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Transfer thread

So continuing the ~150m net transfer spend then, just obviously far more active though. I wonder if that’s a one off clearing the decks and rebuild for a new manager or if we’ll see this as the longer term plan, Chelsea style.
It would have been north of £200m had Emirates Marketing Project not sneaked in for NDiaye
 
Overall, you have to be happy with the activity, but very concerned at glaring holes left potentially at right-back and in terms of overall physicality.

The lack of Europe means we will have to suck it up somewhat if any players get restless due to lack of gametime. Over to you RDZ, ZERO excuses for lack of identity by December.

COYS
The lack of physicality is a concern for me. We look lightweight and easily bullied. In the first three games I've seen too many examples of opposition players busting through tackles, knocking us off the ball or it taking two or three of our players to try to dispossess the opposition. I think we've bought technically good footballers but I don't see many, particularly in midfield who are going to get 'stuck in'. I don't think that's RDZ's style but it seems to be a key part of the modern game.
 
Some of that is revisionism though. He said it at the time where we had an injury pile-up and I'm pretty certain he was saying "based on the players I've so far had to work with.......". However, that statement comes back very differently without this important context.

You need to understand my comments more though. What actually happens if you do follow the winning clubs model and mostly add 1 quality player in January and then 2 or 3 each summer? What does your squad look like after 3 or 4 years of sticking relentlessly to that strategy whilst integrating some youngsters to manage gaps?

Well Pep only ever did that and he won a treble that included the CL with 5 or 6 U21's in his squad. Liverpool only did things this way and mostly still do. Arsenal have just broken into that next layer by doing the same.

My only hope is that this manager prevails and sticks around as the next one will want another project restart and churn the squad. We've now done the major overhaul and every subsequent window under RDZ should now follow my model, in my opinion.
How is it revisionism when he said it live right there at the time? You think he was talking about the effect of the injury pile up and not taking that into account but he didn't say that. That's purely your assumption, it's more likely he was including the likes of Kulu in his original 10,11,12 players comment.

For it to really be revisionism he would have had to have had this transfer summer as it has been and then justified the massive changes and player churn with a statement and about how many players actually matched his requirements.
 
Nobody thought we could pull of Tonali & Fernandes. Nobody thought Marmoush was realistic early in the window due to his wages. We got all 3 done. In previous windows there is no chance those deals would happen.

The others are a similar level to what we have been getting the last few seasons. 1-2 marquee signings (JPVH & Savio) along with some opportunity signings.

We missed out on Kroupi, Gakpo & Ndiaye not really through any fault of our own.

Lankshear sale for me is the big miss of the window. Just feels like we would be so much happier had he got a pre season, scored a few goals and been in with Marmoush & Solanke as the striker options.

Danso sale should have been handled better. should have played him against Charlton or done the same job as we did with Bergvall.

Small complaint that we have not got a loan for Malachi Hardy. Feel like the positive momentum he has will get lost now in the U21’s.

#10 is still a big gap in our squad and that’s the number 1 area to address in January.

54 in and out is crazy work

- I'd say we have upgraded our midfield and wide areas
- Defense is arguably weaker, GK to be seen.

We have culled the squad and pushed on a lot of players.

Still think the next two windows will have a lot of work
- RB light
- 10 position if Maddison/Xavi/Deki don't stake the right claim
- New CF (Richi will probably go in January for a minimum fee
- Could see us looking to add a physical player in next summer.

Over to the manager now
 
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