Been a busy one with ins and outs I know nothing about the players that have come in personally but looks like an upgrade in EFL experience? I ideally wanted a CB with pace and another striker I suppose we could still bring a body in that's unattached but what do we think is it enough?

The minimum for me before the window was to address our awful defence. We’ve brought in a CB, RB & LB so I’m happy there.

Letting go of Conteh meant needing a replacement so we’ve done that with someone with good experience.

Wood could be a cracking loan, time will tell & Obikwu not a clue if he’ll be any good.  

generally I think for a January Transfer window it’s been pretty successful.  If it was a summer window I’d be disappointed but January is not the time to build an entirely new squad - it’s bad enough that we’ve needed to build a completely new defensive line.

Quoted from Brummie Codfather

The minimum for me before the window was to address our awful defence. We’ve brought in a CB, RB & LB so I’m happy there.

Letting go of Conteh meant needing a replacement so we’ve done that with someone with good experience.

Wood could be a cracking loan, time will tell & Obikwu not a clue if he’ll be any good.  

generally I think for a January Transfer window it’s been pretty successful.  If it was a summer window I’d be disappointed but January is not the time to build an entirely new squad - it’s bad enough that we’ve needed to build a completely new defensive line.

Yes it's notoriously difficult to get what you want without paying well over the odds. Thompson looks to be the key hopefully he knits defence and attack.

Well the only thing left in this season is avoiding relegation. To do that we had to reinforce defensively and I guess we’ve done that
After the last 6 months I’ve given up getting over excited about new signings so we have to wait and see

Quoted from buckstown

Well the only thing left in this season is avoiding relegation. To do that we had to reinforce defensively and I guess we’ve done that
After the last 6 months I’ve given up getting over excited about new signings so we have to wait and see

Time will tell. Hard to judge if we’ve improved until we have seen these guys play. From his interview Hume is only here to get game time as he obviously turned us down in the summer and has taken two weeks to make up his mind to come here. Still maybe not a bad thing as he should be well motivated to do well otherwise playing for teams like town will be the best he can achieve in the future.

The lack of a physical presence up front still a concern, as is no cover for Rose, but maybe it’s time to get young Gardner involved and hope he can do a Jimmy Lumby for us.

Suspect we’re not going to particularly enjoy the next three months but I’ve been wrong before hopefully I’m wrong this time.

Going forward wasn’t an issue, I think a front 3 of Rose, Eisa and Vernam is as good as a many in this division. The problem areas are obvious and we’ve counter acted that by signing 3 new defenders and a midfield workhorse. I think Thompson is someone we’ve not had the type of in a very long time, a more polished Harry Clifton one of my old uni mates described him. We’ve addressed the lack of leadership by adding 3 players with vast experience, lack of pace in the full back areas and a midfield enforcer. I still think Harry Wood is a good signing, he was demanding the ball it just wasn’t working. I think you can just write that off as every single player having a stinker.

I think we need to dig out five victories, we've strengthened so let's hope we've got enough in the locker to make it.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

I think we need to dig out five victories, we've strengthened so let's hope we've got enough in the locker to make it.

We’ve only won 6 in 28 games, so that is quite a tall order.

agree with local Lad . Would add that (hopefully ) we will have Khouri, Ainley & Pyke all coming back in March to give us a further boost

Needed new fullbacks, needed new centre backs, ideally would have liked another CB but will take what we have got

Hopefully line up with the 2 new Fullbacks, Maher & Tharne as the first choice centrebacks

Wouldnt be against not seeing Rodgers and Mullarkey for the rest of the season but hopefully they feel they have a point to prove

We will never know who else we tried to bring in, considering we are supposed to have someone dedicated to recruitment.  Maybe we will get another striker in  who is out of contract and offload someone?

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

We will never know who else we tried to bring in, considering we are supposed to have someone dedicated to recruitment. Maybe we will get another striker in  who is out of contract and offload someone?

Why would you even put that in your post, we DO have someone dedicated to recruitment.

Quoted from 123614

Why would you even put that in your post, we DO have someone dedicated to recruitment.

Like I said we will never know who else we tried to bring in, feels like too many eggs were in one basket, no plan B and down to the wire with one Charlie Kirk? I would love to know how many of the previous signings were truly Hurst signings or the head of recruitment, I guess it was his idea to bring in Conteh though?

I like this article, wish we could do it more for pennys, one a year ain't much kop in the grand scheme of things >> https://analyticsfc.co.uk/blog/2023/08/10/brilliant-brighton-the-seagulls-recruitment-strategy-explained/

Quoted from Hagrid

Needed new fullbacks, needed new centre backs, ideally would have liked another CB but will take what we have got

Hopefully line up with the 2 new Fullbacks, Maher & Tharne as the first choice centrebacks

Wouldnt be against not seeing Rodgers and Mullarkey for the rest of the season but hopefully they feel they have a point to prove

Rodgers is a strange one isn’t he? I thought he looked absolutely outstanding in the first few games of the season. Not sure if it’s a confidence thing or what.

Quoted from davmariner

We’ve only won 6 in 28 games, so that is quite a tall order.

6 in 28 is roughly 2 wins per 9 games. So if 5 wins is what is required, with 18 games to go, using the same ratio we’d expect 4 wins. You’d hope, with what looks like a stronger overall squad we could find that extra one at least.

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

Like I said we will never know who else we tried to bring in, feels like too many eggs were in one basket, no plan B and down to the wire with one Charlie Kirk? I would love to know how many of the previoius signings were truly Hurst signings or the head of recruitment, I guess it was his idea to bring in Conteh though?

I like this article, wish we could do it more for pennys, one a year ain't much kop in the grand scheme of things >> https://analyticsfc.co.uk/blog/2023/08/10/brilliant-brighton-the-seagulls-recruitment-strategy-explained/

we’ve signed 6 players in a January window, 3 of them on deadline day that look to be very good signings. It was all about evolution not revolution as DA said. You obviously judge them on what they do whilst they’re here but it’s quite clear DA knew what he wanted. I think there’s good players in both Maher and Rodgers, they aren’t bad players at all. I think Rodgers needs time out the side to rediscover that early season form and i’ll never ever write a centre half off after Waterfall. Mullarkey to me just is too slow to be a full back, and it doesn’t help we have no pace at all on the other side. Smith and Hume both notably are massive improvements imo. Smith especially could be a massive coup, very good pedigree coming through at Rangers and played a lot of games for good Scottish clubs. Conteh left last week and Thompson looks like a really good find, especially when Notts County fans are fuming they wasn’t in for him because he’s everything a midfield needs. Played 22 games in the league above already. I think we lack another central midfielder but I think Thompson, Holohan, Clifton, Hunt, Wood, Green, Andrews, Braithwaite and then you could throw Arthur in there as he looked very good in the 10 at MK Dons is enough in there. I’m a lot more positive than I was at the start of the week as it’s quite clear Artell saw the weaknesses we all have seen and addressed them accordingly. I think Joe needs some praise because all I was reading before was people saying expect young kids in on loan. Well we’ve signed 3 very very experienced players from the level above.

Taking points from FGR, Sutton and Donny would make the task a little easier.

Losing to Scunny sent us down last time. Had we won that one game, they would have gone down instead.

It's always difficult to meaningfully strengthen your team in the January window (unless you've got a lot of cash to chuck around), but we seem to have managed it, on paper at least.

Hope it doesn't take too long for the new players to integrate and also hope they can remain fit!

Quoted from 123614

Why would you even put that in your post, we DO have someone dedicated to recruitment.

Where’s your evidence for this please.

Quoted from ginnywings

Taking points from FGR, Sutton and Donny would make the task a little easier.

Losing to Scunny sent us down last time. Had we won that one game, they would have gone down instead.

I thought it was Exeter ?

Quoted from LocalLadGTFC

we’ve signed 6 players in a January window, 3 of them on deadline day that look to be very good signings. It was all about evolution not revolution as DA said. You obviously judge them on what they do whilst they’re here but it’s quite clear DA knew what he wanted. I think there’s good players in both Maher and Rodgers, they aren’t bad players at all. I think Rodgers needs time out the side to rediscover that early season form and i’ll never ever write a centre half off after Waterfall. Mullarkey to me just is too slow to be a full back, and it doesn’t help we have no pace at all on the other side. Smith and Hume both notably are massive improvements imo. Smith especially could be a massive coup, very good pedigree coming through at Rangers and played a lot of games for good Scottish clubs. Conteh left last week and Thompson looks like a really good find, especially when Notts County fans are fuming they wasn’t in for him because he’s everything a midfield needs. Played 22 games in the league above already. I think we lack another central midfielder but I think Thompson, Holohan, Clifton, Hunt, Wood, Green, Andrews, Braithwaite and then you could throw Arthur in there as he looked very good in the 10 at MK Dons is enough in there. I’m a lot more positive than I was at the start of the week as it’s quite clear Artell saw the weaknesses we all have seen and addressed them accordingly. I think Joe needs some praise because all I was reading before was people saying expect young kids in on loan. Well we’ve signed 3 very very experienced players from the level above.

Yep just like you said. I'm quite pleased with the 3 new additions on deadline day, hopefully they do great.

A back line of Smith, Thame, Maher and Hume looks a lot more convincing than we have had. With Glennon, Mullarkey and Rodgers as back ups.

As mentioned above, Waterfall was terrible in his first stint here; so I am confident Rodgers will return to form next season. On paper, that defence is top 10 in the league.

Midfield is a little light however, Thompson is a superb signing. Anchor him with either Holohan, Clifton or Wood, with Andrews or Arthur ahead it looks like a good balance of youth and experience.

I was a little disappointed we didn't sign another forward, however Vernam, Arthur, Eisa flanking Rose looks extremely dependable. Pyke and Wilson to come back in as well provides some depth.

Overall, I am happy with what we have done in January: profitably sold on a young player to a league above (as we have all been craving to do, ala Peterborough, for years, signed experienced players from the league above in problem areas, and, lastly, we paid some fees for players.

Yes, we could have done more but 6 signings in the door, one outgoing, is excellent work. We will stay up, and we will recruit as DA sees fit in summer to mount a promotion charge next season.



UTM!

Quoted from It Bites

I thought it was Exeter ?

Think Ginny means that had we beaten Scunny rather than losing, we'd be 3 points better off and they'd be 3 points worse off so they'd have gone down rather than us.

Quoted from Quagmire

Think Ginny means that had we beaten Scunny rather than losing, we'd be 3 points better off and they'd be 3 points worse off so they'd have gone down rather than us.

Yes, that's what I meant. We need to win a few games, but if those wins were against FGR, Sutton and Donny, then that would help our cause no end.

Obviously a win is a win, but if you beat or don't lose to the other teams around you, it's more advantageous.

Quoted from ginnywings

Yes, that's what I meant. We need to win a few games, but if those wins were against FGR, Sutton and Donny, then that would help our cause no end.

Obviously a win is a win, but if you beat or don't lose to the other teams around you, it's more advantageous.

Yes, the games you mention are real six pointers. Winning those games would make staying up much more likely. The goods news is that it is still in our hands.

Its interesting that DA and the players have said that the club were interested in them at the start of the season or certainly before DA arrived, so, either they were hursts original targets and they didnt come off or they were "identified" by the recruitment team and for whatever reason thery didnt sign at the start of the season, does make me wonder if the recruitment team being the majority in player targets was a major factor in hurst leaving and DA accepting the role.

Ooops, just seen the Head of recruitment thread.  :)

Quoted from kevikov

Its interesting that DA and the players have said that the club were interested in them at the start of the season or certainly before DA arrived, so, either they were hursts original targets and they didnt come off or they were "identified" by the recruitment team and for whatever reason thery didnt sign at the start of the season, does make me wonder if the recruitment team being the majority in player targets was a major factor in hurst leaving and DA accepting the role.

Or perhaps that Hurst vetoing recruitment targets to bring in his own was a factor in the decision to sack him when his players failed?

Quoted from toontown

Or perhaps that Hurst vetoing recruitment targets to bring in his own was a factor in the decision to sack him when his players failed?

Yeah that, or, Hurst was given a list and told to pick from it? I know JS has said the manager gets final decision but possibly its from a list that the recruitment team compile. Maybe hurst didnt do so well with that where as DA is happy with it. DA mentioned not being the sole responsibilty of everything and having different roles filled with driven people will allow him to do what he does better.

We have hopefully solved all of the obvious current issues, FBS and 1 of the CBs and the DM. All appear to be an upgrade on what we have. Happy enough with that for January.

The issue of if rose is injured we are probably copulated hasn't been solved but fingers crossed he won't be nd nobody would be replacing him who we could get in

Satisfied

Young Khouri had a good game for Spenymoor tonight according to their fans .

You'd hope he would, at that level.

At 21, he needs to stay fit and get some games under his belt after a lengthy spell out and we'll then see where he stands at that point. Lots of competition for places in our midfield in the current squad, even if a lot of them will probably move on at the end of the season.

I suspect he'll be at Spennymoor for two or three months if things are going well for him there (and they aren't going too bad here!).