Koscielny and coutinho were years ago, and I think neither would greatly improve us.Delph & Fernando are crap though. Are of no use to us. Both no where near the standard required.
If we line Delph & Fernando up against Dembele & Ali Saturday we'll be ripped to shreds.
Spurs have unearthed Ali & Dier. Bought two centre backs & a keeper for what Mangala cost. Leicester unearthed Mahrez & Kante, Liverpool signed Courtinho for peanuts. Arsenal signed Koscielny for peanuts. Chelsea, Azpilicueta & Courtois.
If Delph had been brilliant or a revelation, or Fernando a barnstorming success, I'd agree. We've signed some excellent players who've matched expectation. Hopefully Jesus, Sane & Stones will surpass expectations.
Sadly the likes of Otamendi & Fernando have just about matched expectations and that would be generous.
Others, not so much.
I'm not saying Spurs are doing better than us, although league form and Saturday may well show a different picture.
I'm suggesting there's value out there. We're not getting it. We're buying great players for big fees and some shit ones too.
Who have we signed that has exceeded your expectations in the last 3 years?
Koscielny and coutinho were years ago, and I think neither would greatly improve us.
Like I said, Mangala will always be the 1 bullet gun held to Txiki's temple by his critics.
KDB, Sterling is on an inconsistent basis, Gundogan at times too.
Put it another way, only mangala, bony and bravo have really disappointed me.
So, begs the question, who has exceeded expectation? Who would you say has shone for their value?
This is the nail hit firmly on the headWe're out of the title race because the forwards aren't scoring.
Everton home, Middlesborough home, Southampton home, Chelsea home.
Those 4 games, 9 points, are why we are out of the title race.
- 2 missed penalties vs. Everton and countless easy chances missed.
- A dozen huge chances missed vs. Middlesborough and Southampton.
- Chelsea home, KDB misses and open goal, Aguero misses a huge chance.
Whatever the merits and flaws of the Director of football, the reason we are out of the title race is our forwards inability to score easy goals, make no mistake about that.
When someone costs £50m, you're happy if they play at that level imo. KDB has exceeded mine in his pure end product, but do I worry about his cost, no? My expectations are based on my opinion of their ability, not cost. Judging by price tag is a Last resort if you've not seen them.
KDB above exp, Sterling this season, Ota I'm happy with and by and large anyone bought last summer has had nowhere enough time. The only true disappointment is Bravo so far but that can change tomorrow.
So no one has exceeded expectations? Regardless of cost, if you pay the money for World class players, that's the minimum you'd expect.
Txiki in terms of recruitment has shot level par.
it's not like he hasn't tried. It is an era where the very best tend to stay at their club. We tried Bonucci, we've worked for years on Messi, we've enquired repeatedly on top players but they tend to stay where they are. Everyone over the past couple of years has gambled ever more so on potential, there are less great players and they tend to stay at the biggest clubs.
If Mangala hadn't been signed I think the opinion would be a lot different on Txiki, it's the 1 bullet gun his critics will always put to his temple.
So the bit where I said KDB above exp?
We don't pay world class money, we pay Martial money. There's no such thing as world class money
£50 + million is World class money. 3 wingers all £40 million plus is World class.
I'm a De Bruyne fan, but he certainly hasn't exceeded expectation based on value though. We bought the Bundesliga's best player, player of the year, and he doesn't make PFA team of the year here He's been decent. Excellent in parts and average in others. He's not as good as Silva and not as dangerous as YaYa. If you were being harsh, you could say he's failed so far.
Your only example of Txiki exceeding expectations is a £50 million player who's been pretty good.
He's been no better than, worse than Sanchez, similar to Firmino, Mane. If he's your example of exceeding expectations, you have low expectations.
If I give De Bryune as exceeding expectaions, will you give me our current squads age and balance as 'underwhelming'. The guy has spent near or over £300 million in 3 years, I'm watching Zaba and YaYa run round after Barry and some kid, a Clichy do Clichy type things, that's not money well invested.