Is spending in January a waste of money?
Plus, Pompey preview and new faces for the women's team
Hello and welcome to the second edition of the From The Bee Hole End newsletter!
We’ve been blown away by the response so far so a huge thanks to everyone who has reached out to say how much they enjoyed the post-Leeds United edition (despite the game not living up to expectations!).
In today’s issue we have team news and words from Scott Parker ahead of the trip to Portsmouth tomorrow and we look at whether splashing the cash in January is the right thing to do.
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Lack of incomings not the end of the world
The Pod Squad debate whether the lack of transfer activity is a cause for concern or whether the powder is best kept dry for the summer.
Chris Boden: “It'd be fabulous if you could just go out and land a marquee centre forward. It would give everyone a lift. But it could also go the other way. You could end up with another deal like we had with Peter Crouch.
“Is Tella going to leave the Champions League and the Bundesliga, the top end of the Bundesliga, to come to the Championship. Tella? You have more chance of signing Fruitella.”
Simon Evans: “In terms of targets, we've got a recruitment team whose job is to draw up kind of Top 10 lists for every position and then have their targets.
“Presumably they have those lists and so it's a question of when is the right time to go and make bids for those players?
“It really is harder to get deals done in January. It's a big cliche that everyone trots out at this time of year but it is because clubs don't want to disrupt their squads in the middle of the season.”
So unless it's somebody who's not featuring for a club, who we could easily pick up or the selling club in Europe really needs the money, it’s going to be tough. I wouldn't be surprised at all if we don't sign anybody and I wouldn't be freaked out about it either. “
Paul Woodhouse: “They have to be meaningful signings, in other words, better than what we've got.
“Our wage bill is quite astronomical and we can't really reduce that because half of the astronomical wage bill is injured.
“I think Alan Pace might have been stung a little bit from all that ridiculous purchasing from VK and some of the deals over the summer and it's probably a case of we're not just going to buy for the sake of buying or just because our manager told us to.
“I can see there being a reluctance there. I’d like to sign somebody who is quality but at this stage they have got to be Premier League quality haven't they?”
Andrew Greaves: “I keep getting people sending me various links and rumours but I’ve not ever been convinced that we were going to be too active in the market this time around.
“I’m not sure there’s much out there that will necessarily improve the team - as opposed to the squad depth - and we have to have one eye on what we’re going to do in the summer.
“People are quick to jump to conclusions that it means we’ve no money but I think it’s more a case of people careful with that money. And I’m fine with that!”
Parker ready for Pompey test
Burnley boss Scott Parker has been speaking to the media ahead of tomorrow’s clash at Portsmouth. Here’s what he had to say:
On the threat posed by Portsmouth at Fratton Park:
“They're a real force.
“They lost their last game, but previous to that were unbeaten in seven at home. So an aggressive team that have come front foot at home, I think we've been in that stadium. It's a tight stadium, and I think obviously have a real go.
“So there's a difficult game for us ahead of us at the weekend. As always, we'll fully respect what we're going to face here. First and foremost, we'll understand the challenges of what Portsmouth are going to possess, really, and respect that.
“On the flip side, we'll try and go there and execute a game plan that can get us the three points and get us moving, really.”
On whether he’s upset at his side being labelled ‘boring’ by some pundits:
“No, it doesn't bother me too much.
“I think it's like anything. Defensively, we've been pretty remarkable. We've been very, very good on the defensive phase.
“That's not the way that I see solely us wanting to get promoted. We want both sides. That's not a sole decision on us or certainly me as a coach and us as players and us as a group that, OK, let's just be this defensively really rock-solid team that get to the end of the season and hope we get promoted.
“We want both. That's the intention. Every day we're trying to be this defensively rock-solid team.
“And on the flip side of that, trying to be an attacking, free-flowing team that looks the full package. And after seven months of this season and after a brand-new group coming in, the absolute reality is that that can't fully happen in such a quick space of time. We've put a tonne of work in, like we've said, to build a group which is united together and a defensive unit that has been clearly evident of the bulk of what's gone in and the players that are seeing that.
“There's elements constantly which I keep saying that we're trying to nudge along. So, like I said, if anyone was out there believing that we're all sitting here or I'm sitting here going, yeah, this is us and this is what we're going to be, then that's not the case. This is a progress.
“This is us trying to develop and we're going to maintain that. It was only a week ago we scored five goals against Plymouth and maybe some will just sit there and easily say, oh, well, that's probably what should happen. If only the game was that easy.”
On the importance of keeping the squad’s best players in the transfer window:
“You never want to lose your best players. And we're in exactly in that same position. We sit where we do in the league.
“We've done really well at this point. We want to keep this group together as much as we can.”
And on the injury situation:
“Everyone who you'd expect to be fit is fit. The boys are starting to come back now, certainly being on the grass and training with us more. Redmond, Enoch, Benny, Ramsey are still probably a little bit.
“There's more of a (chance with) Ramsey certainly, just edging a little bit closer. The other boys are starting to participate a little bit more fully in training, still need more work. So, yeah, we're heading in the right direction with them boys.”
Watch the boss’ full press conference:
Predicted line-up
Given Scott Parker made just the one change for the visit of Leeds United - Bashir Humphreys coming in for Lucas Pires at left back, we don’t expect the boss will tinker too much.
I think the expectation is that Pires will come back in and maybe Lyle Foster - a little ineffective against Leeds on Monday - will make way for the return of Hannibal, who Parker has favoured in a wide position previously.
Here’s our predicted line-up:
Burnley FC Women welcome two new faces
There might not be much on the horizon when it comes to incomings for the men’s first team but women’s boss Rebecca Sawiuk has moved to strengthen her side.
On Tuesday, midfielder Amelia Oldroyd joined the club on a dual registration from Manchester United and then just 48 hours later she was joined by striker Louanne Worsey who links up with the Clarets on loan from hometown club Birmingham City.
Oldroyd has been a regular for United’s Under-21s and says she’s excited to be joining Sawiuk’s side.
“I’m really excited and can’t wait to get started.
“I wanted a bit of a change and a different environment, and Burnley felt like the right place for me to come to and improve my game.
“It’s a talented bunch of girls here so I know I’ll have to be patient and wait for my opportunity, but everybody’s been really lovely and I’ve been able to settle in well.”
Worsey made her senior debut at the age of 16 in a Women’s Super League match with Reading in October 2021.
Now 19, the striker has played eight times in England’s top two divisions and spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest, where she came on as a sub in both games against the Clarets.
She said: “The Club is going in a really good direction and that’s something I wanted to be a part of.
“My goal is to come in, make an impact and score as many goals as I can, with the aim of helping the team gain promotion to the Championship.”
Both are in line to make their Clarets debuts at Derby County this weekend.
