *obviously* better than them. Albion and Chorley were the wake up call as to how low we've sunk.

But there are still those with the gold-tinted glasses. Predicting we will win every match by 3 or 4 goals. And that every signing by another club is a "crock" a "reject" and "not good enough for us". Good luck to them

 

[Contrarian]

Don't believe we will lose the next 8 JOSWolf, plus the bottom three are all unlikely to turn poor form into Champions League performances.
Back on thread, Nuno and his team believe the answer is within so let's see how that's addressed later today with the visit of the Gunners.

But it doesn't take all 3 to go Champions League. Just one of them to go W L W L W L while we go L L D L D L

 

[Golden Arrow]

But it doesn't take all 3 to go Champions League. Just one of them to go W L W L W L while we go L L D L D L

Fair point, but still don't see that happening somehow.
And that's not based on pure optimism but on the quality of our squad against the others to get out of this mess.

Feeling positive about this evening so let's see if it's the start of better times to come.

 

[Highlandwolf2]

In a situation where we have to sieve the men from the boys...actual age and experience will have nothing to do with it.

All about individual guts and backbone with the fight.

Serious question. Who of the squad would be willing to "do an Eddie Clamp" - for those old enough to have any idea what I am rambling about!?

 

[SA Wolf]

But it doesn't take all 3 to go Champions League. Just one of them to go W L W L W L while we go L L D L D L

This is a fair point which I think a lot of fans are missing. Three teams go down and it just takes one of those teams to do reasonably (not considerably or fantastically) better than us.
Additionally, whereas I take the point that the bottom three have only amassed 6 wins between them over the first half of the season, but the 'direction of travel' of all three clubs is upwards whereas ours is down. One or more could easily overtake us with the form that we are in.

 

[old wittonian]

Serious question. Who of the squad would be willing to "do an Eddie Clamp" - for those old enough to have any idea what I am rambling about!?

The only one remotely near is Saiss.

 

[RosehillWolf]

Did any teams sign a better player than Willian Jose?

Odegaard ?

 

[Contrarian]

Indeed, and if even West Ham said no we'd have had to have been mad to sign him...

Funny how for years West Ham have been used as the prime example of a bad transfer policy. If they didn't sign him, we should have got him in immediately. Didn't West Ham reject Raul?

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

But it doesn't take all 3 to go Champions League. Just one of them to go W L W L W L while we go L L D L D L

Thats absolutely true, however (for me) its a stretch to think that 3 teams who have won 6 games between them in over 60 games suddenly turn into winning every other game. Granted theres a chance tonight either Sheff U or Tesco get a win.

Points on the board are invaluable.

 

[WonderWolf]

Serious question. Who of the squad would be willing to "do an Eddie Clamp" - for those old enough to have any idea what I am rambling about!?

No single player stands out with similar character traits to the same level. It’ll be very much about individual commitment and desire coming together collectively for us.

No Clamp but we still have to clamp down hard with job…..it has to be attritional with the pack, no weak links.

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

I don't want us to rely on other teams being ****, we should sort ourselves out, the quality of players we have regardless of injuries should be doing a hell of a lot better than they are and relegation shouldn't even be at the back of anyone's mind

 

[Contrarian]

Fair point, but still don't see that happening somehow.
And that's not based on pure optimism but on the quality of our squad against the others to get out of this mess.

Feeling positive about this evening so let's see if it's the start of better times to come.

I hope so. However, I think it's the quality of our "squad" that is probably the root cause of our problems. The quality of our "best XI" is undoubtedly good enough for mid-table, at least. It just seems that take any of those out, and the squad is as weak as it's ever been. I'd rather have Cav and even Bonitini on the bench than Cutrone and Silva! Bennett and Douglas would strengthen the bench we've had recently

Some of those other clubs around us seem to have a few "top half Championship" standard players (albion field 11 every match) , but if they get injured, they've got plenty more "top half Championship" players to step in. Arguable, I know, but especially our young players, are just not able to battle away with Championship level players every match yet. They'll get there and surpass, just right now when we are in a battle, they are not ready.

 

[Contrarian]

Did any teams sign a better player than Willian Jose?

He who nobody had heard of 2 weeks ago? Will get back to you at the end of the season for the real answer. Right now - nobody knows.

 

[Golden Arrow]

Well surely we're close to our best XI with Jonny back in training and the possibility of Raul's comeback in March, although I appreciate the latter's return is a bit more in the balance (and don't let's forget what Jose may bring to the table during the interim).

For me, it's more about application and performing when they cross the white line.
Unfortunately, too many of late have not performed to the level expected of them and that has to be the concern as we're talking of several seasoned professionals here and not average players with average ability.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

He who nobody had heard of 2 weeks ago? Will get back to you at the end of the season for the real answer. Right now - nobody knows.

Totally agree with that, however thats a two way street.

Theres some thinking a wing back from Arsenal going to West Brom to play central midfield is a real coup for them. Or Maja going to Fulham is a great move when he hasnt set light to French football. Personally I dont think anyone has had a fanstastic window. Tesco have had a good window but thats surely relative to their starting point. Them bringing in a CF and 3 midfielders isnt going to solve the issue that they concede goals for fun.

I would say we addressed our biggest weakness, in that we were desperate for a CF who can hold the ball up and let others play off him. Defensively another CB would have been great but I dont know who was available who would improve us especially in a window where any central defender of any quality was going to be linked to Liverpool way before us. A defence of Johnny, Saiss, Coady, Boly, Semedo will be good enough to stop the stream of goals.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Well surely we're close to our best XI with Jonny back in training and the possibility of Raul's comeback in March, although I appreciate the latter's return is a bit more in the balance (and don't let's forget what Jose may bring to the table during the interim).

For me, it's more about application and performing when they cross the white line.
Unfortunately, too many of late have not performed to the level expected of them and that has to be the concern as we're talking of several seasoned professionals here and not average players with average ability.

The latter paragraph I agree with totally. Theres a big difference in players not being good enough than them not being on form. At the moment there is several in woeful form, no doubt about it but you dont become a bad player overnight. They need to dig in and drag that form back.

 

[WickedWolfie]

But it doesn't take all 3 to go Champions League. Just one of them to go W L W L W L while we go L L D L D L

Firstly with the pattern you give none of the botton 3 would overtake us in that situation. If we lost all of our next 6 matches (JOS was talking about 8 but never mind) Fulham, who have only taken 14 points from 20 games, would have to take 10 from 6 to do so. Not impossible but.....

 

[WickedWolfie]

This is a fair point which I think a lot of fans are missing. Three teams go down and it just takes one of those teams to do reasonably (not considerably or fantastically) better than us.
Additionally, whereas I take the point that the bottom three have only amassed 6 wins between them over the first half of the season, but the 'direction of travel' of all three clubs is upwards whereas ours is down. One or more could easily overtake us with the form that we are in.

We need to change our recent trend that's for sure.

 

[Oldgold Wolfcub]

Have I once said that. I've said the threat of relegation isn't a concern because frankly the bottom three are trash. You can point at signings, performances whatever you want but the cold hard fact is between them they have amassed 6 wins in 60 games so there form over the season is worse.

We could well lose the next 8 games and still be away from them.

And if we did lose the next 8 matches would we also lose our Nuno?

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

And if we did lose the next 8 matches would we also lose our Nuno?

Who knows, more than likely not id say though.

I dont think we will lose the next 8 on the spin though.

 

[Oldgold Wolfcub]

Who knows, more than likely not id say though.

I dont think we will lose the next 8 on the spin though.

I think we all hope we will not lose the next 8. Its up to Nuno and the team and all we can do is follow something that is out of our control. Still that wont stop us arguing with each other.
Oh no it wont..........Oh yes it will...........Oh no it .............................