With Jodi Jones injured (albeit coming back in just over a month) and Nick and Kellan being the only available options out wide, with Sam Austin filling in on a few occasions and Josh Martin looking like he will be on his way in January. It is obvious that Notts need creativity and pace from out wide. Notts missed out on a wide player on deadline day in August as well. With this I have compiled a list of players for us to potentially look at in January.

Zero assists may look bad on the stats but Ellis Taylor has been vital for Harrogate this season in creating chances and has a decent expected assists (Xa). He had an excellent game against Doncaster. Jack Holmes has had most of his minutes from the bench and even then they have been within the final 20 minutes of games. Jacob Mendy and Anthony Forde haven't had the minutes at Wrexham and the former especially, could be a great signing. Dylan Duffy played a l lot of games for Lincoln last season but hasn't had that chance this season, with off the pitch issues taking effect. Matt Ward has started well at Woking after being released by Ipswich in the summer. Stanley Mills had a good loan spell with Oxford last season, before it was cut short due to injury. Harvey Vale had a move abroad that broke down this summer, but he had a good loan spell at Bristol Rovers. He is very versatile and has good technical ability. 

Brandon Kavanagh is the best winger in the League of Ireland and had a wonderful season this year, with him being heavily involved in St Pats' resurgence to 3rd under Stephen Kenny. Ronan Boyce and Ben Doherty are two of the best full-backs in Ireland and offer their fair share going forward, with Doherty being perfect for the wing-back role with his attacking and defensive balance. Ed McCarthy was a standout or Galway in their first season back in the Premier Division and Warren Davis has shown promise for Drogs. Shea Kearney is one of the hot prospects in Northern Ireland and can play further forward in a natural winger role or a little deeper. He can also cover in centre mid.  

All stats are taken from Fotmob. Some stats are over different periods. Some stats are not available via Fotmob which includes Shea Kearney and Matt Ward. Their stats can be found via Sofascore here.

Shea Kearney stats and ratings | Sofascore

WWW.SOFASCORE.COM

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Shea Kearney profile player page. Goals, matches, stats, player ratings and more.

Matt Ward stats and ratings | Sofascore

WWW.SOFASCORE.COM

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Matt Ward profile player page. Goals, matches, stats, player ratings and more.

Ellis Taylor - 2024/25 season
Harvey Vale - 2023/24 season loan spell at Bristol Rovers
Dylan Duffy - 2023/24 season
Ben Doherty - 2024 League of Ireland season
Brandon Kavanagh - 2024 League of Ireland season
Ronan Boyce - 2024 League of Ireland season
Jacob Mendy - 2023/24 season
Anthony Forde - 2023/24 season
Stanley Mills - 2023/24 loan spell at Oxford United
Jack Holmes - 2024/25 season
Ed McCarthy - 2024 League of Ireland season
Warren Davis - 2024 League of Ireland season

 

So out of these players that you have mentioned @ARLukomski which of them do you believe would fit well into the Notts County system of play, & do you think they would help to maintain our excellent defensive record so far this season, but at the same time would enhance our attacking play?

Bear in mind that Notts are waiting on Crowley, Jones, Edwards & Grant to return who would certainly improve our attacking capability in the second half of the season.

  On 23/11/2024 at 20:22, Robbie said:

So out of these players that you have mentioned @ARLukomski which of them do you believe would fit well into the Notts County system of play, & do you think they would help to maintain our excellent defensive record so far this season, but at the same time would enhance our attacking play?

Bear in mind that Notts are waiting on Crowley, Jones, Edwards & Grant to return who would certainly improve our attacking capability in the second half of the season.

Ben Doherty and Brandon Kavanagh definitely. Both have played that wing back role before and Doherty has played left-back in a back four as well. Jacob Mendy as well, very athletic, strong and is well balanced in attack and defence. He's also played under Maynard before

I agree about adding another wing-back and I think I’d be looking to add someone more in the mould of Nemane. Matt Ward possibly, I’ve not seen him play and I think you’d have to be a clear cut above National League level to step up and do well for us in League 2. And I like Anthony Forde, not quite as quick but the guy was and probably still is League 1 standard. The money was clearly the pull that got him to Wrexham, would we be able to afford him?

Kavanagh’s numbers make him stand out but I’m never quite sure of the standard of the League of Ireland and how it compares to the lower EFL Leagues. I remember Andre Wright was on trial for us (when we were in the National League) after getting in the LOI team of the year. We didn’t sign him and he went to play for Ayr United and then Telford and didn’t score for either of them. Obviously there will be players good enough to play League 2 but it’s about spotting the right ones.

Loving the stats @ARLukomski... Would it help if the figures like successful dribbles / crosses etc are displayed as % of the games played?

Definitely need another wing back, to play oppositie JJ when he’s back, but Notts will be naive not to recruit another striker/attacking midfielder option.

Two players in January is all we need now, been a long time since we could say that.

A few recommendations @ARLukomski: 

Kyle Joseph who is currently at Blackpool, he's a decent prospect and knows how to find the net. Whilst not the most prolific player, I do think someone as young as him would flourish given the chance in a team that plays to our style.

Kyle Joseph - Player profile 24/25 | Transfermarkt

WWW.TRANSFERMARKT.CO.UK

Wingers:

Reece Cole from Exeter City, has done well on the right side of the flank and is very versatile.

Reece Cole - Player profile 24/25 | Transfermarkt

WWW.TRANSFERMARKT.CO.UK

If we wanted a bit of experience, and a player who has a high work rate - Kyle Dempsey from Bolton would be a good call. He has plenty of EFL experience, decent cross and can either right or left of midfield. Although, he is 29 and Notts does tend to sign players a bit younger usually.

Kyle Dempsey - Player profile 24/25 | Transfermarkt

WWW.TRANSFERMARKT.CO.UK

Anthony Forde, Jacob Mendy and Brandon Kavanagh would all be good fits for the club. These are players I am familiar with, Forde is a good player and Jacob Mendy at League Two level is a very good option in the attacking department. It would also make sense to link him with Jatta, then we would have two from The Gambia.

It could quite possibly revive his international career.

I would recommend having a look at the Dutch leagues, as with the fans' forum it does sound like we will be looking to recruit outside of the EFL.

it certainly will be interesting to see where the club looks to get that extra quality we need in the wider parts of the pitch and up front. it should not be that difficult to identify talent to come into the areas we need. i just hope stuart maynard and the club acknowledge that we address the defensive concerns, but could have done just a little more in the attacking department.

injuries might have set us back, which is not exactly something we can predict but i do think in hindsight the cover prior to allowing some players depart could have been better handled. also, i would not be against seeing good players who are first team ready of the 18-22 age.

Kyle Dempsey is an interesting one and someone I can find fitting in at Notts. He's not been a regular starter this season. He could come in and play in the 10 or out wide, or a deeper midfield role. 

These were Dempsey's stats for Bolton in 2023/24

PLD 41 (24 starts)

Assists 6

Accurate passes - 676

Chances created - 27

Passes into final third - 115

Accurate long balls - 26

Dispossessed - 13

Tackles won - 27

Recoveries - 101

Ground duels won - 67/142 (47.2%)

Aerial duels won - 58/105 (55.2%)

Reece Cole is a more natural centre mid and whilst he hasn't made many appearances and would be available, we are rather stocked in that position, especially with Edwards and Robbo to come back.

Kyle Joseph would be a great signing, however he has started most games for Blackpool this season and is their top scorer. 

Recruiting players who understand our style of play is key, but the club’s recruitment team has been brilliant with this so far. Our emphasis on controlling possession and exploiting wide areas means we need players with high football intelligence. A winger who can hug the touchline or drift inside to create space would add so much value. I’d also consider a wing-back with a good defensive mindset but enough stamina to push forward in attack. Looking at Scandinavia or the Netherlands is a clever idea, the leagues there are filled with gems waiting to be discovered. January is always tricky, but with the right scouting, we could make a real impact.

@ARLukomski are you following any Scandinavian or Dutch players who could be good fits for the club?  

I will look into the Scandinavian and Dutch market for more players @NottsCountyKev.

Scandinavia is an area I've looked for strikers and found Taylor Silverholt (Helsingborg) and Sævar Atli Magnússon (Lyngby)

@ARLukomski who do you think Notts County might be more tempted by in the January transfer window?

It’s interesting to see the focus on wing-backs and wingers in this discussion. I think Notts have done well with recruitment under the current setup, but it’s clear we could use more depth in these areas. Players who can contribute defensively and in attack will be key if we want to maintain our style throughout the season.

 I’d also love to see us unearth a gem from Scandinavia, as their leagues often go under the radar. A young, hungry player looking for their next step could be exactly what we need to strengthen for a promotion push.

Wingers and wing-backs will be key, especially with injuries piling up. Any realistic targets out of those players?

I think our priority should be quality over quantity. We’ve got a good squad, but January is a chance to address specific areas where depth might be lacking. With Jodi Jones and others in and out of the side due to injuries, having another solid option out wide would ease the burden. A quick winger who’s comfortable taking on defenders and delivering consistent crosses would be ideal.

That said, we shouldn’t overlook the importance of strengthening defensively, especially at wing-back. Players who are strong in transition could add more balance to the side. It’d also be interesting to see if we target another striker to support Jatta, as having an alternative option up top could give us more variety. Hopefully, the club’s analysis team is already deep into the scouting process!

Are there any free agents we could consider in January? Might be worth a look.

Dutch players often adapt well to our system, so scouting there makes sense.

  On 29/11/2024 at 17:43, NiftyNick said:

Dutch players often adapt well to our system, so scouting there makes sense.

Bring back snijders and Jenner!

Will you be posting about potential strikers or other positions we might strengthen @ARLukomski?

Notts should focus on players who are versatile enough to cover multiple positions. For instance, a winger who can also slot in as a wing-back would give us more flexibility, especially during those inevitable injury crises. The January window’s tricky because good deals can be rare, but the recruitment team has been spot on lately.

Hopefully, they’ve already identified targets who fit into our style of play and can hit the ground running. It’d also be smart to look for younger players with potential resale value.

@NottsTastic @JIMBO The toughest targets to get will depend on the fee needed to get certain players. I imagine after his stellar season in Ireland and St Pats' resurgence under Stephen Kenny, it'll take a decent fee to prize away Brandon Kavanagh. Harvey Vale has been Chelsea U21 captain and so I imagine that'll be difficult, especially as he had a good loan spell in League 1 last season.

On the flip side, Ellis Taylor is possible because Harrogate could do with a bit of money and Taylor is good enough to step up to a top end League 2 side. Jack Holmes would most likely be available for loan, as will Dylan Duffy. Jacob Mendy and Anthony Forde haven't had the game time they would have probably wanted and I imagine they could be tempted away. I would like us to spend a bit of money in January and look at young talent available and not try and go down the player resurrection route. For every Jodi Jones, there's a Charlie Colkett.