The team is not doing anything of note this year. It is another rebuilding year. Rebuilding with a bunch of loans is like building a house on quick sand. That is what I said before last year, and it is exactly what came to pass.
If Thelwell wants the team to consistently be in the top 4 in the league, that will never be achieved if 3 or 4 of your starters are on loan.
And playing Barlow as 2nd striker is driving a car through a swamp ... not going anywhere.
Last year, only Gutman and Edwards were true loans with no options to buy I think. I definitely have problems with roster in general but filling out the roster with a couple 1 year loans when other options don't work is fine in my book. Definitively a short-term solution, but a solution none-the-less.