Rating the 2023 Summer Transfer Window

[Aiston]

Just now, Bossman said:

😀 Captain Hindsight.

 

I've been calling for a Creative midfielder since January to be fair

 

[et tu brute]

1 minute ago, HaydnNUFC said:

Hopefully Livramento and Hall develop into being world beaters as in the short term they're not signings that address more pressing issues. 

 

Howe made subs at 1-0 to try and get us back into the game, the team that we had on the pitch after those subs had zero summer signings on it. We've spent £140m, not counting Hall. Why is that? Why did we decide not to pursue Maddison or Diaby? (Athletic says we opted to go elsewhere for other positions) Why have we signed Tonali for £60m, substituted him and proceed to look worse in the last 2 matches? Why did we sign Barnes as our main attacking signing, selling ASM in order to fund his purchase, when he is yet to start a match? Why did we choose not to pursue CB cover, a RW, or DM? 

 

I understand that everything can't be done in 1 window, but the performances in the last 3 games admittedly in difficult fixtures have left a lot to be desired. The issues in the squad that we haven't addressed have played a large part in that.

Stop talking sense you will be called a bed wetter soon. If people can't see exactly the issues you have put just now, then they're either blind or just stubborn 

[The College Dropout]

Spent 70m on fullbacks.  No meaningful minutes for any of them thus far.  
 

Massive drop off at CB with one injury as was the obvious risk.   No creative outlet going forward.  

[Aiston]

Maddison would have been massive for us, one of the real parts of midfield we miss.

[SUPERTOON]

Still think it’s way to early to have an opinion either way tbh.

[Gallowgate Toon]

3 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Still think it’s way to early to have an opinion either way tbh.

Aye, it's an absolutely pointless discussion at this point and entirely predictable.

 

Crop of a few who will jump on despite being dead wrong about the last 3 windows and tell us we've fucked it all and everything is bad.

[HaydnNUFC]

It isn't wholly the signings themselves per se, but that only one of them is actually starting or getting a decent amount of minutes. And even he has been took off for no apparent reason, when his fellow midfield partners have looked no better or fitter.

[nemtizz]

Not the greatest time to be posting in this thread after that performance but on the face of it, when we signed Hall, given our obvious restrictions I thought our window was great.

 

Not having another option at RW is already hurting, as is no competent cover at CB. Nowhere near enough creativity in midfield either.

[andycap]

Our new boys should be giving minutes in the side especially with the way our old heads are playing. 

We could easily of put tino and hall on for trips and Targett. Joelinton for Anderson and Barnes and Wilson for miggy and gordon at the end. And we may have getting something a lot better than we got today. 

[Jordan]

We needed a DM before the window and we haven’t finished it with one. Can’t blame the money situation when we’ve spent £70-80m on back up full backs. 

[The Prophet]

I feel like I've just gone back in time to the start of last season.

[Oregon_Geordie]

The last person I'd be dropping would be Trippier. 

As a stand-alone window 7. What we actually needed (in my eyes) 3.

 

But still with Eddie and the boys!

[HaydnNUFC]

2 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

I feel like I've just gone back in time to the start of last season.

 

The performances at the start of last season before the first international break weren't as poor as they have been this season, mind. We battered Forest, admittedly were lucky to get a point at Brighton but should've beat Man City in a breathless game, deservedly got a point at Wolves, incredibly unlucky to lose at Liverpool and were robbed by VAR against Palace.

[The Prophet]

1 minute ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

The performances at the start of last season before the first international break weren't as poor as they have been this season, mind. We battered Forest, admittedly were lucky to get a point at Brighton but should've beat Man City in a breathless game, deservedly got a point at Wolves, incredibly unlucky to lose at Liverpool and were robbed by VAR against Palace.

 

Today was the only particularly alarming performance I've seen so far. If it carries on into the "easier" fixtures I might start to worry.

[HaydnNUFC]

8 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

Today was the only particularly alarming performance I've seen so far. If it carries on into the "easier" fixtures I might start to worry.

 

I thought we were a complete nonentity in possession at Man City. Totally understand that as its probably the most difficult fixture in world football, Man City away, but on the ball we were really poor. Much worse than we were last season where we should've scored at least twice. 

 

Liverpool at home was a game in which we were 1 goal up and 1 man up within 25 minutes and ended up losing. That's garbage for me, like. Don't think it's totally unreasonable to think so.

 

Today was utter wank as well.

 

Brighton away was the only poor performance before the first international break last season.

 

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by HaydnNUFC

[The Prophet]

1 minute ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

I thought we were a complete nonentity in possession at Man City. Totally understand that as its probably the most difficult fixture in world football, Man City away, but on the ball we were really poor. Much worse than we were last season where we should've scored at least twice. 

 

Liverpool at home was a game in which we were 1 goal up and 1 man up within 25 minutes and ended up losing. That's garbage for me, like. Don't think it's totally unreasonable to think so.

 

Today was utter wank as well.

 

Brighton away was the only poor performance before the first international break this season.

 

You make a lot of fair points.

 

City away, I thought it was a bit of a defensive masterclass from them. Walker, Akanji, Rodri and Kovacic were all absolutely superb.

 

Liverpool home, you should never lose in that manner, but there's also a fair argument we were quite unlucky. On another day we win quite comfortably. That's not to say there weren't areas of improvement, but there were mitigating circumstances.

 

Today was just poor, Villa Park-esque.

 

The main area of concern for us the midfield balance looks off. Joe doesn't look fully fit and Bruno often looks isolated when Tonali pulls wide. It needs tweaking.  I'd also like to see Isak drop a touch deeper to pick up the ball.

[Collage]

My no 1 priority for this window was a class, established left back. We didn’t get that. Tonali is a top class signing though. Barnes is a good one.
 

I’m at a 6 or 7.

[r0cafella]

It’s pretty reasonable to question this summers business given the start of our season, I do think in time we will all look back happy with our business but the fixture list and a lack of confidence does seem to be taking it’s toll and making things look worst than they are. 
 

I’ll be watching closely how our squad is utilised this season as on the surface Eddie doesn’t appear to rotate too much, and if that trend continues it will make our signings look like poorer choices if they are lacking impact. That being said, I felt when we bought Gordon he was the replacement for ASM and that tells me Eddie is a big fan of forward planning and slow translation into the first team. 

[DebuchyAndTheBeast]

I would rate it as a 6/10. We have added depth to the squad and bought some young exciting talent. But I can't help feeling disappointed we couldn't sign Maddisson and Diaby who have signed for Top 4-6 rivals and seem to have already adapted to their new teams.

[The Butcher]

Feel I've read this exact conversation on here

[rebelrouser]

I still don't understand how we only got 23m for ASM. Was no one else interested? It wasn't too long ago that he was our only sellable asset.  Apart from that, the Barnes for ASM was a good move that will result in more goals. Not doing anything on the RW may negate the additions on the LW though.  We got a Bruno replacement in Tonali (which was needed) but not a Bruno compliment.  Back line help for the future but not the present will be a poor consolation if we miss out on European football next season.  Outgoing business was poor thanks largely to Mike Ashley regime. Barnes, Tonali, Livramento, and Hall could all be stars in the future.  Overall gave it a 7. 

[The Prophet]

Interesting. What are your thoughts on why Tonali will replace Bruno, rather than compliment him?

[The Prophet]

23 minutes ago, The Butcher said:

Feel I've read this exact conversation on here

 

 

...Twitter has no time for middle ground.

[rebelrouser]

1 hour ago, The Prophet said:

Interesting. What are your thoughts on why Tonali will replace Bruno, rather than compliment him?

He won't replace him unless Bruno gets hurt (guess I chose the wrong word there). He is a similar midfielder to Bruno rather than being a defensive specialist or attacking midfielder that could play w/ him and compliment his style. I still think he is a great addition.

[Skeletor]

Whilst I would have loved us to fill all the gaps in the squad we had clear constraints and we've obviously chosen to build this as a long term project rather than the Chelsea/Man City approach. Top 4 has probably clouded a lot of our judgements, but in a few years we'll have a squad that can compete.