Good JTW so far

[Champagneblade]

So here we are, just the 8th of Jan and Chris already has two targets in. Contrast to Evans, Leonard, Holmes - a punt, that to a man didn't come off, and it's been a positive window so far!

Both of them are certs for the matchday squad.

Both of them with the relevant experience at this level.

One has two recent promotions on his CV. The other has been a tournament winner with England.

Yes there may be some initial distractions to the Madine transfer, but he definitely adds to the mix and he's another player to worry the opposition in a way we didn't previously have.

Dowell has shown with Forest an ability to score from range - something we've often lacked - and also provides a viable alternative to Duffy without dropping the quality. As mentioned elsewhere, he also gives us the possibility of playing alongside Duffy and behind one forward giving us a further dimension.

I'm happy with the business so far. A striker that went for 6m and a midfielder who notched 9 or 10 in just over 40 matches.

We have the rest of Jan to get a goal scoring winger with pace to complete the Plan B approach and we are well set for what we know will be a 20 game Sprint between Leeds, Norwich, West Brom and us.

Keep it coming Chris!

 

[Revolution]

You will find a number of posts from January 2018 praising the transfer window business we did then.

It is too early to say whether we are doing good business.

All of Evans, Holmes and Leonard were first team players. The two we have signed so far have not been. There is even less material to go on to say how they will play than we had last year.

 

[Toronto Blade fan]

I'll go on the record to saying I think this transfer window has been disappointing so far.
I don't have much faith in Dowell - I think he's too slow and lacks the offensive flair required to back up Duffy. And Madine..... why? I really don't get it. If the rumors are true about how much we are paying for his services (2m), could we have not brought in someone less toxic and potentially better? Maja?

 

[Houston_Blade]

I'll go on the record to saying I think this transfer window has been disappointing so far.
I don't have much faith in Dowell - I think he's too slow and lacks the offensive flair required to back up Duffy. And Madine..... why? I really don't get it. If the rumors are true about how much we are paying for his services (2m), could we have not brought in someone less toxic and potentially better? Maja?

With Maja we’d have spent £2m+ on the fee then £10k+ a week wages. Madine will be similar but lower risk as we hand him back if he’s shite. Albeit with Maja we would have an asset at the end of the deal so is lower risk in that respect. Maja’s fitness will also be much better than Madine given the respective games played this season.

Young players from PL clubs don’t excite me based on past history so Dowell might be good but I’m more expecting him to be Wilson/Woodburn esque with little or no impact on the team.

It’s good that we’ve made 2 moves early doors but remains to be seen if they are any good. Hope for 1 permanent despite the noises coming out of the club.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

I think if we compare this season to last it’s an upgrade.

Dowell vs Holmes - Dowell proved himself at this level last season and scored some really important goals...he’s not the finished article, but if he was he probably wouldn’t be with us. Potential is definitely there though.

Wilson vs Madine - One has the bit between his teeth and has a point to prove the other thought he was going to be better than Rashford / Lukaku and came with the wrong attitude from the offset.

Norwood vs Evans - Don’t really need to explain that one, we all know how we’ve performed since he came in.

I’m not saying these players are going to be world beaters but unlike last seasons JTW additions they’re proven in the championship.

 

[Toronto Blade fan]

I don't know how many opportunities we will get to fight for promotion. We are in an incredible position right now, lets show some initiative and bring in some players that will actually help.

 

[finlaytheblade]

You will find a number of posts from January 2018 praising the transfer window business we did then.

It is too early to say whether we are doing good business.

All of Evans, Holmes and Leonard were first team players. The two we have signed so far have not been. There is even less material to go on to say how they will play than we had last year.

The three you mention. Just added to the squad the two this time early in the window add something we lack ,quality with Dowell, and we all know what Madine ads to the team. Good window so far.

 

[robbiez666]

I'll wait and see until they've played a few games before thinking about whether they've been good signings(strictly on the basis of their footballing ability).

 

[Baaaaaaa Blades]

Agree with the OP
happy so far but time will tell

a young player who has actual experience in this league for competition for duff man and a target man upfront

2nd half of last season and a few games this season especially at home we could have played for 6 hours and not looked like scoring - we ran out of ideas ..

This Gary fella gives us something different and if it works like Hanson did 2 years ago , CW has done well with the gamble

having said that the first 11 have done fantastic over xmas and before ( esp Sharp and Goldie )and i'm sure will quite rightly keep their places until a change is needed

 

[Blade56]

So here we are, just the 8th of Jan and Chris already has two targets in. Contrast to Evans, Leonard, Holmes - a punt, that to a man didn't come off, and it's been a positive window so far!

Both of them are certs for the matchday squad.

Both of them with the relevant experience at this level.

One has two recent promotions on his CV. The other has been a tournament winner with England.

Yes there may be some initial distractions to the Madine transfer, but he definitely adds to the mix and he's another player to worry the opposition in a way we didn't previously have.

Dowell has shown with Forest an ability to score from range - something we've often lacked - and also provides a viable alternative to Duffy without dropping the quality. As mentioned elsewhere, he also gives us the possibility of playing alongside Duffy and behind one forward giving us a further dimension.

I'm happy with the business so far. A striker that went for 6m and a midfielder who notched 9 or 10 in just over 40 matches.

We have the rest of Jan to get a goal scoring winger with pace to complete the Plan B approach and we are well set for what we know will be a 20 game Sprint between Leeds, Norwich, West Brom and us.

Keep it coming Chris!

Agree with most of this (winger?) given the ownership constraints he's working under.

 

[Almosthuman]

Both will be good signings. Madine will be a great asset up top despite baggage he’ll offer something we literally do not have.

Dowell is a very shrewd signing I remember him banging them in for forest in early last season before Karanka came in with his defensive style of play. He’ll thrive with us.

 

[Rodley]

At the end of the day, we’ve had enough transfer windows to observe that the same people moan every time. Too old, too young, too experienced, too cheap, waste of munneh.

True be told you’ve got to give everyone a fair crack of the whip. The comfort I take is that CW gets a far higher proportion of signings right than any other manager in my lifetime. And that’s on a smaller budget that the majority.

 

[8lade]

That's painting it positively, I'll take just one of your points:

One has two recent promotions on his CV.

You are referring to Madine (just so there's no misunderstanding); one of those promotions was gained from league 1, Sheffield United are getting rid of players who helped us out of league 1.
His second promotion after he was purchased on 31 Jan, started 5 and was a sub in 8 games of a possible 18, scoring 0 goals, although I do believe he got an assist during that time.

It's all ifs and buts for now if we get the Madine who played for Wednesday (over 3 years ago) he'll be an asset. (Yes I've watched his performances on Youtube).
If we get the Dowell he had a good half season for Forest, he'll be an asset.

My moneys on Dowell being OK and Madine being the aforementioned 'waste of money'.

 

[bromtom]

If Dowell never kicks a ball for us in the Championship, as long as he provides competition for Duffy in training he'll be worth it.

Duffy with competition is immense.

 

[Lmaobob]

If Dowell never kicks a ball for us in the Championship, as long as he provides competition for Duffy in training he'll be worth it.

Duffy with competition is immense.

How do you know? He's not really had any competition

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Dowell was our only decent player against Barnet, he certainly looks promising to me. Don't care for the other signing.
So far transfer window hasn't been great but we have added some sort of depth, after the Barnet game I know Washington, Johnson ect are worthless to us now.

 

[bromtom]

How do you know? He's not really had any competition

Brooks

 

[Lmaobob]

Brooks

Fair point. Forgot about him for some reason! Probably because he was sometimes a striker too

 

[blademark]

For what it's worth, and bearing in mind that MOST fans opinions turn out to be wrong, fully evidenced on here, my gut feeling with Madine is that he will turn out to be a very good signing. He is absolutely desperate to prove us all wrong, and I do thing he is much better player than he is given credit for. Not saying he will score a load but his all round play could prove very useful for others to feed off. I wouldn't have signed him personally for obvious reasons, but now he's here we have to support him.
With Dowell, as others have said, he was tremendous for half a season, and if he can recreate that form he will be an excellent signing, actually he was one of my 'in an ideal world' signings.
I can't wait to see the next few games actually, to see the effect of these two, and hopefully more shortly.
Exciting times methinks.

 

[Newbury Blade]

That's painting it positively, I'll take just one of your points:


You are referring to Madine (just so there's no misunderstanding); one of those promotions was gained from league 1, Sheffield United are getting rid of players who helped us out of league 1.
His second promotion after he was purchased on 31 Jan, started 5 and was a sub in 8 games of a possible 18, scoring 0 goals, although I do believe he got an assist during that time.

It's all ifs and buts for now if we get the Madine who played for Wednesday (over 3 years ago) he'll be an asset. (Yes I've watched his performances on Youtube).
If we get the Dowell he had a good half season for Forest, he'll be an asset.

My moneys on Dowell being OK and Madine being the aforementioned 'waste of money'.

Fleck, Jack, Bash, Billy, Duffy, Coutts, Freeman - all “helped us out of League 1” as you put it. Not much “getting rid of” then, I’m glad to say.

 

[8lade]

Fleck, Jack, Bash, Billy, Duffy, Coutts, Freeman - all “helped us out of League 1” as you put it. Not much “getting rid of” then, I’m glad to say.

and gone on to prove themselves at Sheffield United in the Championship. Madine has proved himself to be a moderate, at best striker at Championship in a team that plays to his strengths, Sheffield United do not. The players at Sheffield United who have proved to be this valuable have been moved on.

 

[GymClassHero]

and gone on to prove themselves at Sheffield United in the Championship. Madine has proved himself to be a moderate, at best striker at Championship in a team that plays to his strengths, Sheffield United do not. The players at Sheffield United who have proved to be this valuable have been moved on.

He hasn't been brought in as a starter, he's there as a plan B when teams chuck 11 men behind the ball and we can't break them down.

 

[BushBlade]

I'll go on the record to saying I think this transfer window has been disappointing so far.
I don't have much faith in Dowell - I think he's too slow and lacks the offensive flair required to back up Duffy. And Madine..... why? I really don't get it. If the rumors are true about how much we are paying for his services (2m), could we have not brought in someone less toxic and potentially better? Maja?

£2m? Gi o’er.

 

[8lade]

He hasn't been brought in as a starter, he's there as a plan B when teams chuck 11 men behind the ball and we can't break them down.

I refer you to my post you quoted, highlighting 'moderate at best' ; 10 goals in 41 league games (2 penalties), of course we will only know at the end of the season but my prediction 'waste of money'.

 

[GymClassHero]

I refer you to my post you quoted, highlighting 'moderate at best' ; 10 goals in 41 league games (2 penalties), of course we will only know at the end of the season but my prediction 'waste of money'.

As you say, time will tell.

 

[knowsnowt]

Good window if you dont mind ex pig thugs.

 

[Ricky]

Dowell is a very talented player. My only question marks would be aggression/work rate but I think he'll do well for us. He should be fresh and ready to go, and able to give us a good 20 games. I think he'll start around half. Duffy coming off the bench with 30 to go could be a major weapon for us.

Madine isn't just a plan B, no matter how many times it gets repeated on here. He'll start a lot of games. Will that work out well? I'm not sure, but he is a good player and will prove wrong any doubters of his ability. He can control the football, and that.

 

[BLADES1988]

For some reason im convinced Madine is going to bang them in for us! might be the drugs, but hes an absolute menace to defenders and that dirty fighty edge we've been lacking.

C'mon Gaz you big bast!!

 

[nopigfansintown]

I find it novel that our fans are happy with our transfer policy when the manager is on record as not being happy. He has said he'll make the best of a bad lot, and I think he's probably doing that to be fair.

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

I can't understand Blades fans who think this JTW has been disappointing thus far. Our weakness in the 1st half of the season (can't believe I've said that, given where we are in the League) has centered mainly around our vulnerability after 50/60 minutes following Duffy's substitution. The ability of McGoldrick to drop into that slot speaks volumes for him but is a big ask after he's put the shift in up top for the 1st 50/60 minutes. Our two loan players offer CW options now in those key areas.

I don't agree that Madine means we resort to HoofBall/Plan B as he is not simply a target man, but able to play the hold-up and lay-off striker capable of creating time and space for Billy, as well as offering the old one/two/Toshack/Keegan-type 6/12 yard threat.

The young lad from Everton offers young fresh legs in an area where we have been lacking in the crucial last 30 minutes of games, and also has a penchant for threatening from distance. The threat itself doesn't necessarily have to translate into goals a'la Adam Reach, since opposition defenders will perceive the threat and that itself will create space and openings we should be able to exploit.

Chris Wilder, fortunately, has more insight than the average fan and as Manager knows not to take notice of all the bollox and bile from those "fans" that thrive on hatred and prejudice.