January

[8lade]

Personally don't think Cole will be any better than what we have so sadly for that young fella the 20 odd appearances he could've had for the Blades have gone.
I could guess at names just like every body else but I'm sitting here happy in the knowledge that our scouts are already watching the next half dozen possible recruits.

 

[snootyfenooty]

If we have £7m to spend and we buy Jordan Rhodes what should we spend the other £6,750,000 on? UTB

Not a bad shout Rhodes. It's the pigs who have killed his desire, he'd score a hatfull in our set-up. What's more, they'd be happy to offload him, £3-4m should do it. I'd also be willing to bet he'd accept half the wage he's getting now just to re-establish himself otherwise his career is finished if he stagnates there any longer.

 

[madeinsheffield]

Can't see him passing the 15 point personality/ability test, plus we'd never pay the silly wages he's currently robbing

 

[Esablade]

I’m sure Wilder and the backroom team are always looking at upgrading the squad...not a big fan of the January transfer window mesen, but if we can get a bit of quality in, then go for it!

UTB!

 

[Blade58]

I would focus on trying to move out the fringe players who won't be involved

I would then look at a striker. Yes we have a few, but still not convinced regards the level of quality throughout that quota we have

Perhaps Mr Hansons move to Scunny will be back on? I'm not convinced about Lavery either. If we could make room and find another lower league gem ( and why not under AK and CW) then that would be my main focus

 

[norfolkblade]

I think we need some cover for Fleck - or perhaps Whiteman will provide this when he comes back from Donny in Jan? Apart from that, perhaps ship a couple of strikers out i.e Hanson/Lavery and bring in Cole. Don't think we need to change much really, more reinforcements than anything.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I think we need another striker, one with some pace and youth on his side. We could do with a ball winning midfielder too. And maybe another goalkeeper? Blackman still makes me nervous tbh. He was at it again on saturday, casual as you like with the ball at his feet and almost getting caught in possession, also, he rolled it out to our defenders on a few occasions when they were marked by the opposition and put them immediately under pressure.

 

[pommpey]

We'll have to replace Brooks and Duffy.

Can you erm, fucking stop that talk please?

McCabe reads this board. They'll be gone before you know it and Sammon and Hammond will be back as 'replacements'.

pommpey

 

[Benny and the Blades]

I think you can over do it and bring too much competition in, yes you need cover but I don't think you can beat a settled team. Never liked the horses for courses idea, but while I understand you need to keep improving the squad I much prefer the softly softly approach to the big bang theory.
If it aint broke ..............

 

[Sean Thornton]

Can you erm, fucking stop that talk please?

McCabe reads this board. They'll be gone before you know it and Sammon and Hammond will be back as 'replacements'.

pommpey

Errr.

 

[stringer]

Can't see him passing the 15 point personality/ability test

Where do you think he'd fall down?

 

[Benny and the Blades]

In the penalty area would be his best bet , but don't expect him to take it .......

 

[Jonboy60]

Look at players in teams below us, that are playing well in an average team.
Someone mentioned Mcgoldrick earlier, not particularly him per se, but that type, with the quality that sticks out a bit from the rest. Before the season started, fans were saying coutts, who's he, same with basham, fleck and Duffy.
They know who they are now. Other teams are going to have these type of players, that are going to get better as the season goes on. Let's get 1 or 2, at the same time weakening the opposition.

 

[Grecian2000]

The only reason I say a CB is because CCV is on loan, if we're going to continue to push for playoffs and make promotion the aim, we need a squad of permanent players.

Not for me. We need the BEST players we can get our hands on. If that's loanees then so be it. Permanent nice, but best player available essential.

And maybe another goalkeeper? Blackman still makes me nervous tbh. He was at it again on saturday

Making you nervous BUT keeping a clean sheet! Works for me.
We already have a goalkeeper, probably chomping at the bit to get back in, and Blackman fully deserves the shirt at the moment.

Fwiw, the intent shown by keeping hold of Brooks during the window would be more of an indicator than any signing we could make in my view.

 

[JayGreen17]

Priority Striker, then CB, with the right back position having suffered injuries someone on loan, then a back up for Coutts

 

[mattbianco1]

So, January comes and we are still top 6, McCabe says to Wilder "heres 6/7m to really go for it".

Which positions do you strengthen and suggestions with whom?

Do you go back for the old favourites - Leonard/Lenihan/Cole or start looking at a supposedly better calibre of player?

It's hard for me to see how we can improve due to how much the current players are giving us but there is always scope for better.

Striker for me - a Darryl Murphy or Ulloa (loan?) perhaps. Being top 6 would make us even more of an attraction.

Get Jordan Rhodes in. He would be on 10 goals now if he played for us

 

[andy m]

Ryan Woods or Josh Vela, and Sam Baldock would do for me

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Can't understand the clamour for Cole, playing for a mid table league 1 team. He's got 8 goals in all competitions so far but to improve on what we've got we need to be trying for much better calibre players than Devante.

 

[TTMeysh]

What's Jamie Murphy up to?

 

[Carlton Blade]

Only want someone in if 1) we have a gap through injury 2) an obvious upgrade is available

I'd love Clarke to still be playing this well but if I had to guess, that's the spot where we may need a short term boost. Save any real investment till the summer. CW has demonstrated how good he is at integrating new players through a preseason

 

[Ricky]

Can't understand the clamour for Cole, playing for a mid table league 1 team. He's got 8 goals in all competitions so far but to improve on what we've got we need to be trying for much better calibre players than Devante.

Cole's 22 years old. He has the raw attributes to be a very good player - pace, skill, finishing. He seems to be finding his goalscoring form now, and when young strikers start to do that, it's usually the best time to sign them. Leave it much longer and you'll probably have far more competition for their signature - and a higher asking price. I'd say he's currently the best example of this type in the Football League at the minute.

He might not be one to go straight into our team but it's a great opportunity to sign a potentially very good, valuable player.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

If we are pushing hard for promotion come January I would expect Devante Cole & Ryan Leonard etc. to be no longer top of the wanted list. I would expect some significant investment to allow Wilder to get in players a level up on those 2, maybe even some top loans coming in. If you have the chance to get out you have to go for it.

 

[blader]

The amount of money should be irrelevant. In stead of saying 'here's x million, go buy some players' it should be to Wilder 'is there anyone who you think fits this team and ethos perfectly that would improve us' and then go out and pay what is necessary to get them. No stinginess, if it's £5miion but Wilder has confirmed he is the right player, then we should pay it. Wilder has earned that right for us spending a few million to be seen as more than a gamble.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

In January - ONE striker to go straight into the team.

We have a problem NOW - we are dominating games, not scoring enough goals.

We shouldn't have lost to Forest, despite 2 dodgy defensive errors and should have put 3 past Ipswich.

We needed extra QUALITY in the box v Norwich

We need someone so when we play poorly (which we haven't really yet) that can pull something out of the bag.

Any solution will be very expensive, but for me it's what is needed to give it a real go. To be honest our porcine neighbours fell just short at Wembley v Hull when they needed that extra bit of quality.

UTB

 

[BigBed]

Could buy Jordan Rhodes in the January sales, or Bannon, or Forestgumpsfanny, or Jackunt, or Vivian Westwood, or...............................

 

[micksterblade]

I like the look of Billy Bodin, scores goals, got pace, think he could add something to the squad.

 

[Smirth]

There isn’t a position we are weak in which is testament to the great recruitment Wilder has done. That doesn’t meant though that we shouldn’t look to improve. Standing still is where teams so often go wrong, we need to keep pushing and adding better players when possible.

Ben Osborn from Forest would be a decent signing, plays in quite a few positions (centre mid, winter, wing back), young and a real hard worker with some good quality about him.

Josh Vela at Bolton may be worth looking at as well.

Wallace and O’Brien at Millwall are worth keeping an eye on too.

 

[Ricky]

It's tricky for us because we could find ourselves in a position beyond where our budget 'should' get us - basically overachieving.

This gives us two options - increase our budget to reflect our league position and revised ambitions, or carry on doing what's already been successful for us, stick to a similar budget and try to pick up real good value.

I think the latter is more likely, with a bit of extra money available for the right player.

I expect us to be looking at a number of players whose contracts are expiring - it's the best way to get value in a transfer window where it's often hard to come by.

 

[Grizzly blade]

For me, Freeman will be out for the season so cover needed for Baldock who appears to have the small man, powerful runner syndrome that sees his legs suffer muscle strains.

Next up striker. 2 in fact. Hanson and Lavery out for me. I would look at Cole to replace one of them and perhaps try and push the boat out for a really quick player who can finish. Give us something different. A real statement of intent and throw 3-5 million at it. That way we aren’t relying on Evans, who’s fitness will be behind all season now, and Sharp who still looks off the pace as every game passes. It may be time to look at protecting him a little.

Failing that I think we have enough barring any more big injuries.

 

[Rodley]

Buy Blackman, buy CCV, pay Brooks a fortune, get more cover at right and left wingback as we've narrowly missed having major issues in one of those positions (RWB) a couple of times now and it's such a crucial role to our successful system.

They’re already on season long loans, why buy them now.

We possibly need another striker.