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Overall grade for the transfer window

Grade our transfer window

  • A

    Votes: 2 2.3%

  • B

    Votes: 43 49.4%

  • C

    Votes: 31 35.6%

  • D

    Votes: 7 8.0%

  • E

    Votes: 2 2.3%

  • F

    Votes: 2 2.3%

  • U (Ungraded)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    87
  • Poll closed .
marcospur2 said:
For all sorts of reasons they are not comparable reference points. Could go through both of them squads and identify where they were stronger than us and use it to justify my point that world class players are not something you accept the loss off because of some vague notion of a 'system'. People have been blinded by the AVB capture , something which baffles me considering most though he was a joke last season - not least for his tactical decision-making.
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The players in question is not the point, they player TYPES is what is relevant.

Makelele/Essien/Lampard dominated games from beginning to end - not one of them is remotely comparible to Modric.

As an aside, as you mention the WBA game, up until the point VDV went off (as in, all the while we were playing the original system) the one player I thought we deseperately missed was not Modric - it was Adebayor.

We completely dominated the midfield, we carved out chances regularly, VDV-Bale-Lennon were doing absolutely fine in creating and dictating the tempo of the game.

The issue was Defoe. The ball just bounced off of him, he couldnt hold it, had no presence and didnt involve himself in the right ways. All things, had Adebayor been there to provide, would have "completed" the attack and rounded off what the other three were doing.
 
I am not comparing them like for like though - you are! I just don't think we are in that position to absorb the loss of a player like Modric quite so easily - not yet anyway.

On WBA to an extent I agree with you actually. We could have won that game convincingly by half time with a stronger and more adept front man. This is one reason why I think Defoe's opportunities will be highly limited. But the other point is VDV ran the show for those 60 minutes (or so?), so with his loss it is surely inevitable that some of us would be more circumspect about how we might perform? I would also maintain that Modric instead of Livermore would have also resulted in a significant step up in our quality of play (as was repeatedly shown last season). Everything is in transition right now and new players need time to bed down. The issue is how long that might be because we can still challenge for 4th spot even with the losses of Modric and VDV (which I still dispute are yet effectively covered).
 
My point is in direct response to yours about us not being able to cope with out Modric. My example is three premier league champions not utilising such a player.

Systems without "a Modric" have proven very successful here.

As a more direct example our game against WBA. WBA who embarrassed Liverpool the week prior - we didnt miss Modric IMHO. Clearly WE can cope without him in a system not requiring that sort of player. Our CM was Livermore and Sandro!
 
nayimfromthehalfwayline said:
My point is in direct response to yours about us not being able to cope with out Modric. My example is three premier league champions not utilising such a player.

Systems without "a Modric" have proven very successful here.

As a more direct example our game against WBA. WBA who embarrassed Liverpool the week prior - we didnt miss Modric IMHO. Clearly WE can cope without him in a system not requiring that sort of player. Our CM was Livermore and Sandro!
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Never did I say nor imply we could not cope without him. I suggested we are weaker for his loss. Pretty simple, but a very significant difference.
 
It's an F. F for F**king furious.

Yes, I'm happy with the signings. BUT WE NEEDED A F**KING STRIKER.

For me, Dempsey was a panic buy. After spending all f**king day talking to Moutinho, we failed. Why do we have to f**k around so much? Just go and get the player we want for GHod sake.

All this gonad*s about using Dempsey or Bale up front if needed is just an excuse to hide the failure of those involved to strengthen in a glaringly obvious department of the team.

And then selling Dos Santos and sending Kane out on loan? WTF is that all about?

Talk about leaving yourself short.

I really hope this doesn't come back and bite us on the arse. And after all, it could be worse.........could be a Gooner........or a Scouser.......or a Villa fan!!
 
fuzzydunlop said:
It's an F. F for F**king furious.

Yes, I'm happy with the signings. BUT WE NEEDED A F**KING STRIKER.

For me, Dempsey was a panic buy. After spending all f**king day talking to Moutinho, we failed. Why do we have to f**k around so much? Just go and get the player we want for GHod sake.

All this gonad*s about using Dempsey or Bale up front if needed is just an excuse to hide the failure of those involved to strengthen in a glaringly obvious department of the team.

And then selling Dos Santos and sending Kane out on loan? WTF is that all about?

Talk about leaving yourself short.

I really hope this doesn't come back and bite us on the arse. And after all, it could be worse.........could be a Gooner........or a Scouser.......or a Villa fan!!
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We're not short.

Striking options: Ade, Defoe, Dempsey

Central attacking midfield options: Sig, Dempsey, (Dembele).

That's 4-5 players for two positions. Unless we're planning on playing 4-4-2 we have enough players for those central attacking positions. Might have wanted an upgrade on Defoe, but we're not low on numbers.
 
Sorry mate, but I'm not talking about attacking midfielders. Im talking about out and out strikers. We have got Ade and Defoe. THATS IT!

So yes, we are short in that department. It's a bloody disgrace. Dress it up how you like, but thats the way it is.

Fergie doesn't get much wrong in football management, and he's always said you need 4 STRIKERS.

I'd have even had Berbatov back you know. He can still do a job.
 
Priorities for me at the start of the window were a GK, CB, winger and 2 * CF

We got a very good GK, potentially excellent CB, winger (dempsey) and one CF. So thats 4 out of 5 of my priorities

We replaced Modric with Dembele and VdV with Siggy so downgrades but players with potential

Given that at the moment we are cash constrained due to the stadium, I think its not too bad a window at all. My real concern is up top where we only brought in Ade as an out and out CF and even loaned Kane out. Expecting Coubilaly to get some games in teh minor cups.

Based on our squad I think we should now finish 5th as a min and run Arse close for 4th. We'll struggle to do much more til the stadium gives us greater cashflow
 
fuzzydunlop said:
Sorry mate, but I'm not talking about attacking midfielders. Im talking about out and out strikers. We have got Ade and Defoe. THATS IT!

So yes, we are short in that department. It's a bloody disgrace. Dress it up how you like, but thats the way it is.

Fergie doesn't get much wrong in football management, and he's always said you need 4 STRIKERS.

I'd have even had Berbatov back you know. He can still do a job.
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zzz

Spain have won trophies without a forward. It's all about how the team plays. We have 2 strikers and 1 forward, we have several attacking midfielders. Germany play with 1 up front, 3 in behind. Spain do similar. It's the modern way.

Not saying we are Spain or Germany, but if you have service and movement in midfield there becomes an attacking group of 4 or 5 that can all score.

You'd have Berbatov back because he can 'still do a job'.. how would he do with the rest of the play that the manager will ask of him? like, running around or pressing the defence.. no?

Still, all this is probably wasted on you.

Four, four, fudging two. Right, Harry?
 
fuzzydunlop said:
Sorry mate, but I'm not talking about attacking midfielders. Im talking about out and out strikers. We have got Ade and Defoe. THATS IT!

So yes, we are short in that department. It's a bloody disgrace. Dress it up how you like, but thats the way it is.

Fergie doesn't get much wrong in football management, and he's always said you need 4 STRIKERS.

I'd have even had Berbatov back you know. He can still do a job.
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Spain is the best team in the world, and play without striker :) But i see your point, i would have liked Berba in.
 
Danners9 said:
zzz

Spain have won trophies without a forward. It's all about how the team plays. We have 2 strikers and 1 forward, we have several attacking midfielders. Germany play with 1 up front, 3 in behind. Spain do similar. It's the modern way.

Not saying we are Spain or Germany, but if you have service and movement in midfield there becomes an attacking group of 4 or 5 that can all score.

You'd have Berbatov back because he can 'still do a job'.. how would he do with the rest of the play that the manager will ask of him? like, running around or pressing the defence.. no?

Still, all this is probably wasted on you.

Four, four, fudging two. Right, Harry?
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Three cheers for Ramires.........

Not wasted on me at all mate. Im thinking more in terms of cover and if we get injuries. 2 out and out forwards is not enough.

Time will tell if the goals will come from midfield. I hope the proposed system works. But lets not forget, AVB has a lot to prove. Tearing a top four team apart and trying to instill a whole new way of playing is a massive gamble, especially after his Chavski escapade.

I dont know if you saw Berbatov today? Looked decent when he came on in the second half. The guy is still a quality player, so yes I would have definitely had him back. Would have been a cracking addition.
 
fuzzydunlop said:
Sorry mate, but I'm not talking about attacking midfielders. Im talking about out and out strikers. We have got Ade and Defoe. THATS IT!

So yes, we are short in that department. It's a bloody disgrace. Dress it up how you like, but thats the way it is.

Fergie doesn't get much wrong in football management, and he's always said you need 4 STRIKERS.

I'd have even had Berbatov back you know. He can still do a job.
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This. Bang on the money.

Berbatov was/is exactly what we need to add, failing other striker targets like Llorente or Damaio. Fulham have got the buy of the window in him (31) for £4-5m. We pay £6-7m for Dempsey (29). I know who got that right. Dempsey is an AM. We have two strikers. And then we let Kane go on loan????
 
Im kinda inbetween with a B/C really. Disappointed that we didn't manage to complete with Moutinho and I am concerned we won't go back in for him in January which would be a mistake. I always felt that we were setting this window up with a view to getting the forward we are after in January - I am convinced we are going in for Leandro and Llorente with January being more to Levy's taste in terms of balance of power in negotiations. Both players will be cheaper for different reasons in the next window so I am pretty hopeful. Whilst it will always be argued that we should have got another forward now reagrdless of price, I can understand why we might wait till January if it is those two we are specifically after.

Van der Vaart going is a bit of a blow but one that we will cover by having Dempsey and Sigurdsson. I think we will miss the character/personality and big game mentality more than the actual player. Increasingly he was looking like it was a struggle to finish games and whilst I would have been delighted if he had stayed, it was good money after 2 years service and also he had a pining to return to Hamburg for his own reasons as well as Sylvie having her work commitments. Loved the fact that he bought into being like a fan when he joined and he will always be viewed as a world class addition to our side in the time he was here. Just a little sad that we couldn't win anything whilst he was with us.

Dembele will prove to be a fantastic signing imo and well worth the money. Dempsey will get us goals and a presence in the box as well as hopefully decent set pieces (although we thought that with VdV). Lloris will be a good signing as well, potential there to stay in goal for at least a 5 yr stint. Vertonghen will fit in nicely not just to AVB's system but also with our general style of play and Sigurdsson will offer us a fitter, more mobile version of Rafa imo.

Overall a pleasing window but we have to follow it up with the signing of a forward in January or the good work will be undone to my mind. Signing Moutinho in January would be a bonus that I don't envisage happening, think we have missed the boat on that signing in terms of price and wages.
 
It has to be a B for me, we knew that Modric and VDV were likely to move and they are players that could not be replaced like for like. I think we have a stronger squad and when they can all get together in training i think our team will be stronger.
 
Well we sold two world class midfielders and replaced them with two from Fulham so I don't really know. On first impressions of who we sold and who we bought I'd give it a C or a D.

Based on how we end up this season, I will change my grade :p
 
B

The overall quality of the squad is about the same. Would have been nice to have Moutinho or someone else like him in midfield and maybe another attacking outlet, but money rules in the end. A little disappointed that we can't unearth one or two sub £10m players to come in and surprise us.
 
I like the players we brought in, but not getting Moutinho was pretty hard to take and the club shouldn't have left it so late.

I like Dempsey, but we needed an out an out striker also.

Adebayor should have been signed before Saudi Sportswashing Machine.

C
 
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