Are Saints Arguably Stronger At The End Of The Transfer Window Than They Were At The Start
Tuesday, 3rd Feb 2026 08:31 by The Walking Man

Reading social media after the end of the transfer window, it was very much a case of doom and gloom from many Saint supporters, but TUI reader The Walking Man does not agree with this and argues that we are actually stronger now than in December.

I've been reading lots of social media since the transfer window shut on Monday where people are having melt downs about us being worse off from the start of the January window.

But I don't agree with this !

The fact is we are better off now than at any time during the season. Ross Stewart, Shea Charles and Welington all key players in recent weeks were not available through injury for long periods leading up to Xmas and James Bree had been loaned out to Charlton all are now available and as I have mentioned have been key players in recent weeks, unlike some of those who have left the club in January, who have for one reason or another contributed little.

Gavin Bazunu has left and many thought he was part of the problem, Ronnie Edwards has played little during his time at the club and has had only two fleeting sub appearances under Eckert, likewise Ryan Fraser who has had just one start and 3 sub appearances since the departure of Will Still.

Armel Bella- Kotchap has not played in the League in nearly 3 years, Damion Downs has struggled and so has Joe Aribo who has not started a game only come on as a sub.

That leaves just Adam Armstrong who has left the club after making a significant contribution this season, however he has not scored in the last 9 games and you could see from his body language that he was not at his best.

So with the addition of Daniel Peretz & Cyle Larin on loan, we have made key area signings and I would say this makes us much stronger than at the start of the window.

You can argue that both TBH and Stephens have rediscovered their best form in recent weeks and you can add Flynn Downes to that list.

I feel the goal keeper situation has improved and with more game time Daniel Peretz will only get better.

The fact is we are stronger now than at the start of the window. If what they say regards to Adam Armstrong upsetting the dressing room is right then better gone in my opinion, the squad needed to be slimmed down and freshened up.

After the arrival of Tonda Ekert as first team manager we seemed to have a spirit in the side, but a big squad means lots of players unhappy as they are not getting a game or the manager doesn't fancy them and that leads to bickering and dressing room tension, which rumours seem to suggest.

Im also glad we kept Cameron Archer with a big man coming in to play off he might well find some form as he is an undoubted talent.

I'm disappointed in how so many have written off Cyle Larin without really knowing a single thing about him, give him a chance, you never know this new striker might prove a few wrong.

The departures have slimmed down the squad and brought in some money for the next transfer window, they have also got some big wages off the books, both temporarily and also on a permanent basis.

Tonda Eckert seems to be introducing a positive attitude in the dressing room, it now needs a positive attitude in the stands on Saturday, to give the squad a chance before making your mind up.

As I have said, given that Armstrong aside, the rest of the departures have contributed little this season, even just two additions are an improvement, three if you include James Bree.

So I’m actually ok with everything that has happened during this transfer window after the performance at Stoke I am actually looking forward to the next game when Watford arrive at St Mary's, something that I haven't done much in the last two months or indeed the last 18.

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davidargyll added 08:55 - Feb 3

Hear! Hear!
As we all know it is so much easier to be negative at times like this. So if it does go wrong everyone can then turn round and say “Told you so, etc…”
But whilst I have been concerned that they just did not seem to be any effort being made up until the last couple of games and a serious bit up the jacksy was required, it seems to have happened on the pitch.
But now with new arrival coming in to a more positively-minded dressing room, at the very least he cannot do any worse than whom he replaced. Because let’s be honest, AA has really gone off and missed a good few absolute sitters recently (because his head had been turned …?).
And as for CA maybe this might just energise him a bit…
I did think the corner had been, at least reached if not actually, turned a couple of weeks back, but now with the usual injury caveats, a slimmed down and arguably improved squad and with other teams, eg Coventry and Stoke, really coming off the boil, I am starting to view the rest of the season with a lot more confidence.

underweststand added 08:58 - Feb 3

Difficult to say that we've made any big strides this window, but (unlike some) I'm enthusiastic about Peretz's, and although he's not totally faultless, he is mobile and not afraid to get involved. One or two saves reminded me of Niemi's acrobatics.
Somewhat sad that Armstrong has gone, but Larin fits the bill regarding physique and experience, but we need to see him in our formation.
For the rest, youngsters who need to test themselves in "the man's game" may improve , or they will end up in L1/L2 in a year or so, but we still have a large group of "square pegs " from previous managers who must go in the next window.

andywelsh added 09:25 - Feb 3

I tend to agree with the above. The key this window was to thin out the squad and offload some of the fringe players and that has been done. Edozie may well move abroad somewhere in Europe where the window is still open in the next few days. Charles returning to full fitness for the second half of the season should take some pressure off the centre midfield pairing. Bree has allowed us to play a back four and both centre backs look more comfortable.
Clyde Larin is an unknown quantity but has been pretty prolific wherever he has gone and obviously feels that we will play to his strengths. Only a loan so it’s a win win situation. We may have the next Rickie Lambert in the building….or not.

andoverpierre added 09:27 - Feb 3

I believe now the likes of AA have gone players can play in there natural position , he was the highest goal scorer but he was also the highest goal miss king if you look at the stats he has had 90+ attempts at goal this season and scored only 11 . In some games he would get 4-5 good chances and miss them all yet we would get undone by a side that was more clinical , both Hull games and the swansea games comes to mind we had over 20 attempts on goal compared to our rivals but couldnt put them away
.
A lot of dead wood has gone , Aribo, ABK, Edwards, Fraser, Downes, Bazunu, larios all players that wouldnt have played and a substantial reduction on wages , Aribo alone is nearly a £2m saving over 6 months . so with armstrong going as well i bet the club have saved in the region of £10m in wages alone which is massive in this league plus any transfer fees for Armstrong/Edwards/ABK around £18m+ giving a total of £28m-30m which will help the club next season. so yes i think the club is in a stronger position despite the lack of spending.

PezzaSaint added 09:42 - Feb 3

The window for Saints was all about reducing costs, apart from maybe AA? I do get the point that a big squad can have its issues, let’s hope that with the squad being significantly trimmed that a great spirit emerges, time will tell.
And I hope that Tonda has been getting a say in what has been going on. Certainly with another big centre forward coming in it seems that a back 4 is here to stay and with a midfield 4 we’ll be getting lots of crosses into the box!
That said with just two loanees coming in it’s not the most progressive transfer window!

Bowlercow added 11:29 - Feb 3 I've no opinion on Larin and will be patient whilst he gets upto full match fitness He may get his first minutes this Saturday If Edozie is unable to contribute(for what ever reason) then he should train with the youngsters Are some windows in Europe still open ?If so he could still be moved on
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SaintPaulVW added 11:52 - Feb 3 Based on what I have seen of Peretz he is athletic, shouts a lot and distributes the ball well. He is liable to make the odd mistake though. I agree that he is an upgrade. I agree that the players returning from injury/ loan are very valuable additions to our playing squad and probably exceed the value of any new player that could have been brought in in January.
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highfield49 added 12:45 - Feb 3 I suspect Larin doesn't have the legs to get up and down the pitch for ninety minutes but he certainly looks like an old school centre forward. I may be well off the mark but he reminds me of Stern John who would have relished playing in the physical Championship?
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WestSussexSaint added 12:48 - Feb 3 I’m pretty neutral on whether the squad is stronger or not. What this window has done is clear some of the dead wood out of the squad which was vital towards doing a more complete rebuild in the summer.
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highfield49 added 12:55 - Feb 3 Just re-read the above, SJ played for us in the Championship! I meant the current Championship.
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BigbadBarry8myboat added 13:57 - Feb 3

Are we stronger ? No. Quite an easy Answer.
We've got rid of some deadwood, yes, but now we have a player (Edozie) as the only right winger other than Fellows, who has no played all season.
Had Archer gone then we could argue we're stronger as he's hardly got a proven record, but by retaining him and getting rid of Armstrong and getting in an older questionable striker, then there is no evidence that it leaves our front line better, we've shed goals with very little evidence we've replaced them.
Then, we have Bree back yes, but CB is our problem area and we didn't strengthen there.... I'm glad we got rid of Bazunu, Peretz looks more reliable.

So as a whole in my eyes, we're no stronger and actually slightly worse off on the whole.

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SanMarco added 13:59 - Feb 3

Cleverly written article. Players coming back to form/from injury is, of course, relevant to transfer business but surely primary judgment should be to simply compare the ins and outs. This, basically, boils down to the keeper change ands the AA change. I'm guardedly optimistic re the keeper and we don't have a clue yet re the other one. If we are stronger on 2 Feb than on 1 Jan I very much doubt it is to do with the transfer business!! I hope I am wrong - the new forward will have to score some goals.

One other thought: Wolves have looked ahead to next season by buying a proven second division scorer - is that the sort of thing SR would ever think of doing...??

YosemiteSaint added 18:46 - Feb 3

Can't say definitively—especially on the back of one encouraging result at Stoke—whether we're better. For the moment, it does feel as if we've sculpted down the side to a promising essence. But a telling parable was on display last night in the Prem, as a resurgent Sunderland dismantled a stagnant Burnley on Wearside. Recall a mere seven months ago that the latter breezed through the Championship to share the title with Leeds, whereas the former had to navigate the playoffs to get promoted. But now the difference is as clear as night and day. Sunderland have a stylish squad who will fight for each other and get results. Burnley, on the other hand, have a gang of also-rans—two of whom, Armando Broja and JWP, were arguably among the best to wear our shirt over the past five or so years. Pretenders to the Championship title should take note: To get where they are, Sunderland have out-scouted, out-imagined, and out-spent the other two ascendants from the 2024-2025 Championship. They are playing a very different kind of football than they were a year ago. Anyone with similar ambitions must look in that mirror. Are Saints anywhere near comparable level to succeed in the Prem? No. Can we reinvent ourselves to do so once again? Maybe. But it will take a very different side than the ones we've fielded in the past five years, and hopefully this transfer window lays a new foundation that can eventually compete at a higher standard.

Theonlyrhymethatbite added 22:12 - Feb 3

I'm joinjng the well done club on saying spors got rid of players he needed to, getting money out of an empty ketchup lacking bottle was a master stroke I thought was destined to be thrown away into the recycle bin for nowt.
I like the sound of the new striker to cover and link play, What no one's mentioned is how well our other players do off Stewart before he was injured, having a big man always available will give Leo, fellows and azaz more options and less defenders to beat. Will miss AA and feel he could of played off the right for fellows in a 442
I think between going 442, bree returning and signing Perez we will be more solid, not one of those things is the silver bullet but together they should see us more solid.
Also well done for keeping THB. As much as we are a selling club we've kept one of the best goal scoring CB's in the division - I did t say one of the best defenders as he could be but hasn't played well enough when in the 5 man defence.
Oh for the halcyon days of a Virgil type player joining us on deadline day

TimSaint added 02:58 - Feb 4

We are stronger as a squad because players have come back from injuries and loans, not because of our transfer activities in the window. If those players, or indeed others, should get injured this month, does that then negate your spin on things ?
I am surprised we let Arma go for only £7m (+£2m in potential add ons). He is currently the 3rd top scored in the Champ and and has 1.5 years left on his contract.
It is worrying that his (and D Downs) replacement is a relative unknown with no experience on our league.

We are financially stronger after this window for definite. Getting rid of so much dead wood, albeit that some are only for 6 months will help the club. I'm hoping they learn, so they know what to do when they come back in the summer - along with the likes of BB Diaz, Baz etc.

ABK 100% played for us in the Prem last season - maybe 3 or 4 times.

I think we can draw plenty of positives from what has happened in the last month, but I am not sure if a couple of good results mean we have turned the corner and are ready to make a push for the play-offs. Plenty of points to play for. Stop making the same mistakes and who knows where we might end up.