- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,911
At least one !
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[Albion] Unpopular Opinion - Our Window This Far
- Thread starter AlbionInUs
- Start date
At least one !
folkestonesgull
Active member
Surely we also need to judge the window by the players we have managed to keep?
In that respect we have done very well.
We could easily have lost dunk and white, perhaps trossard as well and would have struggled to replace them.
I think the squad is better now than it was last season.
I can see Fulham, west brom, Burnley and Sheffield United all finishing below us
In that respect we have done very well.
We could easily have lost dunk and white, perhaps trossard as well and would have struggled to replace them.
I think the squad is better now than it was last season.
I can see Fulham, west brom, Burnley and Sheffield United all finishing below us
It's been an okay window. I understand why we haven't spent big. Mooy left and was replaced by Lallana, Duffy had to make way for White, Stephens had been displaced so understandably moved on. However, the positions we needed strengthening such as ST, LWB & DM we have actually brought a player in for each position the only problem being is they're for the future not the current situation. I think our squad is absolutely fine and barring an injury crisis will do well but we'll also need to stop common mistakes such as conceding straight after scoring and start defending crosses right.
This could be one of our best windows but we might not know until 2 seasons time when Moder, Karbownik and Zeqiri are regulars in the first team. I do however think Lallana and Veltman are quality signings for the present.
This could be one of our best windows but we might not know until 2 seasons time when Moder, Karbownik and Zeqiri are regulars in the first team. I do however think Lallana and Veltman are quality signings for the present.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,911
I think 17/18 was the only time in the last 5 years we've gone into the season without arguably 3 out and out strikers.
(Hemed and Murray).
We did in 19/20 (Murray, Connolly, Maupay), 18/19 (Murray, Andone, Locadia), 16/17 (Murray, Hemed, Baldock) and 15/16 (Hemed, Baldock, Zamora)
- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,911
If in an alternative universe we'd signed Connolly for £20m from Spurs (after scoring a few Prem League goals last season), Lamptey for £20m from Chelsea, White for £25m from Leeds, and Molumby for £15m from Millwall and Lallana/Veltman and all the other youth / foreign bets - then we'd be falling over ourselves saying - what a window!
Withdean11
Well-known member
I think it's been a pretty poor window. What have we spent on the first team? £5m?
For all the talk of our ambitions of being a regular top 10 side, that's not good enough. Fair enough if that's not how TB wants to run things, but then don't build unrealistic expectations. We have a great manager in Potter, but he is still evolving the squad from what CH built which was a completely different style. It's a shame he hasn't been backed with transfers this window.
We are still 4 players short of being a top 10 side IMO.
GK - Ryan has been disappointing for some time now. If we are to play a style we do with the majority of our players being small (a style which I really like!), then it's vital we have a GK who will come and command his box.
LB/LWB - Solly has improved, but has never shown the consistency required in all his time with us. We are very short of options here as Bernardo can't play the Potter way. We need someone with pace and a good delivery to provide a second option or back up.
CDM - A commanding CDM to provide support to the defence especially against the tougher sides. Needs to have the 'Potter attributes' though, so it was not Stephens.
ST - The obvious one, I really like Maupay, but an injury or suspension would leave us in trouble.
Of course, the domestic window is still open, so we still have time to address one or two of these. I do believe we will survive this season, we should be too good to go down. But we nearly paid the price for not strengthening in January while those around us did, it appears we did not learn from that.
For all the talk of our ambitions of being a regular top 10 side, that's not good enough. Fair enough if that's not how TB wants to run things, but then don't build unrealistic expectations. We have a great manager in Potter, but he is still evolving the squad from what CH built which was a completely different style. It's a shame he hasn't been backed with transfers this window.
We are still 4 players short of being a top 10 side IMO.
GK - Ryan has been disappointing for some time now. If we are to play a style we do with the majority of our players being small (a style which I really like!), then it's vital we have a GK who will come and command his box.
LB/LWB - Solly has improved, but has never shown the consistency required in all his time with us. We are very short of options here as Bernardo can't play the Potter way. We need someone with pace and a good delivery to provide a second option or back up.
CDM - A commanding CDM to provide support to the defence especially against the tougher sides. Needs to have the 'Potter attributes' though, so it was not Stephens.
ST - The obvious one, I really like Maupay, but an injury or suspension would leave us in trouble.
Of course, the domestic window is still open, so we still have time to address one or two of these. I do believe we will survive this season, we should be too good to go down. But we nearly paid the price for not strengthening in January while those around us did, it appears we did not learn from that.
Baldock was still in the 2017/18 squad. I can't remember if he was injured at the beginning of the season, as he didn't feature until the New Year, but we only played one up front with Hemed and Murray sharing the honours in the main, with Locadia then joining in January.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,911
How much did the new contracts for Dunk, Alzate, Connolly, and White cost ? Thats first team spending - yep ?
Uh_huh_him
Well-known member
- Sep 28, 2011
- 10,686
Funny how other people see things.
I expect Trossard and Connolly to get above ten between them this season.
I also expect Bissouma/Lallana/Alzate/Ali J/Ali Mac/March to chip in too.
Then there's Izquierdo and Andone coming back. If they play regularly, they will score.
Zeqiri I don't know anything about , so I have no expectations.
Deadly Danson
Well-known member
Was just about to post similar - lets say yesterday we had signed an Irish international, young, speedy striker who has already scored several classy goals in the Premier League for 20m most people would have been very happy. Would I have liked one more option signed? Of course but I'd MUCH rather have a manager who works to get the best out of the players he has rather than signing the next Locadia.
- Nov 11, 2009
- 11,361
Maybe, both the first two are excellent young players but both Connolly and Lamptey we’re here last season. So they aren’t additions.
White is the only new one who having been pretty spectacular last season may have been deemed a brilliant new signing. Molumby doesn’t look bad, not quite sure yet if he’s really good either. Time will tell. Had this convo yesterday with a friend, I’m not sure if he was a Millwall player that we would’ve bought him?, certainly not for 15 million?
- Nov 11, 2009
- 11,361
We’d all have been delighted, as 1 front line striker is even more crazy than just 2!
...and as a follow-up to that, there's a significant difference to the equation depending on whether you are starting with one striker or with two.
To start each game with two strikers, as we've done in every league fixture other than the opener against Chelsea, yet have no genuine like-for-like replacements does feel somewhat unusual, regardless of how you dress up playing one of our more attacking midfielders there should the need arise.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,911
I'm with the consensus that not having depth with strikers is a risk going into the season mitigated a bit by the short window (10 or so games) before the next window.
Can't see Swiss fella going straight in there just yet... Perhaps a Champ loan/deal is on the cards...
Justice
Dangerous Idiot
Surely Locadia was more of a recruitment department shambles. Buying from the Dutch league is like playing the lottery. We can’t keep referring back to Locadia as a reason not to invest in strikers.
I do admire the support on here for Connelly but please £20m you cant be serious. He has scored 4 goals for us Luton and Rep of Ire. Lets hope he keeps improving . I would still back him to put away a chance along with any of our players but needs to create more for himself and would help if he wasnt so one footed
There's 12 league games between now and the first game of 2021, which is Wolves on January 2nd, and it may be tricky to get someone in and eligible to play on that date. So, let's call it 13 games, as there's a gap then until the next league fixture against Man City on January 13th - I'm guessing the FA Cup comes between the two. We'll just be shy of half way through the season before there's an opportunity to strengthen, if we don't delve into the Championship over the next 10 days.
One thing that encourages me is the number of chances falling to non-strikers. Against Man Utd, even setting aside Trossard's two pot-shots that hit the woodwork in the first half, he had two golden chances in the second half, as did Solly. For all the "we had enough chances to be out of sight" - and we did - none of them fell to Maupay or Connolly.
boik
Well-known member
But obviously they would have fallen to our new expensive singings!
Justice
Dangerous Idiot
Is that really the way to go praying three teams don’t get their act together? A bizarre way of running a football club
