With the season nearly two months old we’ve reached that mythical 10-gamer marker when apparently teams will have a decent idea of how their season is going to pan out and whether their new signings look like the mutt’s nuts or just complete b*******. So how have our new guys settled in? Are they good enough to get us to the Promised Land?

Starting at the back, Keiren Westwood has looked extremely assured between the sticks, and hasn’t been fazed at all by the jump up the divisions. He’s shown his shot-stopping abilities on a number of occasions, and his command of his area and ability to catch crosses are excellent. Keiren’s kicking can be slightly wayward occasionally (a plague that seems to infect all City goalkeepers at one time or another) but most of the time it’s fine. So far he looks the best keeper we’ve had since Oggy and Kirkland, and I fear we may struggle to keep hold of him in the long term.

VERDICT: HIT

Stephen Wright was brought in to solve the perennial right back problem, because although David McNamee was undoubtedly talented enough he appeared to be made out of glass. So I wasn’t expecting him to be a huge improvement in terms of ability, but I was hoping he’d at least be able to play a vast majority of matches. So to find out he’d be out for two months only two games into the season was disappointing to say the least. In those two appearances Wright looked composed enough, sturdy at the back and willing to get forward when the opportunity arose, but he’ll have to steer clear of further injuries on his return or questions might be asked as to whether we’ve signed another crock.

VERDICT: MAYBE

When Aron Gunnarsson ran out onto the pitch for the first time I thought the CCFC hierarchy had taken to cloning over the close season, so remarkable was the likeness of the Icelandic teenager to last year’s player of the season Jay Tabb. He doesn’t play like the Boys from Brazil though; he’s an immensely tough midfielder, hard-working and more than willing to put in a strong challenge or three. Supremely self-confident with a huge throw and who hates losing, you sometimes fear Aron might take his aggression too far, and when he said he’d fight Elliott Ward for penalty taking responsibility you wondered if he meant it metaphorically or literally! He may well end up with the odd red card, but he’s got all the makings of a fan’s favourite, if we can keep hold of him for long enough.

VERDICT: HIT

Guillame Beuzelin was the reason Stephen Hughes had his contract extension ripped up, and it’s easy to see why given the similarities between the two. He’s even managed to split the fans’ opinion on him so far, some thinking he shows intelligence in his passing and doesn’t lose the ball, others think he looks off the pace and doesn’t provide enough of a creative spark in the middle. Boozy hasn’t set the world alight since his arrival but hasn’t looked totally out of his depth either. He’s lost his starting role to Doyle in the last few games, and he’ll have to improve if he wants to get it back. At the moment he looks more like the kind of player who comes on to help defend a lead with ten minutes left by keeping tight at the back and not losing possession. You have to wonder if Coleman would have signed him if he hadn’t have been on a free transfer.

VERDICT: MISS

The signing of Clinton Morrison was a bit of a coup for the Sky Blues, as we’ve lacked a proper goalscorer in previous seasons and Clinton definitely has pedigree. Although he hasn’t managed a league goal yet, he’s hit two in the Carling Cup and does look dangerous by taking up good positions in the box. His work rate has been surprisingly impressive so far, willing to chase down defenders and backpasses, and once a few more shots manage to hit the back of the net Morrison will be a big hit with the fans.

VERDICT: HIT

You wait ages for a good striker, then two come along at once! Freddie Eastwood’s transfer may have taken forever to go through, but early indications seem to show the best things come to those who wait. Although he’s only hit two goals so far (and one of them was a fluke) his ability to lead the line has shone through, dropping deeper to allow Morrison to play his natural game whilst also holding the ball up and bringing others into play. Again, Freddie needs a few goals to really get going but when ‘Clint Eastwood’ fully hit their stride they’re going to be two of the best sharpshooters in the Championship.

VERDICT: HIT

Overall then it seems like Chris Coleman’s forays into the transfer market so far have been pretty successful. Long may it continue and let’s hope for similar success in the January window.

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