[Albion] Do you think Uncle Tony is happy?

[Braggfan]

I don't think we've under performed this season. It was pretty much where I expected us to be. We've looked good in spells, and not so good in others. I think it was always going to be a transition season, and one where we laid a foundation for the seasons to follow.

We have dropped points that could have seen us challenge for Champions League, but you could say that about our seasons under De Zerbi. You could say that we've dropped points we should have won in every season the club has ever played in.

I think just because we spent a lot of money in the summer that doesn't give us a right to be challenging for Champions League. That's dangerous thinking, and the sort of thing you expect from Chelsea fans. There's a lot of clubs in the Prem who throw money at the problem thinking that will automatically make them a force. And season after season we see that isn't the case. The key to becoming a force in the Prem is steady progress over several seasons. Our summer spending coincided with a new manager, it was laying the base and then we build on it.

This season is about getting the squad playing together, a top half finish, maybe knocking on the door of Europe. Next season we should be looking to push higher, be tighter, and not drop those points, but even then we won't be the finished article. And if that goes well, then you look to push on again the season after.

 

[chaileyjem]

Whatever way you look at it this season we have under performed and IMO it’s because we don’t have a structure to our game and that’s on the manager.

well one way of looking at it -would 10th or equal 8th , with 6 games to go and still a reasonable chance of Europe with a new manager, young squad (2nd youngest in the league after Chelsea) have been overperforming or underperforming if you'd suggested this to NSC in August ?
I think there was a poll where most NSC users then argued that would have been fine and within expectation.

 

[Brian Munich]

In the past few years?

Olise 9m, Guehi 23m, Mateta 11m, Lacroix 18m, Munoz 8m, Wharton 21m, Eze 18m, Sarr 15m

Can we have that lot up the road's recruitment team please?

Is this a joke? Eight decent players, but total fees of 124m. For less we've recruited: White 0m, Biss 15m, MacAllister 8m, Van Hecke 2m, Caicedo 4m, Cucurella 15m, Mitoma 3m, Baleba 23m. Total 70m, and the five we sold have recouped 300m in fees - and that's after having helped us to a historic top-6 finish.

 

[One Love]

Is this a joke? Eight decent players, but total fees of 124m. For less we've recruited: White 0m, Biss 15m, MacAllister 8m, Van Hecke 2m, Caicedo 4m, Cucurella 15m, Mitoma 3m, Baleba 23m. Total 70m, and the five we sold have recouped 300m in fees - and that's after having helped us to a historic top-6 finish.

You're going back a bit with half of them. These are current players, all walking straight into our first XI

 

[Brian Munich]

You're going back a bit with half of them. These are current players, all walking straight into our first XI

Olise?

As for the rest of them, take out the injuries and only Guehi gets into our first-choice 11.

 

[chaileyjem]

You're going back a bit with half of them. These are current players, all walking straight into our first XI

Assuming this isn’t just trolling - then who disputes that Albion and Palace both have decent recruitment set ups. ? They’d like Mitoma and Baleba and Van Hecke, we’d like Wharton, Eze Guehi etc. Although Albion have managed to make far more profitable sales than Palace or indeed anyone in last 5 years. (Olise was their first big sale since Wan Bissaka). Anyway Palace have just lost their recruitment #1 (Dougie Freedman) to Saudi - so let’s see if that track record continues...

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I don't think we've under performed this season. It was pretty much where I expected us to be. We've looked good in spells, and not so good in others. I think it was always going to be a transition season, and one where we laid a foundation for the seasons to follow.

We have dropped points that could have seen us challenge for Champions League, but you could say that about our seasons under De Zerbi. You could say that we've dropped points we should have won in every season the club has ever played in.

I think just because we spent a lot of money in the summer that doesn't give us a right to be challenging for Champions League. That's dangerous thinking, and the sort of thing you expect from Chelsea fans. There's a lot of clubs in the Prem who throw money at the problem thinking that will automatically make them a force. And season after season we see that isn't the case. The key to becoming a force in the Prem is steady progress over several seasons. Our summer spending coincided with a new manager, it was laying the base and then we build on it.

This season is about getting the squad playing together, a top half finish, maybe knocking on the door of Europe. Next season we should be looking to push higher, be tighter, and not drop those points, but even then we won't be the finished article. And if that goes well, then you look to push on again the season after.

Agree

Let's hope we've still got Mitoma and Baleba.

 

[Justice]

I don't think we've under performed this season. It was pretty much where I expected us to be. We've looked good in spells, and not so good in others. I think it was always going to be a transition season, and one where we laid a foundation for the seasons to follow.

We have dropped points that could have seen us challenge for Champions League, but you could say that about our seasons under De Zerbi. You could say that we've dropped points we should have won in every season the club has ever played in.

I think just because we spent a lot of money in the summer that doesn't give us a right to be challenging for Champions League. That's dangerous thinking, and the sort of thing you expect from Chelsea fans. There's a lot of clubs in the Prem who throw money at the problem thinking that will automatically make them a force. And season after season we see that isn't the case. The key to becoming a force in the Prem is steady progress over several seasons. Our summer spending coincided with a new manager, it was laying the base and then we build on it.

This season is about getting the squad playing together, a top half finish, maybe knocking on the door of Europe. Next season we should be looking to push higher, be tighter, and not drop those points, but even then we won't be the finished article. And if that goes well, then you look to push on again the season after.

We kept the core of our squad from last season only Billy G was sold. No big sales of our better players and with the return of Mitoma.
Yes we made some signings to boost that first 11 from last season. Only when things go tits up does the transitional bollocks get rolled out.
Did Tony say it’s a transitional season at the beginning no he did not. Europe again why not was his thinking.

 

[Clive Walker]

Agree

Let's hope we've still got Mitoma and Baleba.

Mitoma will be gone!

 

[chaileyjem]

We kept the core of our squad from last season only Billy G was sold. No big sales of our better players and with the return of Mitoma.
Yes we made some signings to boost that first 11 from last season. Only when things go tits up does the transitional bollocks get rolled out.
Did Tony say it’s a transitional season at the beginning no he did not. Europe again why not was his thinking.

Its not gone "t.. up" though has it ? Leave that for Spurs and Man Utd and West Ham who really have had historically poor seasons by their standards. and even pre season expectations. We're joint 8th ! with 6 games to go. You can be disappointed , frustrated even as i'm sure Bloom will have been watching us at Selhurst or the penalty misses at Forest. I was gutted!. But i really doubt he's calling Hurzeler in , telling him its gone "t - up " and sorry but ...
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet

 

[Braggfan]

We kept the core of our squad from last season only Billy G was sold. No big sales of our better players and with the return of Mitoma.
Yes we made some signings to boost that first 11 from last season. Only when things go tits up does the transitional bollocks get rolled out.
Did Tony say it’s a transitional season at the beginning no he did not. Europe again why not was his thinking.

"Transitional bollocks" gets rolled out when there is a change in manager, because some of us realise that this presents a challenge and aren't entitled enough or have such a simplistic vision of football that we expect our team to champions league contenders every season.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

"Transitional bollocks" gets rolled out when there is a change in manager, because some of us realise that this presents a challenge and aren't entitled enough or have such a simplistic vision of football that we expect our team to champions league contenders every season.

'Transitional' has imho far more to do with the change of players than any change of manager. Lose a few key players over the Summer and surprise surprise next season will be another season of 'transition' - with or without a change in manager

 

[Hiheidi]

We kept the core of our squad from last season only Billy G was sold. No big sales of our better players and with the return of Mitoma.
Yes we made some signings to boost that first 11 from last season. Only when things go tits up does the transitional bollocks get rolled out.
Did Tony say it’s a transitional season at the beginning no he did not. Europe again why not was his thinking.

Tbf Pascal Groß is a big loss from last season.

 

[Simster]

'Transitional' has imho far more to do with the change of players than any change of manager. Lose a few key players over the Summer and surprise surprise next season will be another season of 'transition' - with or without a change in manager

This is 100% true IMO. I honestly think we could pick a fair number of competent non-dinosaur managers prepared to work within our framework and we'd see similar levels of success and failure. That explains why I'm quite ambivalent to the measurement of success of Potter, De Zerbi and now Hurzeler. (Truth be told, Chris Hughton still gets the most respect from me, simply because he put the hard yards in, before we could sign players worth millions that allowed this framework to flourish)

And until we're bought by an Arab state, I'm afraid that's the way it is. We will sell our prized assets and bring new ones in - that's the model. We've had a top 6 finish, two FAC semis and two FAC quarters since being promoted and may yet get Conference league football. Meanwhile, Bloom continues to be repaid for building the ground thanks to the success of selling good players. It is frustrating, but clearly it works.

 

[Brian Munich]

We kept the core of our squad from last season only Billy G was sold. No big sales of our better players and with the return of Mitoma.
Yes we made some signings to boost that first 11 from last season. Only when things go tits up does the transitional bollocks get rolled out.
Did Tony say it’s a transitional season at the beginning no he did not. Europe again why not was his thinking.

Pascal Gross was arguably the most important player throughout our time in the Premier League. He's definitely left a big hole to fill.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

@Justice is right about the Transitional season talk.

It wasn't a Transitional season when he won 6 in a row or when we beat Man City to go into the Champions League spots. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, Tony was talking about the FA Cup opening up and 5th being in sight so he wasn't dampening down expectations either little over a month ago. That's not to say I'm expecting a sacking or the players being sent down the mines anytime soon but he probably see this season as a missed opportunity. 4 of the big 6 have been woeful this year and they can only get better in subsequent years. It won't be long before PSR is bent back in their favour as well and opportunities such as this won't be as easy to come by.

Inconsistency, signings that haven't hit the ground running, naivety, in game management (including on field leadership) and injuries have all combined to put us a bit further down the table than we otherwise could have been. I also think we miss Pascal Gross massively.

 

[Justice]

Yep we needed an experienced not a dina

Pascal Gross was arguably the most important player throughout our time in the Premier League. He's definitely left a big hole to fill.

Yep we needed an experienced (not a Dinosaur) midfielder in the door to help and direct the youngsters during games. Our last manager may have mentioned it. Perhaps it was meant to be Wieffer.

 

[Mancgull]

Great fit or not, TB would cast the net a bit wider than “good bloke/ ex players”

A season in an overseas league taking a squad of inexperienced players to within grasp of a Champions League place would suggest that he’s not just a good bloke.

Agree though that he’d look at a wider net than one potential candidate but I’d think that LR would be right up there.
We seemingly had Kieran McKeena lined up before ‘bigger’ clubs started sticking their oar in before we went for FH.

 

[chaileyjem]

A season in an overseas league taking a squad of inexperienced players to within grasp of a Champions League place would suggest that he’s not just a good bloke.

Of course you're talking about Rosenior there but you could just as easily be talking about Hurzeler too.

 

[Home and Away]

Every season is a 'Transitional' season if you lose your best/starting players.