Transfer window

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with Sparky that this is a strange signing, although I am not sure I would rather have Blissett: GTF at least has half a footballing brain. However, as Sparky says, if GTF does have a role to play it is in the number ten position and he is certainly not a goalscorer.

I would hope we will sign at least one more striker, as we now look weak up front. The only two decent forwards we have are Norwood and potentially Margetts, the latter being well out of favour with the manager. As I have said previously, Brabin's willingness to get rid of Mangan and recall Stockton and Margetts, who months ago he deemed surplus to requirements, in addition to retaining an unfit and possibly past-it GTF, suggest an absence of strategy and forethought.

For all the talk of strengthening the squad as the season progressed, we now look weaker up front than we did in the summer.

 

[Boz]

I'm quite happy Blissett has gone elsewhere. Don't mind keeping GTF as a squad player, he creates some decent opportunities, but agree not as an out-and-out striker. Poor communication from the club, nothing on the o/s, instead some crap about Liverpool youth team playing at PP.


It is surprising that there hasn't been more progress on recruiting another striker as we do look fairly weak up front now.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

When fit, at least GTF offers something different and we are short of numbers in midfield, where he will surely be playing. GB sees him in training, so should know his general level of fitness and his character. It is very disappointing that we have not signed a single new player, despite losing Mangan and Tomlinson. I am sure GB and his scouts are doing their best to find and sign up replacements. With half the transfer window now gone, it must be dispiriting not to have brought in anyone else. You wonder who else is left. I just hope the GTF signing was strategic and not out of desperation.

 

[drwhoman]

As has been said before the official site tells us nothing. And with a spare weekend and a clear training week ahead you would have thought any signings would have been made by now. The lack of action is surprising and I wonder if Mark is (as has been suggested by some here that he should) saying to Brabin 'do with what you have' on the basis that he stands or falls on his performance during the rest of the season? Time will tell! On an unrelated note I see that Bakayogo has signed for Crewe after two years out with injury. You have to admire perserverance like that.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Jury is out on GTF by the looks.
To me he proved his worth, to a degree, in home match to Guiseley.
Attacking Kop end, second half, Mekki was in great position on right, got himself into a great position in box, Norwood was at back post but he chose to shoot.
He skewed in horribly wide at near post and Nors was apoplectic!
GTF physically restrained Nors and applauded Mekki, clapping his hands and encouraging him.
GTF earned some respect from me for that.
And Mekki has gone on to show he really does deserve a place.
I say all this because you don't always see a player's worth at face value.

 

[Sparky]

It's official. O/s says he's signed till end of season.

Madness

 

[Ian]

I dont mind GTF, he's good with the ball at his feet and has the experience and footballing brain but at 34 I do think he struggles with fitness, and I'm just not sure whether this is the right league for him and also whether he'll stay fit for the season.

Still pretty much fuming about the Mangan fiasco. We will not be able to replace Mangan who can score goals and can walk into a side a few leagues ahead of us.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Still pretty much fuming about the Mangan fiasco. We will not be able to replace Mangan who can score goals and can walk into a side a few leagues ahead of us.

Yes, I agree. Taken on its merits, the GTF signing is not bad, but losing Mangan was disastrous. If, as has been reported, there was no falling out between Brabin and Mangan, I don't understand why we did not reject the transfer request and tell him he had a big part to play in our season, knuckle down and decide on your future in the summer. The same approach worked for Everton with John Stones.

It just makes no sense to sell your best players mid-season.

 

[bigmart]

Mangan played the full 90 minutes for Shrewsbury yesterday and missed a penalty, I find it truly amazing he doesn't fit into out style of football as for him not being fit well that clearly isn't true

 

[Boz]

Like it or not (and I don't) Mangan is gone. More worrying is the lack of progress in finding any kind of replacement.

 

[Ian]

More worrying is the lack of progress in finding any kind of replacement.

That there is the problem when you get rid of one of your forwards without a replacement lined up, mid season. I wouldn't think in our position there will be too many options out there who can step in and score us the goals we need.

 

[drwhoman]

Mangan would appear to have been sold with zero thought on the basis that he had the temerity to ask Brabin why he was not getting a fair go. You really do wonder about Gary's man management. Mangan was one of the last people we needed to lose.

 

[Mal]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/left-rovers-good-terms-says-10740118

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I see from the OS that Lee Vaughan has been signed on a contract, although only until the end of the season. This was predictable and will probably be welcomed by most supporters.

So, that's the defence sorted. The midfield is OK if we don't have too many more injuries. But, in my view we are still two forwards short of ideal. I hope the Mangan saga hasn't put off prospective signings.

By the way, do we know if Dawson's coming back when he's fit? I notice that his squad number has been given to Jeff Hughes, which does not bode well.

 

[Sparky]

Vaughan is an ok signing. He hasn't shone but has done ok. At least it means no square pegs in round holes given he's a specialist RB so Boz will be happy

I don't think Dawson will be fit until next month at the earliest. We should do all we can to sign him if possible but sadly I don't think it will happen.

Yes we need one striker preferably 2 if GB doesn't rate Cole or Margetts.

 

[Boz]

No complaint about Vaughan signing on for the rest of the season from this quarter.

The Dawson situation is interesting. If we think he's that good should GB take a risk on him recovering fully from injury and sign Adam up for the rest of the season or longer?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am pleased that Vaughan has signed. He is good going forward and is always willing to overlap, something our other full backs don't really offer. Defensively I think he is a bit dodgy, but then you are not going to get the perfect right back at this level.

Regarding Dawson, I would not take the gamble of signing him until he has proved his fitness. We have been stung in the past by betting the house on injured players returning to form (Wallace being the obvious example).

 

[drwhoman]

We are now on the 21st. Does anyone have any news on possible signings including a striker? All seems horribly quiet. I see Chester have signed three players including two from Burnley on loan.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

We are now on the 21st. Does anyone have any news on possible signings including a striker? All seems horribly quiet. I see Chester have signed three players including two from Burnley on loan.

I agree. I have complained before that under previous regimes we have been over reliant on young untried loanees. However, we have now almost gone the other way. We have a settled squad, mostly all under contract (at least until the end of the season). If we can't sign an experienced, proven goalscorer, then maybe we need to look again at the loan market. It can be a bit hit and miss, but remember Jake Cassidy in his first spell. There must be dozens of young strikers at Premiership and Championship clubs who would benefit from some first team experience. Surely GB and his team with their contacts should be able to find one.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

While the average age of the squad is probably too high, I am not sure unproven youngsters are what we need at present. We could really do with replacing the departed squad members with players of similar quality and experience, but that is not easy, as is obvious from the lack of transfer activity.