Post transfer window discussion: Rate the Transfer Window

[bluestevon]

Are you suggesting teams parked the bus vs. Wigan?

They got relegated because they had crap players, paid low wages and had a net spend of about -10m a year.

Actually they got relegated because their defence was decimated by injuries the year they went down and combined with a cup run to win it they couldn't cope, if they'd gone out the cup early OR they'd not been using 3rd and 4th string defenders they'd almost certainly have stayed up that season

 

[Hellerad]

Comparisons to Wigan are becoming the new Godwin's Law.

 

[bluestevon]

Comparisons to Wigan are becoming the new Godwin's Law.

Fascist

 

[DerekIsLiving]

I take the window as a whole.

Keeping Stones was a +3
The players we signed make me really happy, The Clev is a player, Gezza is a talent, I have big hopes for Mori, L Rod, Holgate, Lennon will do a great job for us, for some reason I cant warm to Hennen. So thats a +1 for each player, bar Hennen.

So that gives the window a running total of +9.

Minus the failure to bring in that 1 special player we needed to actually properly kick on. -8

Thus giving the window an overall score of +1.

This is pretty much how I feel as well. Bringing in Cleverley and Deulofeu for next to nothing was good business, but they mostly just full in the gaps for me. Cleverley replaced the aging osman and Deulofeu adds to a winger group that was already stretched too thin.

Who knows? They could end up being huge assets for us and take us forward. For me, however, we needed that one player, ideally a no. 10, that would propel us forward and take our play to the next level. If we are a club with ambition, I think that's what is expected. Unfortunately, we failed to do that. I was still willing to rate the window a 5 though.

 

[davek]

What we need mate is for martinez to forget last years Chelsea result as its that game which has curbed his attacking mindset ever since, get back to the manager who at 1-0 would go for a second, or 0-0 would make early attacking subs.

Yep. Boldness was the stamp of his first season here. He lost that last season...I'd like the Roberto who made all the right substitution decisions back.

 

[davek]

Look at Everton playing hoofball there.

@davek

That's about the only thing that lad did while he was here.

£9M worth of tosh.

 

[bluestevon]

Yep. Boldness was the stamp of his first season here. He lost that last season...I'd like the Roberto who made all the right substitution decisions back.

Fundamentally Dave he made two massive mistakes, one was the pre season last year, the other was not seeing the decline on certain players - those combined seemed to dent him a little and led to a God Awful start to the season when we leaked goals left right and centre and seriously think that Chelsea hammering made him doubt himself big time, slowly think he's getting his old self back, could in more way than one be a massive game against Chelsea next up as a big win their may restore his confidence

 

[EDINHO1]

Was a great window .... Up until no big signing for that number ten role. An extra striker on loan would have been handy.

Cleverly, Lennon and del where great signings for the cash spent.

We needed more though.

 

[blueboy1945]

Yep. Boldness was the stamp of his first season here. He lost that last season...I'd like the Roberto who made all the right substitution decisions back.

I think the poor start unnerved him tbh, and he didn't regain confidence till after the new year. Hopefully we wil see the best of him this year or...?

 

[davek]

Fundamentally Dave he made two massive mistakes, one was the pre season last year, the other was not seeing the decline on certain players - those combined seemed to dent him a little and led to a God Awful start to the season when we leaked goals left right and centre and seriously think that Chelsea hammering made him doubt himself big time, slowly think he's getting his old self back, could in more way than one be a massive game against Chelsea next up as a big win their may restore his confidence

He needed to deal with that last summer when his stock was sky high. Big shake out was needed and the ageing squad bequeathed to him by Moyes addressed. He's made decent inroads on that this summer.

Last season I thought he was almost gone after that Stoke away game. He looked like the task was too much for him and I half expected the board to react and bullet him. It's hard to say off what we've seen this season yet, but the players look fit enough and up for the fight...and I think Martinez has secured his position with the transfer window antics. He came out of it with a lot of credit even from people who aren't that fussy on him.

That said, he'll need a top half finish minimum this season and maybe an extended run in the cup.

 

[davek]

I think the poor start unnerved him tbh, and he didn't regain confidence till after the new year. Hopefully we wil see the best of him this year or...?

That said, at the beginning of November last season we were a win away from top 6 if we'd have held a lead away at Spurs and we were flying in the EL.

 

[bluestevon]

He needed to deal with that last summer when his stock was sky high. Big shake out was needed and the ageing squad bequeathed to him by Moyes addressed. He's made decent inroads on that this summer.

Last season I thought he was almost gone after that Stoke away game. He looked like the task was too much for him and I half expected the board to react and bullet him. It's hard to say off what we've seen this season yet, but the players look fit enough and up for the fight...and I think Martinez has secured his position with the transfer window antics. He came out of it with a lot of credit even from people who aren't that fussy on him.

That said, he'll need a top half finish minimum this season and maybe an extended run in the cup.

Think myself mate he needs to finish top 6 or else questions will or should at least be getting asked, last season he used the Europe excuse in part to explain the drop from 5th to 11th, well guess what this season all the teams from City to Saints are playing in Europe so the reverse 'should' happen.

That lack of a playmaker brought in could come back to haunt him big time, still myself think we will finish 5th or 6th assuming Lukaku stays fit the majority of the season, we could have added that one bit of quality though genuinely feel top 4 could have been a obtainable goal, oh well

 

[bluestevon]

That said, at the beginning of November last season we were a win away from top 6 if we'd have held a lead away at Spurs and we were flying in the EL.

We fell apart really last season when we had no EL games - makes the assertion of it effecting us strange - especially as no one really pulled him up on that

 

[davek]

Think myself mate he needs to finish top 6 or else questions will or should at least be getting asked, last season he used the Europe excuse in part to explain the drop from 5th to 11th, well guess what this season all the teams from City to Saints are playing in Europe so the reverse 'should' happen.

That lack of a playmaker brought in could come back to haunt him big time, still myself think we will finish 5th or 6th assuming Lukaku stays fit the majority of the season, we could have added that one bit of quality though genuinely feel top 4 could have been a obtainable goal, oh well

Top six seems to be the new 'top 4' now - the slots that the cash rich clubs should get. He'd be forgiven for falling just short of that. You make a great point earlier though with regard to the failings of some teams in that elite, so I suppose a logical argument could be made to say top 7/8 is not good enough. Personally, I think that's exactly where we'll finish (those two slots 7th/8th) and most will accept it....certainly his employers will.

 

[davek]

We fell apart really last season when we had no EL games - makes the assertion of it effecting us strange - especially as no one really pulled him up on that

I don't know. I think there was a very small (two week?) gap between EL winter break and the Christmas slog starting.

It was/is a very small first team squad. They should have done better than bottom half for sure, but I think the manager was a novice in Europe and failed to dose the effort of euro/league programmes...a naivety he wont repeat, imo.