has the poor January window ruined our season?

[dholliday]

Officially, yes.

But you have to bear in mind that back in September, one of the board members (forget who) said the McCarthy deal was not dependant on Fellaini going. Which is hard to swallow for most, myself included. Personally, I think there must have been more to it that Martinez not wanting to 'disturb the dressing room' which is what he said if I recall. But of course, from what we've been told, Martinez has to take responsibility. But is what we've been told true?

Aye...it's a problem for us fans as we rely on a feeling we can trust our manager. If he repeats these little white fibs in the summer, and the results then suffer too in the 14/15 season, we may begin to feel a change in the wind concerning his popularity.

I hope it doesn't come to any of this. I really hope he is honest as much as he can be with us, as that at least would help us put his management into context. I was the first to jibe at Moyes because of his contant moaning about lack of money, but at least he was honest. And honesty wins every time over little white fibs to improve a presumed 'bargaining power'.

 

[dholliday]

'No one buys until after the World Cup

Aye, that's almost never a good idea. Form is temporary and very unique in these big international tournaments, and of course prices get crazy inflated (or perhaps deflated too). Only a select few world-class players can hit the heights at that level and consistently at the highest club level.

 

[bicycleheader]

Martinez giving up on Jelavic and signing that lump Traore was a disaster. You honestly have to question if he can get the best out of stuttering players.

I dunno, Tim has had his best season in ages....

 

[Jxg]

All the fans who shouted down the Blue Union and screamed Kenwright's name from the rooftops, regurgitating the usual tosh about how he loves the club... I'm really hoping that now they see they were wrong and the entire board is holding us back.

I don't get it why people blame BK this window. Cleary it was RMs intention to not spend in January. Aiden McGeady has not lived up to the words RM has spoken about him. Traore has been a bad joke.

Still believe in you Roberto, but learn from this window. COYB!

You bloody what? It took me a while to realise you weren't joking...

Last January we were in the same position as we were this January. Guaranteed top four if we continued our form. We had the chance to sign Negredo but wouldn't up our bid. We didn't strengthen the team, or increase the size of the squad. That cost us our season. We were under Moyes, back then.

This January we were guaranteed top four if we had continued our form. Yet again, we didn't take the chance and it ruined our season. We are now under Martinez.

Two managers, two January transfer windows. You can't seriously be telling me that the common denominator here is NOT Kenwright.

We don't spend in January because of Kenwright. We always have a negative net spend in summer because of Kenwright. Martinez's intention not to spend in January? Koff..

 

[Chang Elephant]

Aye, aye, Aye, aye, Aye

 

[ah11984]

I did lose some of my optimism for the rest of the season after the window I must admit, knowing the squad was already starting to look stretched.

 

[Chang Elephant]

I did lose some of my optimism for the rest of the season after the window I must admit, knowing the squad was already starting to look stretched.

Aye

 

[JelavicBrate]

In my opinion our failure to bring in anybody decent in January is the reason why we are doing awfully. The decision to sell Jelavic was ridiculous, as say what you like about him he always gave 100% same with Anichebe towards the end. We brought in 2 players who haven't contributed anything to the team, other than a fluke goal against Swansea. Basically since the Swansea game in December we've been awful, we pass it around a lot but don't actually create that many chances. Look at West Brom away we didn't create a chance in the 2nd half, we just pissed around with the ball and conceded a stupid goal. Our defeat to Liverpool was caused by our suicidal tactics, we should of simply kept it tight and hoped for something on the break. We were never going to score more than a goal at Anfield that night.

 

[artetas_biggest_fan]

Jelavic thrives when he has someone alongside him to feed off, hence he has looked good with Long running the channels and providing the ammunition. He does not function as a lone striker, very few strikers do. To play that role you have to be strong on the ball, good at holding it up, able to play with your back to goal...Jelavic is none of these things, he's a goal poacher.

If we weren't prepared to change the system to two up top then we were right to sell him.

 

[dholliday]

Jelavic thrives when he has someone alongside him to feed off, hence he has looked good with Long running the channels and providing the ammunition. He does not function as a lone striker, very few strikers do. To play that role you have to be strong on the ball, good at holding it up, able to play with your back to goal...Jelavic is none of these things, he's a goal poacher.

If we weren't prepared to change the system to two up top then we were right to sell him.

I like the logic of your post, but it forgets what our option is when our main striker in a 4-5-1 is injured.

 

[deipnosophist]

The Traore saga can only be classified as a debacle.

 

[degsy]

not completely, one wheel fell off on Boxing day

 

[Tree13]

Last January we were in the same position as we were this January. Guaranteed top four if we continued our form.

Nothing's ever guaranteed mate. We were in similar positions, but you simply can't suggest any more than that.

We had the chance to sign Negredo but wouldn't up our bid. We didn't strengthen the team, or increase the size of the squad. That cost us our season. We were under Moyes, back then.

This rubbish about Negredo is transparent bull. We had just stumbled in the transfer dealings for Fer, using his medical history as justification for trying to lowball his club on the £8.6m(?) fee because we were short of cash - there is no way on God's good green earth that we had anything remotely close to enough money to buy Negredo. The papers were saying that £14m would get him, but remind me what City paid in the end? Failing to strengthen in January was a massive blow, but please don't labour under the illusion that Negredo was a realistic prospect, because he simply never was.

This January we were guaranteed top four if we had continued our form. Yet again, we didn't take the chance and it ruined our season. We are now under Martinez.

Again, I simply don't agree that anything is "guaranteed". If it is, then what do you say to the kopites who currently say that the title is guaranteed to be going to them this year?

Two managers, two January transfer windows. You can't seriously be telling me that the common denominator here is NOT Kenwright.

We don't spend in January because of Kenwright. We always have a negative net spend in summer because of Kenwright. Martinez's intention not to spend in January? Koff..

The common denominator has been, in previous years, lack of money to spend. This may well be down to mismanagement at board level, but I don't believe that it's because we are awash with cash and Kenwright refuses to spend. This year, I am prepared to believe RM when he says that he didn't see anything worth buying in January - there was a shopping frenzy last summer, remember.

 

[Jxg]

tl;dq

Had we continued our form, we would have finished in the top four. Having looked at our form and then at the points required to finish in the top four, it was guaranteed. Simple.

I didn't even remember about Fer! You've just added fuel right to my fire. We had the money, no doubt about that. You've only got to look at our dealings over the last few years before that January. That, coupled with the fact that we spent about £20m in the summer (need I remind you that buying the £13m McCarthy was not dependent on Fellaini leaving?) means we had no shortage of cash to sign anyone. Negredo cost more for City because of two reasons. His form bumped the price up (signing him in January would have avoided that) and City were involved in the transfer, so a club will milk them for anything they can get (£22m for Lescott, anyone?).

I think it's fairly safe to say, based on the average points required to hit top four, we would have been guaranteed top four had we continued our form this year.

No, the common denominator has been Kenwright, plain and simple. We constantly have a negative net spend. That suggests that there is money which isn't being spent. That means we don't have a lack of money to spend, but "something" restricting us from spending that money. That "something" is Bill.

 

[Bluesnapper]

The common denominator has been, in previous years, lack of money to spend. This may well be down to mismanagement at board level, but I don't believe that it's because we are awash with cash and Kenwright refuses to spend. This year, I am prepared to believe RM when he says that he didn't see anything worth buying in January - there was a shopping frenzy last summer, remember.

This all day long.

If we had money to spend over the years, as Kenwright and the board have stated through Elstone, then that would have been reflected in the accounts.

As that hasnt been the case then the PR they churn out with the managers name on is complete lies.

As for Martinez having money but not spending it, we will need to wait a year or two and see where the accounts state we have £X million sloshing around.















lol