Window review

[MrRobbo]

Schupp and Holding out. Chalobah recalled. Esse and Chilwell in.

On balance, decent. Especially with Wharton and Franca returning.

Sounds like Diouf was our first choice, went after him early but weren’t willing to pay what would have been a league record. Which on balance probably is the right thing to do. Whilst most likely a short-term solution Chilwell is a proven prem performer, and we know he’ll be able to play the LWB role, and well.

Looks like we were looking for CB cover, but couldn’t find it. Some will say its naïve of the club not to get cover, and we should have don’t it at all costs. But, we need to avoid spending money for the sake of it, and with Lerma, Clyne, Ward, and Chilwell we have a little bit of cover. Feels like it’s a reasonable gamble to take.

Riad is the real kicker, would have been perfect CB cover. Timings is also particularly annoying, sounds like he’ll miss pre-season, so will also still be injured over the summer window. So will again need a gamble to be taken on whether to count on him or replace him.

 

[doombear]

Schupp and Holding out. Chalobah recalled. Esse and Chilwell in.

On balance, decent. Especially with Wharton and Franca returning.

Sounds like Diouf was our first choice, went after him early but weren’t willing to pay what would have been a league record. Which on balance probably is the right thing to do. Whilst most likely a short-term solution Chilwell is a proven prem performer, and we know he’ll be able to play the LWB role, and well.

Looks like we were looking for CB cover, but couldn’t find it. Some will say its naïve of the club not to get cover, and we should have don’t it at all costs. But, we need to avoid spending money for the sake of it, and with Lerma, Clyne, Ward, and Chilwell we have a little bit of cover. Feels like it’s a reasonable gamble to take.

Riad is the real kicker, would have been perfect CB cover. Timings is also particularly annoying, sounds like he’ll miss pre-season, so will also still be injured over the summer window. So will again need a gamble to be taken on whether to count on him or replace him.

A good summary, Robbo. It reflects my own views. We have brought in players for the two positions we set out to cover. Although Chilwell was not our 1st choice and is only a loan, we have the added benefit that he can play at LCB if needed.

It was always going to be difficult to get players in at CB with the injury to Riad coming late in the window as it did.

 

[taylors lovechild]

We're almost certainly safe now, but we're also way off the top 8, so I guess there was not so much pressure on the club to get deals done, unlike last January. With several players likely to leave in the summer the club may have decided to keep their powder dry. I was really pleased that we got Esse, so although I think our squad is very thin I'm still reasonably happy. Chilwell feels like a deal where we'll either be delighted or he'll get injured after 20 minutes and we'll never see him again. Fully fit he's a fantastic left-wingback who will offer us more going forward.

 

[ASCPFC]

I don't think it was great. Esse and a loan. That's not exactly brilliant and barely covers our injuries.
However, it's January and we will need several players in the Summer as some will be off. Perhaps best just tread water and renew in the summer.
Guehi likely to go. Mateta likely to go in the summer. Mitchell rumours ongoing. That'll be difficult and we'll need to be better than we have been at replacing.
Will Nketiah and Kamada ever make it? I'm figuring no but could be wrong. Franca - slim chance.

 

[park the bus]

Let go those who had to go, brought in an exciting youngster, and er Chilwell, who is just a sticking plaster for a few months. Well, nothing too much to write home about, but summer is the time to really go for the targets, so Dougie, get your head together with Ollie and draw up a list. Best start now as we don't want to leave it too late, we all remember where that left us last time round.

 

[Badger11]

On balance it was a meh window.

In fairness to the club 2 shock injuries and TB recalled by Chelsea would have thrown a spanner in the works.

Still we should have brought in a CB.

 

[Goal Machine]

6/10. Satisfied. The circumstances are that we are safe so no panic buying required.

Esse looks to be a quality signing in an area which needed strengthening (time will tell). Mitchell will be gutted as he hasn't done much wrong, but he lacks quality going forward despite big improvements. You would expect Chillwell to slot in at LWB and Mitchell to play as back up for both LWB and LCB. I hope Chillwell is just a temporary thing and we go after El Hadj Diouf in the summer.

Given our league position, I think it would have been good business to sell Guehi early in the window for £60mish and gone for a young replacement from the Championship. We won't get more than £30m for him in the summer with one year remaining on his contract.

The challenge in summer will be to keep Mateta, Eze and Wharton. If can pin them down with improved contracts, get in a permanent LWB and a replacement for Guehi, we'll be in great shape for next season.

The squad overall looks better and the form is good. With the relegation pressure off, I'm hoping we can go for a real effort to win the cup and an unlikely push for Europe.

 

[Palacesince64]

6/10. Satisfied. The circumstances are that we are safe so no panic buying required.

Esse looks to be a quality signing in an area which needed strengthening (time will tell). Mitchell will be gutted as he hasn't done much wrong, but he lacks quality going forward despite big improvements. You would expect Chillwell to slot in at LWB and Mitchell to play as back up for both LWB and LCB. I hope Chillwell is just a temporary thing and we go after El Hadj Diouf in the summer.

Given our league position, I think it would have been good business to sell Guehi early in the window for £60mish and gone for a young replacement from the Championship. We won't get more than £30m for him in the summer with one year remaining on his contract.

The challenge in summer will be to keep Mateta, Eze and Wharton. If can pin them down with improved contracts, get in a permanent LWB and a replacement for Guehi, we'll be in great shape for next season.

The squad overall looks better and the form is good. With the relegation pressure off, I'm hoping we can go for a real effort to win the cup and an unlikely push for Europe.

Given Sandcastle offered £70 million last summer and Spurs £70 million this month, I fancy he’ll go for a lot more than £30 million this summer. With those 2 plus Chelsea and Liverpool interested I think we’ll get a minimum of £50 million for him.

 

[Skip]

Sometimes a good window isn't about who we buy, it's who we manage to keep.

 

[dreamwaverider]

Moving forwards, glass half full, well actually brimming over.
Riad makes a 5 month recovery and in the summer shapes up to be a quality back 3 player.
Chilwell does alright and Chelsea realise he is worth no more to anyone than £20m and a salary of £70k/wk.
They compute that and decide to let him stay on another season on loan.
We see sense in paying Guehi and Mateta £110k/wk plus incentive bonuses and they both sign 4 year contracts.
We find a top drawer academy back 3 player.
Wharton goes from strength to strength.
Esse becomes a shiny diamond.
Franca gets fully fit and starts to perform.
Doucoure comes back by October, fully fit all guns blazing.
Eze finds his top form and stays.
We get a long term £120m loan at 2% for the new stand.

We can but dream.

 

[rollercoaster]

Seems to me that new players at Palace always take some time to bed in and we nearly always pick up players very late in the windows. Given that we are basically safe with not very much to play for, this window would have been a good time to get some players in and bed them in ready for next season. Otherwise next year is likely to be like every year with a poor start, whilst the new team is built, giving us no chance of a better league position. Opportunity missed for me and only the bare minimum recruited.

 

[Charles]

Apparently El Hadji Malick Diouf preferred a starting berth at Slavia to warming an EPL bench, which speaks well of him and we might have a better chance in the summer. Put like that Chilwell is a good loan. The centre back position is precarious but Riash's injury came very late in the window. Esse represent's a long term target signed. Not an ideal window but not a bad one either; at least there's no additional Nketiah.

 

[silvertop]

Schupp and Holding out. Chalobah recalled. Esse and Chilwell in.

On balance, decent. Especially with Wharton and Franca returning.

Sounds like Diouf was our first choice, went after him early but weren’t willing to pay what would have been a league record. Which on balance probably is the right thing to do. Whilst most likely a short-term solution Chilwell is a proven prem performer, and we know he’ll be able to play the LWB role, and well.

Looks like we were looking for CB cover, but couldn’t find it. Some will say its naïve of the club not to get cover, and we should have don’t it at all costs. But, we need to avoid spending money for the sake of it, and with Lerma, Clyne, Ward, and Chilwell we have a little bit of cover. Feels like it’s a reasonable gamble to take.

Riad is the real kicker, would have been perfect CB cover. Timings is also particularly annoying, sounds like he’ll miss pre-season, so will also still be injured over the summer window. So will again need a gamble to be taken on whether to count on him or replace him.

You wont see Riad till about this time next year! It's a bad one and he will need a lot of R+R.

Otherwise I agree. January windows are tough ones where the options are few and the prices inflated. Decent business indeed.

 

[silvertop]

Apparently El Hadji Malick Diouf preferred a starting berth at Slavia to warming an EPL bench, which speaks well of him and we might have a better chance in the summer. Put like that Chilwell is a good loan. The centre back position is precarious but Riash's injury came very late in the window. Esse represent's a long term target signed. Not an ideal window but not a bad one either; at least there's no additional Nketiah.

Fans used to have a similar view of Mateta...

 

[PatrickA]

Moving forwards, glass half full, well actually brimming over.
Riad makes a 5 month recovery and in the summer shapes up to be a quality back 3 player.
Chilwell does alright and Chelsea realise he is worth no more to anyone than £20m and a salary of £70k/wk.
They compute that and decide to let him stay on another season on loan.
We see sense in paying Guehi and Mateta £110k/wk plus incentive bonuses and they both sign 4 year contracts.
We find a top drawer academy back 3 player.
Wharton goes from strength to strength.
Esse becomes a shiny diamond.
Franca gets fully fit and starts to perform.
Doucoure comes back by October, fully fit all guns blazing.
Eze finds his top form and stays.
We get a long term £120m loan at 2% for the new stand.

We can but dream.

I’m an optimistic chap, but if just 3 of those things happen it will be a pleasant surprise!

 

[doombear]

Seems to me that new players at Palace always take some time to bed in and we nearly always pick up players very late in the windows. Given that we are basically safe with not very much to play for, this window would have been a good time to get some players in and bed them in ready for next season. Otherwise next year is likely to be like every year with a poor start, whilst the new team is built, giving us no chance of a better league position. Opportunity missed for me and only the bare minimum recruited.

The January window is generally one that sees action by teams who NEED players either to try and avoid relegation (e.g. Ipswich) or to push on for or in Europe (e,g Villa and Citeh). They tend to have to pay top whack to get them (Villa were lucky given how much the Saudis paid for Duran). We don't fall into either category so we'll wait till the Summer to do business.

 

[crvenaeagle]

The January window is generally one that sees action by teams who NEED players either to try and avoid relegation (e.g. Ipswich) or to push on for or in Europe (e,g Villa and Citeh). They tend to have to pay top whack to get them (Villa were lucky given how much the Saudis paid for Duran). We don't fall into either category so we'll wait till the Summer to do business.

Do you think the Saudis will come in for Kamada? 🥹