8 | Mateo Kovacic - 2023/24

[BlueMooner87]

Milk turns quicker. Jorginho like squad filler. Doku aside. Such a poor window from a lofty position of treble winners.

agree completely, the lack of a Gundo replacement is going to cost us at this rate, rice is looking to be a good buy even at £105m

 

[BlueMonkey79]

Another underwhelming buy from us.

Why are we shopping in the bargain basket?

Especially when we keep producing record revenues, and boasting about how much money we have made via the Academy player sales.

If we end up potless this season we can point to games like the Chelsea and Spurs ones, but the real damage was done in the transfer window. Even before a ball was kicked.

We have gone backwards in regard to recruitment. We have gone from buying top talent like Gundo, Mahrez, Walker, Silva, Sane
To bit part players like Phillips, Kovacic, Gomez and Nunes.

It's crazy from one of the top teams in the world!

 

[mancityscot]

Another underwhelming buy from us.

Why are we shopping in the bargain basket?

Especially when we keep producing record revenues, and boasting about how much money we have made via the Academy player sales.

If we end up potless this season we can point to games like the Chelsea and Spurs ones, but the real damage was done in the transfer window. Even before a ball was kicked.

We have gone backwards in regard to recruitment. We have gone from buying top talent like Gundo, Mahrez, Walker, Silva, Sane
To bit part players like Phillips, Kovacic, Gomez and Nunes.

It's crazy from one of the top teams in the world!

Has vibes of the summer window in 2012.

Tbf most of the time we do get it right, but no doubt about it we've not strengthened nearly as much we should have and i would say the likes of Arsenal/Liverpool have caught us up in terms of overall quality.

With the exception of Doku, we've only really added squad players.

 

[BlueMooner87]

Has vibes of the summer window in 2012.

Tbf most of the time we do get it right, but no doubt about it we've not strengthened nearly as much we should have and i would say the likes of Arsenal/Liverpool have caught us up in terms of overall quality.

With the exception of Doku, we've only really added squad players.

I think it is exaggerated by losing gundo and mahrez who were fantastic last season & the loss of kdb to injury.

 

[Dax777]

Has vibes of the summer window in 2012.

Tbf most of the time we do get it right, but no doubt about it we've not strengthened nearly as much we should have and i would say the likes of Arsenal/Liverpool have caught us up in terms of overall quality.

With the exception of Doku, we've only really added squad players.

This is laughable. Our additions are better than Arsenal's and Liverpool's. Doku is a better signing than any one those 2 Signed. Including Rice and He who shall not be mentioned. And Josko is presently a good and starting signing.

FFS Arsenal signed Rice, Havertz, the timid goalie Raya and the injured fullback from Ajax. How the heck is that even close to Doku, Josko and the Matt's? Even if neither of the Matt's become stars. So?

Arsenal is currently better because their old players showed improvement. Zincky, Saliba, Odergard and Trossard have all stepped up performance-wise, and Jesus and Saka have kept their form from last year. Sure Rice has been good. But he has been similar to his form at West Ham.

Doku for us has been better than Rice has been for them. And Josko is not even comparable to any of their otther signings. They fucking hate Havertz and Raya. Who are, in some ways, worse than the ones they replaced. Havertz is now on the bench and Troosard is the de facto starter.

We have signed well. Stopped being spoiled. The reason we are off is because our best (Haaland, Rodri, Dias, Stones and Kevin) have not been at their best or around enough. It has nothing to do with our signings. We are at worst on par with the best signings or better.

 

[dhruvblue]

Why is Gomez whi barely played is being dragged down? A £10m back up player didn't even get 1 season benifit of those who in other posts say back your players

 

[Xhavenjoe]

We have signed well. Stopped being spoiled. The reason we are off is because our best (Haaland, Rodri, Dias, Stones and Kevin) have not been at their best or around enough. It has nothing to do with our signings. We are at worst on par with the best signings or better.

Only time will tell but the players brought in dont seem to be an improvement on the ones who they have replaced.
Gundogan, Mahrez, Laporte all badly missed in my opinion.

 

[Kadour75]

I was not happy with this signing and deemed it a massive downgrade as I had watched him since he was in Inter and he had overall been either ineffective or abysmal. I do not expect him to step up at his age, you simply can not teach an old dog new tricks.

 

[Middedon]

Only time will tell but the players brought in dont seem to be an improvement on the ones who they have replaced.
Gundogan, Mahrez, Laporte all badly missed in my opinion.

Those three are 33, 32, and 29. And Laporte was injured a lot (he only played 11 league games last year and only group stage of the CL. I know he has been a really valuable player but I don’t see how replacing him wasnt better in the long term). How long did people want them to stay? Any time you lose senior players there is going to be some drop off, but isn’t a constant cycle of rejuvenation better in the long run?

 

[kaz7]

I was not happy with this signing and deemed it a massive downgrade as I had watched him since he was in Inter and he had overall been either ineffective or abysmal. I do not expect him to step up at his age, you simply can not teach an old dog new tricks.

Yes you can improve at any age , sergio did for example