Transfer News and Gossip Transfer Rumours Thread 2023-24 (Part 2 - Back in Business. Oh no we’re not)

[bluesfansince1952]

IMO you cannot assemble a squad of young talented players from the leagues below us and expect them to be pushing for promotion in a league where you can probably lose no more than 5-6 games in the whole season.

Perhaps Kev and Co think they can, in which case I trust their judgement 100%, but we are short of experience and squad depth in certain areas. If we want to be the next Chesterfield in terms of performance and competitiveness across the pitch, then IMO you must add some experienced heads for when you hit a difficult patch during the season and need those players who have experienced that pressure before to guide and help the others.

The type of player Shaun Goater was for us, worth their weight in gold for more than one reason.

It's not deviating from any sort of model, it's just makes good footballing sense.

As someone who often queried Phil Brown's obsession with 'Golden Oldies' I would say that age is only part of the consideration.

What price does the experience come at? Depending on the wages paid a signing might be astute, or, potentially catastrophic.

Durability is also a key factor. All the experience and game smarts in the world will not help the club if the player concerned can rarely be considered for selection because he is either injured or rehabbing. While injuries can befall any player there are more than a few veterans that come with flashing red lights.

I doubt if any of the above is news to JS & co.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

When we sign new players the one thing l think we are all agreed on is they have got to be an improvement on what we have.

The respect for the squad that has got us to where we are this season is unrelenting, but after Saturday for me the one glaring gap we need to fill for next season is a creative player with strength on the ball in midfield. We have several who are close, but not that complete type of player.

We have Cav who is a great ball winner and can recycle possession once it is won and feed a playmaker.

Husin who again can win a ball, and distribute, got a good shot when he decides to use it, but not for me that midfielder who demands the ball enough and takes the game by the scruff of the neck.

Coker who is learning the game and again can lurk unmarked on the edge of the box or ghost into the box and does get goals.

Wes who has the creative edge, and vision, but lacks strength and stamina and is pushed off the ball too easily.


So for me we want a combination of the above, who can dominate from the off, or change a game if introduced from the bench.

I know it's a big ask and even does such a player exist?


Chesterfield have such a player, found in Ipswich's U21 set up.

If we can find out own version Dobra, that'd do for me and improve on what we have in the middle of the park. Yes at the expense of someone, but successful teams evolve and that is where we are now, but not forgetting those who are here and the gratitude for what they have achieved.

100% - it’s the Zak Brunt kind of player that we need now in the midfield. Such a shame he’s at Barnet now, but let’s hope John Still and his army of scouts are on the look out for someone similar.

 

[tommy tucker]

ne of the older members of the squad is 27 year old danny w .He came from a leauge below scored for fun in that leauge .But only time will tell if he can cut the mustard in the national leauge .But only game time will help anyone judge him .

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

100% - it’s the Zak Brunt kind of player that we need now in the midfield. Such a shame he’s at Barnet now, but let’s hope John Still and his army of scouts are on the look out for someone similar.

We’ve been missing an attacking midfielder with a shot on him and who is half decent at set pieces. One of those behind Cards and Waldron (one who can play the ball to feet in the box also) and we’d be flying.

 

[londonblue]

The one thing we seem to lack is pace.

None of our side are lightening quick.

Waldron seemed quite mobile and Cardwell isnt a slouch but that rapid sort of pace that creates chances, especially away from home is sadly lacking.

I think Powell is, but he's injured.

 

[Holy Joe]

We’ve been missing an attacking midfielder with a shot on him and who is half decent at set pieces. One of those behind Cards and Waldron (one who can play the ball to feet in the box also) and we’d be flying.

Isn't this supposed to be Woods role?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

We’ve been missing an attacking midfielder with a shot on him and who is half decent at set pieces. One of those behind Cards and Waldron (one who can play the ball to feet in the box also) and we’d be flying.

Exactly right. That's the main thing missing at the moment.

None of Husin, Fonguck, Miley, Morton and Coker have any kind of scoring record to speak of in their careers (although Coker has made a promising start). Outside Cardwell, Waldron, Bridge and Gus there are very few goals indeed in our side.

Perhaps Husin, Fonguck and Coker can add more goals and be that attacking midfielder behind Cardwell and Waldron. I'm not yet convinced, but they do have the ability - they just need to learn to start getting shots away when they approach the area.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Isn't this supposed to be Woods role?

One day perhaps, but clearly he's a teenager and has no record as yet in mens full time football. So he's more one for the future than a mainstay of a promotion push this / next season IMO.

 

[RHB]

I wonder what has happened with 'he that should not be named' (Finley Wilkinson, cough, cough)? A highly promising & in-demand midfielder from Hitchin Town. The 21 year old has impressed in the Southern League Premier Central this season, scoring 13 goals in 24 games from a number 10 position. Just a thought.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I wonder what has happened with 'he that should not be named' (Finley Wilkinson, cough, cough)? A highly promising & in-demand midfielder from Hitchin Town. The 21 year old has impressed in the Southern League Premier Central this season, scoring 13 goals in 24 games from a number 10 position. Just a thought.

All seems to have gone a bit quiet on that front, doesn't it? Perhaps something is bubbling away, but he was back in the Hitchin team at the weekend. That probably doesn't mean anything, other than he is still very much in the first team picture there.

He does sound like he could add some direct attacking intent and goal threat in a central attacking midfield role, so hopefully it's still a possibility...

 

[annie1954]

At the cliffs on Thursday John still and Kevin said they wasn’t looking to bring anyone in at the moment, but if they was looking at a playoff spot they would be able to bring someone in if needed

 

[Colchester and proud!]

We’ve been missing an attacking midfielder with a shot on him and who is half decent at set pieces. One of those behind Cards and Waldron (one who can play the ball to feet in the box also) and we’d be flying.

One of the best midfield players at free kicks in your league must be Alex Newby at Altrincham on loan from us, he wasn't getting much game time at Colchester but he has scored some cracking free kicks for them, 7 goals in 18 games from midfield is some going. His loan runs out at the end of January, I don't see him getting into our midfield we have so many to choose from, so no doubt he will leave us for Altrincham or elsewhere in the next day or two.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

One day perhaps, but clearly he's a teenager and has no record as yet in mens full time football. So he's more one for the future than a mainstay of a promotion push this / next season IMO.

Not since 2022 he hasn’t been

https://twitter.com/x/status/1597904899877978112

 

[Holy Joe]

One day perhaps, but clearly he's a teenager and has no record as yet in mens full time football. So he's more one for the future than a mainstay of a promotion push this / next season IMO.

Well we know he's done the business in the division below. But his opportunities in the NL have been more as part of a front 2 so I feel his capabilities are still a little unknown (at least to fans) in the attacking mid position.

If you're good enough you're old enough!

 

[GNH]

What is another experienced head going to add that Demi or Dave Martin can’t?

I’m not sure I even buy that this is a young squad. All but a handful are mid 20s and older. Players like Cav Miley and Harry Taylor, Nathan Ralph etc are experienced. Players like Noor and Kensdale may have been somewhat inexperienced two years ago but have played a lot of football since then.

With the exception of Collin, the youngsters (Wood, Coker, Kabongolo, Sandat, Crowther(?)) aren’t starting any more and are limited to occasional sub appearances anyway.

Those players have experience of a different kind, especially Demi. Very adapt in a squad that is under the cosh and fighting for survival every week and trying to avoid numerous relegations.

Granted he has International experience but I still feel we are short of players who have got the ability to shoulder the pressure of being at the top of the league and being shot at by everyone else each week who raise their game.

At the end of the day the only opinion that matters is that of the coaching team, so as always we trust them to do the right thing.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

We’ve been missing an attacking midfielder with a shot on him and who is half decent at set pieces. One of those behind Cards and Waldron (one who can play the ball to feet in the box also) and we’d be flying.

This. Fact. End of.

 

[BoyWonder2]

One of the best midfield players at free kicks in your league must be Alex Newby at Altrincham on loan from us, he wasn't getting much game time at Colchester but he has scored some cracking free kicks for them, 7 goals in 18 games from midfield is some going. His loan runs out at the end of January, I don't see him getting into our midfield we have so many to choose from, so no doubt he will leave us for Altrincham or elsewhere in the next day or two.

Joined them permanently now.

 

[BoyWonder2]

At the cliffs on Thursday John still and Kevin said they wasn’t looking to bring anyone in at the moment, but if they was looking at a playoff spot they would be able to bring someone in if needed

Wilkinson should still be coming through the door despite what they said.

 

[RHB]

Wilkinson should still be coming through the door despite what they said.

If he does, could that mean Jack Wood would be pushed further down the pecking order, or out on loan? Or would this newbie be another one to nurture for the future?

 

[fredheim_holm]

Wilkinson should still be coming through the door despite what they said.

I wonder if their comment is more “not looking to bring anyone in at the moment” who would get on the pitch much, as Wilkinson is probably one for next year (and we could decide to loan him back until the end of season?). I guess we’ll see.