JANUARY TRANSFER TARGETS

[Brahma Bull]

I think IL should stick to his financial rules and I like the way he is running our club.

There is justification to bring in a central midfielder to replace Hall, who in my view wasn't good enough anyway.

I would of course like our full backs replaced, but not for unbudgeted extra costs.

I don't agree that we need another striker as some others have suggested above. If anything, our forward line is the strongest element of our team.

Our loss of form coincides with that of Jake Wright and Johnny Mullins, coupled with the in built weaknesses in the full back positions. .

We will need to replace Asa Hall. So I would put my mortgage on another midfielder arriving at the club unless Kitson is deployed in a midfield role. I also would look at bringing in a striker to make us stand a chance of really fighting to the death and look to move up the pyramid by finishing in the top three. The issue I have with up top (and the midfield or lack of it has contributed to this) is the lads don't score enough. We have Kitson on what? 2. We have Constable on 9ish, Smalley 6? It's not good enough. Our conversion rate isn't very impressive.

Yet we do create chances in my opinion.....which brings me nicely back to the full backs. Newey and Hunt are vast improvements on Batt and Davis/Calpadi/O'Brien, these lads can defend and contribute. Hunt has made 6/7 assists this season....he really doesn't get the credit he deserves.

Two signings needed, Asa has gone and I'd ship a few out on loan to create some ability to move.

[Mooro]

I imagine that Hall will be back before next weekend.
Still feel we might see another striker before an additional midfielder. We have the numbers in the middle, if not necessarily the star quality, but we are often short, or patched up, up front. Smalley is in and out, Marsh isn't forcing his way in, Kitson is dropping back, and we have had to turn to Hall or Potter more than once already. If we can bring someone in to play with Beano or Smalley (as they dont seem to be able to play together either), then we can look at using Kitson in midfield rather than leaving ourselves exposed up top.

BTW - you talk about people going out on loan, but who do you mean? We don't have the depth to let many out, and sending a couple of Devvers out is not going to save us much, especially if we have to share their wages. The only senior player kicking his heels is Davies (and one of the CBs at a push but I wouldn't advocate not having all three here right now), I suppose, with Ruffels and Bevans showing that they can cover his territory between them, but again I dont know whether that would give us enough to work miracles with, even if IL/CW wanted to.

Hawtin is a strange one (so not necessarily indicative of a wider plan), in that he is actually the same age group as COD, Lynn & Long but missed the whole of last season through injury, so was given a 3rd year as a scholar. He has flitted between the U18s and the Devs, mainly the latter, but I'm guessing the club is in a bit of a quandary as to whether he should get a dev deal next season or whether perhaps there are younger players better placed to benefit. I would think this loan is to give him chance to play a few games while the Devs are quiet in order for them to make a decision. It will be interesting to see how many Dev games get played over the next couple of months and whether any of the other fringe/less prominent devvers - eg Lee/Shama - may follow on loan if the games don't happen.

[SmileyMan]

OK, it's heresy, but perhaps we should keep our hands in our pockets this January?

I can't remember a season when there were so many strong teams vying for the top seven places. It's not altogether guaranteed that a couple of new players, however good, would mean promotion, and if that's the case, then it's a big gamble with a lot of money. January purchases are rarely as good as summer signings.

[Paul Cooper]

OK, it's heresy, but perhaps we should keep our hands in our pockets this January?

I can't remember a season when there were so many strong teams vying for the top seven places. It's not altogether guaranteed that a couple of new players, however good, would mean promotion, and if that's the case, then it's a big gamble with a lot of money. January purchases are rarely as good as summer signings.

I don't think that anybody is suggesting a gamble. There seem to be 8 clubs at the moment going for the 7 places (Ok somebody like Cheltenham could put a run together). We are in with a shout of the top 3 if we can get some form back. In my view we need to replace Hall with somebody a little better. That would probably do. Of course if we could get an extra striker then all well and good. But I really don't think that it is an option to not replace Hall?

In addition there should be money in the 12th man fund to help to fund a player?

[Brahma Bull]

BTW - you talk about people going out on loan, but who do you mean? We don't have the depth to let many out, and sending a couple of Devvers out is not going to save us much, especially if we have to share their wages. The only senior player kicking his heels is Davies (and one of the CBs at a push but I wouldn't advocate not having all three here right now), I suppose, with Ruffels and Bevans showing that they can cover his territory between them, but again I dont know whether that would give us enough to work miracles with, even if IL/CW wanted to.

Every little saving will help. We are currently saving on Asa's wages (or contribution, however little) and that position will need to be replaced. It won't happen until the end of the week so we can get maximum benefit out of a loan arangement, if it happens at all.

I would imagine if Asa is re-signed then it's because we couldn't get better. I think the club will look for better than Hall. A lot of our problems have been down to that central midfield pairing, the reason we lost to Scunthorpe was because of Rose and Hall. Both playing the quarterback position, neither able to tackle and break down, both constantly out of position. As individuals they are OK but if we continue to play this deep central midfield then we need better and its unfair on them.

As for who I would look to ship out - I would consider both Smalley and/or Davies thus enabling a replacement in each department. Ty Marsh is another I'd send out, he has really not made any impact when he has been given limited opportunities and again, any wage saving could help strengthen the squad.

Kitson playing in an advanced midfield role is something which could well happen.

[joepoolman]

The issue I have with up top (and the midfield or lack of it has contributed to this) is the lads don't score enough. We have Kitson on what? 2. We have Constable on 9ish, Smalley 6? It's not good enough. Our conversion rate isn't very impressive.

Yet we do create chances in my opinion.....which brings me nicely back to the full backs. Newey and Hunt are vast improvements on Batt and Davis/Calpadi/O'Brien, these lads can defend and contribute. Hunt has made 6/7 assists this season....he really doesn't get the credit he deserves.

Two signings needed, Asa has gone and I'd ship a few out on loan to create some ability to move.

In the league last season Gillingham's top scorers managed 14, 12 and 8 goals respectively, halfway through our league season our top league scorers have 7, 5 and 4. Four players managed to get 5 or more league goals for Gillingham last year, 8 players have scored 3 or more league goals for United so far this season. I don't really understand why a significant amount of fans think we need more goalscorers, a strikeforce of Kitson, Beano and Smalley is a very good one at this level.

[Yankee Clipper]

In the league last season Gillingham's top scorers managed 14, 12 and 8 goals respectively, halfway through our league season our top league scorers have 7, 5 and 4. Four players managed to get 5 or more league goals for Gillingham last year, 8 players have scored 3 or more league goals for United so far this season. I don't really understand why a significant amount of fans think we need more goalscorers, a strikeforce of Kitson, Beano and Smalley is a very good one at this level.

Tend to agree with this.... We need some quality in Cen Mid and for Potter and Rigg to be back to full fitness ASAP