January transfer window . . .

[gulltastic]

Ling could do it! Ling could do anything!!!

[Trojan 67]

Another midfielder with an eye for goal, another striker plus Bodin. If not Bodin then the midfielder and two strikers. This to be balanced with players going out (not anyone in the current starting XI).

Don't want much, do I ?

[Bigman]

Koumas would be an amazing signing, but he could surely be playing at a higher level and earning better money, so unless he's fallen madly in love with a Torquay lass who won't leave the bay I can't see it happening.

Agree that an attacker on loan would probably be what we most need to see us through the rest of the season. Based on pre season I'd hoped Macklin was going to fill this role more regularly and effectively but it seems this won't be so.

[tufcbrett]

Jason Koumas, what funny kid made that one up then. He is good enough for the championship. League 1 would be a suprise if he dropped that far.
If it was a young lad like Aaron WIldig from Cardiff like Shrewsbury have one loan, id half believe that but not someone who was top class with Cardiff last season.

If we sign him, i will happily make a fool out of myself doing something on the pitch at Plainmoor. (no idea what, but i wont happen and we all know it.)

Back on topic, i am happy with a quite window of Torquay. Quite means more chance for O'Kane and Bobby to stay ect. I can only see Bodin or a striker/winger at some in the next month or so.

People forget if we get injuries and stuff we have a few loans, and emergency loans we can use after the window. They can come for a month like that Alred (what ever he was called) if there needed then we got the options. But i think Ling is being clever and only using all his loan inless he really has too. We got a decent enough squad to get along with even if we are a little light for the moment.

[Trojan 67]

Back on topic, i am happy with a quite window of Torquay. Quite means more chance for O'Kane and Bobby to stay ect. I can only see Bodin or a striker/winger at some in the next month or so.

People forget if we get injuries and stuff we have a few loans, and emergency loans we can use after the window. They can come for a month like that Alred (what ever he was called) if there needed then we got the options. But i think Ling is being clever and only using all his loan inless he really has too. We got a decent enough squad to get along with even if we are a little light for the moment.

You've called it spot on there Brett.

[AustrianAndyGull]

If you look at our attacking options without Bodin, the general consensus would be that we are quite poor in terms of goal threat with the exception of Howe. I think even if Bodin didn't return we would still need TWO attacking players to mix it about up top. I think we've been fortunate on occasions this season, Atieno popped up with a goal at Rovers to get us three points and a goal v Swindon where we got three points also but we should maybe have lost these games, Manse has added goals to his game and we have needed every single one of them. The defence the last few months , a few blips aside have been awesome so i just think we need something more and something different up front to spice things up and relieve the pressure on the rest of the team. Two attackers and keeping hold of the players we have already and we can maybe think about a play off push.

[tufcbrett]

Andy im not worried about goals coming from the team. We cant just count on the stikers all the time.I would like to see a few more faces in but i dont see it happening. One more which will be Bodin or someone else. We have goals been scored from all over the park and if anyone gets in the right position im sure they will score.

For me we need to keep tight at the back. If we dont conseed and get 1 goal from anyone we win the game. Stating the obvious i know but its the basics we need to do well. With the players we have in the squad i have no problem.

Over christmas, the hardest part of any sides season we had 3 tough game the small squad managed to come out with 7 points. I expected 3 and maybe 4. Scoring 3 conseeding 1. If we can keep anything like that up we dont have any worries. We have time off so we will hopefully have a good rest and who knows something maybe sorted in next few weeks regarding players.

With our next two games which are 2 tough away games, keep it tight at the back. Then go from there. Theres plently of goals in all areas. Its time for the centre backs to score soon.

[Sexy_Gulls]

Atieno popped up with a goal at Rovers to get us three points and a goal v Swindon where we got three points also.

So his 2 goals have secured us 6 points. 2 goals in 4 (i think) starts isn't bad at all.
I can see that he isn't the greatest forward but I think he's a decent player who hasn't been able to show his best because he is clearly second choice. When he has played 90 minutes up front he's shown promise. What about that run versus Rovers where he gave 3 or 4 players the run around before having a shot cleared off the line, would have been goal of the season.
If we're playing 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 then we don't need more than a decent reserve striker to play up front behind Howe. What we do need is depth in the 2 wide forward positions, particularly another player who beats his man, i.e. Bodin. Often the best player in this situation is the young loan signing, someone with something to prove. Bodin was that player but theres loads of them available at clubs higher up the divisions.

[AustrianAndyGull]

I take on board what you both are saying ( Brett & Sexygulls ) and i agree with most points. Taking Bretts point about keeping it tight at the back being crucial, it is and i'm not disputing that. The first few months of the season saw us ship goals so we needed to score 2 or more in order to get anything out of the game. The defence has shored things up really really well generally in recent months and i'm happy with that, I just think that if we WERE to go on a run of games conceding goals then we (Bodin departed) will not have enough firepower to get the maximum points we could get. Yes its all hypothetical and yes Tai has seen us win 6 points and McPhee scored against Accy away but i feel we need MORE than this to stay competetive. Sometimes grabbing a goal out of nothing (Tai v Swindon ) will steal the points but often it won't and we may need more goals and i just don't see where consistent scoring is going to come from ( except Howe ). You could argue that out of our three Christmas games, although we gleaned 7 points and our defence was immense letting in the solitary Plymouth goal it was our strikers that let us down IF you take Billy out of the equation. Tai scored one which turned out to be the winner and apparently did nothing else much in the other games. We can't keep relying on the defence, if Billy goes we need strikers, simple as that IMHO.

[yellowforever]

We don't need much to be honest, another winger/striker like Bodin preferably, but apart from that I'd be quite happy if we finished the window with the squad we have. With Bodin on loan of course.

[tufcbrett]

We need to replace the gap billy is leaving, if its with billy or someelse i dont mind. I hope by the time our next game comes he will be back.
Andy i do agree we both can give good and bad reasons for everything. Could debate this all year.

If anyone can score a winning goal and do nothing esle then i would be happy with that.

I dont think we should worry so much as people are. Look how our goals were made against Argyle, O'kane set up one and O'kanes free kick was knocked down by Robo for the other. The ball fell to Bodin but who says i wouldnt fall to someone esle on a different occasion. We still have the quality behined the front lads to get the chances. This is why Lathrope is playing such an important role. He is sat back supporting the back line, which leaves the other guys to push forward to get a goal. If the goals were only coming from the strikers all season then i would be worried, because goals are getting chipped in by the Midfield and the defenders then theres not so much to really worry about.

If im honest i think Ling has the same view to know the goals will come from other areas if they strikers are not scoring. Else he would have gone out and brought someone in. The way things have gone recently apart from the Accy game, we have done well with the squad we have. If our squad was that bad we wouldnt be 9th.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Brett, all i'm saying is that if Bodin doesn't return then we need to replace him. If we don't bring in two attackers then we at the very least need another striker to come in to replace Billy. I think you'll be in agreement with me here. We cannot afford to lose Billy and leave it to Howe, McPhee & Atieno . We won't score enough goals. Our away goals for column is quite poor and before the Plymouth game was probably one of the worst in the league. We can debate all day like you say but i'll finish with Bodin replaced if not returning or we'll struggle IMO.

[tufcbrett]

We need to replace the gap billy is leaving, if its with billy or someelse i dont mind. I hope by the time our next game comes he will be back.Andy i do agree we both can give good and bad reasons for everything. Could debate this all year.

If anyone can score a winning goal and do nothing esle then i would be happy with that.

I dont think we should worry so much as people are. Look how our goals were made against Argyle, O'kane set up one and O'kanes free kick was knocked down by Robo for the other. The ball fell to Bodin but who says i wouldnt fall to someone esle on a different occasion. We still have the quality behined the front lads to get the chances. This is why Lathrope is playing such an important role. He is sat back supporting the back line, which leaves the other guys to push forward to get a goal. If the goals were only coming from the strikers all season then i would be worried, because goals are getting chipped in by the Midfield and the defenders then theres not so much to really worry about.

If im honest i think Ling has the same view to know the goals will come from other areas if they strikers are not scoring. Else he would have gone out and brought someone in. The way things have gone recently apart from the Accy game, we have done well with the squad we have. If our squad was that bad we wouldnt be 9th.

I do agree with you, but all i was saying was dont panic lad. We will be fine

[AustrianAndyGull]

Okey dokey Brett!

[Jeff]

Can't decide if this would be better in the Bodin thread or this one..............

Although I want Billy to stay as he is a known quantity to us, it won't be the end of the world if he doesn't and I particularly don't want us to get sucked in to waiting around for him and missing potential targets. Ling has got us into a fantastic position, which with the right signings could get even better. Waiting too long for a deal that may never happen may see us lag behind other sides - for example Aldershot brought two in today and Dagenham 3.

I like Bodin and he suits the way we play, but he hasn't shown me anything that I don't think we could find elsewhere. I dare say there are half a dozen other pacy, left-footed attackers who are being touted around the league 2 circuit by their parent clubs for loan. Particularly clubs like Bristol City (where the new gaffer may have identified which young lads he might want to keep/offload) or Southampton (who with an impending promotion to the PL, may have some lads who they don't feel will ever make the grade at that level).

If di Canio wants to play hard-ball, I say **** him and try and get someone else in to cover that role. I have faith that Ling is on the case.