Strengthening strategy ..winners and losers

So...with the recent flurry of activity in what appears to be a new approach by Hurst to strengthen the team way ahead of January what are the pro's and con's, who are the winners and losers?

Most recently we can cite Ollie Palmer and Richard Brodie as extremes when it comes to signing a striker in January, Brodie was high profile, pretty much a flop and disrupted the squad...Palmer the polar opposite.  
Jones and Alabi, young and largely unheard of, (ala Palmer) signing them now allows us to evaluate and decide ahead of the window in January whether they are cutting it and if not release and try again in the window. Additional competition. Smart move in that way. Pro !
5 strikers now....at least two wont even get on the bench when all fit......additional tinkering for tinkering sakes potential not allowing partnerships to flurrish...pick the loanees and our own strikers confidence gets put out...potential unhappy camp......Cons!!

Conor Henderson....much called for additional centre midfielder...long overdue....again signing now allows us to evaluate and decide ahead of the window in January whether he is cutting it and if not release and try again in the window. Venney and or Clifton probably going out on loan to gain real game time Pro !
Brown, Venney , Clifton effectively being told they are not good enough, unhappy campers...Con !

With three loanees in a week i would assume, based on Hursts usual loanee record,  that come Saturday possibly three of what is supposed to be our strongest squad to date wont even make the bench.....Bogle, Pitman, Marshall, Robertson, East, Brown, Makreth, Pearson...the current likely bench warming candidates...... replaced with young unproven players ..... Con!

I like the early strengthening approach but unless there are unknown injuries or complications with exisiting ones then i cant help thinking Hurst has given himself a selection headache, not only regards the starting 11 but to who makes the bench as well...and this for a team that is just finding a nice run of form.  I would imagine there will be 2/3 heading out before long as a result.

Well you put that better than I did 😄 and this is what worries me, we have a settled team now with good options on the bench we are looking strong, now if  these loans where just a back up for squad cover I'd be more than happy. but I'm judging Hurst on his past mistakes because We have been here before.
I just hope Hurst has learnt from his mistakes because if not we are going to have some very drunk off players in the squad.

...........or it could be Hurst is strengthening is team going into the most important part of the season and hoping to keep a decent cup run going.

Games are going to come thick and fast now he needs quality players to  come in when and if injuries/suspensions take effect.

I for one am glad he is bringing in useful additions maybe he as not been able to extend existing loans another reason to add players. The Alibi one looks like a target man he likes to have and a extra midfield player of quality is a must in my opinion.

Lets see what happens before we start doubting  the appointments it's a squad game.

Strength in depth has to be as good as I can ever remember it, relative to our division at the time. I've been hoping we'll get knocked out of the Trophy nice and early this year, but then you realise that even discounting everyone who started at Eastleigh, we could still field the following side.

                                 Warrington

East              Pearson             [Youth]           Robertson

Mackreth        Brown             Henderson             Marshall

                        Bogle             Pittman

That doesn't even account for Alabi. Don't know much about Henderson, but not a bad 'second string' by any means, if you can even call it that. Only downside of a strong squad is keeping everyone happy - for me whether Hurst succeeds in doing that will dictate whether we win the league, or not.

Quoted from Poojah

Strength in depth has to be as good as I can ever remember it, relative to our division at the time. I've been hoping we'll get knocked out of the Trophy nice and early this year, but then you realise that even discounting everyone who started at Eastleigh, we could still field the following side.

                                 Warrington

East              Pearson             [Youth]           Robertson

Mackreth        Brown             Henderson             Marshall

                        Bogle             Pittman

That doesn't even account for Alabi. Don't know much about Henderson, but not a bad 'second string' by any means, if you can even call it that. Only downside of a strong squad is keeping everyone happy - for me whether Hurst succeeds in doing that will dictate whether we win the league, or not.

Crikey, you'd still expect that team to be top half of the table.

I was thinking this earlier. We've already been having to leave a senior pro or 2 (i.e. aside from Venney/Clifton) out of the matchday squad of 16.

Now with Bogle back in contention and two new signings, we'll have 21 senior players available so 5 aren't even going to make the bench.

Some tough choices ahead for PH, but he's got to be ruthless and improve the team if he can. If these new lads are better than what we've got and can help push us to our goal, then they play. Simple as that for me.

Time will tell but let's all give them a chance and not write them off 2 minutes after they've got on the pitch.

Strength in depth has to be a big step forward.  You never know when we are going to get injuries or suspensions etc.  Particularly,  over the busy xmas period.

A lot of points up for grabs and we need capitalise on these.  

Strength in depth has to be a big step forward.  You never know when we are going to get injuries or suspensions etc.  Particularly,  over the busy xmas period.

A lot of points up for grabs and we need capitalise on these.  

McKeown
Tait Toto Pearson Townsend
Arnold Diz Brown Monkhouse
Amond Pittman

Is the best side for me, but that leaves us with a back up side of

Warrington
East Gowling Sunter Robertson
MacKreth Clay Henderson Marshall
Bogle Alabi (once Jones in all probability goes back)

Saying all this I would send Alabi, Jones and Henderson back in a heartbeat if we could keep Townsend until the end of the season.

I'd sell a kidney and a bollock.