I'm not saying I want to see Chris Martin or Hugill or Marriott at Leeds. Chris Martin has always seemed like a good player when I've seen him but he's 29 and has an average goal record, Hugill didn't impress me that much when I saw him and not seen Marriot play. But surely we should be able to afford them if the club have identified them as targets.
Something is seriously wrong if we can't afford Chris Martin's wages or we want Hugill/Marriott but think that £6-8million is too steep. If you sell your striker for £15+million (which is increasingly looking like a poor deal for us), signing a replacement for £8million isn't a bad deal.
I understand the club taking a policy of not spending big money on individual players but the club always claimed they didn't intend to sell Wood and they would reinvest. Replacement should be a one off and cost shouldn't matter.
What can we afford then?
posted on 16/1/18
The way I see it, automatic promotion is a fantasy given that we're 10 points off the pace and the teams up there are really on-form, some already strengthening their squads in this window.
The question AR is probably asking himself is whether it's worth gambling millions in this (expensive) window just for the possibility of staying in the playoff places (and being in the lottery that it brings)?
If it was my money, I'd probably tell Orta to line things up for a strong summer window and just look for loan offerings and bargain gambles right now.
Not what I would want as a fan, but probably more realistic than expecting big bucks to flow in this window.
posted on 16/1/18
Can see your point, but it won't cost a lot to get a better midfield. There are better midfielders in L1 than what we have. A left back, we could have signed any in this division and they'd be better than Anita and nearly as good as Berardi
posted on 16/1/18
43, well said
posted on 16/1/18
I really wish it was TC telling Radz what we need rather than Orta....because it will be TC that gets the boot when it all fails when we have bought more gambles.
I'm happy with Saiz, Alioski and Ekuban but the rest have not made an impact and it's a worry when Orta is the one pulling the strings.
I don't think we will spend anything in this window and it will probably be telling in May when we have missed out by a few points whilst every team around us strengthened in Jan, for the second year running.
I'm happy with TC and off the pitch stuff, but it feels like groundhog day.
posted on 16/1/18
I get your point and agree 43.
But don't agree that there are no good deals to be done this window. Hourinahne, Winnall, Lansbury are some of the deals done last year all for reported less than 3million (Winall was 500k+ reported)
Club could make good signings this window.
posted on 16/1/18
Wasn't one of the reasons TC was hired the fact that he'd managed under the DOF euro model? And that he was comfortable with Orta bringing in the players?
In other words, he wasn't going to rock the boat over players. He was more likely to just get on with what he was given. Swear I read something of that sort back when he was brought in. May have been Orta or AR saying it.
posted on 16/1/18
Club could make good signings this window.
>>>>>>>>
Completely agree with that Best.
I think for us, under Orta, the word 'could' becomes
a massive factor. I'm not convinced (yet), that Orta
can identify or sign the players we need. Hope he proves me wrong.
posted on 16/1/18
43 - if it was my money I'd probably tell Orta to go.
posted on 16/1/18
I still see this Xfer market as a chance to replace the injuries & loanees which have not worked.
posted on 16/1/18
Agree with you, 43, autos are out of reach, but the play-offs are not.
We have been following this club long enough to know how hard it is getting into play-off contention but we are not the ones backing that desire with hard cash. AR has been clear from the start that there is a long-term plan in place and he is showing no signs of deviating from it, no matter how frustrating that is for the rest of us.
That said, he must know that we are sliding back from last year's levels. Sometimes, you have to change your plans to take advantage of opportunity. There are players out there who could change our season in the space of a couple of games.
AR has to decide whether to stick or twist.