More than a little surprised.

[blueblue]

I really thought that David Moyes had assembled the strongest squad during his tenure last season.
I always felt that his biggest strength was getting in good players at little cost...and this is what he did very well.
I thought it would take serious money to improve on what was already there and of course we know there was very little chance of that happening.

What has happened has left me a little stunned.
Yes,we have lost Fellaini in particular and also Anichebe. But, Martinez recently said that we would finish the window stronger than when he started and he certainly has been right.
Last night I picked and A versus B game and the reserve team was surprisingly strong and both Jelavic and Gueye didn't start in either team. For the first time ever we have genuine depth where the biggest task the manager has with the players is keeping the one's not getting a game happy.

 

[BiggyRat]

the biggest task the manager has with the players is keeping the one's not getting a game happy.

Indeed. And with the two big loans that we have, how will it pan out if he plays them more often than the current squad players? Genuine question, has that ever been an issue anywhere?

 

[fandjango]

I was only just thinking the same thing.....

I really thought that David Moyes had assembled the strongest squad during his tenure last season.
I always felt that his biggest strength was getting in good players at little cost...and this is what he did very well.
I thought it would take serious money to improve on what was already there and of course we know there was very little chance of that happening.

What has happened has left me a little stunned.
Yes,we have lost Fellaini in particular and also Anichebe. But, Martinez recently said that we would finish the window stronger than when he started and he certainly has been right.
Last night I picked and A versus B game and the reserve team was surprisingly strong and both Jelavic and Gueye didn't start in either team. For the first time ever we have genuine depth where the biggest task the manager has with the players is keeping the one's not getting a game happy.

 

[Happy Nick]

I'm not so sure. Come the end of the season, we will have lost Fellaini, Anichebe, Lukakua, Delafeuo and Barry. Our forward problem and a creative midfielder issue will still be present come the end of the season. Having said that, I do hope this window has given Martinez the time and space to work towards rectifying these issues.

 

[Jags..class]

I'm not so sure. Come the end of the season, we will have lost Fellaini, Anichebe, Lukakua, Delafeuo and Barry. Our forward problem and a creative midfielder issue will still be present come the end of the season. Having said that, I do hope this window has given Martinez the time and space to work towards rectifying these issues.

We will then get another three loans, Delafeuo will stay another season if he plays well, Victor was rubblish, Barry can stay on another season if he still got it, why worry about next season. Its all about this season, these players can earn us extra money by winning a cup or getting into Europe which will give Martinez extra money.

 

[Happy Nick]

I hope you're right...

 

[paulbefc]

I am not surprised by the fact we've brought in 4 players who were at Wigan last season and the fact there's a decent chance we've overspent on them. We have been fortunate that apparently we've had money to spend that was independent of incoming fees this summer and have spent over £20m on new players. It would have been pretty hard not to come out of this window stronger, in fairness.

 

[yakublue]

I am not surprised by the fact we've brought in 4 players who were at Wigan last season and the fact there's a decent chance we've overspent on them. We have been fortunate that apparently we've had money to spend that was independent of incoming fees this summer and have spent over £20m on new players. It would have been pretty hard not to come out of this window stronger, in fairness.

That's completely invalidated by the fact that we took around £33 million in fees. With a net spend of -£13 million you think it would be pretty hard not to improve the squad?

 

[Kurt.]

I really thought that David Moyes had assembled the strongest squad during his tenure last season.
I always felt that his biggest strength was getting in good players at little cost...and this is what he did very well.
I thought it would take serious money to improve on what was already there and of course we know there was very little chance of that happening.

What has happened has left me a little stunned.
Yes,we have lost Fellaini in particular and also Anichebe. But, Martinez recently said that we would finish the window stronger than when he started and he certainly has been right.
Last night I picked and A versus B game and the reserve team was surprisingly strong and both Jelavic and Gueye didn't start in either team. For the first time ever we have genuine depth where the biggest task the manager has with the players is keeping the one's not getting a game happy.

Who won mate ?

 

[Jozzy]

Indeed. And with the two big loans that we have, how will it pan out if he plays them more often than the current squad players? Genuine question, has that ever been an issue anywhere?

Barry will go infront of Osman, it's not like Osman won't see any first team football he's just more of a depth player now, Ossie is a professional would have know it was coming and will continue to try and play to his best trying to earn that spot back, he's not one to kick up a fuss.

Kone would have came to the club knowing he'll have to fight it out for the first choice striker position so he's still battling it out with two other strikers, Jelavic is the one who will probably drop back the most but even if Anichebe was still here and we didn't sign Lukaku most of the fans would have had Jelavic as our third choice striker. So the signing of Lukaku doesn't really change his position.

The loanee we will have the biggest problem with giving enough game time to is Deulofeu, he signed to get game time and we want to keep him happy so we can bring him back for another year and to help us hopefully form a good relationship with Barca. He's not going to start before Barkley or Mirallas, his best chance of getting games is on the left wing but he can't just come in and take Pienaar's spot especially when you consider his had a decent start to the season, works so well with Baines and his a senior player. Martinez will defiantly have his hands full giving everyone games and keeping everyone happy.

 

[yorksrye]

The squad is stonger but even if we hadn't brought anyone in the emergence and trust in Barkley had made the starting 11 better.

We do look like we have options now in midfield and up front, we are starting to pass the ball about, we now just need the goals and results to show this. I am very confident that the Martinez 'project' will start to produce sooner rather than later and I for one and prepared to give him the time so develop us.

 

[Jacko93]

People are worrying too much about next season IMO. If we get this right this season, we may well end up with European football at some level, which then opens us up to a slightly different level of player. What we have at the moment is players on loan, who would more likely be playing for teams in European cometition in the future. the loan market just give us a little slice of a market that currently isn't available to us, but could do while they are here.

 

[mooseatingnome]

Personally I'm worried about the 2018 season because Baines will be really old by then.

 

[Petit]

I really thought that David Moyes had assembled the strongest squad during his tenure last season.
I always felt that his biggest strength was getting in good players at little cost...and this is what he did very well.
I thought it would take serious money to improve on what was already there and of course we know there was very little chance of that happening.

What has happened has left me a little stunned.
Yes,we have lost Fellaini in particular and also Anichebe. But, Martinez recently said that we would finish the window stronger than when he started and he certainly has been right.
Last night I picked and A versus B game and the reserve team was surprisingly strong and both Jelavic and Gueye didn't start in either team. For the first time ever we have genuine depth where the biggest task the manager has with the players is keeping the one's not getting a game happy.

I´m a big supporter of Martinez and I fully trust him to operate wisely in the market.

For once we have a quality forward, something we haven´t had since the Yak pre injury. It will work miracles for us, we´ll look twice the team in one stroke.

However, what worries me is what happens when he goes back to Chelsea.

 

[davek]

Moyes' wheeling and dealing was always over-exaggerated. He had some home grown players that were sold for very decent money as well as the odd Lescott who he brought in and turned around for a massive profit. And he also brought some stinkers in like Beattie, Bily and (by his own judgement) Kroldrup which balance out the gems bought for next to nothing like Coleman.

He did an ok job in the transfer market not a great one. And now he's completely out of his depth in his new job there.