Thoughts on our January window.

[tiger76]

8/10 for me, we got several high earning fringe players out the door, either on loan or permanently, and once again our recruitment looks promising.

IN

Agyei (been immediately sent on loan)

Al-Dakhil

Ekdal

Foster

Obafemi (loan until the end of the season.

Solona

Tweedy

OUT

Helm

Long

Lowton (loan until the end of the season)

Westwood

We've also got many fringe players out on loan to give them regular footy all being well, which should benefit us as well as their loan clubs.

The main plus for me is we now have a viable long-term transfer strategy and aren't resorting to short term fixes who will have no future value.

And if these signings pay dividends it should ensure we don't have to go crazy in the summer preparing for our next PL stint.

The only slight disappointment is we haven't strengthened in CM, however that's probably being greedy, and we should have enough to see us through this season anyway.

[Paddy1882]

10/10 for me, delighted. Exactly what the January window should be used for, bring players in with a view to having them up to standard and ready for the following season if they can help now it’s is a bonus. Add that to getting some big earners who weren’t featuring off the wage bill as well as (if true) getting Sean Dyche off the books now he has a job I’d say it’s been a very positive window.

[evensteadiereddie]

We're set up beautifully for the rest of the season and will be able to press on in spite of the odd inevitable defeats, bookings and injuries.
What a luxury to be, perhaps, already planning for next season

[RVclaret]

The word to describe this window is 'proactive'.

Ekdal and Al-Dakhil, two young, promising ball playing defenders who will be in the building in the summer, should we lose both (or one of) THB and Beyer.

Obafemi's profile is similar ish to Tella's, providing that pace in behind defences, should we get priced out of a move for the latter.

Obafemi's signing also allows another signing, Foster, time to adjust to English football, should he need it.

Agyei looks promising at 18 years old (with all respect to our current u21s he looks a level above) and signing him for a low fee, getting him minutes at a decent level for Mechelen, seems smart business.

Average age of the signings is around or even under 22, it's excellent forward planning while also adding something extra in the short term.

Don't think we needed a CM desperately, with the squad already at it's max capacity anyway, so I'm not too fussed there.

[ArmchairDetective]

Exactly what we should be doing. Future proofing. The board and recruitment team have certainly got a handle on these transfer windows now. Very impressed with how much ease we seem to be completing transfers and how keen young promising players are to come and sign for us.

To steal a phrase: exciting times.

[Tribesmen]

Wow , it's just hard to keep up with the way the club are heading .

OUTSTANDING .............

[Bosscat]

We've had worse

[AGENT_CLARET]

9.5 out of 10

We brought in defence to help with injuries or suspensions

We brought in two forwards to help with the two old fellow's up front

We kept Barnes who deserved to at least stay until the end of the season to lift a trophy hopefully

0.5 knocked off the score for the lack of an incoming CM but we can't be greedy

[Clive 1960]

Think we have done quite well in the window getting players in early and no messing around at the end of the window like previous. So it's a 8/10 from me. UTC

[CaptJohn]

Proactive.
In the past we have been almost desperately reactive in the January window to our detriment.
I like the way that VK is building a squad that will have a chance of survival in the Prem should we go up but also will have a very good chance of being in the mix the following year should we be relegated. There is also a lot of reality in his planning in the way that he realises he may lose THB, Beyer and Tella in the close season and also a touch of humility in realising that he may have made mistakes with McNally and Egan-Riley being good enough for this team. I think that we have to give credit to AP for allowing VK the opportunity to make these signings, loans and plans.
I think the school report would read "Very good, keep up the good work!"

[quoonbeatz]

Couldn't have asked for more than we've done We've brought in players we don't really need right now to get ahead in the summer. Everyone is a good age to potentially improve. We've retained the experience we need to see us over the line this season and the players we've let go have got good moves for them. We're so much more forward thinking now but we can afford to be given our position. Excellent work all round.

Not bothered about no incoming CM either. It's a vital position in the PL and we're more likely to be able to attract the ideal player(s) for that area in the summer.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Pretty much perfect.

Another who sees no need for another CM, there will be a much better choice of player for that position in the summer. Kept everyone we would want to, moved some on who would never feature and strengthened the forward line and CH position.

[NewClaret]

Brilliant window - 8/10.

Released some of the high-earning fringe players, bought an early replacement for Barnes and also bought two perm CH’s and a Tella-esque forward that takes the pressure off securing the loanee’s if we’re held to ransom in the summer. Plus a couple of young lads that hopefully strengthen our depth as they develop.

I probably had hoped we might do something similar in midfield. We don’t have the same pressures from a loanee perspective there but are lacking depth. That’s all that’s stopping it being a 10/10 window.

Brilliant work by VK and ALK. What a time to be supporting Burnley.

[clarethomer]

Think it's been pretty spot on.

Future focused in our players.

Been impressed equally as much by seeing McNally and CJ going out to clubs at a good level and extending JBG and not selling Brownhill.

Reduces the pressure in the summer if more of your players know each other and understand the system.

Feels cohesive between owner and manager and it's just such a refreshing change considering our last several transfer windows.

Good time to be alive!

[Pickles]

Excellent. Chalk and cheese, a breath of fresh air, revolutionary compared to the last decade.

[Carport]

Looking forward to Tweedy and Twine playing together!

[bfcjg]

download.jpeg.jpg (9.5 KiB) Viewed 904 times

Pre Pace

With Pace

images.jpeg.jpg (10.33 KiB) Viewed 904 times

[summitclaret]

Outstanding. Exactly the right way to do it and the complete opposite of the Marneygate fiasco.

[BigJay]

Think it has been a good window in terms of bringing in promising young players for positions we needed - i.e., centre-back and striker. Also, worth pointing out it has been a complicated window for us in terms of planning for the increasing likelihood of premier league football next season, whereas clubs in and around the play-offs have been scrambling mostly for loan and free deals to push strengthen. So, it appears we've been considered and meticulous with our player transfer strategy, which is a huge positive.

We've also benefitted from having some money to spend on the squad (most of the championship sides haven't), plus the added appeal of being top of the league a fair amount of distance between us and 3rd place currently, with a high-profile young manager who can attract and develop players.

With the exception of Obafemi, the other 3 new signings are players we generally don't know a lot about, but are already established top league / internationals and Al Dakhil has shown lots of potential in his first game. Can't give a score out of 10 until we've seen the players settle and have game time, but you have got to hand it to VK, Alan Pace and the management team for getting these players in and for positions where more strength / depth is needed in the squad.

It's also good to see young development players being brought in and careful consideration given to loaning out players to ensure they get the best possible development time on the pitch. Last but not least, offloading a few of our older players who would have been relatively high earners is a plus. I think we've enough depth in the squad and in midfield to get us through the rest of the season, so no need to panic this window either.

[Shaggy]

Excellent window yet again. What a difference Kompany makes to our transfer direction and attractiveness.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Not sure where the various 8/10 posters want to get their extra 2 pts from. Seems very harsh.

That tallies with an online poll by one of the journos yesterday where >50% ranked it 7-9/10 and only a third 10/10.

For me it was a 9.5/10 minimum.

The players we have bought could be huge profit makers. Obafemi is guaranteed buy if we trigger the conditions as seems probable. His value has more than halved in 6 months so we could make a few bob there. The CBs seem cheap. Foster is the gamble moneywise.

On the pitch they fill vital holes - cover at CB and young pacey strikers. CM needs strengthening next season, not this. I reckon that is the place for a marquee signing who wouldn’t sign until we are promoted.

Look at the chaos at our rivals - Blades embargo, Rovers struggling to get O Brien etc.

It was a wonderful, wonderful window. We’ll be up for sure.

[ŽižkovClaret]

I was pretty paranoid yesterday that we might lose Brownhill to a desperate "too good to refuse" bid from Everton, so im happy that didnt materialise