2024 January transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[SoccerHQ]

We certainly need an RB 100% next month.

Cash has his critics and he's dipped in recent times but he has plenty of top level experience now and his energy is also a real asset in certain games.

Tonight certainly showed we need Konsa centrally for period where we're under the cosh so we need a squad situation where he rarely is needed at RB unless it's just seeing out games in last 10 minutes.

[Risso]

These last few results aren't the end of the world, and we have a much lighter schedule coming up in January, but with Spurs possibly being level with us in a couple of days, and Man City with 2 games in hand, I think we really need a good transfer window. We're still as in the title race as we ever were, but realistically Top 4 should be our goal, and a couple more poor performances and that could start to slip away.

No idea who we should be bringing in, but a few weeks ago I would have said just a RB would do for me. Now I'm thinking at least 3 players, at a minimum.

I agree, three minimum. Emery's only brought in Torres, Moreno, Tielemans and Diaby. Tielemans is injured, Diaby is woefully out of form, with Moreno still nowhere near his best after a long lay off. Other than that he's playing with the three previous managers' players, and as well as he's got most of them playing, Torres has shown the positive effect of having somebody really schooled in the sort of football Emery wants to play.

[LeonW]

We need a more energetic and pacey physical central midfield option when we need to aggressively press in the middle and disrupt. Another defender so Konsa not at right back. And we need a target man option from the bench. We’ve got the passers at the back to find a striker who can hold the ball up and win flick on’s in the air for a Watkins etc to run on to and beat the opposition press.

[ozzjim]

Weirdly the horrible Christmas results may have come at a good time. If ever there was a game you needed the calm of Pau and the holding ability of Kamara it was last night at that shit hole. For me we are 2 central midfielders light, Dendonker isn't up to doing what we need over 90 minutes. Ramsey is understandably miles off the pace after his injury. We miss Buendia and have no backup for Kamara.

Right back is getting to Martin O'neill like levels. We have one that is just not the level we need, and Konsa is a proper good centre half, so having him there weakens us. Carlos trying to play the high line without Pau organising him has nearly hurt us in Europe a few times, last night it hurt us in the league simply because it gave them encouragement.

Finally, for me we need a wide option that is about skill and quality, hate to say it but a 2020 ish Grealish in our front line at the moment we walk top 4. Someone who had the quality to put their foot on it and find the final ball, or often more importantly, the ball before it.

[Demitri_C]

Well the last few games have shown reinforcements are needed desperately

I literally do not understand why a rb was not signed in the summer. Konsa has done his best there but he isnt a rb at all.

Also thinking duran would make a good backup for watkins has proven to be a bad gamble.He  isnt ready yet

[algy]

God bless the Donk and all, but he's leek and potato when we need a vichyssoise in there.

Apologies if I'm not focusing on the main issue here, but isn't vichyssoise literally a leek and potato that you've just stuck a hand-blender through for 30 seconds?

A leek and potato person wouldn't have kowtowed to the Nazis, or have I missed the point as well?

[Drummond]

A Right Back.
An upgrade on Dendoncker.
A striker.
An upgrade on Olsen.

In that order.

Chambers, Dendoncker, Traore, Hause to go.

[Holy Trinity]

Right back, Konsa needs to be playing centrally especially against teams with fast attackers! Uni got a lot wrong last night but we still played well enough to win  and on another day probably would have.

[Dante Lavelli]

having somebody really schooled in the sort of football Emery wants to play.

For this reason I can see Juan Foyth being targeted.  He was a CB at Spurs but Emery converted him to RB and this is now considered his main position (according to Transfermarkt).  There’s the obvious Emery connection, plus he’s played with Martinez and Torres. Probably speaks good English too from his time at Spurs.

It just seems too logical which probably means he’d be a disaster.

[VinnieChase84]

Timo Werner rumoured to be on his way in

[Steve67]

What are Timo Werner’s qualities? Terrible at Chelsea but then, throwing too many players in at the same time is not a good idea! I’m not even sure where he plays? Loan or permanent?

[AV84]

having somebody really schooled in the sort of football Emery wants to play.

For this reason I can see Juan Foyth being targeted.  He was a CB at Spurs but Emery converted him to RB and this is now considered his main position (according to Transfermarkt).  There’s the obvious Emery connection, plus he’s played with Martinez and Torres. Probably speaks good English too from his time at Spurs.

It just seems too logical which probably means he’d be a disaster.

This makes sense but I can't help wondering whether we need more players who can play the Emery way immediately, or if we need a plan B for when playing the Emery way doesn't work?

Last night just felt like a poor 2nd half from us coupled with missing some important players, but the Sheffield Utd game was one where we really struggled to create anything because they sat so deep. We're going to face that a lot in the 2nd half of the season, so do we persist as we have been, or do we look to bring someone in who can play a different way?

I'd love to see us play Zaniolo up front and just lob balls into the box for 90 minutes (in a game that didn’t matter, if such a thing exists). Not at all what Emery is building his team to do, but it might have worked yesterday, especially with a flapper like Onana in goal.

[SoccerHQ]

What are Timo Werner’s qualities? Terrible at Chelsea but then, throwing too many players in at the same time is not a good idea! I’m not even sure where he plays? Loan or permanent?

He's not a finisher. That said play him on the left where Ramsey/Zaniolo played this season and he makes good runs and is vastly experienced at CL and international level.

Did Chelsea actually sell him then and now Leipzig want to loan him out?

[ROBBO]

Please no.

[Dave]

What are Timo Werner’s qualities? Terrible at Chelsea but then, throwing too many players in at the same time is not a good idea! I’m not even sure where he plays? Loan or permanent?

He's not a finisher. That said play him on the left where Ramsey/Zaniolo played this season and he makes good runs and is vastly experienced at CL and international level.

Did Chelsea actually sell him then and now Leipzig want to loan him out?

Yup. I guess he'd be keen to force his way back into the Germany squad for the home Euros and he's just not playing at the moment given how well Simons, Openda and Sesko are doing.

Given his best form was under Nagelsmann at Leipzig and how weak Germany look in attack you'd think a bit of form somewhere and he might be back. I'd be quite happy with it, but I'd have thought going somewhere where he'll play all the time would suit him better.