It's Quiet 18 - Wanna ring the bell?

[JewelZee]

Not that weak.

How weak? LOL...

 

[RayCTID]

How weak? LOL...

Ok then not weak at all.

 

[Fordyboy46]

Why are we so afraid to spend money nowadays getting tighter each window

We don't want to upset the nasty nine owners

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Kovacic = Gundogan for all intensive purposes. Same quality player. Kov might be a bit more defensive but that's a good thing with Bernardo/Foden/McAtee attempting to play LAM.

And I really cannot see a big drop off as you mentioned. The goals will come from elsewhere. McAtee and Palmer are quality but they won't be playing big games. Our lineup for big games will be the exact same. Mahrez wasn't in it as of late. McAtee and Palmer could easily start in PL teams ranged from 5th to 10th. If we have to slot them in for Carabao Cup or Luton town matches then so be it. I think the problem is overstated and will be forgotten by November.

I still think we need a winger but I'd rather not rush it. Our patient moves have been nothing but outstanding lately. I.E. Dias instead of Koulibaly, Haaland instead of Kane, and theres a few more examples.

Neat and tidy though Kovacic is, he’s a defensive midfielder who scored the grand total of 4 goals in 142 PL games for Chelsea. I wouldn’t categorise him as equalling Gundogan in any way shape or form.
My concern is not so much that McAtee and Palmer will be asked to occasionally fill in or come off the bench, but that due to thin nature of our squad in those areas, they’ll be required to start and maybe regularly. The first XI midfield almost picks itself (Foden, Grealish, Bernie and Kev in behind Haaland), but there’s nothing in reserve. Injuries to 2 or more of those players and we’ll have a noticeable drop off IMO. Even were we to buy someone like Olise, who I don’t think has pulled up any particular trees at Palace, it would at least give us a layer of insurance

 

[MichaelBBack]

Kovacic = Gundogan for all intensive purposes.

That argument doesn't pass mustard for me. We can't take anything for granite going into this new season. The Prem is a doggy dog world and our season could easily end up a damp squid if we're not careful.

 

[mosssideblue]

That argument doesn't pass mustard for me. We can't take anything for granite going into this new season. The Prem is a doggy dog world and our season could easily end up a damp squid if we're not careful.

Did you read that through before posting :)

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Why are we so afraid to spend money nowadays getting tighter each window

Because we don't want to spend a ton on some players we like but don't love.

That's what Rags and Gooners and Dippers do.

Sancho, Antony, Darwin, Pepe etc.

Also City have to take into account a lot of players from overseas that look good in supposed top leagues but are total crap here. So sorry twitter targets but City aren't really that much into you!

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Kovacic = Gundogan for all intensive purposes.

It's "all intents and purposes"

 

[Big Joe Corrigan]

It's "all intents and purposes"

And he doesn’t.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

And he doesn’t.

Yes, Kovačić replaces Gündy for some intents and purposes

 

[BrazilianGus]

Yes, Kovačić replaces Gündy for some intents and purposes

The purpose of decadence?

 

[xMatMcC]

It's "all intents and purposes"

This is true

 

[Barcon]

That argument doesn't pass mustard for me. We can't take anything for granite going into this new season. The Prem is a doggy dog world and our season could easily end up a damp squid if we're not careful.

I think someone has been watching too much trailer park boys.

 

[glyntowen]

Why are we so afraid to spend money nowadays getting tighter each window

the players we want aren't there at the right price or don't want to join us.

We were in for Bellingham but he wanted Real
We were in for Rice but Arsenal bid more than we valued him at - imho correct decision
We are in for Gvardiol, talks in process, record fee for defender
We got Kovacic in early - think he is a good signing

I'm struggling to see who is out there that we can buy, there are few decent right wingers that I can see improving us, I see names branded about but all are unknown\unproven quality

For CM they only one I really think improves us is De Jong and he appears to be unavailable \ not interested

We are at the point where the squad is not easy to improve in quality, yes it seems low in numbers but that is how Pep works

This also becomes more relevant at the end of the transfer window, I'm sure some on here think it closes on the 1st August not 1st September

 

[vmsuhail]

Am so so relax cant believe everyone else isnt!

I think it's more to do with the activity happening around Arsenal, United, Liverpool and Chelsea. All of them have better squads compared to last season, and they are not done yet.

 

[Kamaro011]

I think it's more to do with the activity happening around Arsenal, United, Liverpool and Chelsea. All of them have better squads compared to last season, and they are not done yet.

Last season is same opinion that the other club have better all around squad compared to our, how much weaker we are even we got to the point to cancelo leaving in middle of season making the dooms day merchant saying that our season is frikked.

Turn out it's not the case and we actually finished out season with treble.

 

[bluenova]

Last season is same opinion that the other club have better all around squad compared to our, how much weaker we are even we got to the point to cancelo leaving in middle of season making the dooms day merchant saying that our season is frikked.

Turn out it's not the case and we actually finished out season with treble.

One caveat to all that is that we were incredibly lucky with injuries.

We lost players to injuries 447 days, the lowest in the PL by far - some of the worst were Liverpool who lost players for 1574 days, and Chelsea 1876.

Can't rely on that happening again.

 

[Greenjob]

I think it's more to do with the activity happening around Arsenal, United, Liverpool and Chelsea. All of them have better squads compared to last season, and they are not done yet.

That is because they are having to spend fortunes just trying to compete with us let alone take our crown. There are some gems out there just need to find them. Maybe we should try recruit Brightons' head scout?

 

[BringBackSwales]

One caveat to all that is that we were incredibly lucky with injuries.

We lost players to injuries 447 days, the lowest in the PL by far - some of the worst were Liverpool who lost players for 1574 days, and Chelsea 1876.

Can't rely on that happening again.

We also had the smallest squad of players

 

[BrazilianGus]

One caveat to all that is that we were incredibly lucky with injuries.

We lost players to injuries 447 days, the lowest in the PL by far - some of the worst were Liverpool who lost players for 1574 days, and Chelsea 1876.

Can't rely on that happening again.

The squad is worse, thinner and with less options than last year for the bench and rotation. We ALL want Kovacic to do well, but to even call him a Gundogan replacement is laughable. Gundogan 10 years ago was a better player than Kovacic has ever been, let alone working with Pep. There’s a reason that when Kovacic was talked about as signing no one even dared call him a Gundogan replacement, because it sounded ludicrous. And at his age he isn’t getting much better. What we can hope for is he contributes to the squad on his own way.
Good thing is the transfer market still has one full month to go!