January Reinforcements

[DavesaRam]

There has been somewhat of an over-reaction to us not signing a striker, but there are good grounds for the frustration. Firstly, our manager admitted that he held back from January transfers last season and it cost us, as did his lack of rotating the squad to avoid burnout. So what has changed? Well we have signed a midfield muscleman, which we needed, and it will strengthen our midfield, assuming Paul Warn actually plays the three in midfield which we need to. Otherwise midfield will remain open-season to the opposition. And we have signed a good winger. But the lack of squad rotation has resulted in us sending a striker out on loan. The word is that DJB is not considered ready for "men's football". A number of people have complained that he should have been given opportunity with the "who's bothered" cup matches, but apart from 45 minutes out of position (where have we seen that before?), Dajun didn't get a look in. I am of the mind that his 45 run-out was for a purpose - he should have been played off Collins, not alongside him, effectively in his shadow. Whatever, it rendered Brown ineffective, proving that Warne was right, Brown isn't ready for the step up. The lad hasn't featured since. There are other U-21s who have had the door slammed in their faces as well, again with a number of people saying that they weren't ready. However, when admin came to town we were forced to used a whole load of the kids, and the truth is a number of them stepped up to the plate magnificently. If ever there was a time when the kids wouldn't be ready, it was when they had to face the trauma of what was happening on top of their step up to the first team. And there are loads of other clubs who do give chances to their youngsters, yet somehow we only seem to have little boys who freeze in front of the bright lights. Really?

Secondly there is the absolute gaffe of letting Brown go out on loan when we were staring a striker shortage in the face. Warne says that we have been badly let down  late on by selling clubs over strikers we had lined up, but it isn't the first time, and it won't be the last. Why not hold on to Brown until a new striker had come in? It's not rocket science!

But this isn't the first, nor is it the second time we have faced an underwhelming transfer window. In reality this type of fiasco is actually normal, as though it is part of the Derby way. So the moaning isn't "So where is the striker?", it is more of a case of "Oh no, not again!" It has gone on for years and years. The only improvement is that we haven't had key players going out for the equivalent of a packet of Haribos, a mouse's tail and a used condom, which has also been "the Derby Way" in past times.

But that was yesterday! It's today now, so let's look forwards! I hope that the addition of Adams will move us to a 3-man midfield which will strengthen our matchplay, and mean we can have a greater effect in the final third, and which may just create the room for our new potent winger to do his thing!

[angieram]

2 hours ago, Blondest Goat said:

Agree with most of what you've said but when Collins tires and needs replacing after 75 minutes tomorrow we don't have a single recognised striker at the club to replace him with.  That is unbelievably poor.

This is Collins we're talking about. He doesn't do tired.

I would only worry about injury, suspensions, sending off - and even then we have players who can cover that central position in an emergency. 

[angieram]

3 hours ago, MACKWORTHRAM said:

Some of the reactions on here and twitter last night were beyond a joke to be honest.

"No prem club is going to trust Warne with their young players"

"Max Bird probably left because he cant stand Warnes football"

"Warne can't attract players, the club are lying to us"

"Warne hasn't got the contacts"

"The club said we had money, a good budget, this is a lie"

Amongst other things.

Yet if you take time to wait to hear the reasons and let the club have their say. We were two young strikers first choices, but unfortunately the clubs in question could not get cover and therefore wouldn't let them go. But apparently we have a manager who cant attract these young players because no premier league manager would trust Warne. 

Max Bird was leaving anyway. It really sounds like even if we had got promoted this season, he would have gone. He has been here for a long time. He wants a fresh challenge. Simple as that. No ulterior motives, no hate of the manager, he just wants a fresh challenge.

A deal agreed with a striker, all pretty much done, till at 8pm the gaffer of the club in question pulls the plug. What can we do about that?

We knew of every striker available, we left no stone unturned. But we just couldn't get one done. Despite trying our best and essentially having one agreed until the plug gets pulled at the 11th hour.

We clearly had a but of money left to bring one in, but through no fault of the manager or the club, it has not happened.

Yet yesterday the club, the manager got dogs abuse for failing to get a striker in.

Washington and Waghorn will be back in 3 weeks. You have Barkhuizen that can play through the middle, NML if needed. In the next 5 games we have one midweek game, so the others are all a full week apart. Plenty of times for Collins to recover.

We have ended the window with a better midfield than when we started & wingers that would be the envy of most clubs in this league.

Lets get behind them now and stop looking to pin blame and point the finger at.

UTR

The voice of reason. Thank you!

[Ramslad1992]

3 hours ago, YorkshireRam said:

An accurate summary of our current striking options:

That’s equally the best and worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life… bravo 😂

[Eoghan1884]

Dwight Gayle spotted beside pride park, it’s all over X 

[Walkley Ram]

19 minutes ago, Eoghan1884 said:

Dwight Gayle spotted beside pride park, it’s all over X 

This belongs in the "February reinforcements" thread. Please keep this 180 pages of nonsense on topic.

[inter politics]

Sorry if this has already been asked or mentioned somewhere but any guesses who the championship forward we were close to getting in before their manager pulled it?

[CapeTownRams]

2 hours ago, angieram said:

The voice of reason. Thank you!

Wouldn’t necessarily disagree with any of that although i still feel that a purchase of a quality (young) striker was more of a priority than signing CBT and should have been dealt with first. 

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

For those who have diligently followed this thread, I can advise that my cat hast yet again deposited a steaming turd in the bath. Is it a sign of illness or a critique on our transfer window? Difficult to tell really. What a time to be alive. 

[Wignall12]

Just now, Steve Buckley’s Dog said:

For those who have diligently followed this thread, I can advise that my cat hast yet again deposited a steaming turd in the bath. Is it a sign of illness or a critique on our transfer window? Difficult to tell really. What a time to be alive. 

Well at least it wasn't runny this time , can you read it like tea leaves maybe ? ..........Mystic Mog ?

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

2 minutes ago, Wignall12 said:

Well at least it wasn't runny this time , can you read it like tea leaves maybe ? ..........Mystic Mog ?

Sadly it was runny. Over the plughole area so the cat’s effort and consideration can’t be faulted. A metaphor for our recruitment team? I couldn’t comment.

[Foreveram]

2 minutes ago, Steve Buckley’s Dog said:

Sadly it was runny. Over the plughole area so the cat’s effort and consideration can’t be faulted. A metaphor for our recruitment team? I couldn’t comment.

Are you sure you didn’t ask it the question, what do you think of Forest.

[europia]

7 hours ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

I think Warne’s update this afternoon also to some degree validates Big Trav’s credentials as an ITK (for those who feel it needs validating personally I appreciate the info he posts). He was on here yesterday mentioning a medical pencilled in for a name (that wasn’t Lee Gregory or Michael Smith), clearly we did have someone the club had kept under wraps lined up and it didn’t happen. Maybe one day BT will reveal the player 😉. Keep on posting what you know and what you can BT. 

I'm not frustrated or even disappointed by the predictable (non) signing of a striker. I would rather the club was just up front about it and treated the supporters with some respect or at least in an adult way. In any business transaction, if you are serious and professional you don't let a crucial deal get anywhere near the deadline unless you have a contingency plan to fall back on. All this stuff that trotted out 'just couldn't get the deal over the line'  'close but ran out of time'  'thought we had someone lined up' etc etc.... just puerile nonsense. 

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

Just saying..

Edited February 2 by kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong

[G STAR RAM]

5 minutes ago, europia said:

I'm not frustrated or even disappointed by the predictable (non) signing of a striker. I would rather the club was just up front about it and treated the supporters with some respect or at least in an adult way. In any business transaction, if you are serious and professional you don't let a crucial deal get anywhere near the deadline unless you have a contingency plan to fall back on. All this stuff that trotted out 'just couldn't get the deal over the line'  'close but ran out of time'  'thought we had someone lined up' etc etc.... just puerile nonsense. 

There's an awful lot of unprofessional clubs then.

Or maybe its just not like normal business transactions. 

Maybe a better comparison would be buying a house.

Would you buy a new house without selling your old house?

[McArthur Park]

Right, come on guys, January is over, there's a match on tomorrow. Time to put our differences behind us and get fully behind the team. The old players, the new ones, the one soon to leave us, let's help them get over the line. Still all to play for. COYR!

[Walkley Ram]

6 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

There's an awful lot of unprofessional clubs then.

Or maybe its just not like normal business transactions. 

Maybe a better comparison would be buying a house.

Would you buy a new house without selling your old house?

My old house ran off and joined notts county on a free 😭

[tinman]

1 hour ago, Eoghan1884 said:

Dwight Gayle spotted beside pride park, it’s all over X 

He’s playing Padel

[FlyBritishMidland]

41 minutes ago, Steve Buckley’s Dog said:

Sadly it was runny. Over the plughole area so the cat’s effort and consideration can’t be faulted. A metaphor for our recruitment team? I couldn’t comment.

So you make the cat have the tap end??

[Van der MoodHoover]

46 minutes ago, Steve Buckley’s Dog said:

For those who have diligently followed this thread, I can advise that my cat hast yet again deposited a steaming turd in the bath. Is it a sign of illness or a critique on our transfer window? Difficult to tell really. What a time to be alive. 

What number did it reach on the Bristol stool scale? 1-7 with 1 being pebbles and 7 being a Popadpolous, ie a gush of unformed arse gravy with no discernible substance......