The January transfer window is almost upon us. What business would you like to see us do bearing in mind our limited resources?

Despite our defences lapses, I actually think we have a decent bunch of defenders when fit and also options in midfield albeit with Tansey and Vigurs both struggling for form.

I would rather see us strengthen up front. I see that Rory Loy has been told he can leave Dundee on a free. While he seems to have lost his way a bit at Dens, I think he is a decent forward who could do a job for us. 

Given the lack of game time he has had, I wonder if there is a possibility of getting Miles Storey on loan as well.

It puts a more defensive midfielder back into, erm, defensive midfield instead of a midfielder who isn't great defensively. 

It has no central midfielders playing wide on the left or right.

It has a second striker/attacking midfielder who *could* link up with Doumbouya better than the current support he gets. Could always stick Polworth in there and move Anier further forward.

Of course we might sign more players to give us more creativity up front or tighten up at the back but I've gone with the players currently available but we need to be realistic. We're unlikely to see wholesale changes to this side because we don't have the budget. A couple of short term fixes is probably about as good as it can get for us and hope we can limp over the finishing line.

Erm, not sure how dropping Draper further back in front of the back four can be seen as a positive when  our most and only successful period of the season came when he was in an advanced role.

We need a strong holding midfield player to break up play, Foran said it himself.    

As I've said already we might well sign another player in that mould which could allow Draper to play further forward but I'm basing this on the guys we have to pick from right now and Draper is the best option to play as a defensive midfielder from the current squad.

As Richie said in his interview most of the team are proven at this level. For a few season the core of the team has been Warren and Meekings with Draper and Tansey in front of them. Go back to this. Punt Vigurs. Sure, technically he is possibly our best player but a central midfielder needs mobility when he severely lacks (or the motivation to be mobile). Even putting Vigurs as an attacking midfielder is a problem as he wont make runs beyond the striker. The whole point of the 4-2-3-1 formation is the 3 have the freedom to make runs beyond the lone striker which has rarely happened this season. Draper was successful in that role because he would make those runs. I have generally agreed with most of Richies team selections and I am positive for the future despite our position but for me the main issue is Vigurs. Drop him and I think it will improve the team greatly.

2 hours ago, forresjags said:

We need a strong holding midfield player to break up play, Foran

There's your answer!

Our best performance of the season came against Dundee. We were excellent from start to finish and we should have won by more than 3 - 1. In that game Polworth played behind the striker for most of the game, Draper anchored the midfield with Tansey and Vigurs was on the bench. For me that says a lot.

Foran said recently that no players would be allowed to leave before new players were brought in, implying very much that there would be departures this window. Who does he have in mind - players that other clubs are wanting and will pay a fee for, or fringe players that we want off the payroll and who want first team football (e.g. Boden)?

On 18/01/2017 at 1:03 PM, RiG said:

Our best performance of the season came against Dundee. We were excellent from start to finish and we should have won by more than 3 - 1. In that game Polworth played behind the striker for most of the game, Draper anchored the midfield with Tansey and Vigurs was on the bench. For me that says a lot.

That was a rabbit in the headlights day.

Dundee kept changing formation so much to figure out how to overcome us that they didnt seemed to know what they were doing or where they should be. Those were the proactive days. We've had good and bad days with our own change of tactics.

It would be good to have  an outlet for the counter attack from defending a corner, an example Lincoln city, a game  with 0-0 written all on it, suddenly with the break on, a beautiful weighted pass not out wide but through the middle for the wide man to cut in, one on one with the keeper and a tap in. We did this with Hayes, Rooney and Foran. Even to spot one of ours making a run would be good and it doesn't have to be the same guy every time.

Not giving our central defense too high a line, Tansey and Draper work well in front. I can see why Vigurs gets picked with his capability for a shot on goal, but slack passing and failure to win the ball back, failing to back track or mark the 2nd runner costs us. Polworth has also come on really well and can only get better, one tiny, tiny criticism is the 4 second reflection time when a move doesn't quite come to fruition. The ball can be a good bit away by then. 

Story and Watkins were always looking for the ball and were off. If they lost it we still had plenty in our own half to defend. More recently we had greater numbers going forward but if say Mulraney lost the ball out wide we seemed to have less in our own half and wide open for the counter attack.

We have, I was going to call them good guys but we have enough quality players to win games easy and those times aren't far away.  There is a lot of good football that doesn't seem to get talked about and it's still there. So bring on the cup match and time to get going again in the league.

To Elgin and beyond. 

With Vigurs that doesn't happen every match but can happen on the odd bad day.

 

Edited January 19, 20178 yr by 12th Man

Folk moaning about other teams seemingly being able to find players that are doing the business for them and not us really need to get a reality check. I'm not really sure what is expected.

The fact of the matter is that most players we sign, due to their unattached lower league status will generally be punts. We've been very fortunate in recent years with the forward options we've signed. Rooney, Mckay, Watkins, Hayes and last season Storey. We're not always going to have a never ending supply of goal scorers. 

The task is finding the next one who can go on a run and grab 10 goals that might keep us up. 

Anier wasn't great at Dundee United but neither were Mckay or Ofere. At least not to the same standard they had been with us. He does however have experience at this level which should be seen as a positive. He's a capable player who with luck could be good for us. 

 

In saying that I here a certain Diego Costa wants to leave London. It's an absolute abhorrence that we haven't slapped in a 60m bid. 

I see Anier will be wearing 23 this season.  Haven't seen what Ebbe is but I presume it's #9.

Edit - I see the squad list on the official site has been updated and Ebbe is indeed wearing #9.  Only tonight realised that in the unveiling photo, Anier was the one with the beard...!

Edited January 19, 20178 yr by Renegade

Ryan Christie to Aberdeen....

11 minutes ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

Ryan Christie to Aberdeen....

All the more incentive for Miles to leave Pittodrie at least on loan.

Couilabaly (sp) leaving Killie could be beneficial to all the other clubs around the bottom half as he was their main creator and scorer although this may increase the rumours of Storey going there that have been circulating?

A little bit gutted that we couldn't get Christie ourselves but I can understand both Celtic and Ryans viewpoint in that it's better for his development that he has to force his way into the Aberdeen team and play well to keep his place rather than join a team where he'd almost certainly be an automatic pick. 

Unless Boden (or another forward) leaves there is absolutely no point moving for Storey. 

Maybe Aberdeen could afford to pay a higher contribution. Christie didn't even make a subs appearance at the weekend and there's nothing to say he will get a lot more game time at Aberdeen

 

Edited January 24, 20178 yr by 12th Man

2 hours ago, 12th Man said:

Maybe Aberdeen could afford to pay a higher contribution. Christie didn't even make a subs appearance at the weekend and there's nothing to say he will get a lot more game time at Aberdeen

 

Makes sense if Hayes and possibly McGinn are offski.

Whoops, someone spotted this in Ryan's Twitter history from 2012:

 

Awkward

 

Gut wrenching seeing Ryan sign for the dismals.  I'll no doubt have a steady flow of deluded dandies at my door today crowing at this loan signing. Despite being about 16 years old at the time young Ryan was bang on with his assessment of the dons support.

Hayes and McGinn definitely offski I would suggest.

10 hours ago, 12th Man said:

Maybe Aberdeen could afford to pay a higher contribution. Christie didn't even make a subs appearance at the weekend and there's nothing to say he will get a lot more game time at Aberdeen

 

 

27 minutes ago, ymip said:

Gut wrenching seeing Ryan sign for the dismals.  I'll no doubt have a steady flow of deluded dandies at my door today crowing at this loan signing. Despite being about 16 years old at the time young Ryan was bang on with his assessment of the dons support.

Hayes and McGinn definitely offski I would suggest.

Probably more than likely that he is replacing Maddison who has returned to Norwich. He'll get plenty of games for Aberdeen. Would like to think that we would have made an offer but I guess Aberdeen would have been able to pay more of his wages.

We're apparently trying to get Simon Murray on a PCA.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/356358/inverness-make-move-get-dundee-united-striker-simon-murray-pre-contract/

Edited January 25, 20178 yr by RiG

LETS FACE IT - WE ARE THE LOWEST OF THE LOW - THE SCUM OF THE EARTH

 

30 minutes ago, RiG said:

We're apparently trying to get Simon Murray on a PCA.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/356358/inverness-make-move-get-dundee-united-striker-simon-murray-pre-contract/

That will be a massive signing if it comes off, this could only further boost our chances upfront and a partnership with Murray and Anier is a mouthwatering thought!

It was Murray who was keeping Anier out of the DUtd team last season, an up and coming prospect I think and exactly the type of player I think we should be looking at. However given our position he may want to wait and see if we stay up before committing to anything. For once a genuinely exciting signing if it comes off.

 

17 minutes ago, bdu98196 said:

It was Murray who was keeping Anier out of the DUtd team last season, an up and coming prospect I think and exactly the type of player I think we should be looking at. However given our position he may want to wait and see if we stay up before committing to anything. For once a genuinely exciting signing if it comes off.

 

Encouraging that we are at least trying to sign a forward of Murray's potential.

Trialist in today's development squad.. any ideas?