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January Transfer Window


Kmcalpin
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Dom out on loan to QoTS. Here's hoping he can get a run of games and remind us of his potential.

Seems a sensible move for both parties and widely suggested on here. It'll give the lad some competitive game time and will free up a squad place and a small amount of cash for the club. Mark McGhee has commented that he needs to translate his training ground talent onto the pitch.

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QotS have gone into meltdown this season. Looked like they could challenge for promotion then lost 7 in a row and are on a no wins in 12 run at the moment.

 

Thomas should get a game as they don't really have any left sided midfield/forwards. Recently brought in Danny Carmichael from Hibs on the right and with Lyle and Dobbie in the middle that looks decent on paper at least.

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What's everyone's thoughts on Lucas now? I would definitely welcome Pearson back and if we do sign him, I'd say we have a surplus of central midfielders. From what I have seen from McHugh so far (albeit from a limited number of games) it suggests to me that he could be a better version of Lucas. Good passing ability, but with a bit more dig and know how in terms of how to break up the play. Sad that Lucas' last offering may have been that red card on Saturday, but I think when there are gaps elsewhere in the squad, keeping on a guy who had three months between his first and second start and six weeks between his second and third start due to injuries doesn't add up. Campbell's performance on Saturday would also lend to saying thanks and bye to Lucas. Genuinely feel for how much his career has suffered due to injury, but on a limited budget I don't think we can be too charitable here.

 

If letting him go increased the possibility of getting a natural left back, or left winger in, I'd let him go. Those two positions are more of a priority, I'd say.

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Personally I'd be quite happy if we extended his deal further.

 

I do think there's a player there. He's made some mistakes certainly in recent games without question but I do like his style of play and in the right midfield setup I think he could flourish. Someone is going to benefit from the opportunity we've given him to get back to fitness and play - I'd prefer it that it was who were beneficiaries of our time and investment thus far.

The question for me isn't about his ability it's about him staying fit enough, long enough to deliver and in an ideal world I'd like to see what he could do for the remainder of this season and see how he goes once he's had a full pre-season behind him.

 

I do agree in the short-term that we would be overloaded in central midfield if Pearo were to come back but if he did, how long a deal would he sign for? He might well be off again to India in the summer as he did last year. And then there's the Keith Lasley dilemma that the management are going to have in the coming months. We may not be so heavy in that department come the start of pre-season even with the likes of Campbell and perhaps Turnbull further up the pecking order.

 

As you say though there's a bigger picture at play in terms of the overall squad depth and much as I'd be keen for him to stick around there's an equally fair case to say we've given him a decent opportunity over the last six months and for various reasons things could have gone better.

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What's everyone's thoughts on Lucas now? I would definitely welcome Pearson back and if we do sign him, I'd say we have a surplus of central midfielders. From what I have seen from McHugh so far (albeit from a limited number of games) it suggests to me that he could be a better version of Lucas. Good passing ability, but with a bit more dig and know how in terms of how to break up the play. Sad that Lucas' last offering may have been that red card on Saturday, but I think when there are gaps elsewhere in the squad, keeping on a guy who had three months between his first and second start and six weeks between his second and third start due to injuries doesn't add up. Campbell's performance on Saturday would also lend to saying thanks and bye to Lucas. Genuinely feel for how much his career has suffered due to injury, but on a limited budget I don't think we can be too charitable here.

 

If letting him go increased the possibility of getting a natural left back, or left winger in, I'd let him go. Those two positions are more of a priority, I'd say.

Pretty much agree joe. Left back and left wing should be our priorities. Unlikely to be much by way of slack in our budget to accommodate two new additions plus retaining Lucas which is a shame because there is a player in there somewhere and our loss will be someone else's gain if he can stay fit and suspension free for a prolonged period of time. That's s big if however.

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What's everyone's thoughts on Lucas now? I would definitely welcome Pearson back and if we do sign him, I'd say we have a surplus of central midfielders. From what I have seen from McHugh so far (albeit from a limited number of games) it suggests to me that he could be a better version of Lucas. Good passing ability, but with a bit more dig and know how in terms of how to break up the play. Sad that Lucas' last offering may have been that red card on Saturday, but I think when there are gaps elsewhere in the squad, keeping on a guy who had three months between his first and second start and six weeks between his second and third start due to injuries doesn't add up. Campbell's performance on Saturday would also lend to saying thanks and bye to Lucas. Genuinely feel for how much his career has suffered due to injury, but on a limited budget I don't think we can be too charitable here.

 

If letting him go increased the possibility of getting a natural left back, or left winger in, I'd let him go. Those two positions are more of a priority, I'd say.

 

I can definitely understand that thinking and the gap between starts for Lucas is a fair point. Having said that he started the last 3 games and had been involved in the last 5 which saw a run of results XXLWX (though obviously the latter draw was by and large down to Lucas' sending off) so for that reason alone and a caveat that I'd imagine Lucas' deal is fairly low risk I'd be surprised if we binned him just at the point he was starting to get a run of games under his belt. Assuming he'd not suddenly be looking at dramatically increased terms I wouldn't be surprised if we extended Lucas' deal until summer.

 

For me I think it probably hinges more on what our plans are with Lasley rather than the direct comparison between Lucas & McHugh. In terms of Lucas you've got a 24 year old (albeit somewhat injury prone) player who plays in that area of the park and the 37 year old captain who has been more frequently been sacrificed when we've been chasing games. It's notable that unlike last season where our midfield fell to bits without Lasley it seems to have been less the case this term (though you can obviously point to the teams we've played without Lasley as being more relevant than Lasley being missing).

 

I'd look at Pearson coming in as taking the responsibility off Clay, McHugh replacing Lasley and Cadden being a fixture in the midfield with Lucas adding a bit of depth and the likes of MacLean, Campbell, Turnbull, Hastie et al being transitioned into the side gradually.

 

Going by McGhee's press conference the other week the indication seemed to be that there was flexibility to bring in a couple without others leaving so in that respect I'd say it probably depends on just how much difference it makes budget-wise either way if we extend Lucas' deal for another 6 months or not.

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A lot depends on Cadden. His injury may have briefly taken the limelight off him, but his 30 minute display v Celtic when Izagguire was eventually subbed will have made the interest in him intensify. I am certain we will get an offer for him even in this window. Whether it is good enough to tempt up remains to be seen....

 

Also I would like a goalie that can try and command his box and make even ONE attempt to cut out crosses that are in front of his nose ! He even spilled another shot on Saturday that this time we thankfully got away with. Samson would possibly do to the end of season, but assuming Brill is not an option, then this is an area that should be looked at.

 

Left back also depending on Chalmers and Hammells fitness and even then.......

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I would definitely welcome Pearson back and if we do sign him, I'd say we have a surplus of central midfielders. From what I have seen from McHugh so far (albeit from a limited number of games) it suggests to me that he could be a better version of Lucas. Good passing ability, but with a bit more dig and know how in terms of how to break up the play. Campbell's performance on Saturday would also lend to saying thanks and bye to Lucas. If letting him go increased the possibility of getting a natural left back, or left winger in, I'd let him go. Those two positions are more of a priority, I'd say.

Agree with that. When assessing our central midfield options I wouldn't include Cadden in the mix....yet. He may well make it there in time but right now he's more suited to playing wide right. On the plus side I think we can now add young Allan Campbell to the centre mix. I agree that our priority is the left hand side where we're short. IF, Pearo returns, and it is an IF, then he could fill in in the middle or at wide left. Stevie Hammell now seems to be very injury prone and I'm not fully convinced of Joe Chalmers, although he did perk up before his injury. We do need an attacking midfielder in some shape or form and some pace.

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Not yet sure about Bowman, if Moult moves on then I think we would see more from him.

Louis Moult has 18 months left on his contract and the club will not want to see that run out with him exiting for nothing. Ideally, I'd like to see him move on in the summer as he would give us some more months of service (and hopefully goals) and earn us a reasonable fee. I just wonder if there are any predatory clubs watching him just now with an eye to submitting a bid later this month?

 

Interesting that Aberdeen have a dilemma with Niall McGinn just now...we've been there, done and got the t shirt as they say.

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Although I'd like and be happy with him staying, now is the optimal time to sell him. If we wait until summer, with only a year left on his contract, it will be a case of take what we can get before he can sign a pre contract agreement next February. At the moment we can be more demanding in negotiations.

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Although I'd like and be happy with him staying, now is the optimal time to sell him. If we wait until summer, with only a year left on his contract, it will be a case of take what we can get before he can sign a pre contract agreement next February. At the moment we can be more demanding in negotiations.

 

Or we give him a wee bump up and a contract extension under the understanding that both parties agree to go their separate ways when a suitable offer eventually comes in.....

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