January Transfer Window - The Verdict.

[Villafirst]

A big opportunity missed to break into the top half. Ridiculously risky not to have strong options in attack. Whichever way you dress it up, the squad is weaker than January 1st. Simply inexcusable. 1/10.

[gpbarr]

All the “season is over” nonsense is frankly bollox and those posting such shite know it.

Look at the table - all to play for.

[Toronto Villa]

All the “season is over” nonsense is frankly bollox and those posting such shite know it.

Look at the table - all to play for.

Agreed. It just makes a little more challenging. No way is anything over

[ROBBO]

Having a smaller tighter squad may have some benefits in the short term.

[LeonW]

1/10

A slight upgrade at best in the left back position and a kid from the Beazer Homes League who we don't know if he's any better than any of the other kids we've got knocking about
Selling our top scorer and contributor of 25% of our league goals and not replacing him
Taking a weak squad and making it even worse
Our manager banging on for ages that we need a winger and not getting one
Being in our best potential position in the league for years and bottling it

Is where I am also. It’ll always be ‘the next window’ or ‘next season’ under some corporate guise of strategic planning. I simply don’t believe that anymore. Clubs who are not simply interested in making up the numbers don’t sell their leading scorer without having any replacement whatsoever to finish half a season.

[old man villa fan]

I wonder whether Emery is still not sure about some of the 1st team and wants to give them more time before finally deciding which ones to ditch in the summer.  He might thing some of the improvement seen in some players might be temporary and needs more time to assess.

He has said that Sanson needs to be playing regularly but doesn't warrant a place in the team at the moment.  Likewise, Archer needs to be playing week in week out.

It may be that he does not see Watkins being the future but to try and get the right players(s) up front at this time in the season is not possible.

As fans we tend to ignore that top players may be playing CL football at this time in the season and they do not want to give that up, whereas at the end of the season it can be completely different.

This manager seems to know what he is doing and knows the type of players he wants.  I think he will set his stall out in the summer when he has fully evaluated what we currently have.

I would have liked to have seen some big named players coming in now but I am not the manager who has the difficult job of building this team back up to a level that we haven't seen for the best part of 15 years.  We have for a number of seasons, for various reasons, thrown money at players that have failed to make a team.  Hopefully, this time is different and we have a manager that is at a level that we haven't seen for a long time and that includes MON.

[Smirker]

Been a disappointing window.

I'm still erect over Emery though and think we will finish strongly.

[eamonn]

So that's why you're always smirking

[Smirker]

So that's why you're always smirking

Partly 😏

[Percy McCarthy]

The more pertinent point IMO is Emery’s verdict on it. I think we tried to back him by getting Moreno, meeting the release clause on Williams, and making offers to Delofeu and Guendouzi but they didn’t happen.Obviously GD got injured so we dodged a bullet there but  I think Emery’s feelings on Williams and Guendouzi will become clear if we get a new DoF/sporting director in. I do think he’s happy with the departures, but I’m speculating as to how much influence he had there.

I think if you believe the major decisions are Emery’s, you can’t really question the ambition of the club can you? I don’t think he’s here to arse about in mid-table.

[Axl Rose]

It wasn't great to wake up and see we'd failed to bring in a decent striker. Maybe Duran will be that guy?

Need a lot more from our attacking players in the goalscoring sense. Coutinho needs to step up and get 5-10 goals, as does Buendia. Bailey and Ollie need to work on their finishing, too.

There are decent players in there, but I think it's an opportunity missed considering where we are in the league. Traore back is an interesting one.

Overall a 3/10 window.

[JD]

The more pertinent point IMO is Emery’s verdict on it. I think we tried to back him by getting Moreno, meeting the release clause on Williams, and making offers to Delofeu and Guendouzi but they didn’t happen.Obviously GD got injured so we dodged a bullet there but  I think Emery’s feelings on Williams and Guendouzi will become clear if we get a new DoF/sporting director in. I do think he’s happy with the departures, but I’m speculating as to how much influence he had there.

I think if you believe the major decisions are Emery’s, you can’t really question the ambition of the club can you? I don’t think he’s here to arse about in mid-table.

Agree Percy. If Emery couldn't get who he wanted and decided he would wait until he can then that is fine by me. I am looking forward to seeing what he can do with the squad and then what he does before next season.

[Percy McCarthy]

The more pertinent point IMO is Emery’s verdict on it. I think we tried to back him by getting Moreno, meeting the release clause on Williams, and making offers to Delofeu and Guendouzi but they didn’t happen.Obviously GD got injured so we dodged a bullet there but  I think Emery’s feelings on Williams and Guendouzi will become clear if we get a new DoF/sporting director in. I do think he’s happy with the departures, but I’m speculating as to how much influence he had there.

I think if you believe the major decisions are Emery’s, you can’t really question the ambition of the club can you? I don’t think he’s here to arse about in mid-table.

Agree Percy. If Emery couldn't get who he wanted and decided he would wait until he can then that is fine by me. I am looking forward to seeing what he can do with the squad and then what he does before next season.

Me too, and anyway, I struggle to feel too depressed on a night when, after a hard-earned home replay, Small Heath knocked themselves out the cup with an own goal in extra time.

[PaulWinch again]

Hopefully we’ll get lucky but whatever way it’s spun it’s a poor effort.

[Scott Nielsen]

Not a very good window.

Next time though, when all our targets will be reasonably priced and absoluted stoked about the approach, it's gonna be great.