The window, the squad, survival or relegation, and beyond?

As things stand, it looks unlikely that this is going to turn out to be an earth-shattering transfer window for our club. Keiffer Moore may well turn out to be good business. He is the tall, willing front man with a bit of pace that many have been crying out for. Where he goes from here is down to the player, and to Hecky and his staff. There doesn't look to be too much else in the offing, although we may be pleasantly surprised before Wednesday night is out.

This squad doesn't presently look a promotion-winning squad longer term. But it contains some useful players and many who have the potential to become useful. When Joe Williams is back, he and Gardner have begun to look the beginnings of a fairly solid defensive midfield partnership. If we can get Izzy and Hedges fit again then with Hammill we have one or two options out wide. A return of Harvey Barnes would clearly do no harm. Moore, Bradshaw, Thiam and Brown give us one or two possibilities up front. I feel that Moore + 1 has to be the solution to our lack of goals, but I'd back Hecky to work it out. Notwithstanding the blips at Millwall and Villa, the defence has also begun to look more solid. Pinnock and Lindsay are doing well, and a fit Jackson will push them. Cavare, Pinillos and Yiadom (if he stays) give us options at full back, with Pearson, McCarthy and Fryers providing competition. Adam Davies has more good moments than bad, but he has developed well given a lack of competition. People need to remember that 25 is still very young for a goalkeeper.

That squad to me doesn't look like one that should get relegated, particularly if we can get injury-free and avoid any more suspensions. I think today will be hard with Williams still absent, and it's difficult to predict what effect the emotion will have. But February's games look workable, and with Millwall, Norwich and Bristol at home in March, I'd hope we are capable of picking up a few more points there. Some pragmatic performances may be called for in the other games. All in all, I expect us to be safe come May.

If the worst happens and we end up being relegated, that will not be the end of the world provided we stick to our guns. We must ensure Hecky stays and that we are true to our word and do not offload players who still have development potential - which goes for much of this squad. The financial standing of our new owners should be the guarantee that we no longer have to do that. I would expect us to roar back to the Chanpionship with this head coach and squad - pretty much in the manner that Wigan have done. If there was a single biggest priority for the future - whichever league we play in next season - I would say it is to either redouble our efforts to sign Joe Williams permanently, or to identify a target replacement for him early in the summer. That Josh Scowen/Joe Williams slot is vital to build a winning squad on. If we achieve survival, then it's to be hoped that we will already have budgets and targets agreed, and that we are able to finally make our moves early and give Hecky the time that he richly deserves to work with the new players. Whichever way it goes, the future holds great potential for us.

 

A fine post to wake up to.

 

Agreed.

It'll be interesting with the addition of Moore if we give 4-4-2 another go. Hecky seems to prefer it judging on the past 2 seasons - he's just not had the personnel to do it.

If Williams and Gardner can be the midfield 2, that can hopefully let Bradshaw finally play with a target man in Moore. With Hammill and Isgrove out wide, complemented by Barnes (hopefully) then I'm optimistic.

 

My thoughts are slightly more concise. If further additions are not secured by Wednesday night I have seen nothing to suggest that we will survive. Hate saying it just being honest

 

I think having billionaire owners is working against us. I think we are being viewed as the pot at the end of the rainbow for some players and when they realise there is no golden fountain they lose interest.

 

The squad as a whole is not good enough. It is unbalanced and poor offensively little inventiveness or ability to move at pace or press as a unit.

Defensively we are pretty solid and have some talented players.

Cavare, Yiadom, Panillos, Pinnock, Lindsay, Jackson with further back up from McCarthy and MacDonald look to me a solid mid table championship defence. Davies though prone to errors is a decent keeper though we desperately need someone to challenge him

Midfield we are very weak. Our two first choice midfielders Williams and Gardner both on loan have had as many bad games as good. Williams looks a talent at times and lost at others. Gardner started poorly and has looked lost at times. Neither offer much going forwards. Neigh looks to make an incisive pass. Neither offers speed of thought or feet to mount an attack. That’s not to downplay their other qualities but they have little creativity. A midfield relying on those two will struggle to create chances. Used as a combination I’d put them as a bottom 3 pairing. That sounds harsh but breaking up play and passing square have their place but can’t win you games. Back up comes from Potts, who I personally like, but I who is clearly learning at Championship level and again offers more physicality than creativity. Then we have Moncur all the ability but none of the desire. Again maybe that’s harsh but he seems to play ok get dropped effort levels slip again and he comes back plays ok in some seemingly endless cycle.

On the wing we have the talented but perpetually injured Isgrove and Hammill who we all love but is not the force he was. Back up comes from Potts the least said about that idea the better and RMH. Again given Isgroves injury record you would say that’s a bottom 4 standard range of options.

Up front we have the perpetually running but largely ineffective Bradshaw. I like him. Love his effort. The ball rarely sticks to him and a lot of attacks fail because of this. Hard to say if this is the fault of a midfield that lacks creativity and relies on the big boot or his own deficiencies. Recent signing Moore is untested as a starter at this level it could go either way but at least he offers a different option. Thiam so far has been extremely unconvincing. Again it’s not being ungenerous to see that as a bottom 6 attack.

On the whole without positive attacking / creative reinforcement I think we will get relegated. With the additional of 3/4 additional players we will have a chance. I’d say we are as far off ‘promotion chasing’ as any team I can remember.

 

Conjecture

 

Can't disagree with any of that. What we manage to bring in between now & Weds night decided our fate this season. The squad as it is looks like one bound for relegation.....

 

It's going to be tough. There's the possibility we could go down. It would be desperately disappointing if we did. Would it be the end of the world if we did? Nope. Take a look at Wigan.
Short term things look glum. Unfortunately that's as far as a lot of people can see these days.

 

I do not disagree with much that you have written there, but there would be one or two changes in emphasis.

If we play two in midfield, it is going to be Williams and Gardner. Hecky will chose to block up the middle and use our wide players to be creative. With a struggling team, that is how it has to be. We find scoring hard and we must make sure we do not give anything away. The problem is, as you say, that Hammill is not the force he was and Isgrove has been injured for much of the season. But that is not all. Before the arrival of Moore, we had no release from pressure, no-one to win the long balls out of defence. I know that Moore is not the finished article, but I have been encouraged the limited times that I have seen him. He is a pretty blunt instrument, but he allows us to start playing further up the park and for a struggling team, that is important.

If we play 3 in the centre of midfield, then I believe the third player has to be either Moncur or Mallan. I understand why Moncur attracts the derision that he does, but we must have creativity and a bridge to the lone forward and Potts does not provide that. I am more optimistic than I was, but the reason for that optimism is Moore. If I have misread him in the limited viewings I have had, then you are right and we are doomed. As always, I look forward to finding out.

 

Will there be a Minority Report this evening, Lord Rain?

 

While I sincerely hope it doesn't come to this as I hope hecky turns our form around, on what basis should he keep his job if the worst was to happen and we do get relegated ?

 

Given the task he had in starting from scratch again this season even if we do go down he should be given next season to show what he can do.

 

Moore and a Mallan are definitely the wildcards. If they can link and both be found a place in the team then who knows.

 

While I don't disagree with that, relegation would be the culmination of a very poor 18 month period for hecky after a cracking start. Yes player sales have played there part but they do at every club, and if hecky is half as good of a coach/manager that we are led to believe you would think in 18 months he would have found some kind of formula to rectify the form.

Thankfully at the moment this is all hypothetical, and as I said hopefully it wont come to it

 

Sorry but any team insistent on playing players like Potts will probably go down.

We need to add quality between now and Wednesday, otherwise we are most likely going to be relegated, and that’s not a good thing!

 

Agreed but in the past it will have worked against us struggling with a small budget, with potential signings knowing if a team mate does well the squad that can achieve something will be decimated. No matter who owns us there will be a side potential signings don't like.

 

Honestly can't understand some of the negative theories on here regarding the transfer window.The January window invariably ends in last minute up as a battle of wills and resolve as players and clubs weigh up their options and offers.

 

He's proved he can get out of League 1. And he'd be starting from a firmer foundation.