SUPERTOON Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I think an argument can be made that we haven’t strengthened our starting 11, obviously Gordon may prove me wrong but as it stands I don’t think we have. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowlingcrofty Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) Signed an established premier league winger who is only 21 and has bags of potential ✅ Signed a highly rated understudy for Trippier ✅ Signed a young prospect who looks to have all the attributes to make it to the top ✅ Shifted a striker who was barely getting any game time and was on big wages. Should get a good fee for him in the summer ✅ Shifted a midfielder on massive wages who hasn’t played all season ✅ Replaced Darlow with Dubravka, a clear upgrade ✅ Kept most of our budget for the summer, when we prefer to do our business and our top targets are more attainable ✅ Didn’t get CM cover ❌ 3/10, aye. Edited January 31, 2023 by bowlingcrofty Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smal Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 If we don't bring first team signings in today and we qualify for any kind of European competition this season, we are going to have to bring loads in the summer. Like... loads. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nufcnick Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 49 minutes ago, Aiston said: Be a 3/10 transfer window if we don't sign any others. Dramatic much? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 8 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said: I think an argument can be made that we haven’t strengthened our starting 11, obviously Gordon may prove me wrong but as it stands I don’t think we have. Aye. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Smal said: If we don't bring first team signings in today and we qualify for any kind of European competition this season, we are going to have to bring loads in the summer. Like... loads. If we take the team that started v Southampton last week and rotate, we could get away with something like this in the EL early doors: Dubs Ashby Lascelles/Krafth Burn Targett Longstaff ? ? Gordon Isak ASM If we get a couple of CMs in the summer, we should be fine. I think we'll do more business than that though. Edited January 31, 2023 by The Prophet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manorpark Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 4 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said: I think an argument can be made that we haven’t strengthened our starting 11, obviously Gordon may prove me wrong but as it stands I don’t think we have. We have strengthened our starting 11 and 'first choice' substitutes considerably. We now have our recent repeat starting 11, plus Maxi, Isak and Gordon. All 14 of them can be in the starting 11 without any reduction in 'strength'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 4 minutes ago, bowlingcrofty said: Signed an established premier league winger who is only 21 and has bags of potential ✅ Signed a highly rated understudy for Trippier ✅ Signed a young prospect who looks to have all the attributes to make it to the top ✅ Shifted a striker who was barely getting any game time and was on big wages. Should get a good fee for him in the summer ✅ Shifted a midfielder on massive wages who hasn’t played all season ✅ Replaced Darlow with Dubravka, a clear upgrade ✅ Kept most of our budget for the summer, when we prefer to do our business and our top targets are more attainable ✅ Didn’t get CM cover ❌ 3/10, aye. The bolded isn't true or doesn't help us for the rest of the season Gordon isn't established. Barnes, Zaha are established. Gordon may have bags of potential but he isn't anywhere proven. Chris Wood played almost 700 minutes for us. That's a fair amount. We have Gordon instead which is an upgrade though. Agree with the person saying, the possible disappointment in the window is down to the CL push. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 42 minutes ago, The Butcher said: 3/10 incoming 7/10 outgoing 5/10 overall Extremely harsh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gate4 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 4 minutes ago, manorpark said: We have strengthened our starting 11 and 'first choice' substitutes considerably. We now have our recent repeat starting 11, plus Maxi, Isak and Gordon. All 14 of them can be in the starting 11 without any reduction in 'strength'. While this is true, the counterargument is that we also still have players in the starting 11 that are not of starter quality, i.e. Longstaff (and while others disagree also Willock). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPERTOON Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 7 minutes ago, manorpark said: We have strengthened our starting 11 and 'first choice' substitutes considerably. We now have our recent repeat starting 11, plus Maxi, Isak and Gordon. All 14 of them can be in the starting 11 without any reduction in 'strength'. Disagree, if we pick our strongest 11, Gordon and Ashby don’t start. Not for me anyway, fair enough if they do for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I still think finishing in the top six would be an unbelievable season to be honest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbandit Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Ashby certainly not, but Gordon will be competing most likely with Willock for a starting spot in a few weeks time, unless Howe changes things the formation up and gives Longstaff a rest Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 We're still odds on with the bookies for top four and are a kick in the arse off a final. Second half of the season we will have Isak and Gordon to provide more options. No reason we still can't finish the job - it's mainly injuries that could fuck us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lush Vlad Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said: Extremely harsh. I do feel harsh criticising the current set up. As it is obviously a million miles away from what we had before and they are clearly looking a lot more long term. But I have to say, if we somehow get weaker and have less genuine centre mid options. When I think this was our biggest need going into the window. Then I tend to agree with 5/10. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Chelsea and Arsenal spending close to £200m collectively on two central midfielders shows what we are up against. We've done brilliantly to be in the top 4 at this stage of the season, but we still can't compete if those clubs want the same players we do. That is the truth of where we are now. It's also why we are looking at players like Gordon or Gallagher, players who probably wouldn't be considered by those clubs. We are still playing catch up, and it's amazing that we are in there pitching at all this season, probably at least a year ahead of schedule. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, Lush Vlad said: I do feel harsh criticising the current set up. As it is obviously a million miles away from what we had before and they are clearly looking a lot more long term. But I have to say, if we somehow get weaker and have less genuine centre mid options. When I think this was our biggest need going into the window. Then I tend to agree with 5/10. I don’t see how we can possibly be weaker. We got rid of Wood who is shite and Shelvey who never plays and is poor when he does. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lush Vlad Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said: I don’t see how we can possibly be weaker. We got rid of Wood who is shite and Shelvey who never plays and is poor when he does. Weaker at centre mid, I mean. Should have made that clear. I know the argument is that Joelinton is now more likely to play CM and not used out wide now we have Gordon. But he was always included in the 4 fit players for 3 CM positions. Shelvey is now gone and we only really have 4 senior CM’s on the books. Plus Anderson, who has been better out wide and looked miles short of what is currently required when played centrally. I know we can go with more of a 4-2-3-1. But Howe has seemed reluctant to change anything and the 4-3-3 has been so solid and successful. Who can blame him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I dunno, I mean technically we would have one fewer CM. But practically I don’t think it makes any difference to our chances. Still hope we get a CM in of course. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot more 4-2-3-1 with Gordon or even Isak behind the main striker. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LV Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 7 minutes ago, TRon said: Chelsea and Arsenal spending close to £200m collectively on two central midfielders shows what we are up against. We've done brilliantly to be in the top 4 at this stage of the season, but we still can't compete if those clubs want the same players we do. That is the truth of where we are now. It's also why we are looking at players like Gordon or Gallagher, players who probably wouldn't be considered by those clubs. We are still playing catch up, and it's amazing that we are in there pitching at all this season, probably at least a year ahead of schedule. Absolutely. We are only just over a year into being a club that is trying to compete again. The 14 or so years before that we were a zombie club and all the other teams we are up against have been building squads and commercial income since then. We are very behind and it’s amazing we are where we are now tbh without all the financial wriggle room the other clubs have got. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LV Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, The Prophet said: Oof Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyCisse Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 4 minutes ago, The Prophet said: Another player to go and watch their career die? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BennyBlanco Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 4 minutes ago, The Prophet said: Ahh fuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLUMPO235 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 6 minutes ago, The Prophet said: Fuck right off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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