January Transfers and Rumours

[JoeB2]

I've been fairly clear that I wouldn't extend Wilson's deal so don't want this to be seen as a opportunity to criticise the recruitment team.

Wilson is an excellent footballer, but for the 2nd season in succession is failing to hit 33%, or 1/3, of minutes. We are always a better side when he's fit, but how often does that happen?

Very popular and an easy win with fans on a day a very popular player leaves, but how much of a tangible impact will he have on our season? History suggests about 1 in 3 of the remaining games, or around 8-10 games, some of which he won't be fit for.

He could be the difference between going down and staying up, but I will always question the wisdom of sinking a wage into a player who is going to have to have a massive fitness turnaround to be anywhere near a consistent contributor.

Genuinely, fingers crossed he can turn a corner - I have just put up a picture in my office of his Wembley goal. Would proper love there to be more positive memories of him.

 

[Guppys left peg]

The right decision on Willo for me. In all honesty even if we get say 10 games of him that gives us more chance of points than being stuck with Loft for all the remaining ones. He’s looked sharp when he’s been on the pitch so just got to hope he can be a bit more lucky now.

[JoeB2]

I do think it's a sad indictment of the striker recruitment that we're all saying 10 games from Wilson > 24 games of our other strikers.

This is a forward with 6 League 1 goals. I really, really rate him - but to pin our hopes on him really illustrates how wrong we've got it in that part of the pitch.

[Trumpingtonvale]

3 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

I've been fairly clear that I wouldn't extend Wilson's deal so don't want this to be seen as a opportunity to criticise the recruitment team.

Wilson is an excellent footballer, but for the 2nd season in succession is failing to hit 33%, or 1/3, of minutes. We are always a better side when he's fit, but how often does that happen?

Very popular and an easy win with fans on a day a very popular player leaves, but how much of a tangible impact will he have on our season? History suggests about 1 in 3 of the remaining games, or around 8-10 games, some of which he won't be fit for.

He could be the difference between going down and staying up, but I will always question the wisdom of sinking a wage into a player who is going to have to have a massive fitness turnaround to be anywhere near a consistent contributor.

Genuinely, fingers crossed he can turn a corner - I have just put up a picture in my office of his Wembley goal. Would proper love there to be more positive memories of him.

 

I see it as the value of paying wages to someone who might well have a bigger impact on team performances /results in the minutes they do play compared to the cost of others who play 3 times as long for the same or lesser positive impact.

[JoeB2]

1 minute ago, Trumpingtonvale said:

I see it as the value of paying wages to someone who might well have a bigger impact on team performances /results in the minutes they do play compared to the cost of others who play 3 times as long for the same or lesser positive impact.

It shouldn't be either/or.

My personal view is there are strikers out there who could offer a lot more than Loft but with greater durability than Wilson. 

 

[janabbotts]

8 minutes ago, Guppys left peg said:

The right decision on Willo for me. In all honesty even if we get say 10 games of him that gives us more chance of points than being stuck with Loft for all the remaining ones. He’s looked sharp when he’s been on the pitch so just got to hope he can be a bit more lucky now.

Let's hope so! Superb player.  Fingers crossed he can stay injury free for a while.  Delighted he has signed for the rest.of the  season 

[valiant_593]

Makes sense to sign Wilson up. Our forward options are woeful and don’t suit our style of play, Wilson does. He will more than likely only play 10 games but given our current situation that’s better than playing Loft for 10 games. End of season deal makes sense, re asses at the end of the season if he can’t get through with no injuries then maybe another contract. Needs more goals though. 
 

[JoeB2]

18 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

I've been fairly clear that I wouldn't extend Wilson's deal so don't want this to be seen as a opportunity to criticise the recruitment team.

Wilson is an excellent footballer, but for the 2nd season in succession is failing to hit 33%, or 1/3, of minutes. We are always a better side when he's fit, but how often does that happen?

Very popular and an easy win with fans on a day a very popular player leaves, but how much of a tangible impact will he have on our season? History suggests about 1 in 3 of the remaining games, or around 8-10 games, some of which he won't be fit for.

He could be the difference between going down and staying up, but I will always question the wisdom of sinking a wage into a player who is going to have to have a massive fitness turnaround to be anywhere near a consistent contributor.

Genuinely, fingers crossed he can turn a corner - I have just put up a picture in my office of his Wembley goal. Would proper love there to be more positive memories of him.

 

This all being said - up the gunman wilson

[Vtid]

44 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

I do think it's a sad indictment of the striker recruitment that we're all saying 10 games from Wilson > 24 games of our other strikers.

This is a forward with 6 League 1 goals. I really, really rate him - but to pin our hopes on him really illustrates how wrong we've got it in that part of the pitch.

He's never gonna be a prolific goal scorer even if he's fully fit from now till the end of the season. He brings so much more to the team though, creates space for others, can pick a pass, holds the ball up well when into his feet, links up play better than anyone else at the club, his footballing intelligence, his energy are just a number of his assets. He may not score loads of goals this season but i can guarantee he will play a part in a lot as well as bagging a few. I didn't want to sign him up beginning of the season due to his injury issues which we all know is the problem with him but the position we find ourselves in now with the donkeys up top it would of been a travesty not to extend till may. Are we really going to bring a quality player in? that's the risk of letting him go & trying to find someone else, which isn't easy in that position let alone january window 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Vtid

[Paul6754]

The 25% of time Willo is on the pitch is likely to be more productive than 100% of any other striker we've got, fingers crossed he can manage more, much more than that.

There are strikers out there that are just as good and more durable than Willo but for one reason or another Vale  cannot attract them.  Possession is 9/10's of the law!

Shame about Arblaster going back to the Blades, gonna be another tough find to replace him with similar ability.

Edited December 29, 2023 by Paul6754

[Vtid]

5 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

I do think it's a sad indictment of the striker recruitment that we're all saying 10 games from Wilson > 24 games of our other strikers.

This is a forward with 6 League 1 goals. I really, really rate him - but to pin our hopes on him really illustrates how wrong we've got it in that part of the pitch.

7 & counting mate 😉

[Bobnewtonian]

5 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

I've been fairly clear that I wouldn't extend Wilson's deal so don't want this to be seen as a opportunity to criticise the recruitment team.

Wilson is an excellent footballer, but for the 2nd season in succession is failing to hit 33%, or 1/3, of minutes. We are always a better side when he's fit, but how often does that happen?

Very popular and an easy win with fans on a day a very popular player leaves, but how much of a tangible impact will he have on our season? History suggests about 1 in 3 of the remaining games, or around 8-10 games, some of which he won't be fit for.

He could be the difference between going down and staying up, but I will always question the wisdom of sinking a wage into a player who is going to have to have a massive fitness turnaround to be anywhere near a consistent contributor.

Genuinely, fingers crossed he can turn a corner - I have just put up a picture in my office of his Wembley goal. Would proper love there to be more positive memories of him.

 

Interesting you say  he could be the difference between staying up and going down yet you would have had him sacked off at the first opportunity.

Your thinking isn't very joined up. 

Utv.

[Guitar Ray]

Wilson is absolute quality, miles above this level.  It’s always been a case of if the deal is right then it’s a no brainer.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Guitar Ray

[Guitar Ray]

….I’ll also add that our January recruitment must include more of the current squad….also someone needs to start the fund for the Ben Garrity statue…..

[JRC]

It looks likely Cass and Conlon are going. Arblaster has gone. Hopefully we'll have a positive start to this window. LWB and central midfield are the 2 most pressing areas, with Ojo also out. 

Outside that a centreforward would be nice, although I suspect hard to secure. They need to decide what Sang is. He's never totally convinced as either a RWB or midfield player.  If they see him primarily as a midfield player then a RWB, unless Clark is likely to be back sooner than expected.  Cass doesn't need replacing as we have plenty of centrehalves. Provided Devine stays I think he plays better in centre midfield,  so I'd look for another 10. Two out, maybe 3 or 4 in would be my guess.