This season’s signings.

[ramAnag]

With no match for another week might it be a good time to evaluate this season’s signings? Effectively we’ve bought/borrowed a new side with eleven signings that I can think of.

Jozwiak. 4/10. Disappointing, repeated lack of end product.
Te Wierik. 1/10. At least he did the right thing and went with good grace.
Ibe. 0/10. Sorry but for whatever reason he’s contributed nothing.
Clarke. 6/10. Not the 8/10 player we saw last season but always puts in a shift.
Roberts. 5/10. Bags of talent...but lacking ‘bottle’ and attitude.
Marshall. 6/10. Best keeper for a while at his best but too prone to error. May be off to Celtic anyway.
Byrne. 7/10. Good signing and an excellent replacement considering what we got for his predecessor.
Kazim Richards. 8/10. Tired recently but otherwise the signing of the season.
Mengi. 5/10. Really not sure. Very young and only played in a struggling team so difficult to judge.
Edmundson. 7/10. Always gives 100%. Would consider making permanent if available.
Gregory. 6/10. Suspect he’d be a star in League One. Mixed performances so far.
Baningime. N/A. Looks useful but had too few chances to comment.

Average 5.5...tells its own story about our season. Thoughts?

[Andy_Faber]

With no match for another week might it be a good time to evaluate this season’s signings? Effectively we’ve bought/borrowed a new side with eleven signings that I can think of.

Jozwiak. 4/10. Disappointing, repeated lack of end product.
Te Wierik. 1/10. At least he did the right thing and went with good grace.
Ibe. 0/10. Sorry but for whatever reason he’s contributed nothing.
Clarke. 6/10. Not the 8/10 player we saw last season but always puts in a shift.
Roberts. 5/10. Bags of talent...but lacking ‘bottle’ and attitude.
Marshall. 6/10. Best keeper for a while at his best but too prone to error. May be off to Celtic anyway.
Byrne. 7/10. Good signing and an excellent replacement considering what we got for his predecessor.
Kazim Richards. 8/10. Tired recently but otherwise the signing of the season.
Mengi. 5/10. Really not sure. Very young and only played in a struggling team so difficult to judge.
Edmundson. 7/10. Always gives 100%. Would consider making permanent if available.
Gregory. 6/10. Suspect he’d be a star in League One. Mixed performances so far.
Baningime. N/A. Looks useful but had too few chances to comment.

Average 5.5...tells its own story about our season. Thoughts?

I'd edge Edmundson up a half and I quite like Mengi so up 1, otherwise fair go

Roberst and Jozwiak are the most frustrating, both have talent but don't know when to put the brake on and give the ball over

[AdiSalisbury]

If I disagreed with any of them, it would only be me being picky, I largely agree. It's clear to me that there was no real transfer budget, and the Mel plan for Cocu was always to bring through the youth, which has been done.

My main concern however, is with the "type" of loan signings we took on in January, rather than the individuals themselves. we're in a relegation battle, so we need people with experience who can battle us out of it, and help our youngsters through a difficult period. Instead, we sign a bunch of kids. That's ok if you're midtable, and doing a friend a favour, or if you're challenging at the top and you want a different option off the bench. But it doesn't help us, and I don't think it helps the young loanee coming into a side feeling negative.

I also worry that our inexperienced manager is going to be given a large wallet in the summer, if he gets it wrong then that's our promotion (from any league) hopes dashed for 5 years +.

[swaledale]

Not much to disagree with, in defence of the loan signings, Roberts, Edmundson and Gregory aren't kids and I very much suspect it was a case of getting in who was available to increase the numbers.

I agree Kaz has turned out better than many thought, but was a panic buy and in reality is shining in a dreadful team, I can't fathom why we extended his contract at this stage, he is not going to improve next season and if we rely upon him as our striker then we are in for a torrid season, whatever league we are in.

[ramAnag]

Not much to disagree with, in defence of the loan signings, Roberts, Edmundson and Gregory aren't kids and I very much suspect it was a case of getting in who was available to increase the numbers.

I agree Kaz has turned out better than many thought, but was a panic buy and in reality is shining in a dreadful team, I can't fathom why we extended his contract at this stage, he is not going to improve next season and if we rely upon him as our striker then we are in for a torrid season, whatever league we are in.

Edmundson may be younger than you think...only 23.

I think giving CKR a contract was a good thing. He is, imo, one of only two contenders for ‘poty’...the other being Wisdom.
Given that he didn’t really get a chance until Rooney took over and, as you say, is playing in such a poor side with so little service, I don’t think he could have done much more.
If we go down he’ll be effective...possibly in partnership with Marriott (?)...up front. If we stay up and strengthen he’ll be a decent squad player even if only as a first hour/last thirty minute option.
Doubt, given the circumstances of his arrival, he’s on mega wages and he is one of the few who leads by example.

[Geoff Parkstone]

A tad harsh giving Ibe zero out if 10 when you n/a others for not having a chance. The decision to sign him may be 0/10 but the player deserves a N/A.

[MadAmster]

To what extent are certain players "underperforming" because of the "quality" of the players they are playing with or maybe the tactics employed?

Let's look at Jozwiak for one. Started to get into his stride and was looking good when Bielik was in the side. Now he looks lost. As thers have said in other threads, language might be part of the cause. IMO he is certainly missing having Bielik around. He was looking better when we had that spell of playing om the front foot and pressing and harrying opponents instead of letting them do it to us. His slipping back has coincided with us going back to not doing those things. I still believe there's a good player in there.

Great goal against the Netherlands at the start of the season. Last night, 58 minutes in, Poland hadn't had a shot on target. On 59 minutes Joz was subbed on. With his first touch he crossed for their first goal. A minute later, with his 2nd touch he scored. 20 minutes later he was involved in a 1-2 that saw his return pass crossed in to Lewandowski to score.

He's also not helped by our opponents knowing he's good so, every time he gets possession he's double, triple and sometimes even quadruple teamed.

Add to that his having to spend much of his time back defending now we aren't on the front foot anymore and you have all the reasons he's not delivering for DCFC.

[ramAnag]

A tad harsh giving Ibe zero out if 10 when you n/a others for not having a chance. The decision to sign him may be 0/10 but the player deserves a N/A.

Not really, Ibe has been here all season and we were told he needed time to get fit. Baningime was the only other I mentioned as not having had an opportunity...he’s been with us about two months and had one start I think. Suspect he may have had more but for the restrictions on the number of loanees in each match day squad.

Likewise with Jozwiak. MA is almost certainly right...players play well when playing alongside better players but unfortunately he’s playing for us and it’s up to him to perform and make a difference to a struggling squad.

[swaledale]

Edmundson may be younger than you think...only 23.

I think giving CKR a contract was a good thing. He is, imo, one of only two contenders for ‘poty’...the other being Wisdom.
Given that he didn’t really get a chance until Rooney took over and, as you say, is playing in such a poor side with so little service, I don’t think he could have done much more.
If we go down he’ll be effective...possibly in partnership with Marriott (?)...up front. If we stay up and strengthen he’ll be a decent squad player even if only as a first hour/last thirty minute option.
Doubt, given the circumstances of his arrival, he’s on mega wages and he is one of the few who leads by example.

I don't class a 23 year old players as a kid! Any player over 21 is experienced unless they are injury prone or at a big club that doesn't play them or loan them out.

So CKR is a contender for "pots" not exactly got much competition has he? Maybe he couldn't do much more though 24 starts with 6 subs and 7 goals doesn't suggest to me that he is going to be a key player next season.

Possibly in league 1, seeing as we won't strengthen much, but in the championship, we'd be relegation fodder relying on him and a younger possible loan player would be better as back up IMO. Not sure that a business in financial **** can afford to give a player what he "deserves" unless he is a key part of the team in the future.

You forget FFP, he would be a drain on resources and prevent the signing of a younger more useful player, the decision to extend his contract now seems daft to me, may beat the end of the season once we know what next season is going to be. The club has extended contracts of players who "deserve" it before and as result been lumbered with wage bills for no reason. Good old Derby paying salaries for players that are past their best, thats kind of how we got in the financial mess we seem to be in.

For me 35 year old (as he will be next season) journeyman striker is not a signing that demonstrates forward thinking

[ramAnag]

I don't class a 23 year old players as a kid! Any player over 21 is experienced unless they are injury prone or at a big club that doesn't play them or loan them out.

So CKR is a contender for "pots" not exactly got much competition has he? Maybe he couldn't do much more though 24 starts with 6 subs and 7 goals doesn't suggest to me that he is going to be a key player next season.

Possibly in league 1, seeing as we won't strengthen much, but in the championship, we'd be relegation fodder relying on him and a younger possible loan player would be better as back up IMO. Not sure that a business in financial **** can afford to give a player what he "deserves" unless he is a key part of the team in the future.

You forget FFP, he would be a drain on resources and prevent the signing of a younger more useful player, the decision to extend his contract now seems daft to me, may beat the end of the season once we know what next season is going to be. The club has extended contracts of players who "deserve" it before and as result been lumbered with wage bills for no reason. Good old Derby paying salaries for players that are past their best, thats kind of how we got in the financial mess we seem to be in.

For me 35 year old (as he will be next season) journeyman striker is not a signing that demonstrates forward thinking

We’ll have to agree to differ. Twenty three years old and not much more than 70 odd games, over four seasons for Oldham Athletic, in terms of experience makes him young and inexperienced to me.

As regards CKR...as far as ‘pots’ is concerned I made exactly the same point about there being little competition and I did suggest he’d probably only be a bit part squad player next season, but a useful one. Don’t think anyone has suggested he’s an example of ‘forward thinking’ but presumably the likes of Jozwiak, Knight, Sibley and Bird are. For me CKR has contributed more than any of them this season.