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judge us at the end of the transfer window – not now

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EFC78 said:
I disagree with this based on the player being discussed. Certain players within teams should be given freedom to do things that others are restricted to do. It's a way of producing something from nothing and not every player has that ability.

If we tell the likes of Gray to hold that part of his game back, we wouldn't have beaten Arsenal in the last minute last season. Only Gray and 1 or 2 others in our team have the ability to score a winner like that in them circumstances.

Look at McNeil, good example of someone lacking the confidence to do something he has the ability to do. His goal Vs Us during lockdown and the Kiev pre season goal shows he has a similar talent to Gray of scoring unexpected goals from outside the box.

Yet all this season he's shirked every opportunity that has opened up to him and wasted it with a pass.

The likes of Gray, McNeil and Gordon need to be free to take risks in some circumstances and be bold. Obviously most in our team are horrendous at shooting so we'd rather they passed the vast majority of the time than take a shot outside the box.
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I honestly think that if Gray gave up possession on bad shots less, we would score more goals overall. If you want to see a comprehensive treatment of the subject, you would have to root around in the work people have done on the NBA data. Different sport, but the same basic principles apply.

I don't like "we would have given up two points if we did that" as a way of thinking about the problem. In the counterfactual, we should score more goals. I don't know how they distribute, or whether it's in fact a net points gain. If we do enough things that tend to lead to more goals, the distribution should take care of itself.

I'm not saying that players should not take low percentage shots from outside the box. McNeil was in a good spot just outside the box, in space, when he uncorked. He should take that. Gray has an unfortunate tendency to unload them from further away when passing alternatives exist. That's not good, and his shots per goal numbers speak to that tendency.

Groucho said:
Striker issues aside, despite having three on our books without counting U23s, this is our incomings 12 months ago;

View attachment 181678
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Definition of the Monopoly guy holding empty pockets out paying the poor tax.
 
Groucho said:
We need to take a step back and be pragmatic.

We have strengthened the defence and midfield, in the sense that we now have an actual defence and midfield again.

Yes we have lost Richarlison however we have kept Gordon and what’s wrong with a home grown replacement? He’s already scored two and is playing well.

Despite the fact we have signed Maupay I’m seeing a lot of ‘we haven’t signed a striker’ remarks. Yes it would have been even better to sign two CFs but in the market we are dealing in it is incredibly difficult to sign a top notch CF - do we want a return to the bloated squad of Allardyce full of players we didn’t want, signed simply to appease fans, then ending up costing us a fortune in wages sat on the bench? That’s how we end up saying “we need a clear out” in two years’ time. We still have Dominic Calvert-Lewin to return, and as last as he is, Rondon. Is it ‘we haven’t signed another CF’ or is it ‘we haven’t signed the CF I think we should’? Some (not all) people need to remember that this isn’t a computer football management game at times.

As for outgoings, yes, Richarlison has gone but when we feared that at one stage we’d lose him, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Gordon and sign only James Tarkowski (this wasn’t that long ago), to lose only one of the three and still move on deadwood in the non-existent Dele Alli (waste, shame) and Andre Gomes on their huge wages isn’t too disastrous. Coupled with sensible loans for Simms, Branthwaite and Warrington that’s not too shabby at all.

I’m no fan of the way things have been run in the recent past however I think Lampard and Thelwell have done more for us in this transfer window that anyone since Martinez signed Lukaku and Gareth Barry. Don’t forget, they’re essentially cleaning up a mess we’ve been in since Moyes left, all while FFP/P&S rules have had their hands tied up, bondage style.

I don’t go in for the finance side of football like some do as it bores me to absolute tears but overall, in the context of our position at the moment, I think that transfer window was far better than any of us expected.
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It's both for me without a doubt.

We needed a forward before Richarlison left, because Rondon isn't an option if you want to compete in the top flight. So when he left, we needed two.

We knew for months that Richy would be sold but had no one lined up and it took us over 50 days to help the manager, with 6 competitive games gone. Why was their no plan in place, and why did we prioritise other positions, and especially the McNeil signing, over a player who can score 10 goals a season.

Our forward options are probably the second worst in the league after Bournemouth. That's not acceptable for a club of our stature. Our priority this summer was replacing the player who was the main reason we stayed up, but we haven't done it. So now another relegation battle is pretty much certain. I think we will just about sneak to safety but we need to have realistic expectations about our prospects. I would take 17th right now.
 

kenada_blue said:
Do think Maupay will add to converting those chances. Not talking 20 goals a season, but definitely turning draws into wins.
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The miseries on here want us to be converted to a top four club overnight. the game is won and lost in midfield. Teams are going to find it very hard to score against us. Maupay will add some goals, Gray and Gordon are looking better in that department and our midfield additions will enable a bit more creativity and conversions, oh and Calvert Lewin will be back soon.

Give them three or four games to bed-in and we will find that we don't win many 6-0 but we will get plenty of 1 or 2 nils in our favour and draw many of the tougher games. Remember when Marcus Bent led the line? There is probably only Rondon and perhaps Tom Davies who are now surplus to requirements and we are no longer carrying a bloated overpaid squad who can't make it to the pitch because of injury.

The squad has been transformed and it will be of great interest to watch the team and younger players in particular develop.
 
Rob17896 said:
The miseries on here want us to be converted to a top four club overnight. the game is won and lost in midfield. Teams are going to find it very hard to score against us. Maupay will add some goals, Gray and Gordon are looking better in that department and our midfield additions will enable a bit more creativity and conversions, oh and Calvert Lewin will be back soon.

Give them three or four games to bed-in and we will find that we don't win many 6-0 but we will get plenty of 1 or 2 nils in our favour and draw many of the tougher games. Remember when Marcus Bent led the line? There is probably only Rondon and perhaps Tom Davies who are now surplus to requirements and we are no longer carrying a bloated overpaid squad who can't make it to the pitch because of injury.

The squad has been transformed and it will be of great interest to watch the team and younger players in particular develop.
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No one asked for top 4, wise up. Our aim this summer was to build a side who would be clear of a relegation battle but we haven't done it
 
ToffeeTim said:
It's both for me without a doubt.

We needed a forward before Richarlison left, because Rondon isn't an option if you want to compete in the top flight. So when he left, we needed two.

We knew for months that Richy would be sold but had no one lined up and it took us over 50 days to help the manager, with 6 competitive games gone. Why was their no plan in place, and why did we prioritise other positions, and especially the McNeil signing, over a player who can score 10 goals a season.

Our forward options are probably the second worst in the league after Bournemouth. That's not acceptable for a club of our stature. Our priority this summer was replacing the player who was the main reason we stayed up, but we haven't done it. So now another relegation battle is pretty much certain. I think we will just about sneak to safety but we need to have realistic expectations about our prospects. I would take 17th right now.
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With our new defence and midfield options a relegation battle will not be happening.
 

Hmm...

Untitled.webp
 

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