Holmesy

I've made a correction to the post because what i meant obviously wasn't clear. Fuck me, this site has almost gone the other way - any post that isn't unbridled joy or non-objective discussion is absolutely unacceptable! I'm not absolutely delighted we're going into a CL campaign with Dan Burn at left back but it seems anyone who doesn't share that opinion isn't a true fan.

I wasn't suggesting all of them at the same time

Calm down with the drama pal. I'm not saying we're shit and the club is in crisis. This is the Transfer Rumours thread and we're discussing the club's transfer activity. You've been in here long enough to know people don't necessarily agree with each other and that's ok. I'm not slagging the club off, i'm just expressing disappointment that we haven't done more (yet). We might end the window with a flurry of amazing first team signings. If not, i'll enjoy the season like everyone else.

Plug the glaring gaps in our squad and build greater strength in depth. As people have pointed out, we're at risk if any or some of Burn, Tripper, Schar, Botman, Wilson and Isak, Miggy, Barnes get injured. And by screwed, obviously we have players who can fill in but the step down is significant. We have a CB playing at LB and our right side options aren't good enough for a Champions League campaign (IMO). All i'm saying is I would've expected us to sign 3/4 first team players in key positions by now. I'm not talking about a squad overhaul in one window. It's realistic concern based on the above. I don't want us to go into the CL with Jacob Murphy at right wing because Miggy is injured. I'd rather we went in with a quality right forward and Miggy as our backup. It's not an outrageous concept.

It just isn't as simple as you're making out. Plans and targets can be fluid and readjusted if your momentum/achievement is greater than you forecasted. It comes down to aggression of ambition, and personally i'm disappointed that we don't look to be building significantly on our achievement, despite it being ahead of where we thought we'd be.

Yes, that's kind of cementing my point though. I know we can't go out and spend a billion pounds but we've just finished 4th. Build on it. I guess there are two approaches - accept that it was a bit of a fluke and be happy with 6th next season or use it as a launch platform and try to cement our place in the top 4. Given the ambitions of our owners, I thought it would be the second option. As it is, it looks to be the first, and i can't be the only one that's disappointed with that?

I get your point, but finishing 4th and then finishing 6th is not improving, it's literally going backwards.

And I was one step away from being semi-pro! It’s seriously fine margins at PL level. Can Willock add end product to his game? Hopefully, but there are no guarantees. Forgive me for being cut-throat but I’d rather we signed a genuinely class, guaranteed improvement and if Willock fulfils his potential, great problem to have! Wilshere was touted as the next world class CM maestro not long ago and ended up having an underwhelming career. He was much higher rated than Willock and ended up a journeyman.

Yeah, it was a fairly negative view of a squad that played and finished amazingly last season. But you have to improve, firstly because everyone else is and secondly, because every team has spent since last season analysing us and figuring out ways to beat us. Going into a season with some unknown factors usually helps. I guess we’ll see where we end up at the end of the transfer window, but given how long it takes Eddie to get players up to speed, early signings would’ve made a lot more sense. I realise it’s not Football Manager but come on ??‍♂️

I get where you’re coming from but it’s the lack of depth and balance that concerns me. People rave about Willock but he has no end product. Wilson is injury prone and we only have Isak behind him. Almiron had a good season but he’s not top drawer. Trippier is our only RB and we don’t have a first team LB. Burn looks to be our backup option but that’s a depressing thought. Schar or Botman get injured and the replacements are a significant step down. It’s not all negative obviously. We’ve got some great quality but there are glaring gaps. With full first teams out, I’d say we’re on a par with Spurs and Man Utd. I’m more worried about Villa this season though. Would Almiron, Burn, Targett, Murphy or Willock get into any of their squads, let alone first teams?

I think the feeling of disappointment around this transfer window is triggering my Ashley PTSD. I know we’ve signed two international players but it’s hardly been the most exciting window for us. I think we were all hoping for much more by this stage.

Their front line of Mahrez, Maxi and Firmino is going to do some damage

Shady as fuck!

We’re going into a Champions League campaign! Do you really want to see Dan Burn at LB? Half of our supporters were calling for him to be dropped in the last 3rd of the season, not because of his defensive contribution but because we had nothing attacking-wise down the left. Targett was available for large parts of last season but didn’t get a game, so Eddie clearly doesn’t rate him as a first choice LB. Teams will have done a shitload of analysis on us in the close season, so we can expect a hell of a lot more pressure on our right hand side. If we don’t add another attacking dimension it could come back to bite us.

Surely we can’t go into this season with no first choice left back?! It’s arguably the position we’ve needed to strengthen most and we’re about to sign another right back. I know ‘trust the process’ and all that shit but the full back situation is a bit of a head scratcher!

The fact that the playing field isn’t level is the biggest frustration with FFP. The Sky 6 have been allowed to fuck it off and spend whatever for the past decade and it’s only now that the PL/UEFA decide to enforce it, when we’re swimming in cash.

Bruno called for it

Who’s this Gordon lad?! Looks class!

We should probably take Lewis off - Watford will be rescinding their interest at this rate

Tonali seems to be finding this piss easy! He’s about 5 seconds ahead of everyone else

It'll all start hotting up once teams stop with their ridiculous fee demands and players with their daft wage demands. We'll just be playing brinksmanship now

I guess we'll see if he joins. Other than Maxi i don't think any of our wingers cut it at this level and need to be replaced. I'm not sure Barnes elevates that level much at all. Gordon is excluded from that comment because the jury is still out

I can see us aiming a lot higher than Barnes. Seems a bit of a sea change signing the Italy U21 captain from AC Milan and then going after a decent but nothing special, newly relegated winger. We're probably happy the rumour is out there and we're not denying it so reporters are thrown off the scent of who we're really after. Of course, if i'm wrong and we do sign him, he'll be England regular Harvey Barnes who has the potential to be world class.

The same could be said for Trippier, Bruno, Isak, Botman and Tonali. The fact that it’s so publicly reported suggests it’s just agent talk anyway but if not and we can snag him, great. Some players want London, some move for the wages and some only want to sign for Man City. But some love the idea of being part of the new NUFC legacy. Maybe that’s Chiesa as well.

That’s the one. I used to play football with Cole Pearson. We definitely don’t want him! ?