Swansea last January...

... signed Luke Moore from WBA, Ryan Harley from Exeter (who stayed at Exeter on loan) and Leon Britton came back from Sheffield United after 6 months.

You could hardly say that we were pushing the boat out at the time, even though we were in a decent position to push on for promotion. What soon became clear though was that Moore and Britton were brought in to compliment what we already had, a team that were greater than the sum of the parts.

At the start of the season, a lot of posters on here were talking about consolidation and building this season, ready for a push next year. I guarantee that if I could be bothered, the sentiments were the same at Swansea when Brendan Rodgers got the job, I can even remember a few people being concerned that the Swans had lacked ambition in appointing him. Look at what happened next.

I realise that you had a far bigger rebuilding job to do in the Summer, on the other hand, Rodgers had to deal with a fair few problems that Sousa had left for him.

I know it's been mentioned, but just pointing out that you don't have to go spending a fortune in January, you're third on merit and Mackay seems to be fairly shrewd with his transfer policy from what I've read about putting portfolios together on potential signings etc.

Before anyone points it out, we signed Borini on loan during March, which is another option that you have, there'll be some decent youngsters knocking around for loan moves in February, usually on very good deals as their clubs look to get them more experience.

It's not all doom and gloom if you don't sign a lot of players, in fact, in the long run, it could well benefit what seems to be a fairly tight unit that you have down there this season if you don't?

... signed Luke Moore from WBA, Ryan Harley from Exeter (who stayed at Exeter on loan) and Leon Britton came back from Sheffield United after 6 months.

You could hardly say that we were pushing the boat out at the time, even though we were in a decent position to push on for promotion. What soon became clear though was that Moore and Britton were brought in to compliment what we already had, a team that were greater than the sum of the parts.

At the start of the season, a lot of posters on here were talking about consolidation and building this season, ready for a push next year. I guarantee that if I could be bothered, the sentiments were the same at Swansea when Brendan Rodgers got the job, I can even remember a few people being concerned that the Swans had lacked ambition in appointing him. Look at what happened next.

I realise that you had a far bigger rebuilding job to do in the Summer, on the other hand, Rodgers had to deal with a fair few problems that Sousa had left for him.

I know it's been mentioned, but just pointing out that you don't have to go spending a fortune in January, you're third on merit and Mackay seems to be fairly shrewd with his transfer policy from what I've read about putting portfolios together on potential signings etc.

Before anyone points it out, we signed Borini on loan during March, which is another option that you have, there'll be some decent youngsters knocking around for loan moves in February, usually on very good deals as their clubs look to get them more experience.

It's not all doom and gloom if you don't sign a lot of players, in fact, in the long run, it could well benefit what seems to be a fairly tight unit that you have down there this season if you don't?

Excellent post...

I cant understand why so many of us thinks we need so many players in,but i do know we need a couple to bolster the squad.Personally i dont want big money signing coming upsettling every1 and pushing the likes of mason,ralls n gestede out as they have been in the squad which are sitting 3rd.If its "in malky we trust",we should start trusting him

Excellent post...

I cant understand why so many of us thinks we need so many players in,but i do know we need a couple to bolster the squad.Personally i dont want big money signing coming upsettling every1 and pushing the likes of mason,ralls n gestede out as they have been in the squad which are sitting 3rd.If its "in malky we trust",we should start trusting him

There really doesn't seem to be a great need to spend a whole lot, if you keep some of the budget to one side, there is always the loan market for any emergencies that crop up. In fact, let the other clubs blow their budget now, it'll probably put you in a much stronger position in the loan market if other clubs can see that their players will get first team football.

... signed Luke Moore from WBA, Ryan Harley from Exeter (who stayed at Exeter on loan) and Leon Britton came back from Sheffield United after 6 months.

You could hardly say that we were pushing the boat out at the time, even though we were in a decent position to push on for promotion. What soon became clear though was that Moore and Britton were brought in to compliment what we already had, a team that were greater than the sum of the parts.

At the start of the season, a lot of posters on here were talking about consolidation and building this season, ready for a push next year. I guarantee that if I could be bothered, the sentiments were the same at Swansea when Brendan Rodgers got the job, I can even remember a few people being concerned that the Swans had lacked ambition in appointing him. Look at what happened next.

I realise that you had a far bigger rebuilding job to do in the Summer, on the other hand, Rodgers had to deal with a fair few problems that Sousa had left for him.
good post
I know it's been mentioned, but just pointing out that you don't have to go spending a fortune in January, you're third on merit and Mackay seems to be fairly shrewd with his transfer policy from what I've read about putting portfolios together on potential signings etc.

Before anyone points it out, we signed Borini on loan during March, which is another option that you have, there'll be some decent youngsters knocking around for loan moves in February, usually on very good deals as their clubs look to get them more experience.

It's not all doom and gloom if you don't sign a lot of players, in fact, in the long run, it could well benefit what seems to be a fairly tight unit that you have down there this season if you don't?

dont forget they brought in borini as well and he was a key figure who the desperately wanted to keep hold off.. i think things have worked out for the better for them though in the signing of danny graham.

dont know if the would have signed him if they did keep borini??

dont forget they brought in borini as well and he was a key figure who the desperately wanted to keep hold off.. i think things have worked out for the better for them though in the signing of danny graham.

dont know if the would have signed him if they did keep borini??

Borini came on loan halfway through March and certainly gave us a lift for the last couple of months of the season. What he hadn't mentioned until just before the play offs was that he had signed a pre-contract arrangement with Parma. I'm sure we tried to find a way around it at some point but then Roma paid around 1.7m for a season long loan, and with an agreement to pay 5m for him in the Summer, that was us priced out.

As for Danny Graham, he had been top of Rodgers wanted list since he became our manager.

A lot of our wins this season have been very scrappy and have elevated us to a somewhat false position in third.

We are very organised, solid, and difficult to beat, but most people can see from the start of the season that we lack pace, creativity and options upfront.

Personally, I feel, if we are to stay in 3rd and push on for autos then this needs to be addressed, and its only in them positions most people are asking for new players. No-ones asking for defenders or centre mids for the sake of it. Just 1 or 2 wingers, and another striker, to compliment what we already got.

We could very well hang on in there until the end of the season without getting new players, as there is a good team spirit, but I doubt we could go the whole season coming out victorious in tight, scrappy games, where neither team has played really well. So far we have had the knack, rub of the green, whatever you want to call it, but I dont think this can continue ALL season and thats we we need some extra options.

I dont think the fans are being too unreasonable to ask VT to give MM some money to go and give us that extra push. Most people are clever enough to know we cant go splashing silly money, but we are in a good position, and just a little bit of money might do the trick.

[quote="polo"]A lot of our wins this season have been very scrappy and have elevated us to a somewhat false position in third.

quote]





I thought last season was a false position as well, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRST!


The table never lies lamb fiddler

Seriosly Polo, being stupid really does come natural to you eh?


You are the best by far!!

we defiantly need a pacey winger and a new option up front i'm not going to be hugely upset if we don't go up cause i said that at the beginning of the season and so i still say it but would love to go up of course and i think two more signings could result in us giving that final push to go up as for Polo saying a lot of our wins are scrappy got to disagree sorry mate a couple of wins have been scrappy with only Doncaster (H) the only scrappy win i've seen this season imo but i didn't go to Forest or Brum home and have fought to be where we are and rightly deserve it keep the faith and trust Malky !!!!

... signed Luke Moore from WBA, Ryan Harley from Exeter (who stayed at Exeter on loan) and Leon Britton came back from Sheffield United after 6 months.

You could hardly say that we were pushing the boat out at the time, even though we were in a decent position to push on for promotion. What soon became clear though was that Moore and Britton were brought in to compliment what we already had, a team that were greater than the sum of the parts.

At the start of the season, a lot of posters on here were talking about consolidation and building this season, ready for a push next year. I guarantee that if I could be bothered, the sentiments were the same at Swansea when Brendan Rodgers got the job, I can even remember a few people being concerned that the Swans had lacked ambition in appointing him. Look at what happened next.

I realise that you had a far bigger rebuilding job to do in the Summer, on the other hand, Rodgers had to deal with a fair few problems that Sousa had left for him.

I know it's been mentioned, but just pointing out that you don't have to go spending a fortune in January, you're third on merit and Mackay seems to be fairly shrewd with his transfer policy from what I've read about putting portfolios together on potential signings etc.

Before anyone points it out, we signed Borini on loan during March, which is another option that you have, there'll be some decent youngsters knocking around for loan moves in February, usually on very good deals as their clubs look to get them more experience.

It's not all doom and gloom if you don't sign a lot of players, in fact, in the long run, it could well benefit what seems to be a fairly tight unit that you have down there this season if you don't?

Your best post so far.

A lot of our wins this season have been very scrappy and have elevated us to a somewhat false position in third.

We are very organised, solid, and difficult to beat, but most people can see from the start of the season that we lack pace, creativity and options upfront.

Personally, I feel, if we are to stay in 3rd and push on for autos then this needs to be addressed, and its only in them positions most people are asking for new players. No-ones asking for defenders or centre mids for the sake of it. Just 1 or 2 wingers, and another striker, to compliment what we already got.

We could very well hang on in there until the end of the season without getting new players, as there is a good team spirit, but I doubt we could go the whole season coming out victorious in tight, scrappy games, where neither team has played really well. So far we have had the knack, rub of the green, whatever you want to call it, but I dont think this can continue ALL season and thats we we need some extra options.

I dont think the fans are being too unreasonable to ask VT to give MM some money to go and give us that extra push. Most people are clever enough to know we cant go splashing silly money, but we are in a good position, and just a little bit of money might do the trick.

You made some good points there, but you also contradicted yourself.

We're not in a false position, we've slipped down the table after some bad results and we've climbed accordingly after a good run. The Championship is an excellent, competitive division, in my opinion and all the other teams have suffered bad results, which is why nobody is running away with the title (yet).

If we don't make any new signings, then I will be concerned (you may remember I suggested an extra 5 or 6 players and people laughed at me), but we will only suffer if we have a lot of injuries and suspensions, which we may not.

I think we're good enough to finish in the top 2, if we can solve the confidence problem that some of our midfielders have and score more goals (although we're the 3rd highest scorers anyway).

Excellent Post, you make a really good point, Borina got you prmotion IMO, he made a massive difference at just the right time for you.

I trust Malky to get the right type of players for the right money to give it a go, the Championship is very unpredicatable but I think we are in with an outside chance

Excellent post, but I still think that the name of the game for us this season is consolodation. Doing better that most of us thought, but still a tough second half of the season to come. We'll see

Good post Chief. If we dont sign anyone i wont be like cutting my wrists

dont forget they brought in borini as well and he was a key figure who the desperately wanted to keep hold off.. i think things have worked out for the better for them though in the signing of danny graham.

dont know if the would have signed him if they did keep borini??

Borini came on loan halfway through March and certainly gave us a lift for the last couple of months of the season. What he hadn't mentioned until just before the play offs was that he had signed a pre-contract arrangement with Parma. I'm sure we tried to find a way around it at some point but then Roma paid around 1.7m for a season long loan, and with an agreement to pay 5m for him in the Summer, that was us priced out.

As for Danny Graham, he had been top of Rodgers wanted list since he became our manager.

cheers for info... there was no doubting he was talented though.. cant believe the deal was lined up with parma and you didnt know..

personally though i feel you have got a really good all round striker in graham !

Good post mr scotsjack


I work with a few jb's and they were grumbling like hell last year - really upset that we had 'cheated' by having bellamy although even then I had the feeling you lot were going up and i was telling them that the jacks had a team and we had individuals.

Your home form was good plus your defence and ball retention was good.

As you say - you have the sum of the parts which is a bit like us this season although.....

1. You did get more players in for the kick on last Jan
2. Your squad was well into the 30's with about 8 strikers???
3. You weren't carrying a lot of dead wood in your squad

From what I see - we can achieve the same but we do need 2 or 3 players of the calibre required to get us there. We must improve or passing and retention so we dont lose our energy and focus chasing the ball back. We need to make our home patch a guarranteed win but without the pace, ball retention and ideas, it could be hard.

We aint that far off and deffo dont want to waste cash we dont really have!