Are we stronger than last season?

johnjoeefc · September 3, 2017

Of course this is a difficult one as there's a lot of new players and only time will tell. However in my opinion the answer to this is no.
In fact I don't think we are any better than the team who finished 11th two seasons in a row. We had one of the best strikers in the league for the last 3 season. Now we have Calvert Lewin only, whilst he has potential I find it very difficult to justify saying he will ever reach lukakus level. Is klaasen or sigurdsson better than Barkley? I wouldn't say so, certainly they are different but I wouldn't expect them to improve our results, also why sign sigurdsson and no target man for him to provide for.
I think pickford is an improvement but will he really make much difference? Keane at the back is the same level as jags and Williams so his signing really is just a like for like replacement in that regard.
About a month ago i was so optimistic and really felt we could have a go at top 6 but now I feel we will just about finish 7th again. We needed a top class striker. I think koeman will be furious and he will be looking to leave in the summer. The required strides he was promised havnt been fulfilled.
Koeman will see this side as no better than the one he had at Southampton when he finished 6th and will be wandering what this project is all about. In fact had we sold Barkley to Chelsea we would be around about level in terms of money in and out from the club this summer.
Where's the war chest we were promised?
Hugely disappointing window and it sends the wrong message out to the current players and out best ones such as gueye will now be seeking a route out of the club next summer to. We have a decent backbone to a team but no bite to it.
Id be interested to know it others can make a case for a top 6 finish because I find it impossible to imagine with us not signing a striker

Eggs · September 3, 2017

...we'll have a better idea by Christmas.

GwladysBlue · September 3, 2017

Squad - yes

First Xl - nowhere near

ianefc · September 3, 2017

I started a thread similar to this when I was of the belief a striker was still to come, the fact we haven't got some sort of replacement for Lukaku in is an absolute disgrace, god knows what Koeman must be thinking. We've built the four walls of a beautiful new house, but we've forgot to put a roof on it and now we're going into Winter.

I'm now if the opinion we're no stronger than last season, probably about par.

jaybx1878 · September 3, 2017

Absolutely not.

TippEverton · September 3, 2017

Don't think so, if we'd spent the Sig money on a striker my answer might be different.

Now if that striker was, say, Troy Deeney, then my answer would be the same.

wiggum23 · September 3, 2017

Stronger squad, stronger defence/keeper immensely weaker up front.

Timak · September 3, 2017

Koeman has had 220m in just over 12 months to buy players with.

He has had to sell Lukaku and Stones from the first team and some squad players.

If the first xi is weaker then it is his poor recruitment that is to blame.

spence03 · September 3, 2017

Keane is a massive improvement on Jagielka and Williams.

Pickford will save us many points and is a huge upgrade on what we have had. My worry is he wont be here in 3 years, he looks that good.

Could do with Coleman back asap.

We've stood still a little by not getting those two targets Koeman wanted so on that bssis you could say no.

bag a yoko · September 3, 2017

I think we're closer to 8th than 6th.

gerryandtheRedhaters · September 3, 2017

Just short of a creator for this lot to click hopefully.

Rudolf Hucker · September 3, 2017

diggerdestroyer · September 3, 2017

In the overall picture NO. Possibly a stronger squad. Stronger back line with pickford and keane for defo. Lukaku goals are a big loss. But overall in the big picturethe teams abive us have also strenghtned and in my opinion have actually widned the gap.

Our own manager knows and said the answer to this question. A month ago he stated that everyone at the club should know the importance of adding a front man before deadline day. The failure to do this means we will not break into the top 6. And this answers the over all question. Pointless saying we are stronger when the teams above ys have got stronger as well. Maybe arsenal could drop out but imo they are still stronger than us.

Hangleton · September 3, 2017

There is a lot of promising talent coming through. We've lost one goalscorer who would have played every game, but the team is stronger in many other positions. We need at least another window which is really frustrating. Hopefully our plan now is to pick up a disillusioned striker in need of game time for World Cup selection in January.