The January 2025 Window

[PatrickA]

Buried amongst the speculation as to possible signings is the concerning information that Glasner has no news on a possible return date for Wharton.
With this in mind, it would be no surprise if a midfielder was on our shopping list.
We have to factor in the ages of Lerma and Hughes and their contractual situations too in planning for next season.
The club has demonstrated that it's not averse to cashing in older players if the offer is good enough.

 

[MrRobbo]

OG has definitely said the 2 transfers are locked in and it upto the board to get the players over the line im hoping there here by the time we play leicester in the league so lets see what happens

Re-reading his quote, I dont know if it was 2 specific players, or more 2 profiles (with a couple of player options)

Hence why there might be interest in Doak and Esse

 

[Willo]

Buried amongst the speculation as to possible signings is the concerning information that Glasner has no news on a possible return date for Wharton.
With this in mind, it would be no surprise if a midfielder was on our shopping list.
We have to factor in the ages of Lerma and Hughes and their contractual situations too in planning for next season.
The club has demonstrated that it's not averse to cashing in older players if the offer is good enough.

My understanding is that a central midfielder is on the 'Shopping List' however actually concluding a deal is a different matter with a plethora of factors involved.

On HOL I have expressed the view that we need to strengthen in this area.

 

[JHB]

Buried amongst the speculation as to possible signings is the concerning information that Glasner has no news on a possible return date for Wharton.
With this in mind, it would be no surprise if a midfielder was on our shopping list.
We have to factor in the ages of Lerma and Hughes and their contractual situations too in planning for next season.
The club has demonstrated that it's not averse to cashing in older players if the offer is good enough.

Yes. Increasingly looking like we might not see him again this season. Longer term it is really concerning. Look at Doucoure. A totally different player, in a bad way, following his injury

 

[Eagleman13]

Click bait is something we have to live with. Information from the Club is something to be appreciated.

I suspect that Holding is a target for someone. Certainly his relationship with OG is something that needs to be restored, whether return to favour, loan, or transfer. The message is that OG has control over who plays fir the first team.

What would be nice, will be all players appearing on the team list to give us more information. We have Matt Turner and Trevoh Chalobah showing as "in on loan" Would be nice to see all loaned players, both in or out so we, as supporters, have a fuller picture of who is developing their career. .

In 'Palace Talk' there is a thread called 'Loaned Out Players' started back in Aug by 'pssguy'. It is mainly U21's as Edouard is the only 1st team player out on loan(hence why he is not showing on the team list).

 

[Eaglecoops]

My understanding is that a central midfielder is on the 'Shopping List' however actually concluding a deal is a different matter with a plethora of factors involved.

On HOL I have expressed the view that we need to strengthen in this area.

On the basis we only play 2 central midfielders we already have Hughes, Lerma, Doucoure, Wharton and Devenny who specialise in that area.

I get the lack of creativity without Wharton in the team but I’d be surprised if this is an area of the pitch we are concentrating on when we lack so much cover elsewhere. I would have said, left wing back and left sided attacking player is probably a bigger requirement.

If we want to go down the central midfield route I would look to offload the keeper loan and use that loan spot to greater effect. We could perhaps bring one of our two keepers that are currently loaned out back as our no2.

 

[Fanofzhiyi]

On the basis we only play 2 central midfielders we already have Hughes, Lerma, Doucoure, Wharton and Devenny who specialise in that area.

I get the lack of creativity without Wharton in the team but I’d be surprised if this is an area of the pitch we are concentrating on when we lack so much cover elsewhere. I would have said, left wing back and left sided attacking player is probably a bigger requirement.

If we want to go down the central midfield route I would look to offload the keeper loan and use that loan spot to greater effect. We could perhaps bring one of our two keepers that are currently loaned out back as our no2.

Our left sided attack is Eze, Franca and Sarr can play there as highlighted by his goal against Arsenal. LWB, attacking right and a midfielder would be good signings. But who knows

 

[Willo]

On the basis we only play 2 central midfielders we already have Hughes, Lerma, Doucoure, Wharton and Devenny who specialise in that area.

I get the lack of creativity without Wharton in the team but I’d be surprised if this is an area of the pitch we are concentrating on when we lack so much cover elsewhere. I would have said, left wing back and left sided attacking player is probably a bigger requirement.

If we want to go down the central midfield route I would look to offload the keeper loan and use that loan spot to greater effect. We could perhaps bring one of our two keepers that are currently loaned out back as our no2.

Doucoure has been somewhat off the pace after his injury, there is no return date for Wharton and Devenny is inexperienced.

 

[Eaglecoops]

Doucoure has been somewhat off the pace after his injury, there is no return date for Wharton and Devenny is inexperienced.

But all are part of our squad as are Schlupp and Kamada who purport to be midfield players of a sort so we only have so many squad spots available unless we offload?

 

[MrRobbo]

On the basis we only play 2 central midfielders we already have Hughes, Lerma, Doucoure, Wharton and Devenny who specialise in that area.

I get the lack of creativity without Wharton in the team but I’d be surprised if this is an area of the pitch we are concentrating on when we lack so much cover elsewhere. I would have said, left wing back and left sided attacking player is probably a bigger requirement.

If we want to go down the central midfield route I would look to offload the keeper loan and use that loan spot to greater effect. We could perhaps bring one of our two keepers that are currently loaned out back as our no2.

I disagree completely.

Before Wharton, Cabaye was the last player who could do the dirty work and make the team tick. IMO its the most important position on the pitch.

If Wharton's prognosis isn't looking great I'd be prioritising Rigg or Bellingham.

 

[Eaglecoops]

Our left sided attack is Eze, Franca and Sarr can play there as highlighted by his goal against Arsenal. LWB, attacking right and a midfielder would be good signings. But who knows

Who plays right if Sarr is left? Eze is injured at least once a season, Franca doesn’t play and when he did he played on both sides but didn’t appear to be a specialist left sided player.

Not sure if this precludes buying a left sided attacking player. I would have thought JRS is going to be our right sided attacking player cover or do you not think he will be up to it?

 

[Eaglecoops]

I disagree completely.

Before Wharton, Cabaye was the last player who could do the dirty work and make the team tick. IMO its the most important position on the pitch.

If Wharton's prognosis isn't looking great I'd be prioritising Rigg or Bellingham.

That’s a massive assumption about Wharton, so you think we should spend a load of money on another central midfielder? What happens when Wharton comes back and there is no space for him in the team?

I also think Hughes has adequately stepped up to the plate and is doing a great job of handling the dirty work as well as driving the team forward. Are you also ruling out Doucoure as ever returning to his best or Devenny stepping up.

If at the end of the season Wharton is officially crocked then that IMO is the time to buy another central midfielder, not this window.

 

[dreamwaverider]

I heard that Glasner really wanted early signings in this window.

 

[Eagleman13]

Doucoure has been somewhat off the pace after his injury, there is no return date for Wharton and Devenny is inexperienced.

How would Devenny get experienced? He hasn't done too bad in his 1st team outings.

 

[NEILLO]

I heard that Glasner really wanted early signings in this window.

He's not the only one.

However the reality is that deals are harder to make in January.

So far there has been precious little activity across the whole market

 

[NMPalace]

Yes. Increasingly looking like we might not see him again this season. Longer term it is really concerning. Look at Doucoure. A totally different player, in a bad way, following his injury

it was a very serious injury and it is clearly taking him time to get back up to speed. Eze, who had the same injury, took 6 months and a pre season to get back to his best.

I did question giving Doucoure a new improved contract when he was recovering from a serious injury and got told i was being negative. Personally i think i'm a realistic and my concerns have thus far been proved correct.

I also think we need to question the timing of the Wharton operation. Clearly no time is a good time, but not having him back for the heavy xmas/new year period is now a big issue. Playing him whilst injured and taking pain killing injections could only have a negative impact.

I think the hope was that Kamada might be able to occupy one of the 2 CM positions occasionally but this has not worked and hopefully will not be repeated.

 

[NEILLO]

it was a very serious injury and it is clearly taking him time to get back up to speed. Eze, who had the same injury, took 6 months and a pre season to get back to his best.

I did question giving Doucoure a new improved contract when he was recovering from a serious injury and got told i was being negative. Personally i think i'm a realistic and my concerns have thus far been proved correct.

I also think we need to question the timing of the Wharton operation. Clearly no time is a good time, but not having him back for the heavy xmas/new year period is now a big issue. Playing him whilst injured and taking pain killing injections could only have a negative impact.

I think the hope was that Kamada might be able to occupy one of the 2 CM positions occasionally but this has not worked and hopefully will not be repeated.

I thought this had already been subject of a debate on here.

And I thought it was largely accepted that between the decision makers - ie the medical team, the player and OG - that the operation was performed only when it became clear that it was the only solution. Factor in that the op itself was not 100% successful and we have a longer than hoped for absence.

 

[Willo]

How would Devenny get experienced? He hasn't done too bad in his 1st team outings.

I would agree that Devenny has equipped himself quite well and it would appear he has a bright future ahead of him but at this juncture I believe the squad would benefit from greater top-flight experience in the midfield 'Engine room' in the PL.

Players of course gain experience by actually playing and Devenny still has a part to play.

 

[JHB]

I would agree that Devenny has equipped himself quite well and it would appear he has a bright future ahead of him but at this juncture I believe the squad would benefit from greater top-flight experience in the midfield 'Engine room' in the PL.

Players of course gain experience by actually playing and Devenny still has a part to play.

I also thought Devenny was more of an attacking midfielder than a central one of the sort that works as CM in OG’s system. Though I also understand the club think he can cover a few positions.

I tend to agree that the priority in this window needs to be another option at LWB and an attacking player.

CM will be a key position for the summer though, along with centre half, possibly centre forward, possibly RWB etc etc

 

[MrRobbo]

That’s a massive assumption about Wharton, so you think we should spend a load of money on another central midfielder? What happens when Wharton comes back and there is no space for him in the team?

I also think Hughes has adequately stepped up to the plate and is doing a great job of handling the dirty work as well as driving the team forward. Are you also ruling out Doucoure as ever returning to his best or Devenny stepping up.

If at the end of the season Wharton is officially crocked then that IMO is the time to buy another central midfielder, not this window.

Yep massive assumption and obviously we dont know any more than we are told. But the return date getting pushed and now not even having a return date is worrying.

No not ruling out Doucoure as ever returning to his best or Devenny stepping up, but we know for a fact that Doucoure isnt that type of player, we dont know enough about Devenny yet.

And look, if Bellingham/Rigg is so good that Wharton cant get in the team, thats a good problem to have. We'll have a 100m player on our hands!

But all the above aside, and I know this is a luxury. We are going to get injuries and drops in form. We now have pretty good DM depth, but not much on the creative side.