It was a case of eight in and eight out for the Blues, who, encouragingly, also retained this season’s key performers.
Presently sitting two places and three points above the Championship relegation zone, Mousinho’s men have admirably remained in the fight, despite worrying periods at the foot of the table.
Now the reinforcements have arrived, with Rob Atkinson, Isaac Hayden, Thomas Waddingham and Hayden Matthews joined in the past week by Cohen Bramall, Adil Aouchiche, Ben Killip and Kaide Gordon.
Mousinho is convinced the new-look squad is stronger than before the window began – and better equipped to build on survival progress.
He told The News: ‘It has been really, really positive with the players we’ve brought in and I’m very, very happy with where we are.
‘The most important thing is to look at where we were on December 31 and where we are now. I definitely think we are in a much stronger position.
We have strengthened in areas we needed to strengthen. A couple of deals came up as the window went on and, whether they were there for the long-term or short-term, they were too good to turn down.
‘We’ve spoken at length about making sure we’re competitive and making sure we stay in it. There were times when we were probably a result away from feeling like we were cut adrift, but we always picked up the result – and I think we have put ourselves into a decent-enough position.
‘Certainly relative to where we were earlier in the season. By no means is that us being satisfied with where we are – fifth bottom and three points above the relegation zone – but we have given ourselves a chance going into the last 16 games.
‘In the opening 10 games, where we hadn’t won a match and were suffering through injuries and the lack of availability in certain areas, we wanted to make sure we stayed competitive and stayed in it, until January.
‘That would allow us to then bring some players in and strengthen certain areas we needed to strengthen.
‘Overall, it has been a successful January. We’ve got a huge amount of work to do because obviously other sides have strengthened as well and we are competing in a very, very competitive division.
‘But we have given ourselves a half-decent chance.’
Recent arrivals Aouchiche, Killip and Gordon are in the frame to be included in the Blues squad travelling to Sheffield United on Saturday.
Considering Tom McIntyre and Owen Moxon departed on deadline day, and with Mark O’Mahony now back in the frame, the match-day 20 will have a very different look about it for the remainder of the season.
Mousinho added: ‘We have managed to bring eight players in, eight very different players, some of them long-term, some of them short-term, a good mixture as well, a mixture of loans, six-month permanents, and long-term permanents as well with a couple of fees.
‘We have seen the impact already with some of the starting players. We have seen what Isaac’s done coming in, we’ve seen what Rob’s done coming in, Cohen made his debut last weekend, Tommy got a goal at West Brom, Hayden has made his debut as well.
‘Paddy going down made us think it was a possible area we could look to strengthen on the right-wing, which we’ve managed to do with Kaide.
‘When Jacob had his injury, we weren’t necessarily 100 per cent going to get someone because we knew there were other priorities. However, Cohen became available on a short-term deal and that made a huge amount of sense to us.’
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