First things first, let's remember what the doom merchants were actually saying in the run up to the JTW: Wilder won't be given any money, Brooks will never play for us again (the glandular fever thing is a lie), and Fleck may well be off too.
Anyway, I'll happily hold my hand up and say I thought at the time that the January window went well for us. Can't remember now what I posted about it. We needed extra cover for midfield (so Bash didn't have to play there; we got Evans and Leonard), creativity to unlock stubborn defences (we got Holmes); and a new option up front (we got Wilson, who looked different class on his debut vs. Norwich and has widely been regarded as a potential star before his injury problems). Kept hold of our best players.
As it turns out, Evans has looked good in flashes but is inconsistent and hasn't quite grasped the principles of Wilderball yet; he's young and may well go on to have a good career with. Wilson just hasn't been fit and never recovered in the eyes of the fans after his stupid interviews (but imagine if that overhead kick against Villa had gone in...). It's hard to fathom what's gone on with Leonard and Holmes. Maybe we'll find out sometime.
And anyone who thinks Mitrovic was coming to an unfashionable northern club when Fulham had come calling (whatever your back-of-the-envelope maths tells you) is very seriously mistaken, in my opinion. Let's judge the club by realistic standards, yeah?