January 2023 Transfer Rumours, Discussions and Done Deals Thread

[passport1]

Hey come on we now form an opinion following the shirt stretching.

[Dave]

From today 1 good attacking player will mean the squad is better now than it was on December 31st and a 2nd would have us at the point where we can go into the summer knowing we're looking at 1 in 1 out where we're just increasing quality rather than worrying about gaps and depth. No signings and the only place where we're worse than before is cover for Watkins, and even that is on the basis that Duran doesn't settle in quickly.

Out of interest, how is the midfield any better than Dec 31st?

Did I say or even suggest it was? I don't think it's any weaker though and the defence is stronger. You can argue that Sanson means we've got less cover but as I said about Nakamba I don't think the 6th or 7th choice central midfielder is a make or break position in the squad and given how few minutes (10 between them, in 20 games) either of them have been given the facts back that up.

Right now, with no other changes:
GK - Same
Defence - Stronger
Midfield - Same
Attack - Weaker

Add 1 semi-competent striker to replace Ings and we're at worse the same as we were there (and therefore better overall), add cover for Bailey as well and we suddenly have 2 players for every position, most of which have proven to be useful at times this season, and we'd clearly be far better than we were.

How do you know the attack is weaker? None of us yet know if Duran is quicker, more physical and dare I say it, more clinical than Ings

Because we started January with three strikers, we currently have two strikers.

[jwarry]

Everton have offered £40m + for Conor Gallagher.  Jeez, how much must our Jacob be worth

[Delboy Villan]

Look we sell Ings and he gets injured in 20 minutes. These things happen we will survive. We need our midfield to chip in with goals, JJ, Kamara and Luis need to add goals and maybe Bailey and Watkins could score a few more of the chances created. We have a strong first team. We have a bench of Olsen, Digne, Cash, Chambers(?), Couthino, McGinn, Duran and Dendonker before the kids. With Carlos available soon stop worrying!

Genuine question (although I know it's not your problem to solve!!) - what happens if Watkins goes down after 20 minutes on Saturday and is out for 4-5 weeks or longer?   Can you see how we would line up in that eventuality?

Throw in Duran I imagine, not ideal but its an option. He has more experience of big boys football than Archer.

[ChicagoLion]

Everton have offered £40m + for Conor Gallagher.  Jeez, how much must our Jacob be worth

no idea why he would go there, i also think he is a ahead of Ramsey.

[paul_e]

From today 1 good attacking player will mean the squad is better now than it was on December 31st and a 2nd would have us at the point where we can go into the summer knowing we're looking at 1 in 1 out where we're just increasing quality rather than worrying about gaps and depth. No signings and the only place where we're worse than before is cover for Watkins, and even that is on the basis that Duran doesn't settle in quickly.

Out of interest, how is the midfield any better than Dec 31st?

Did I say or even suggest it was? I don't think it's any weaker though and the defence is stronger. You can argue that Sanson means we've got less cover but as I said about Nakamba I don't think the 6th or 7th choice central midfielder is a make or break position in the squad and given how few minutes (10 between them, in 20 games) either of them have been given the facts back that up.

Right now, with no other changes:
GK - Same
Defence - Stronger
Midfield - Same
Attack - Weaker

Add 1 semi-competent striker to replace Ings and we're at worse the same as we were there (and therefore better overall), add cover for Bailey as well and we suddenly have 2 players for every position, most of which have proven to be useful at times this season, and we'd clearly be far better than we were.

How do you know the attack is weaker? None of us yet know if Duran is quicker, more physical and dare I say it, more clinical than Ings

On paper it's weaker and we're one player down on what we had in an area where we don't have lots of cover, unlike other positions where we have plenty of depth.

Again, not sure how the midfield is the same minus one of the players we had there on the bench. And there's a good chance Nakamba will go tomorrow, by all accounts.

The fact you don't rate Sanson doesn't change the fact he's not there as an option any more.

10minutes in 1 sub appearance, he hasn't been a realistic option all season. I actually rate him and think he's been really hard done by at the club but he wasn't in Gerrards plans at all and Emery has had a look and decided he's happy to let him go. Does Bednarek going make us weaker? How about Augustinsson? Both of them have played significantly more minutes for us this season but no one seems to think we're weakened by their loans being finished early.

The fact that you do rate Sanson (and who said I don't) is blinding you to the fact that we've let go of a 28 year old who clearly wasn't wanted or needed. It doesn't weaken the squad given he was barely part of the squad. Going forward we'll have dendoncker and JJ/McGinn on the bench as cover for 3 positions, and Emery has shown he's willing to use Cash and Chambers as cover there as well. That's all the depth we need for now.

[Toronto Villa]

If that squad was any good we would still be in both cups.

No. Squad is not the reason we are out of both cups. It is the attitude of both, players and managers, towards the cups.

So the squad then.

Robin Olsen didn't pick himself.

And if we’d scored 3 like Stoke did at the weekend we’d be through. Man U, he was massively shit. Hard to argue that.

[kippaxvilla2]

I thought Everton were broke.  Gallagher, if available would be one we should be in for.

[ozzjim]

Not for £45 million.

[Risso]

Not for £45 million.

That seems to be the new baseline figure for good young Premier League players. I think he's excellent, if he's available we should be all over it.

[LeeB]

Not for £45 million.

That seems to be the new baseline figure for good young Premier League players. I think he's excellent, if he's available we should be all over it.

I thought that when he was at Palace last year, but the couple of games I've watched him play for Chelsea he's looked like an over excited puppy with a touch that would make Gerrard-era McGinn blush.

[ozzjim]

Ramsey is £70m then!

[chrisw1]

Last thing we need is the Europa league next season. Season after, yes, but it would kill us next season for little reward. I want us to finish as high as possible obviously, but we are out of both cups and only have 1 game per week. Running a small squad for that period is not as mad as it seems, especially if it allows Emery to really work with the group and work out exactly what we need in the summer.

2 thumbs up from me

There was a time at this club where top 6 and/or Europe was the minimum expectation.  Now all we are asking for is a chance in the Conference League.

That time will come again - but not just yet.
We're not ready and when it does happen it must be sustainable, not qualification by the skin of our teeth and yoyoing thereafter.

Nah, we're one of the richest clubs in the league.  We need to keep the likes of Martinez and Kamara on board and attract the best possible players in the next few windows.  That means pushing now, not contstantly waiting for Mañana.

[Drummond]

Ramsey is £70m then!

No he's not. He's not for sale.

[paul_e]

I like Gallagher but...

Imagine cleaning out Newcastle for £45m on a player who has about 10-15 decent performances in his career and thinking the best way use that big ol' sack of cash is to throw every penny at Chelsea for a player that does very little to address the fundamental problems that are behind you being in 19th place. This screams of stupidity masked as ambition.

Add to that Chelsea are pretty motivated sellers with their 33man senior squad and £45m is pure desperation to be seen as backing the manager.