Our squad is weaker now than it was in December.

[Chutney]

Christensen + Tunniclife + Jozabed (three players, all able to provide something different in midfield) > Pastos (we have replaced these two options with one single option, who is solely a defensive player.)

Humphreys + Woodrow + Smith (three viable back up options to Martin with various styles) > Cyriac (replace by one single alternative to Martin).

We lacked squad depth before January and now we are completely bare bones in midfield and attack. Particularly in attack, we have two strikers, one wants to play for derby and the other looks to be a panic loan to fill a gap.

In what looked to be a season in which a good January would see us fight for the play offs, this has been a disgusting transfer window. Tony Khan, Craig Kline and Ali Macintosh should all be fired, they have failed us.

I will be very surprised if Jovanovic stays past this season.

[grandad]

We have 25 players, at least 2 for every position, all of whom can be starters. In addition there are a few kids that have also appeared. How can SJ keep any more match fit.Of course we would love to have 4 top strikers to rotate but the January window was not the time to get them in.

[The Road Less Travelled]

They were numbers, not real options.  An option is only really an option if it actually has any chance of being used, and of those players only Smith regularly got anywhere near the matchday squad and even then reluctance to ever use him was obvious.  We've got rid of a lot of in effect deadwood, I'd have liked more to have come in but not just to make up numbers like five of those six were doing.

[Roberty]

Are you serious??

Christensen + Tunniclife + Jozabed - they didn't provide anything because SJ did not pick them and now they will not get in the way of his training sessions

Humphreys + Woodrow + Smith - during the "Crissy" tantrum he preferred to play without a recognised centre forward

Apart from Jozabed & Humphreys - they were all first team survivors from our previous management and he seems to have been happy to send them on their way and in any event Humphreys was never going to improve on the bench

[Chutney]

The fact remains, if we make the play offs, martin goes back to derby and we are left with just cyriac (if we decide to sign him, his loan deal doesn't cover the play offs).

[Bassey the warrior]

We'll have to see how the new signings perform but none of the players that left have set the world alight this season.

[fulhamben]

The fact remains, if we make the play offs, martin goes back to derby and we are left with just cyriac (if we decide to sign him, his loan deal doesn't cover the play offs).

well he's a thought, has anyone checked how long Cyriacs loan lasts? Could he play in the play offs should we make them

[toshes mate]

Last time I checked the play-offs are still a part of 'the season' and the EFL apparently agree.

[Woolly Mammoth]

We have 25 players, at least 2 for every position, all of whom can be starters. In addition there are a few kids that have also appeared. How can SJ keep any more match fit.Of course we would love to have 4 top strikers to rotate but the January window was not the time to get them in.

Where did you get 25 players from, you cannot include yourself and me, I wash my hair on Saturdays.
I think you will find there are 22, two little Ducks, and 3 of them are keepers, and Martin is a plant and doesn't want to be here. So that leaves 18 without injuries, so youth will get a call up, but not ideal when you are going for a play off place.
Plus we do not have two for every position, we haven't got one for every position, and a lot of them are not starters although I am sure they would give 100% if they were called up, which is more than the absent Khan gives. The squad is thin, I dread to think what would happen if we had a profusion of injuries, Jok deserves better, I hope he doesn't walk at the end of the season, but who would blame him if he did, it cannot be ideal working for Amateurs. It must be like working in a circus surrounded by so many clowns at the office. Some of them need to be fired from a cannon.

[We Are Premier League]

Are we really that short in numbers? I think one or maybe two more would have been preferable, but that we are ok now that ACN has passed and one half of the season remains. i.e. less risk of long term injuries and only 3 "new" players (Petsos, Cyriac and Kebano) to get up to speed.

2 Decent GK's
4 Good full backs
4 decent central defenders

4 decent DM/M in Johansen, McDonald, Petsos and Parker
Backup to Cairney is probably a weakness but I think one of the forward can play in that role, Johansen just need to be slightly more defensive.

That leaves Martin, Cyriac, Ayite, Aluko, Piazon, Kebano and if necessary Sess/Fredricks - this shuodl be sufficient for the front three.

Backup to Johansen/Cairney is in my opinion the weakest link, assuming we can convince Martin to give 100%.

If those players are good enough is a different problem, but the depth is not awful. In general I would say that the squad is quite versatile, which certainly helps when you have a squad of 21 players.

[toshes mate]

Are we really that short in numbers?

Yes.

[We Are Premier League]

How about Brighton? they are doing quite ok with a small squad and no January signings...they kept the deadwood (equivalent to what we have sent on loan), but only 18 players have made more than 1 league appearance so far.

[Woolly Mammoth]

How about Brighton? they are doing quite ok with a small squad and no January signings...they kept the deadwood (equivalent to what we have sent on loan), but only 18 players have made more than 1 league appearance so far.

But Brighton are in a different position from ourselves. Apart from being consistant which we are not, they are 20 points ahead of us, and 10 places and a better goal difference, with a Manager that has the backing of his club. A completely different scenario. Who do you think has the better chance of promotion.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Are we really that short in numbers?

Yes.

If we are not short, then ime a Dwarf.

[toshes mate]

How about Brighton? they are doing quite ok with a small squad and no January signings...they kept the deadwood (equivalent to what we have sent on loan), but only 18 players have made more than 1 league appearance so far.

But Brighton are in a different position from ourselves. Apart from being consistant which we are not, they are 20 points ahead of us, and 10 places and a better goal difference, with a Manager that has the backing of his club. A completely different scenario. Who do you think has the better chance of promotion.

Nutshell time, Woolly.  A worthy summary.

[zander]

The fact remains, if we make the play offs, martin goes back to derby and we are left with just cyriac (if we decide to sign him, his loan deal doesn't cover the play offs).

well he's a thought, has anyone checked how long Cyriacs loan lasts? Could he play in the play offs should we make them

I haven't seen anything definite on Cyriacs but loans until the end of season usually run until the end of June which is considered the official end of the season.

[cmg]

The fact remains, if we make the play offs, martin goes back to derby and we are left with just cyriac (if we decide to sign him, his loan deal doesn't cover the play offs).

Last time I checked the play-offs are still a part of 'the season' and the EFL apparently agree.

I believe Toshes Mate is quite right here.
The loan runs to the end of the season which includes the play-offs if we get that far.
The only stipulation the EFL makes is that if our ('the Transferee Club') season ends before Derby's ('the Transferor Club) he still cannot play for Derby.

[@jolslover]

I think the first point is real, (LVC, Tunni, Jozabed) but not the second point. Humphrys Smith and Woodrow are all not good enough to play regularly here. Whereas Cyriac is.