05 Sep 2020 07:16:34
Chelsea are off and running making some very shrewd signings. Arsenal look a much better team under Arteta, City are relatively quiet but will probably splash the cash, whilst Liverpool may find a lack of activity comes back to bite them.

And so to United. We have a very solid first eleven but lack squad depth, when we need to make a change the quality drops.

Donny is an excellent signing but let’s get serious. Pogba is not the future, if he is staying it is probably because nobody can afford him or is willing to pay the going rate, so we need to start to plan without him. Personally, I would take whatever I could get for him rather than put up with his pantomime and risk him going for nothing at some point.

We need a world class forward, defensive midfielder, and CB. If Sancho is the answer, pay the money or quickly move on to another option. My fear is we won’t get the deals done, or we’ll sign Sancho for silly money at the last minute and spend all our cash on that deal.

Donny is a good signing but was not necessarily the priority. Matic is excellent when fresh. It quickly looks knackered, the front 3 are excellent but all young and still inconsistent, CB is very very light.

Chelsea have shown decisiveness and put the money on the table, we need to show the same urgency. Of course, there may be a lot happening behind the scenes but our recent history in the market is not encouraging.

1.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 08:43:27
City are closing in on Koulibaly.
Koulibaly and Laporte in defence will be massive with Ake to cover.

Arsenal strengthening in defence.

Chelsea have probably had the best window.

2.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 09:03:14
AJH

I am not convinced we should blow all our money on Sancho, we have other needs as well, which, if not addressed will see us fall short. I am not sure the front three are as excellent as you make out. They didn’t score in the two Europa games, when it mattered. Greenwood looks like he has it, Martial had a good season, after a few poor ones, what are we going to get this season? It seems Rashford is still recovering from that back injury but hasn’t been scoring regularly enough. I agree we need a world class forward but wonder if it should be a centre forward.

I said months ago we need to find a partnership at CB, yet the rumour is the accountants are saying Dayot is a year too young.

I agree on the defensive midfield player, but there are no noises on that, except maybe Kante, but can’t see that and he has had injury issues.

We also need to decide on Pogba, get over the emotion of paying all that money and decide what is happening. Yes he has C.V., hope he is ok, but deal with it as long as he is well enough.

Lastly, fullbacks. Shaw is injured too often, Williams can’t use his left foot well enough. If Shaw plays he does contribute to attacking options, but once out we lose that. AWB is an excellent defender but contributes little option in attacks. We have to decide on how we want to use full backs, but what we have doesn’t look balanced on both sides to me. Add that to us looking to sell Dalot, a right full back who can attack and put in a good cross, doesn’t make sense.

Timing is everything they say. The window is open for weeks, stay patient they will say. However, the season starts very soon and there will be quarantine issues for some purchases, getting them settled. This season is different to others, going to be more frantic I feel, so this indecision and delay could actually cost us points when we can’t afford to fall behind. It tells me Accountants are running the show, hey we made top four, the money flow will be good, let’s not blow it, there are dividends to pay.

The club need to take decisions now, these are extraordinary times that mean being decisive like Chelsea is important, yet we sit on our hands.

3.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 10:11:36
Not like you to put out posts like that AJH.
We finished ahead of Chelsea and they missed a window so it seems sensible for them to strengthen but they too are signing potential so I don’t see them challenging the top 2 this coming season.

We obviously have areas we need to strengthen and I do think CM is one of them. We’ve signed a player who seems happy to have joined us and he had Europe’s elite after him so it’s a bit of a coup considering we are not amongst the elite at the moment.

Totally agree about Pogba and I don’t need to repeat my thoughts on him but the top and bottom is we need him out and he’s a liability in a midfield 2.

The front 3 is probably our best forward line since Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez (although nowhere near that label but still a compliment considering we’ve had Zlatan, Falcao and Di Maria since then) . However the drop off to James and Ighalo is too big.

We definitely need a CB because Maguire and Lindelof don’t seem to be the stand out leader at the back and both seem best suited to support CB.

Wouldn’t mind seeing Williams as a back up RB because as good as AWB is defensively, he’s Valencia mk II going forward. Somebody at or above Shaw’s level at LB would improve us massively.

Finally GK the pressure is really on DDG now. He’s been fantastic for us but the last 18 months has seen mixed form. I feel for him but we can’t keep putting up with mistakes in the most important area of the pitch so I don’t see him getting as much game time this season if the errors continue.

Pereira has no business in the Premier League so he should be gone followed by Rojo and Jones at the very least.

It’s all heading in the right direction though. One or two more first team signings should see us close the gap on the top two and we have CL football to look forward to again so plenty to feel optimistic and excited about.

4.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 10:15:59
Credit where its due to all involved re DVDB. Not exactly a signing out of nowhere we had been tracking him but whether or not he was "needed" an initial 35 mill down, for a player of his quality and getting it done quickly and quietly as well . great to see.

5.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 10:44:59
liverpool just won the title and just need tweaks here and there, they will be rohjy up there again.
City for me are faves, Koulibaly I am not that sold on tbh but there defence is their weakness.
Chelsea have signed some good attackong players, remains to be seen how they settle in but defensively they are poor and that will be their achieves heel.
Spurs are an interesting one, not sure what to expect from them.
Everton seem to be signing well bit against defence and keeper awful.
And on to ourselves, quality in depth adress in MF a tad with signing DVDB, Pogba needs to get his head in it wetehr he's leaving next summer or not, I agree pay up or move on regarding Sancho, we do need a RW, CB and maybe full back cover aswell but plenty of time left.
A domestic cup and 15 point increase i'd be expecting this season.

6.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 10:52:08
People need to remember that Pogba is quite injury prone. The past 2 seasons he has missed a lot of football.

Also, Pogba lacks drive. He never really grabs the game by the scruff of the neck. He is a very good player, but has failed to live uptonhis potential.

7.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 10:55:55
Although he wasn't a priority position I am chuffed with the VdB signing. He can play across the midfield, attack and more importantly get stuck in and defend, meaning a tasty trio of Bruno, Pogba and VdB. I have no qualms with Matic and McTominay is useful. Fred out, although I thought there was a spell where he was one of our better players. But realistically he still has good value.
If I have to call the remainder of our window I think Reguilon (LB) and a centre-forward will happen because there is zero cover should someone get injured. I suspect we'll get Ighalo again although Josh King will surely be moving on from Bournemouth. I can't see anything happening on the CB front this window but feel Upacamenco is the one Ole wants so maybe we'll wait it out. Which is also my feeling with Sancho. Wait it out for a season. With the mooted agent and signing on fees, this stinks of greed. Not my money of course so why should I care but it feels wrong. I would prefer Traore at half the price, Sarr at a third of it, or a season's loan for Coman or Bale, who certainly divides the forum. If returning for Sancho next summer is likely then it makes no sense to sign anyone longterm so a loan might be the answer, otherwise we have to be prepared to stick with Lingaard/ Mata/ Dalot on the right *shudders*.

8.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 11:29:23
3 more first choice signings would be a great window.
Sancho, Reguillon and Upamecano.

These 3 are the ones we have been linked mostly.

9.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 12:02:51
Id prefer kroos to thiago any day.

10.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 12:56:51
I'm happy to hold fire on a CB. We've so many on the books as it is and I'll be willing to roll the dice on whether Maguire and Lindelof can strike up more of an understanding. I think it evident that Bailly cannot maintain his fitness for a season, but I'd also like Tuanzebe to have the opportunity to try and string some games together - was last year an anomaly in his fitness or is he another who will be plagued with time on the sidelines? That should be clearer by next summer. Also, Mengi looks great and could compliment Maguire nicely - could he be ready to step up in a year's time? I think next summer the necessity for a CB will be more evident, and although we occasionally look shaky at the back, I think signing a LB, and RW (as well as Donny) will give us a lot more balance and depth to the squad.

11.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 13:06:05
I hope your joking Ken. I’ve got more energy than Kroos and I’m 46.Kroos 7 years ago definitely but wouldn’t touch him a barge pole now, he’d be just like Schweinsteiger past it.

12.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 13:21:12
The new season is less than a week away, and people are starting to get itchy feet. While most people would have expected most teams in and around us to have improved I think the scale of Chelsea's investment has people questioning our own.

Chelsea have indeed made some very good and impressive signings, they lost a transfer window due to the ban and they are making up for lost time. For me Chelsea have two issues this season. Firstly integrating so many new players into a squad can be tricky, too much disruption. They have signed two CB's, a LB, a ST, a winger and a CAM, while they would still like to sign a new GK.
At the start of the new season Silva, Chilwell, Werner, Havertz and Ziyech will expect to be starters, along with their new keeper whoever that turns out to be. That's potentially 6 new starters. How will the likes of Mount, Abraham Tomori etc feel having done so well last season to being pushed out of the side this season? What will the chemistry be like especially in defence which will likely see a new keeper along with half of the back four being new. While of their signings only Chilwell has any EPL experience. Will they all succeed? seems unlikely.

The second issue Chelsea have is a real lack of leaders on the pitch, who has the experience and know how? A lot of young players who haven't won a much before. The have lost players like Willian, Pedro, David Luiz, while players such as Kante, Jorginho, Marcos Alonso and Azpilicueta could be either on their way out of at least out of the starting line up.

So while on the surface Chelsea look like they will see a massive jump up the table that might not necessarily be the case.

Arsenal have made a couple of decent signings, but the real improvement looks like coming from the manager.

Spurs are a mystery. While you'd be a fool to bet against Jose Mourinho, he doesn't look quite as potent a manager as he did 10 years ago, he seems to have lost a little of his polish. While Spurs look like they need 4 or 5 new players to freshen up the squad which has become functional and lacking quality especially in defence. The fact remains they look short of the finances needed to make those signings. Doherty looks a decent signing, but they need a couple of CB's and LB, cover for Harry Kane and someone who can control the midfield. They'll be lucky to get 2 of those 5 players.

Liverpool look like they might only get 1 or 2 signings, the LB adds a little depth, while Thiago will be a very good signing. I still think they need a regular partner for VvD at the back. Yet I would say they are the side that need the least work.

Man City need a quality CB partner for Laporte, with more squad depth in defence. Ake does provide that, he could have been a decent player to partner Maguire. They also need to find the long term replacement for Aguero. Gabriel Jesus looks decent, but he has spent a long time playing second fiddle without really challenging. If I was City I'd go all in for Laurto Martinez.

I think City and Liverpool will be comfortable 1st and 2nd place again with no one quite ready to challenge them. Chelsea and ourselves look like closing that gap, with Arsenal the most likely to challenge for top 4 in my opinion.

With us I think we new have a very strong midfield, long term we need to find a Matic replacement, but we have Garner who might make that jump in a year or so. Meaning CDM isn't a priority this summer. I think we need to play with asymmetric full backs, have AWB stay deeper and have the left back pushing forward. In that respect we could do with a quality left footed LB as Shaw's injury record is poor. We need to find the right partner for Maguire. Who that is who knows. However, firstly we need to move on the players such as Jones and Rojo who just aren't good enough. If we play asymmetric full backs then we will need a right winger who can hug the touchline and stretch play. While Sancho might be the dream signing we might need to look elsewhere, Ismailia Sarr could be an interesting option, or go big for Adama Traore.

We still have plenty of time left in the window, let's see what happens.

13.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 13:23:56
Ken what are you smoking?! Kroos over Thiago? 😂. Sorry mate but you have lost the plot.

14.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 16:43:34
🎣🎣🎣.

15.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 17:27:27
The jeep I drive has a smaller turning circle than Kroos.

16.) 05 Sep 2020
05 Sep 2020 17:57:18
Kroos over Thiago? Come on Ken have you been on the Guinness today? 🙈.