January Transfer Thread 2017

[flibbyflob]

Have you seen those Keystone cops defending this season? Do me a favour: go and watch the Watford game just as one example then come back here and tell me this defence is sorted.

Lol.

The worst defending has been when Jagielka has played. Since he was dropped we have looked good at the back with Holgate, Williams and Funes Mori. Don't let facts get in the way of your agenda though.

 

[4737carlin]

We had a really good window, shifted rubbish, got good players in, saved wages, did more then enough for where we are right now.
The squad size is about right for the games we have left, have the rest of the season for the main first team players to work together so it will become apparent what we really need to do in the summer,

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

Have you seen those Keystone cops defending this season? Do me a favour: go and watch the Watford game just as one example then come back here and tell me this defence is sorted.

Lol.

Perfect, no.

Much better, definitely.

23 goals conceded vs 32 and 34 at the same point in the last 2 seasons says you're pissing in the wind again.

 

[BlueToff]

I dont think they need much persuading that we have a hell of a road back to replenishing this squad given the waste of time in the last two transfer windows.

I just scratch my head and wonder wtf £70M went on when we now have a threadbare squad to show for it.

This is the 'first team' squad that ended last season (left), finishing 11th: Squad now, currently 7th (right)

1. Robles --- 1. Robles
2. Hibbert --- 2. Schneiderlin
3. Baines --- 3. Baines
4. Gibson --- 5. Williams
5. Stones --- 6. Jagielka
6. Jagielka --- 8. Barkley
7. McGeady --- 9. Kone (I think?)
8. Oviedo --- 10. Lukaku
9. Kone --- 11. Mirallas
10. Lukaku --- 12. Lennon
11. Mirallas --- 14. Bolasie
12. Lennon --- 16. McCarthy
14. Niasse --- 17. Gueye
15. Cleverley --- 18. Barry
16. McCarthy --- 19. Valencia
17. Besic --- 21. Besic
18. Barry --- 22. Stek
19. Deulofeu --- 23. Coleman
20. Barkley --- 25. Funes Mori
21. Osman --- 26. Davies
22. Pienaar --- 29. Calvert-Lewin
23. Coleman --- 30. Holgate
24. Howard --- 31. Lookman
25. Funes Mori
27. Browning
32. Galloway

Trimmed the fat. Got rid of the deadwood, and replaced effectively 8 tosh players with some smart acquisitions.

That's how you build a squad.

In hindsight, the one mistake is Galloway. The loan looked a good idea at the time, but has back-fired. That's a shame.

 

[davek]

So much wrong in so few words.
Sure you're better than this David.

I dont see any eror there, tbf.

Williams: not shone.
Schneiderlin gives us not that much extra.
Holgate WAS already established
A Davies would not at that age for that position have been bought by Koeman.

 

[davek]

The worst defending has been when Jagielka has played. Since he was dropped we have looked good at the back with Holgate, Williams and Funes Mori. Don't let facts get in the way of your agenda though.

We cant defend crosses. Period.

 

[Nymzee]

Erm...he's had two windows. This summer SHOULD have seen the renewal complete...now we are miles off.

Erm... well no, he said the summer was for evaluating the squad. He had 6 weeks to evaluate, see who was good enough initially, see who out of those could adapt to his style of play, check the kids out etc. then made some signings. January is notoriously hard to do any sort of rebuilding unless you're at the bottom and desperate. September 2017 is when you can judge if he's rebuilt or not.

Don't be a moron.

Edit: 10 weeks.

 

[Bud McBlokeski]

lol

Even by your standards that's ridiculous Dave.

So we just get more bodies behind the ball, when the opposition are attacking, what a novel idea, I think that's called defending mate.

Oh and btw we've only conceded 23 league goals this season, the 4th best in the division behind Chelsea, Spurs and United.

That compares to 32 and 34 conceded at the same point in the previous 2 seasons, not improved the defence? hahahaha, ok mate x

And five of those were when Chelsea schooled us. To say the defence hasn't improved is not only factually incorrect, but frankly ridiculous.

 

[milks]

I dont think they need much persuading that we have a hell of a road back to replenishing this squad given the waste of time in the last two transfer windows.

I just scratch my head and wonder wtf £70M went on when we now have a threadbare squad to show for it.

I don't disagree one bit that the squad needs an overhaul. Anyone with a pair of eyes can see that (and I only have one personally), this is a legacy of a previous regime; too much chaff and filler. Too many prospects or projects bought in; it's harder to shift this lot than it is to find replacements - but as a business they can't all sit on the balance sheet simultaneously.

Where has £70m gone? With the aspirations we have £70m will buy a club 3 players usually. We've improved our goalkeeping situation, added some steel and voice to what had become as wishy-washy a defence as I can recall seeing, added two complete 'modern-day' central midfielders and signed Bolasie as well (I don't necessarily have the ire towards him that you do, but I would like to see some end product should he return successfully from his injury)

It's not going to push us straight into the top 4, but then what would? Chelsea & Man City both had to gradually trade up their player quality to establish themselves as contenders. Probably more misses than hits on the way too. If we're aiming to join that elite, we can't expect it to be an overnight transition.

I know you have a reputation to uphold, and if we're still having this debate come August I'll be firmly on your side of the fence. But post-January transfer window isn't the time to bemoan what I'm positive the club are making efforts to undertake.

 

[nsno-chris]

Someone's having an epic meltdown in here

 

[Jebus_lives]

Top class GK
RB cover
LB new starter or cover
CB
Playmaker
Second striker


...all as a matter of urgency - all needing to be integrated into a team - work that could and should have started in the rest of this dead season.

Opportunity scorned.

Fairly certain we can manage this in the summer with a preseason. Looking at the availability, it wasn't there for these players. We need to be quick at bringing them in when we hit the summer. But I disagree, the season is not dead if you think of it as a development project, its a chance to view the under 23s with a view to seeing if they can fill gaps. Assess what you have then buy. Otherwise we end up with more dead wood.

 

[degsy]

Have you seen those Keystone cops defending this season? Do me a favour: go and watch the Watford game just as one example then come back here and tell me this defence is sorted.

Lol.

you spout some right ole tosh sometimes

 

[Verbal Kint]

I dont see any eror there, tbf.

Williams: not shone.
Schneiderlin gives us not that much extra.
Holgate WAS already established
A Davies would not at that age for that position have been bought by Koeman.

Your becoming boring now, to think I regarded you as the best poster on here not so long ago.

Shame

 

[Bluewolf]

The top 14 clubs in the PL spent around £115m between them them, and we spent £35m of that total.

Some of the whining on here is cringe

Totally missed the point but thanks for the in put. Nice to see that you've left out the bottom 6 clubs to make your point (such as it is) seem more valid.

 

[Lanolin]

And I agree with that completely mate.

But, it circles back to the same point.

We got Schneiderlin (a player of that quality) as he was 'cast-off' at United.

But, that's a rare thing.

And while no, it's not impossible, we offered big money for the Nice forward and we made our interest in Keane known.

Depay, I think we backed away from the deal once Lookman arrived and showed his stuff. Why spend £20m on a player when we've just signed a £10m lad who could have a similar impact?

Burnley didn't want to sell Keane. But the difference is we didn't panic. Okay, we've got four CBs, plus Pennington at a push.

We have the cover and experience to get us through. We offered for Keane but they said no way. We'll go back in the summer.

To me it shows we have our level and now Koeman refuses to budge below it. To an extent he did in the summer with Valencia and, while I don't think he minds having Valencia here, he wasn't going to do it again.

I too understand the concerns, but the squad is stronger now than it was.

We have maybe let one player too many leave (Oviedo) without the cover in that role, though FWIW Koeman seems more than happy to play the youngsters if needed, which can only be a positive.

And that's all fine by me - as long as it works.

That's the point I'm trying to make, I don't want them to just spend money for the sake of it, but nor do I want to hear excuses after every window as to why we couldn't improve the side.

We assume that we couldn't sign Keane in January because Burnley wouldn't sell (we don't know this, just to be clear). But what if they won't sell in the summer? Or what if they will, and he goes elsewhere? Do we have a back up plan? We wanted the lad from Nice (again, I don't have any evidence of this but we'll go with it) but why would they be more likely to sell in the summer than now? And if they did why would he be more likely to move, seeing as they look likely to be in the CL?

In the summer we couldn't sign players because Walsh was new in the job, there were regulations to comply with, and everyone wanted CL football, in January it's because nobody will sell their players. I think all people are concerned about is the same thing happening in the summer, and the whole thing proving to be another false dawn. As I say, I'm not suggesting that's my own opinion, but I don't think those who are that way inclined should be mocked and scorned the way some people are doing.