[Worldclassalbion]

4 very good signings this window. Well done Dowling and Big Sam

[Baggiebob(BBB)]

Great work by Dowling and Big Sam, its what Sam wanted, and I'm sure his influence was a factor on them coming to do battle.

So who will they replace immediately in the team?

[Slick_Footwork]

Given our financial situation, it's as good a window as we could've hoped for really.

Ideally we would've added a centre half and another full back as well. But let's be honest, 4 players who can impact the 1st team picture isn't too shabby when you're skint...

Compared to the teams around us, we've had a favourable window. Maitland-Niles in particular would've been on lots of wish lists.

I don't think it will be enough to keep us up, but at least now we'll be able to see what Big Sam is really made of and if he's the man to take the reins next season. I think we can start judging him in 3 or 4 games time now he's been able to bring some of his own players in. Obviously the window isn't as good an opportunity as a summer window, but he's still been well backed in terms of salaries.

[WBA-Josh]

What’s your knowledge on Okay Yokuslu,  Josh, I can see slick has been positive, already, but I know little about him. 

My knowledge on him is limited because I don't watch La Liga (If he was signed from the Bundesliga then you'd be about to read a 1000 word essay). I follow the results and team sheets so I knew that he wasn't a first choice player for Celta this season but he seemed to be the first name off the bench for them when they needed to sure up a match.

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I'm actually impressed that the club have been able to sign these players. I'll be honest I expected to see a couple more Snodgrass type players in this month. Old British based players who were no longer first teamers who could come in a do a job. Instead we have a quality defensive midfield player, a late blooming striker with potential and AM-N.

The key question now is how will Allardyce fit them into the team? For me, Diagne should obviously be our first choice striker, Yokuşlu should go straight into the centre of midfield alongside Livermore and AM-N should replace Furlong at right back but Allardyce will have his own ideas.

[Baggiebob(BBB)]

AN-M won't be playing full back, as that was what Southampton wanted and he refused them, the reason why he took too long and they pulled out.
The team when they can all play will be interesting, is there room for Livers, Gibbs

[BaggieSteve]

Assuming AMN has been attractive the Hawthorns with the promise of playing in midfield, then it’s somewhat worrying that the defence has not been improved. I can only assume that Allardyce believes that a greatly improved midfield will take pressure off the defence. It will be interesting to see the formation and the personnel. Can only think he’ll play 4-4-1-1, with AMN, Yokuslu, Snodgrass and, possibly, Gallagher, with Pereira playing behind Diagne. If that’s correct, it doesn’t have a lot of width. Any suggestions?

[WBA-Josh]

If AM-N has come to the Albion because he has been given assurances about playing in midfield then I have to question why we have signed him. With Yokuşlu we are not exactly short in midfield now.

The defence will have been left without improvement and we'll still only have 1 actual right back in the squad. It's all well and good creating a strong midfield but the defence is still lacking in quality especially at full-back, the position that AM-N has spent the past 3 seasons playing at.

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As for suggestions for using AM-N in midfield, he could be used on the right side of midfield in a 4411, on the left side of midfield in a 4411, on the right or left side of a central 3 or as part of a central 2. The first two options would mean Snodgrass probably on the other wing which I'm not keen on (If Snodgrass is on one wing then on the other has to be Diangana or Robinson so we have some pace), the third option would mean Pereira having to play on the right wing which doesn't get the best out of him and the the fourth would probably mean AM-N and Yokuşlu playing together, which sounds good on paper, but would mean no Captain Livermore in the team.

[drewks]

To me it romaines a fact that Sawyers (youch, sorry) is a massive liability in that mf role. Nothing against him personally - I think he's a very decent footballer in the Championship, or even maybe in the PL playing a different system - but there just seems like there's no drive, no energy to his game this season.
Time will tell, but maybe the back line WILL look much, much better with a decent midfield. We do potentially have that now so it's hopefully time to play the game on the front foot. Hopefully Pereira will start looking a class better; also Diangana. Maybe we can see Grant fizzing around the penalty area.....

... DOCTOR! PILLS!

[valpayne]

well that was a pretty positive window all considered with some very shrewd signings that actually want to be at the albion even with the daunting task ahead.
personally I think we're to far adrift to escape now but as others have said if there's some pride restored and a better win ratio, that's a bonus.
It seems clear that as SB and BS have both failed to pick up enough wins with very different mindsets on how to play the game that this squad was seriously lacking in the required talent
to make it in the PL. These signings should prove enough that this was the case. time will tell. But I also think that BS seems to have commanded the respect of these players to bring them here at this time. A-MN just wants to play football and get on Southgates radar fair play that's a good incentive to do well. likewise the other two want to prove they can do what they've been doing abroad in this league. another good incentive. fingers crossed they all gel and quickly.

[Salopbaggie]

AN-M won't be playing full back, as that was what Southampton wanted and he refused them, the reason why he took too long and they pulled out.
The team when they can all play will be interesting, is there room for Livers, Gibbs

I think the move to Southampton was more of an issue as Southampton are only 4 points behind Arsenal, you do not want to be helping out your competition for a European place by loaning them players.

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Trying to be positive and these are good loans, but already I am worried for next season, whichever league we are in and for the same reason as usual. We will have to entirely replace what will probably be our first choice midfield: Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Okay Yokuslu and Conor Gallagher. Just imagine what the combined cost of those three would be, plus the other positions we need to fill. This is our biggest problem we cannot build a team, as we are in a permanent state of crisis management and firefighting.