Joel Dixon - has few fans but still need a decent 2nd choice - Release

MJ Williams - Versatile but we need better  - Release

Kieran Lee - love him but too injury prone this season - Release

Josh Sheehan  - shown flashes of quality but not a Champ player,  can do a job at this level - New contract

George Thomason  - Evatt likes him but he's not in the starting line up - Keep on the hope he gets better.

Lloyd Isgrove -  great servant but time to move on. - Release

Elias Kachunga - I like him (ducks) but when we signed him we had to wait for him to lower his wage demands so expensive.  New contract on less money.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson - when fit he gives us another dimension - New contract.

 

That frees up 4 places plus the returning loans.  10 news players needed on the assumption that Sads is going to be moved on.

Randy, Iredale and Ashworth on the left. JDC, Jones and Matheson on the right.

Unless anyone we sign is displacing Randy or JDC there's no great news there

i want to know where this back up for charles is coming from and more to the point why he would be happy to sit on the bench

We could always recall Declan John from Salford if we're really short...

1 minute ago, Cheese said:

We could always recall Declan John from Salford if we're really short...

Weren’t in the squad last night

5 minutes ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

Weren’t in the squad last night

He played the full match on Saturday.

1 hour ago, Casino said:

i want to know where this back up for charles is coming from and more to the point why he would be happy to sit on the bench

Bolton fans want a top scorer on the bench happy to warm it and get paid peanuts.. 

 

2 hours ago, Casino said:

i want to know where this back up for charles is coming from and more to the point why he would be happy to sit on the bench

Back up

we should be looking for a partner for him 

We have one, Bodvarson.

4 hours ago, Cheese said:

We could always recall Declan John from Salford if we're really short...

Declan John is really short.

5 hours ago, RUREADY2ROLL said:

Weren’t in the squad last night

GMR said that we didn't want him to play in a cup game. 

2 minutes ago, desperado said:

GMR said that we didn't want him to play in a cup game. 

Yeah, he didn't play in the ealrier game, but has played ELFT games for them.

We also have Max Conway for LWB who looked pretty impressive when he’s played, not often I accept but seems to have potential. Is he still out on loan, I haven’t heard how he’s doing?

hes probably going to be filed with hutch

22 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

We also have Max Conway for LWB who looked pretty impressive when he’s played, not often I accept but seems to have potential. Is he still out on loan, I haven’t heard how he’s doing?

Conway went on loan to Fylde with Khumbeni last month.

Conway has played the full 90 minutes of all six games Fylde have played since he went there and Khumbeni has missed just 40 minutes.

Edited November 16, 20232 yr by Traf

The challenge we face in Jan is that there no point bringing in players who do not improve the squad and we have to have the ambition to think could contribute in a higher division. As we are currently pushing for top two anything else would be waste. 

The obvious position is up front but we are 1 goal off being top goal scorers in the division. We have 13 players who have scored this season. Excluding the Papa Johns. Bizarrely only 2 of our 5 centre forwards have scored !

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/bolton-wanderers/top-scorers

Midfield the improvement of GT and the impressive start now fit made by Maghoma alongside the level Sheehan is playing at mean that Morley and Dempsey make up 5 for the 3 slots. 

At the back we have had suspensions and injuries but Santos, Toal and Jones are basically sound with acceptable cover. Wing backs I think we can cover. Ashworth, Forester and Iredale all could play without the level dropping massively. 

So we go back to the front. Are we going to sign anyone better than a fit JDB ? Vic for all his faults has been part of the team that has got us to third. Desperately needs a goal as does Dan. Jerome is already 5th choice in most people's eyes. We also hopefully at some point will see a positive contribution from CMG. 
 

It will be interesting to see what approach we take, the gut feeling that another forward is needed but if our style sees goals chipped in from across the squad maybe midfield is where we are short. 

3 of the 5!

Ignore, you excluded the mini cup. 

Which i still got wrong! Would be 4!

Edited November 16, 20232 yr by Tonge moor green jacket

I think recruitment in January will be a challenge. To improve our squad we are realistically now looking at lower/mid Championship level.  Both the club and any potential recruit is going to have to make a leap of faith that we are going up.

Whilst I'm not a big fan of developing other clubs players, I think loans be the most realistic route for the second half of the season.  They are going to have to be a good bit better better than what we've got.

I think LWB cover is a weak spot, Iredale is solid but one dimensional in there, Ashworth has looked OK in less challenging games but his track record so far has been international call up/injured/international call up/injured/international call up.  We're not playing kids at LWB.  Gethin Jones and Luke Matheson are more promising cover at RWB.

Only position I think we are short in is a proper Defensive midfielder but we have a lot of midfielders so I do think we can get by without one. Would be nice if we can get a better version of MJ though 

If we bring in a striker then one on loan, a good one, can come ... do his bit ... & go. Costs relatively little. 

If it's a purchase he needs to be better than 4 of our current 5 & complement Dion. They would, as a minimum, have to be of solid Div 2 ability and within our price range ... oh, & available. 

I suspect a loan would be our best bet unless we really are flying come January. 

9 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

If it's a purchase he needs to be better than 4 of our current 5 & complement Dion.

Are you already discounting Bod?

Shazza needs to get on the phone to West Ham and get Divin Mubaba up here from West Ham.

2 hours ago, MickyD said:

Are you already discounting Bod?

I suppose I did. Not for lack of talent, but lack of surety that he'll be fit enough of the time.

If we're looking for a player as a step up he needs to be better than Bod. That's the minimum standard.

Not sure a "decent" striker on loan is viable.

If we're taking a younger player, their club is going to want to see them play. 

We've got a front line currently succeeding so that means potentially upsetting someone, and at a time when things are going well.

With funds being short I don’t think we can afford another forward, nor do I believe we need one. It amuses me when some claim Bod to be injury prone when prior to his ankle injury he had no record of being so and has shown in recent performances that he’s near peak fitness so it’s almost like having a new player. Midfield looks brill to me and defensively the only potential weakness is LWB so any money we do have I’d spend there.

2 hours ago, Whitesince63 said:

With funds being short I don’t think we can afford another forward, nor do I believe we need one. It amuses me when some claim Bod to be injury prone when prior to his ankle injury he had no record of being so and has shown in recent performances that he’s near peak fitness so it’s almost like having a new player. Midfield looks brill to me and defensively the only potential weakness is LWB so any money we do have I’d spend there.

Millwall fan I know reckons he was injury prone whilst there 

Not long term stuff but lots of niggly stuff