andycap Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 (edited) We are in the champions league with a squad which is weak as piss. The other teams that qualified for it have strengthened and already had strong squads at there disposal. So we are playing catchup big time and to only have one solitary signing completed with under a month to go is piss poor like. Considering we needed about six players. I don't blame fans that are worried with our lack of signings it's only natural. Edited July 23, 2025 by andycap Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abacus Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 11 minutes ago, Shearergol said: Not sure why people keep going on about Scalvini. It's not gonna happen. I just think he's exactly our profile of player, a bit like signing Tino after his injuries when other clubs might be cautious. Not saying it will happen or anything, but I'm choosing to dream this transfer window rather than look at negatives. Don't burst my bubble gol, it's my birthday soon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelinton7 Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Yep, it’s very much Anita Summer territory atm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyCisse Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Might be a scrap to stay up at this rate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Spaceman Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Just now, Joelinton7 said: Yep, it’s very much Anita Summer territory atm Agreed, but we have time to rectify that and I'm sure we will. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 (edited) We didn't try for anyone else than Anita IIRC... Edited July 23, 2025 by Kid Icarus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonBez comesock Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Just now, Kid Icarus said: We didn't try for anyone else than Anita... This Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Spaceman Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 You've both got a better memory than me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Just now, wong989 said: But thats exactly why the club should have a scouting system in place where we have enough info, a big enough list that we can improve the squad each year. Last year we apparently had 60 for Guehi. Look around the premiership and see how much we could have improved the team for 40mil, which is what Guehi is worth. Could have had Delap, Hjuisen and Milkenkovic for 45 million. We definitely could have had 2 of the 3. Hjuisen leaves this year for Madrid, so what, we get 50mil. Christ we wanted him for 50 this year. Total indictment that we are nowhere near the level of competence required. I'm not frustrated we can't sign the tiny pool of top end talent that goes to the cartel auction. We are shopping a tier below for players at a high point in their valuation. Hence the hire this week and previous advertisements for jobs. An effective scouting system takes many many years to build up. The owners were starting from very little in place and already collected knowledge from Howe and Nickson. So you can apply our place in the scouting food chain just as I have with our place in the transfer window. How can people not realise that? You don’t know if we could’ve got any of those 3 players. I mean for start we’ve been unable to buy any players for 2yrs. We didn’t end up having the money for Guehi. That’s why people lost their jobs. Your just basing things on assumptions. Delap was available for virtually the same price this window in a season when we have money to spend and UCL to offer and still couldn’t attract him… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 3 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said: We didn't try for anyone else than Anita IIRC... And he was very average, cheap and added next to nothing. Even if we only get Elanga, it's far exceeded that miserable summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbo Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 26 minutes ago, Shearergol said: Not sure why people keep going on about Scalvini. It's not gonna happen. Every midfield or defence link this summer has come across as tenuous IMO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1964 Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 32 minutes ago, TRon said: I think some fans have lost sense of reality, which is that when it comes to signing the top tier players, the clubs already at the top will have more pull than us, so there's no point in getting pissed off when we lose out on players like Pedro or Ekitike. You could question whether we should be shopping in a different market, but that's on Howe, not us. I agree, top, top targets are wanted by top, top clubs. We're not in that pond, we cant pay whatever, and pay salaries of whatever, so it's inevitable if we go for the hottest properties there's a raft of more prosperous clubs standing in the fire. We seem to be ignoring the fact that Howe is a top coach, he will make good players great players, and will improve good players more than he would established great players. I would be happier getting up and coming players who can be moulded by one of the best in the business than go through this awful tit-tassel dance for world stars who are wanted elsewhere Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Just now, 1964 said: I agree, top, top targets are wanted by top, top clubs. We're not in that pond, we cant pay whatever, and pay salaries of whatever, so it's inevitable if we go for the hottest properties there's a raft of more prosperous clubs standing in the fire. We seem to be ignoring the fact that Howe is a top coach, he will make good players great players, and will improve good players more than he would established great players. I would be happier getting up and coming players who can be moulded by one of the best in the business than go through this awful tit-tassel dance for world stars who are wanted elsewhere Agree, but I can't really blame Howe for wanting the best ready made players. He wants to compete with the elite clubs and for that you need the same quality of playing squad. It's frustrating but we have one hand tied behind our backs with the PSR bullshit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahoneys Tache Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 42 minutes ago, Joelinton7 said: Yep, it’s very much Anita Summer territory atm Prefer Anne myself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 (edited) 2 hours ago, Yorkie said: Agree but I'd attribute it more to the literally never-ending access to information, causing frustration when there's no information. I doubt we'd lose our marbles quite so frequently if all we had was Ceefax or newspapers. Plus the anxiety caused by last summer's failure and an apparent (but irrational, imo) sense that we're not actually capable of making signings. It’s what you do with the information that you can access 24/7 the issue still. If you don’t have the ability to sort the wheat from the chaff in life then you are going to always have these issues following a major football team. We’ve had people expecting 8 signings of various £20-40m or 5-6 £50-60m signings etc. You have people slagging off journalists who’ve proven to be right about all our No1 targets so far (there’s been no surprises for me so far unless I’ve missed one). Then when that journalist say’s something they agree with it that leads them down another path. Anyway… still 6wks for the window to make a mug out of me. Still say we keep Isak. Still say we sign 3 first team players around the £40-50-60m mark. Maybe a 4th if our targets are further down our list and therefore cheaper fee/wages. Out of the 3 we’ve landed our top target this window for RW (Olise I’m guessing was the dream last summer then we moved to Elanga in January and landed him this summer). If you want to argue Kudus feel free it might of been a close call but we didn’t seem to make a massive effort in him hence why i think Elanga was 1st choice. Next will be the forward that can play across the front three which appears currently to be our 3rd choice (Wissa) after failing to land JP and HE (4th choice if you count Delap). If so that opens up the budget for a 4th signing potentially. Third will be a RCB who might surprise us or might be a named linked many times before. After that you are counting up the remains of your budget and potential outgoings and see what’s left if anything (Coming from £80m HE to £30+m Wissa will help) for a Midfielder and GK possibly. Still feel they might make do and look at both in January if no one leaves attracting a decent fee. Thought we’d have 1 in time for preseason and another in time for Asia tour/Sela which hopefully in next 72hrs we will. As always I’m there to be shot at Edited July 23, 2025 by LFEE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Trafford could still come, he hasn’t signed for Man City yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibierski Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 1 hour ago, andycap said: We are in the champions league with a squad which is weak as piss. The other teams that qualified for it have strengthened and already had strong squads at there disposal. So we are playing catchup big time and to only have one solitary signing completed with under a month to go is piss poor like. Considering we needed about six players. I don't blame fans that are worried with our lack of signings it's only natural. The lack of incomings will also impact outgoings IMO. Like if we got offers now for Willock etc. we will have to turn them down like we did with Almiron in past, because we can’t afford to lose them despite their contribution being negligible. Got signings done by now, it provides us a more stronger positions to capitalise on outgoings which has been our biggest weakness. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Just now, Sibierski said: The lack of incomings will also impact outgoings IMO. Like if we got offers now for Willock etc. we will have to turn them down like we did with Almiron in past, because we can’t afford to lose them despite their contribution being negligible. Got signings done by now, it provides us a more stronger positions to capitalise on outgoings which has been our biggest weakness. Not saying you’re wrong but we have already sold a midfielder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 (edited) 4 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said: Trafford could still come, he hasn’t signed for Man City yet. Yep. Guehi could also as much as i don’t want him. Thiaw also didn’t go anywhere? Scavani also? (Apologies for spelling) Loads of players strongly linked with us still on the table we know of and others we don’t. Edited July 23, 2025 by LFEE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycap Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said: Not saying you’re wrong but we have already sold a midfielder. Couldn't see us flogging Willock now though can you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Just now, andycap said: Couldn't see us flogging Willock now though can you? Nah not really. I never thought we’d sell them both, even though I want to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibierski Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 3 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said: Not saying you’re wrong but we have already sold a midfielder. Probably feel that was a mutually agreed sale since end of season, as there was never any talk of Longstaff staying and all about him leaving. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycap Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said: Nah not really. I never thought we’d sell them both, even though I want to. I think Willock should be flogged he looks a shadow of himself. But with so much work to do on incomings it would be mad to sell him now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelinton7 Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 £30m for someone we missed out on for free a year ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted July 23, 2025 Share Posted July 23, 2025 Just now, andycap said: I think Willock should be flogged he looks a shadow of himself. But with so much work to do on incomings it would be mad to sell him now. I agree, I just never thought we would have that much squad turnover in one window. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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