January window

[ramtique]

Anyone else fear our dealings - or lack of them - will ultimately prove costly at season’s end?

I know we have made serious mistakes in the past in January - both expensive in cash terms and also to team structure and morale.

But, for all the brilliance of the run we have been on for 3 months or so now, I still reckoned we needed just a couple of top quality signings in Jan - nothing too radical to disturb the amazing team spirt GR has engendered - in order to to give us a chance to realistically compete with a now fit, healthy and expensively constructed squad like Villa’s.

The club won’t admit as much now while everything is still up for grabs, but I’m sure come May - if we don’t achieve our ultimate aim either directly or through the play offs - GR,  being the honest guy he is, will lament the unfortunate missing out on Lookman and - to a lesser extent Grosicki - coupled with JR’s unexpected departure as key. It remains to be seen whether Palmer will mitigate these blows out wide as we all hope he will.

What GR definitely WON’T admit is that signing Jerome - for all his physical presence and experience - was a relatively underwhelming addition compared to what was really needed up top: despite his goal drought, and for all his misses yesterday, someone with the extra class and threat represented by Oliveira could have made all the difference between now and May.

Before anyone dismisses me as just another moaner, whatever happens this season GR and the team have surpassed all expectations and I for one have enjoyed the ride .. and hope it continues. We are undoubtedly now back on the road to the promised land ... but will we have got there sooner had we been just a LITTLE bolder  - and indeed fortunate - during January? Only time will possibly tell ...... here’s hoping I’m wrong! ?

[archied]

22 minutes ago, ramtique said:

Anyone else fear our dealings - or lack of them - will ultimately prove costly at season’s end?

I know we have made serious mistakes in the past in January - both expensive in cash terms and also to team structure and morale.

But, for all the brilliance of the run we have been on for 3 months or so now, I still reckoned we needed just a couple of top quality signings in Jan - nothing too radical to disturb the amazing team spirt GR has engendered - in order to to give us a chance to realistically compete with a now fit, healthy and expensively constructed squad like Villa’s.

The club won’t admit as much now while everything is still up for grabs, but I’m sure come May - if we don’t achieve our ultimate aim either directly or through the play offs - GR,  being the honest guy he is, will lament the unfortunate missing out on Lookman and - to a lesser extent Grosicki - coupled with JR’s unexpected departure as key. It remains to be seen whether Palmer will mitigate these blows out wide as we all hope he will.

What GR definitely WON’T admit is that signing Jerome - for all his physical presence and experience - was a relatively underwhelming addition compared to what was really needed up top: despite his goal drought, and for all his misses yesterday, someone with the extra class and threat represented by Oliveira could have made all the difference between now and May.

Before anyone dismisses me as just another moaner, whatever happens this season GR and the team have surpassed all expectations and I for one have enjoyed the ride .. and hope it continues. We are undoubtedly now back on the road to the promised land ... but will we have got there sooner had we been just a LITTLE bolder  - and indeed fortunate - during January? Only time will possibly tell ...... here’s hoping I’m wrong! ?

Don’t see your post as moaning , the best quality wide players ( two of) that we could have squeezed out of the budget could have been a massive boost and may have elevated us to a much better level and secured second spot 

it’s clear that rowett has more restraints to work under and is managing us with a real sense of responsibility for the well-being of the club as a whole 

[Mistaram]

28 minutes ago, ramtique said:

Anyone else fear our dealings - or lack of them - will ultimately prove costly at season’s end?

I know we have made serious mistakes in the past in January - both expensive in cash terms and also to team structure and morale.

But, for all the brilliance of the run we have been on for 3 months or so now, I still reckoned we needed just a couple of top quality signings in Jan - nothing too radical to disturb the amazing team spirt GR has engendered - in order to to give us a chance to realistically compete with a now fit, healthy and expensively constructed squad like Villa’s.

The club won’t admit as much now while everything is still up for grabs, but I’m sure come May - if we don’t achieve our ultimate aim either directly or through the play offs - GR,  being the honest guy he is, will lament the unfortunate missing out on Lookman and - to a lesser extent Grosicki - coupled with JR’s unexpected departure as key. It remains to be seen whether Palmer will mitigate these blows out wide as we all hope he will.

What GR definitely WON’T admit is that signing Jerome - for all his physical presence and experience - was a relatively underwhelming addition compared to what was really needed up top: despite his goal drought, and for all his misses yesterday, someone with the extra class and threat represented by Oliveira could have made all the difference between now and May.

Before anyone dismisses me as just another moaner, whatever happens this season GR and the team have surpassed all expectations and I for one have enjoyed the ride .. and hope it continues. We are undoubtedly now back on the road to the promised land ... but will we have got there sooner had we been just a LITTLE bolder  - and indeed fortunate - during January? Only time will possibly tell ...... here’s hoping I’m wrong! ?

Yes agree with all that just think the dreaded FFP had a lot to do with it plus very late getting Martin and Shackel out But same as you say whatever happens we've had a good go I never thought we would be in the position we are in  I still think we can make it but a couple of injuries could be devastating for us Because of GR wanting to shrink the squad  If the worse scenario happens and we don't make it we could have problems with Bryson Butters Martin Blackman all coming back 

[BramcoteRam84]

Lookman would’ve been a great addition. Didn’t happen. I would’ve been upset had we spent £15m on McLean. No one predicted Winnall getting damaged and to have 4 players for 1 position in case of an injury would’ve been excessive.

Happy with how we conducted our business in January. Of our rivals, Cardiff only spent big and on Madine?! Not exactly a great signing. Villa got Grabban on Loan, not bothered to miss out on him. Wolves got Afobe (even if we had gone for him he probably would’ve joined wolves anyway due to his past connections) and Fulham got Mitrovic, good player but questionable character and not the type of player we needed.

Even with premier league so close, January is a crap time to sign players. Better to keep powder dry and wait for the summer, than spend lots of money in desperation for players who may not be right for the club in the long-term.

[Papahet]

We should have gone in for Grosicki sooner in the window. Wouldnt be surprised if we go back for him in the Summer.

 

[Rampage]

18 minutes ago, Mistaram said:

  If the worst scenario happens and we don't make it we could have problems with Bryson Butters Martin Blackman all coming back 

All but Martin will be back but probably not for long. If we get promotion, a bit of contract cancelling would be a last resort.

[Parsnip]

We could definitely have used a couple of quality forwards to power us to promotion. I'd like to see Palmer start alongside Vydra though. It was a mess when he came on yesterday and he looked a bit stressed!

[Mistaram]

5 minutes ago, Rampage said:

All but Martin will be back but probably not for long. If we get promotion, a bit of contract cancelling would be a last resort.

Yes your right about Martin but the others are a problem if we don't get promoted cancelling cost money that's money we will need to strengthen 

[Rampage]

Just now, Mistaram said:

Yes your right about Martin but the others are a problem if we don't get promoted cancelling cost money that's money we will need to strengthen 

Players can easily be got rid of if you loan them out and pay most of their wages. Who wants a pay cut? Martin will probably still be on this wage in two year's time by one means or another. Who can blame him?

If you do not play them, they will go out on loan on full wages and get a game.

[Doodle]

9 minutes ago, Papahet said:

We should have gone in for Grosicki sooner in the window. Wouldnt be surprised if we go back for him in the Summer.

 

I’m sure he was panic stations after the Lookman move fell through. It’s apparent that FFP limit is very close. Would personally have spent the Jerome fee on 2 quality loans. Lookman would have got us up in my opinion especially if backed up with a midfielder. It didn’t happen though so no point crying over it now. Our squad was too big and unbalanced. Not Gary’s fault but the legacy of so many managerial changes over the last few years. It won’t be any better for another 18 months or so, unless we get promoted. Come May all the expensive loans, Gary doesn’t want ( and who can blame him). Will all be sent back to Derby and the problems start again until these contracts run down. 

[europia]

1 hour ago, ramtique said:

Anyone else fear our dealings - or lack of them - will ultimately prove costly at season’s end?

I know we have made serious mistakes in the past in January - both expensive in cash terms and also to team structure and morale.

But, for all the brilliance of the run we have been on for 3 months or so now, I still reckoned we needed just a couple of top quality signings in Jan - nothing too radical to disturb the amazing team spirt GR has engendered - in order to to give us a chance to realistically compete with a now fit, healthy and expensively constructed squad like Villa’s.

The club won’t admit as much now while everything is still up for grabs, but I’m sure come May - if we don’t achieve our ultimate aim either directly or through the play offs - GR,  being the honest guy he is, will lament the unfortunate missing out on Lookman and - to a lesser extent Grosicki - coupled with JR’s unexpected departure as key. It remains to be seen whether Palmer will mitigate these blows out wide as we all hope he will.

What GR definitely WON’T admit is that signing Jerome - for all his physical presence and experience - was a relatively underwhelming addition compared to what was really needed up top: despite his goal drought, and for all his misses yesterday, someone with the extra class and threat represented by Oliveira could have made all the difference between now and May.

Before anyone dismisses me as just another moaner, whatever happens this season GR and the team have surpassed all expectations and I for one have enjoyed the ride .. and hope it continues. We are undoubtedly now back on the road to the promised land ... but will we have got there sooner had we been just a LITTLE bolder  - and indeed fortunate - during January? Only time will possibly tell ...... here’s hoping I’m wrong! ?

Good post. For me Jerome has added something slightly different to the squad, but not likely to change the course of events. Would have been interesting to see a top quality wide player to come in. Instead we have Anya who a couple of weeks ago was frozen out, and Tom Lawrence doesn't seem to be the finished article. 

[SuperDerbySuperRams]

I think we had a good window - bar letting Russell go, without a replacement. I get he’s been a good servant, but he was in great form and a mere 250k? Could come back to seriously bite us in the arse 

[Parsnip]

Can anyone explain to me why deals are done on the last day of the window? If we were after Lookman - why did it take us till 10pm on deadline day to find out he didn't want to come - leaving us with no time to find a replacement? Why don't we (or any club) get the deals done early? What's all the last minute crap?

[Rev]

17 minutes ago, SuperDerbySuperRams said:

I think we had a good window - bar letting Russell go, without a replacement. I get he’s been a good servant, but he was in great form and a mere 250k? Could come back to seriously bite us in the arse 

Do you think he'd have been the same player if we'd held him to his contract?

I'd like to think he would, once over the initial disappointment. 

[Parsnip]

21 minutes ago, SuperDerbySuperRams said:

I think we had a good window - bar letting Russell go, without a replacement. I get he’s been a good servant, but he was in great form and a mere 250k? Could come back to seriously bite us in the arse 

Had a quick look at Kansas City - I suppose they're my MLS team now. Apparently Benny Feilhaber (remember him??) is a Kansas City legend... hmm is it his fault we've lost our #7?

[Millenniumram]

We needed to do more In January to get promoted. The failure to sign a couple of top class wingers and maybe a younger striker will cost us, in that you are correct. Lawrence and Weimann aren’t players capable of playing in a team gunning for auto promotion. It’s very annoying that we couldn’t show just a little more ambition and get the players we need in, because it wasn’t like Gary hadn’t identified and wasn’t looking at the sort of players above- but sadly were working on a shoestring budget so what can you do? Just have to hope we can make it up in the playoffs, it’s a lottery literally anyone can win so we’ve got a good a chance as any should we make it.

[Rampage]

1 hour ago, ramtique said:

just a LITTLE bolder

Aston Villa are just a LITTLE boulder in a rock hard league!

Sedimentary my dear Watson

Can we have some points on the slate, please?

Would be gneiss (geological humour)

If not we may be in the schist (schist is a genuine rock!)

Please do not go basaltic about this.

I would have uploaded a litho graphic but some of you may have become volcanic

We need to be pragmagmatic about getting the points that we need.

I know, I know, I know. We are caught between a rock and a hard place because we have been a bit on the syncline of late

 

[europia]

14 minutes ago, Millenniumram said:

We needed to do more In January to get promoted. The failure to sign a couple of top class wingers and maybe a younger striker will cost us, in that you are correct. Lawrence and Weimann aren’t players capable of playing in a team gunning for auto promotion. It’s very annoying that we couldn’t show just a little more ambition and get the players we need in, because it wasn’t like Gary hadn’t identified and wasn’t looking at the sort of players above- but sadly were working on a shoestring budget so what can you do? Just have to hope we can make it up in the playoffs, it’s a lottery literally anyone can win so we’ve got a good a chance as any should we make it.

Yes I agree. I assume that either Rowett's hands were tied financially, or he couldn't attract the right type of players to DCFC. 

[Waffle]

Would like someone young like Connor Chaplin to join Derby

[SuperDerbySuperRams]

46 minutes ago, reveldevil said:

Do you think he'd have been the same player if we'd held him to his contract?

I'd like to think he would, once over the initial disappointment. 

I don’t think he’s the character to play up. I get why we did it, but I wouldn’t have