Review of the window

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

Defensively we miss skipp. Offensively we miss Buendia. Neither has, on current evidence, been adequately replaced. We have a lot more depth in the squad- and therefore competition-  but not any real and obvious improvement to the starting 11

[FCC 94]

I tend to agree with that analysis. 

[cambridgeshire canary 7,789]

And everyone was slagging me off at the time for going on about us buying unproven players that have been relegated from divisons worse than the Prem and that we should be pushing the boat out to buy proven Prem players

[Bovril 263]

The trouble is we needed upgrades all across the park (as evidence by our previous inept relegation) and that was before the sale and unavoidable less of our two best players in the Championship last year...

We needed strength, height, athleticism and skill in the central areas of the team. Time will tell how well our new recruits have helped.

[TeemuVanBasten 3,328]

2 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

And everyone was slagging me off at the time for going on about us buying unproven players that have been relegated from divisons worse than the Prem and that we should be pushing the boat out to buy proven Prem players

Everyone? Literally everyone? Or about 6-8 people? 

[cambridgeshire canary 7,789]

1 minute ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Everyone? Literally everyone? Or about 6-8 people? 

6 to 8 people is everyone, duh 😉

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

Those 6-8 people certainly make the most noise… 

[Uncle Fred 526]

Have been saying for weeks we have had a dreadful Window paid huge amounts of money for very very average players 

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,607]

I don't think there's much wrong with the players we've brought in as individuals, it's just that collectively we have a team that lacks experience.

Players such as Gilmour and Williams are clearly very talented youngsters but they don't provide much steel and contribute to a soft centre. In the second half today Watford were threatening every time they came forward and as a team, we looked lost and didn't have an answer.

Kabak, Tzolis and Sargent are all under 21 as well, then the more senior acquisitions such as Normann, Rashica and Lees-Melou, in their mid-twenties, have never played Premier League football before.

On paper, man-for-man, we've had a great window which would provide a very successful team on a computer game but getting them to function as a real-life Premier League team is proving tricky right now.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man

[birchfest 401]

Considering some of our recruits literally played for us for the first time today, disappointment aside, its a little bit early to be passing judgement don't you think? We won't truly know till probably mid October, irrespective of results, if they are decent or not 

[hogesar 10,734]

Three full debuts today. Would have to say its far too soon to tell.

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

Crikey first you told us the season starts after the first four games. Now we need time to bed in players. When do we start then? How much head start can we afford our rivals? How come they don’t need these games that don’t count given that they also have signings to bed in and play the top teams too?