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Why are we doing well.

Basil Brush

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
1,691
3,080
This may have been done so mods can merge if necessary.

We have no transfer budget compared to 5 of the other big 6, so why are are doing as well as we are?

1) Poch. Prob explains reason 2.

2) Our defence. Easily best in terms of depth in the league. Poch was a defender so this makes sense.

3) Kane. Top 5 (possibly 3) player in the world.

4) Our transfer budget has meant we need to need to find bargains. We have done that well in recent times.

We need to keep Poch and Eriksson and we are in for a good period.

Edit: I meant to say if we keep Toby as well but that looks unlikely.
 
Last edited:

rez9000

Any point?
Feb 8, 2007
11,942
21,098
This may have been done so mods can merge if necessary.

We have no transfer budget compared to 5 of the other big 6, so why are are doing as well as we are?

1) Poch. Prob explains reason 2.
Yep.

2) Our defence. Easily best in terms of depth in the league. Poch was a defender so this makes sense.
Yep.

3) Kane. Top 5 (possibly 3) player in the world.
Yep.

4) Our transfer budget has meant we need to need to find bargains. We have done that well in recent times.
Yeeeah, I'll go with that.

We need to keep Poch and Eriksson and we are in for a good period.
Yes, although I'm nervous with the ITK swirling around Eriksen.

Edit: I meant to say if we keep Toby as well but that looks unlikely.
I dunno. I don't think it's nailed on that he'll leave. Maybe if we win something this year, he might choose to stay... I live in hope! :)
 

Hakkz

Svensk hetsporre
Jul 6, 2012
8,196
17,270
One of the bigger issues atm is that we have taken 18/27 points at home. Our away form is amazing but at home we're the 6th best team in the league so far (we have played fewest games at home as well).
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
Don’t wanna say we’ve been fortunate I’d rather say good coaching. But a number of players have stepped up at various times this season and all improved. Foyth KWP Skipp sissoko winks lamela moura. Also think Son has gone from being a good player to now being in that elite AM/winger group with likes of salah mane hazard etc.
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,128
146,003
We’ve slowly been improving our setup for the last decade or more. Sometimes we’ve had some setbacks here and there, but we’ve kept progressing on and on. We have also had a bit of luck, imagine if we hadn’t unearthed Dele, or if Harry Kane hadn’t been given a chance, there’s two first team slots that would need a significant outlay of money.

We’ve made some really astute buys too, Alderweireld and Vertonghen cost less than 25 million between them and are easily the best centre back pairing in the league when on form. Davies and Trippier (though they have their critics) are solid players who came in relatively cheaply too.

Basically we’ve got value of money out of most of the players in our first team. The ones that don’t work out have generally been moved on for decent money eventually (Stambouli, Capoue, etc.) aside from one or two duds that we can’t shift, as a rule we do sensible business in the transfer market.

We have a good solid platform for success, and progress, that’s why we’ve consistently done well over the last few years.
 

aliyid

Well-Known Member
Dec 28, 2004
6,944
19,926
Personally I think the opening post focuses on the exact opposite reason behind why we’re doing well.

We’re doing well because we have a very good squad of players who all know what their role is.

We don’t have one or two big star names who we rely on or flashy new transfers but a really good solid team who have all stepped up and contributed at various points in the season.
 

spids

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2015
6,647
27,841
I think it boils down to having:
  • A really, really top manager at the club who has:
    • Instilled an ethos from top to bottom and given the players belief.
    • Promoted youth and shown if a player works hard and are good enough they will flourish.
    • Coached players to improve them over a period of time .. so may of our players have improved.
  • A chairman and manager who are a fantastic partnership with mutual respect and support, and importantly they have created a vision for the club that everyone has bought into, with global leading infrastructure being built at the ground / training ground.
  • A very good player investment plan over the last few years ... Dele £5M, Eriksen £11M, Toby £11M, Trippier £3M, Dier £3.5M to name just a few.
 

hellava_tough

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2005
9,429
12,382
I think it boils down to having:
  • A really, really top manager at the club who has:
    • Instilled an ethos from top to bottom and given the players belief.
    • Promoted youth and shown if a player works hard and are good enough they will flourish.
    • Coached players to improve them over a period of time .. so may of our players have improved.
  • A chairman and manager who are a fantastic partnership with mutual respect and support, and importantly they have created a vision for the club that everyone has bought into, with global leading infrastructure being built at the ground / training ground.
  • A very good player investment plan over the last few years ... Dele £5M, Eriksen £11M, Toby £11M, Trippier £3M, Dier £3.5M to name just a few.

Focusing on that point, we need to be smart in the way we navigate the replacing of (i) Dembele, (ii) Toby and (iii) Eriksen (if he leaves, which doesn't look good I'm afraid...according to the ITK).

We also need to give Verts a new contract.

Tricky times ahead, but hopefully we've got the know-how and management at the club to get the job done.
 

Lilbaz

Just call me Baz
Apr 1, 2005
41,363
74,893
This may have been done so mods can merge if necessary.

We have no transfer budget compared to 5 of the other big 6, so why are are doing as well as we are?

1) Poch. Prob explains reason 2.

2) Our defence. Easily best in terms of depth in the league. Poch was a defender so this makes sense.

3) Kane. Top 5 (possibly 3) player in the world.

4) Our transfer budget has meant we need to need to find bargains. We have done that well in recent times.

We need to keep Poch and Eriksson and we are in for a good period.

Edit: I meant to say if we keep Toby as well but that looks unlikely.

Our academy has also helped. Not just for players like winks but also those like townsend and mason that we get some money for and reinvest.
 

am_yisrael_chai

Well-Known Member
Feb 18, 2006
6,409
10,931
1547395892029.jpeg
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
Didn’t really know where to put this. Sorry my own tweet but this is actually amazing business.

 

hellava_tough

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2005
9,429
12,382
Didn’t really know where to put this. Sorry my own tweet but this is actually amazing business.



No doubt that's good and it's helped us achieve our Champions League qualification goals

However, it's not quite been good enough to challenge for the title

Also, it makes the summer transfer window all the more bizarre; we've usually been pretty decent in the transfer market, as your post shows
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,385
This may have been done so mods can merge if necessary.

We have no transfer budget compared to 5 of the other big 6, so why are are doing as well as we are?

1) Poch. Prob explains reason 2.

2) Our defence. Easily best in terms of depth in the league. Poch was a defender so this makes sense.

3) Kane. Top 5 (possibly 3) player in the world.

4) Our transfer budget has meant we need to need to find bargains. We have done that well in recent times.

We need to keep Poch and Eriksson and we are in for a good period.

Edit: I meant to say if we keep Toby as well but that looks unlikely.


On point 2 I think it's much more than just our defence - it's what goes on immediately in front of the defence. I could never understand why Poch persisted so long with the Mason/Bentaleb pivot because we were simply awful defensively as a result. Moving Dier into MF was a masterstroke (especially with him dropping into a back 3 at will), and from then on we've always had a strong defensive presence in CM. Our CBs have become accustomed to the stability this now offers and they look infinitely more comfortable on the ball as a result.
 

spids

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2015
6,647
27,841
That doesn’t add up ...

Sanchez £42M
Sissoko £30M
Moura £25M
Aurier £23M
Wanyama £11M
Foyth £10M
Gazzaniga £2M

Walker and Dembélé only brought in £63M
 

Bobbins

SC's 14th Sexiest Male 2008
May 5, 2005
21,548
45,031
One of the bigger issues atm is that we have taken 18/27 points at home. Our away form is amazing but at home we're the 6th best team in the league so far (we have played fewest games at home as well).

Which is why top 4 is going to be a major battle now. I got loads of funny ratings for saying this last week but it seems few people realise how mediocre our home record is due to Wembley, and most of our games for the rest of the season are at home, which is a disadvantage to us. Our remaining away games also include trips to Liverpool and City.
 

hellava_tough

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2005
9,429
12,382
That doesn’t add up ...

Sanchez £42M
Sissoko £30M
Moura £25M
Aurier £23M
Wanyama £11M
Foyth £10M
Gazzaniga £2M

Walker and Dembélé only brought in £63M

That's not exactly what they mean

Walker and Dembele are 'key' departures; they don't include all the other departures who were sold for decent money and allowed us to bring in the players listed
 

southlondonyiddo

My eyes have seen some of the glory..
Nov 8, 2004
12,599
15,011
Which is why top 4 is going to be a major battle now. I got loads of funny ratings for saying this last week but it seems few people realise how mediocre our home record is due to Wembley, and most of our games for the rest of the season are at home, which is a disadvantage to us. Our remaining away games also include trips to Liverpool and City.

The news re the stadium looking more and more like its not going to be until next season is a real blow, possibly bigger than the injuries because the longer we play there the quieter (if that is possible) it will become

More and more tourists will fill it and these games v 'the lesser sides' will become trickier and trickier

Also the players and manager, just like US, probably cant wait to get into the new stadium

Every game at Wembley now is a mission. All our positive results there are inspite of the stadium no because of it
 

Johnny J

Not the Kiwi you need but the one you deserve
Aug 18, 2012
18,117
47,878
Which is why top 4 is going to be a major battle now. I got loads of funny ratings for saying this last week but it seems few people realise how mediocre our home record is due to Wembley, and most of our games for the rest of the season are at home, which is a disadvantage to us. Our remaining away games also include trips to Liverpool and City.
Plus United have momentum and Chelsea will have Higuan.
 
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