Yeah I’ve seen this before….Matt is a very very good player and will give us something we haven’t had that should help our midfield players get further up the pitch, but when looking at his nos you have to consider the fact that FGR had the two best wing backs in the division in Nicky Cadden and Kane Wilson.
Both made team of the year, Wilson finished with 13 assists and Cadden got 12…we’re in the back end of January and the two wing backs here who’ve played the majority of games so far have a combined total of 0 assists!!!
I realise that with a CF like Matt this may have been different but I haven’t seen any evidence of the type of delivery he’d thrive on coming from either flank.
A few people on here saying the Mansfield owner is being an arse. I think he is doing what he thinks is best for his club.
I wonder what we would think if the shoe was on the other foot, i.e. if we were the ones refusing to sell DJ back to Mansfield?
The best we can hope for is that we get him back in the summer because I seriously can’t see Mansfield letting a play-off rival have him especially one for whom he has scored so many goals in half a season.
How would they feel if we met them in the play-off final and DJ scored the winner for us?
If DJ came back on loan he wouldn’t be able to play against them in the play offs anyway.
If it was a permanent transfer, they could potentially include a clause that said he couldn’t play against them. It would be rare but I’m sure it has happened before somewhere, usually if the two teams are paying each other in the next week or two, not of the off chance of maybe playing each other in 3 months time!
I cant think of any player Walsall Fc have not rushed headlong to grab any money available. Maybe only Deeney when Bonser got over greedy and at least f##cked himself over as there was no chance the managers were getting any of it
We have never held onto a player who has made it clear he wants away. Very wise in my view. The upset unsettled players can cause in the dressing room is massive. The Mansfield Chairman is playing hard ball because he wants a bigger fee from us but he ain’t going to get one because we know that DJ wants to play for us not Mansfield so he either caves in or he has a want away player on his books until the end of the season.
We will probably sign someone else before the deadline to play with Matt and if we do I think we can still make the play offs subject to the congested fixture list which is a bigger threat to our chances than DJ not signing.
There aren’t that many names that shout out though, @WalsallOne Think we’re more likely to get some kid we’ve never heard of on loan if we don’t get DJ.
For what it’s worth, Matt is a cracking signing for the second half of the season. However, as a fox in the box, there are few players within Walsall’s reach who could hold a candle to DJ.
I agree on DJ but Matt with a mobile side kick should be able to cause defences problems in this league. I also think his hold up play could help Knowles and Hutchinson in particular to score more goals.
If the player wanted to go then I’d say we should get rid. Worse for the team keeping a player who wants to be elsewhere. And I’d say get it done sooner rather than later too so we can look at replacements.
Given that Forest Green have just sacked their manager, I’d be very tempted to chance my arm with a couple of cheeky bids for March or (just returned from injury) Stevens…
I would be amazed if Johnson doesn’t move before the window closes. What really is the point of him staying, he doesn’t want to be there, the manager doesn’t want him. If he stays he will move for nothing in the summer. The only rationale I have for this over and above the commercial bravado is was there a question mark over Clough staying given they have been up and down in performances, that though seems the less likely reason the nearer we get to Tuesday. We will see…UTS
Quick update folks from the same Mansfield player today. Stated that the Mansfield chairman wants ‘silly money’ for Johnson to which Walsall are refusing to pay.
Hence current standoff.
The chairman thinks we are desperate and will pay any amount.
Walsall in a very strong position.
and will pay any amount.