Take Aubameyang out of that Arsenal team who buries every single half chance he gets, and they are actually no better than us at all, I will die on this hill.
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Take Aubameyang out of that Arsenal team who buries every single half chance he gets, and they are actually no better than us at all, I will die on this hill.
We came 8th last season, should have actually finished higher, and the only changes from then to now is swapping Zouma for Mina (who is better) and swapping Gana for the unfortunately injured Gbamin (whom from his 2 games we had 4 points). We’ve also added Iwobi, Kean, centre mid cover and right-back cover.
Why is it wrong to assume this squad is 6/7th?
davids
Player Valuation: £60m
The point was in increase in transfer fees for even the most average players between the two Summer Windows. So the proposed fee for Zaha is relevant.
davids
Player Valuation: £60m
Results don't lie. Because a player is decent one season doesn't guarantee he will be the next. The top coaches work out opposition players and team system really quickly,hence the team that beat Chelsea, Arsenal and hammered United at home floundered against Sheffield United.
it would only be relevant if Zaha was available for less the year before. He wasn’t, so it’s not. The price of average players hasn’t increased, you’re just using outliers at massive fees to suggest it has and ignoring that there were similar examples the year before (our own purchase of richarlison being the one that everyone fumed the most about). For the average transfer you can compare our signing of of Digne in 2018 (french international full back with about 20 caps, 26, cost £28m) with our signing of sidibe in 2019 (french international full back with about 20 caps, 27, will cost £14m). Massive inflation that you’re right.
That's a totally one sided summary though. Why 'should' we have finished higher? What is the basis for that? Mina might be better than Zouma but does he work as well in the system? Does Gbamin? We haven't added right back cover, we've just changed who the cover is. Same with Iwobi/Lookman. We've added centre mid cover but the bloke who was going to be cover is actually in the team, so the team we're putting out is clearly not as good. We've lost central defensive cover. It's all swings and roundabouts which lead to the squad really not being any better than it was, and arguably worse.
This team could finish 6th, of course it could. I don't think it should though. I think finishing 7th would be a pretty good achievement with this squad, and realistically I think 8th would be about right. The squad's not really bad by any means, I just don't think it's as good as a few others. Our hope for pushing into the top 6 was Kean being a superstar, but he doesn't look like he is (yet) and so we're still just as lacking in attack as we have been for the last 3 years. @mikeh72 hits the nail on the head above, someone like Aubameyang lifts a side like Arsenal from average to miles better than us. Maybe man for man throughout the rest of the squad there's not that much difference - although I still think they have much more depth - but while they have Aubameyang and we have DCL we're kidding ourselves to think we should be ahead of them.
None of this changes the fact that 18th is completely unacceptable, but realistically I think the idea that this is a top 6 squad is massively overambitious.
Hes been here just over 12months, 3 transfer windows, of course we dont have a top 6 squad.
But people acting like the squad is only good enough for 18th?
LOL
BernieH
Player Valuation: £35m
I personally believe we have a very good first 11, maybe short of proper quality up front but we are nowhere near as bad as we are playing, it's so frustrating.
Palace do not have a top 6 squad, yet they sit 6th.
BernieH
Player Valuation: £35m
Amazing what having tactics to suit your personnel can do.
In the summer I "demanded" we sign 5 players.
A GK able to put pressure on Pickford
A RB able to put pressure on Coleman
A CM to replace Gana
A wingforward able to replace Walcott in the side
And a CB
We got them all but the CB, the CB was only needed in case of injury to Mina or Keane, which hasnt happened yet.
The squad building by Brands was always going to take time, we started the window with 43 first team players, 20 odd of those players have been moved on, most of which we are still paying millions a year to, I mean we are paying around 100k a week to Martina and Niasse to eat crumpets at FF.
So yeah, the squad, IMO, probably isnt good enough for top 6, just yet, but to sit 18th, after the run of games we had and people feel the need to blame Brands, Moshiri? Nar mate.
BernieH
Player Valuation: £35m
Pretty much my thoughts really.
davids
Player Valuation: £60m
You've quoted players who couldn't get a game at their respective clubs. But if you think transfer fees are static...on you go.
Weird you.
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