I thought I would start a thread as we are 5 weeks away.

Will we do any business at all?

I suspect that we will only buy if one of our key targets suddenly becomes available otherwise we will sit tight. For once we are not desperate for reinforcements.

One player we might get is the young striker at Arsenal Eddie Nketiah who I believe is 6 months from a free transfer. He didn't seem keen to come in the summer but now that he has seen how well the team is playing under PV maybe he is tempted.

Apart from that I don't see any others.

Over to you.

One more point

Yup Martin Kelly for instance.

One more point

Still early doors and another couple of relatively bad injuries like McArthur in the coming weeks and we may decide we need to buy or loan a player. Otherwise, I agree with you Badger, we'll keep our powder dry until the summer.

on the exit front, I expect Mateta to return to Germany in January and let's not forget that in addition to Gallagher we have several other players whose contracts are due to end in June 22, including Kouyate, Ayew, Schlupp, Tomkins and McArthur. Will be interesting to see which of those are offered extensions and how soon.

Edited by doombear (25 Nov 2021 7.57pm)

I think we'll be looking at if there's any bargain deals to be done for players out of contract at the end of the season. Reckon there'll be more talks about Nketiah and maybe a couple of others to pad out the squad.

I can't see us doing much if anything at all. There's not that much value in January and I think all we'll see is us being linked to any player that remotely has a chance of going to Newcastle, purely to drive the price/contract up.

I think Nketiah is likely to be dead now. I think the reason we pulled out was he wanted silly money for someone who hasn't done a thing yet and if he's on a free, he will only ask for even more.

The one player I would love us to get though if he is fit and available would be Sander Berge from Sheff U. They are nowhere near top of the table but he hasn't played much football after hamstring surgery. If his hamstrings were sorted now, he would be the perfect player for our style of football at the base of the 3 in midfield.

McArthur I think will be (possibly has been)offered an extension

Kouyate, Ayew, and Schlupp seem to be first team or regular subs so seem to have PV favour. I think they will all be offered extensions but Kouyate may decide to go elsewhere. Personally I think Ayew is not good enough but PV seems to disagree

Tomkins I think it depends how much game time he gets, his injury record etc. When fit he is good cover but is no longer first choice

Ayew rolls his sleeves up and plays to PV's plan,an underated player. Does Wilf work like the devil without complaint or several whinges per match ?

Edited by beak (26 Nov 2021 10.07pm)

We have (believe it or not) no fewer than eight games between now and January 1st when the window opens. I think what business we do in the window will largely be determined by results in those matches, between now and then. Go on a decent run and find ourselves in 7th/8th/9th position and within a point or three of the top six (European places) and I wouldn't be that surprised if we went for the jugular, if the right players become available, investing a little more than any of us anticipate right now. Stay around lower mid-table with inconsistent performances throughout December and I expect we'll largely stand still in the transfer market and keep our powder dry for the summer. Despite sometimes being criticised, the Americans are more ambitious and have deeper pockets than you think. And for them, European football is a Holy Grail not to mention to a money-maker. Get into Europe and you're starting to establish yourself in the big time. It'd certainly move us up a tier in status as a club and dramatically increase brand recognition globally. My belief is that if European football is plausibly within reach come the turn of the year, they might be more willing to invest than you think to get there. January could yet be an interesting month.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

This post has been merged from a topic called 'Area's that need Strengthening in January' by Guntrisoft

Goalkeepers we are good
Right back - probably ok ( Ward, Clyne, & potentially Ferguson )
Left back - Mitchell and possibly Schlupp / Riedeweld. Given Schlupp maybe involved in ACON i think this area is weak particularly if anything happens to Mitchell.
Centre Back - probably be ok ( Tomkins, Guehi, Anderson, Kouyate )
Central Midfield - ok Hughes, McCarthur, Riedeweld, Gallagher, Kouyate, Milivojevic, Eze & Olise
Wide Midfielders - Olise, Eze, Zaha, Schlupp, Edouard & Ayew
Forwards - Benteke, Edouard, Ayew, Mateta & Zaha

In short another left back is really needed. Depending on the Ferguson injury situation and if he is going to be a premier league player the right back is an area we might also want to strengthen but this can wait.
Central / Defensive Midfield wise we have numbers but apart from Gallagher and an aging McCarthur we are lacking quality. Eze maybe the answer but i question his defensive ability and he needs game time to get up to speed. Hughes looks lightweight.
Forward wise we have numbers and they can score goals. All look better when Gallagher plays further forward.
Depending on the budget a left back on loan should see us through.

Edited by viveasheagle (09 Dec 2021 7.03am)

This post has been merged from a topic called 'Area's that need Strengthening in January' by Guntrisoft

I would like us to try offload Wilf, Benteke and Luka and buy a new left winger and Centre Forward and loan a defensive midfielder.
and run kelly, Clyne and Ayews contract down and get a new right back in the summer

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn