January transfer window

[redrobo]

It's doubtful that funds will allow us to have a dabble but IF we could no doubt what position we badly need......the number of times DA has said that we don't take our chances is growing match by match.

I tried to calculate that if we had scored when we appeared to be in contention we would be round about 8th in the league just on the edge of the play offs.

Someone who can sniff out a goal ie a goal poacher is so badly needed.....

[black morse]

It's doubtful that funds will allow us to have a dabble but IF we could no doubt what position we badly need......the number of times DA has said that we don't take our chances is growing match by match.

I tried to calculate that if we had scored when we appeared to be in contention we would be round about 8th in the league just on the edge of the play offs.

Someone who can sniff out a goal ie a goal poacher is so badly needed.....

And has been for years!

[Westgate Wanderer]

It's doubtful that funds will allow us to have a dabble but IF we could no doubt what position we badly need......the number of times DA has said that we don't take our chances is growing match by match.

I tried to calculate that if we had scored when we appeared to be in contention we would be round about 8th in the league just on the edge of the play offs.

Someone who can sniff out a goal ie a goal poacher is so badly needed.....

And has been for years!

By most teams!

[fulwoodshrimp]

Freddie has a reputation in junior football as a goalscorer. I think as the season develops he should be given a chance to show us if he is ready for league football.

[BerlinWaller]

Where are we going to pluck an in form striker from in January? Eastleigh have a lad in demand and Champ clubs are looking at him.so what level are we going to get one from? Best we can hope for is a loan from an U23 squad.

[Little Shrimp]

Not sure if I'll be able to find it as it was released during spring I think, but NTT20 did an excellent podcast basically explaining why the 'we need a striker'/'we need a 20 goal a season man' argument is generally a load of rubbish.

Our top scorer in the league is Phillips with 5 goals, then CMG with 4. Newport's top scorers each have 4 (Twine, Amond and Abrahams). Second place Cheltenham's top scorer is Williams with 6, but their next highest tally is 3. Mellish is top scorer for Carlisle in fourth with 7, but he's a defender converted into a central midfielder.

I was listening to a little bit of Mike Flynn's interview, and quite early on he states he doesn't care who scores the goals (12 different people have scored for Newport this season already in the league). Quite right. Do you think Chris Beech gives a toss that it's Mellish who's got 7 and not Alessandra?

We are not going to suddenly sign an Eoin Doyle. If we do get someone, as has been stated above it'll be unknown that we unearth (like Phillips last season) or maybe someone out of form. Max Watters is tearing it up for Crawley on loan from Doncaster - previously the highest tier on the pyramid he looks to have scored at is the seventh (NPL Premier Division). Take Aaron Collins as well - had several unsuccessful loan spells at L2 before coming to us. And Vadaine Oliver has just scored three goals this week in L1.

It's not about someone with a magical goalscoring touch. It's about finding the players that suit our team and can help get the best out of each other.

Also today we did not miss a host of chances that we needed a Gary Lineker type to tuck away. Our best chance after the goal was the save from Phillips, which was created from a decent move and a moment of ingenuity from him. Not something having a poacher on the pitch would have made any difference to.

[Andy D]

think we'd have to ship people out to make room for anybody new to come in.


`The McAlinden situation is strange, he look dangerous, and you'd think he'd link up well with Stockton, but no and i'm now starting to think there must be a problem with his attitude or something, and if Derek isn't going to play him then he might do some business with him in the transfer window.

[Shrimpy]

I find this idea of “we need to sign a striker” a bit of an odd one.

Cole Stockton fits the team perfectly and we’d do well to find a better player to do what he does within our budget.

I agreed with the argument that we need to put away more or our chances but if you actually look at who these chances are falling to it isn’t Stockton.

Phillips, Wildig, Carlos, Slew + others all guilty of not finishing off good chances created by the team. Rather than sign another striker I’d much prefer a good wide player to compliment Cole and Carlos in the front 3 and essentially replace Slew in the side.

Not that it’s even remotely possible but a player like Ash Hunter would probably have seen us pick up about 2 or 3 more wins this season than we currently have and we’d be in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot.

I’d suggest that Derek thought Ben Pringle would be this player for us, I was certainly hoping he would, but he’s been hugely disappointing.

[BerlinWaller]

Bolton have Doyle and Delfouneso up front, imagine how much of our budget (remember that word?) that would eat up. They got hammered yesterday and have been underwhelming in the league so far. The notion of a number 9 solving all problems is out dated. Yes, you need a guy to take more chances than they miss and the ones that do go for the big coin but if you haven't got the players to create or to keep goals out then what is the point? League 2 managers have to find the balance and try and score one more goal than the opposition. We have a solid system which means we are harder to beat and we create more chances.