Jones the Boss described it as a “disaster” and he’s not being over-emotional. Unless the injuries to both Koumeito and Sichenje prove much less serious than initially feared, we went in 10 minutes from awaiting the icing on the cake signing of Rak-Sakyi, still basking in the glory of the win at West Ham, to having six days (including today) to make a lot of changes. And Jones has to put together a side, especially a defence, to keep the Championship momentum going against Preston on Saturday (with a trip to West Brom coming up on Wednesday).
As I understand it, with no inside knowledge, our current injury list now reads as Mannion, Ramsay, Edwards, Koumeito, Sichenje, Burke, Godden and Kelman. Add in the fact that Kaminski, Fullah and Kanu are currently persona non grata and you have 11 first-team squad members unavailable. That is a crisis.
Losing a centre-back in a game is unfortunate, but losing his back-up as well at the same time, and then learning that another of the senior centre-halves is out too, is downright unfair. I can’t remember being as gutted as this about losing a player through injury as I am about Koumeito. I thought he’d slotted in wonderfully well alongside Jones right from the off. The fact that we sold a centre-half, Mitchell(A), and sent another two, Gough and Mitchell(Z), out on loan were understandable moves at the time, but I hope somebody at the club is scanning the loan contracts to see if an immediate recall was included as an option (I assume not).
So, what are we – or rather Jones and his team – looking at as things stand for Saturday? Of course the goalkeeper spot is not an issue. In defence we have available McNamara (and just how good a signing is he proving to be), Jones, Bell, Mesic and Asiimwe. I don’t know enough about Preston’s attacking strengths to factor that in, but I’d assume that unless Ramsay or Edwards are ready to be put into the mix the only question would be whether to keep Mesic as Jones’ central partner, as last night, or move Bell inside and have Mesic as left-back.
As for options for a quick signing, the obvious one to me – and I’ve no idea regarding viability – is to go back to Wrexham and ask if we can have Coady back, immediately. He knows the place, the set-up, and most of the squad, and this time we’d have him play alongside Jones. As and when players may return, he would be an extra option either in defence or midfield. As for Rak-Sakyi, if the rumours are true and Burnley have trumped our offer, unfortunate but accept that and move on quickly; if JRS has the balls to tell his agent 'no, I want to go to Charlton, do the deal', we would all be delighted.
Just where another senior addition leaves the squad numbers I’m not sure. But we clearly have to get the Kaminski sale done before the window closes, to get loan deals for Fullah and possibly others, and to sort out which from Asiimwe, Burke (clearly now more complicated), Apter, Knibbs, Kanu, possibly others, are moved on. I don’t want to see any of them go. We’ve not seen the best yet of Knibbs or Apter, Kanu and Asiimwe are still developing with potential. But the rules are the rules and something has to give. All we can do is watch and wait.
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