What's new

The Daily ITK Discussion Thread 15th January 2019

Status
Not open for further replies.

jimmy-jojo

Well-Known Member
Jun 30, 2004
1,630
1,364
I think the myth of "securing Champions League football" in order to attract transfer window signings is well and truly dead. Its 100% about the money.

It's aways been about the money...even before the inception of the Champions League. That's whyclubs like Chelscum and Man City were able to leapfrog us almost immediately they got their rich benefactors in.

Even the likes of Blackburn, Newcastle, Leeds were able to do it because at various stages they were being financially doped. It's the only reason why players in their prime go to the Chinese league.

The only reason the CL is put forward as a requirement for attracting the top players isn't so much the prestige of competing in the competition but more because it means the clubs taking part have more money to give towards player salaries.

It's always about the money.
 

JonnySpurs

SC Veteran
Jun 4, 2004
5,345
12,398
There's a lot people saying that Levy should be backing Poch but it could just as easily be that the specific list of players Poch wants simply don't want to come here.

Naturally there's every chance that we're not spending what we could or should be spending to acquire top players but at least we can accept that the cost of the stadium and how much it's gone over budget could've impacted this.

To my mind this continuing line that Poch only wants specific players is starting to annoy me. I love Poch, you won't find many fans that will back him like I do but there are literally hundreds of players out there that could improve our squad and if Poch is being stubborn about the players he wants in then he is potentially contributing massively to the transfer impasse we currently find ourselves in.
 

Trees

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
1,534
4,203
Agreed, the problem is, if what Ali Z is true and we don't sign anyone until August then it means we'll have signed one player in two years.

Assuming the likes of Wanyama, Llorente, Nkoudou, Janssen, Vorm all leave, along with possibly Eriksen if his contract isn't sorted, and bear in mind we've already lost Dembele, that's some pretty wholesale change to manage there.

Not ideal to bring loads of players in at once as they need time to gel, and if we struggle yet again to ship players out in summer while Levy haggles over spare change and pisses everyone off, it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence for next season.
The issue will also be that Real Madrid will haggle with us aswell for Eriksen.
 

Haddock

Captain
Oct 16, 2017
2,025
6,357
As stated numerous times in this thread: Pochettino obviously sanctioned the potential deals for Grealish and Zaha. We don't know for certain why they never materialized but they weren't by any stretch of imagination unobtainable or courted by "Mega clubs". I don't buy in to this new narrative of Pochettino being too stubborn for his own good.

I do however believe that it's a tough market for us, but that's true for all clubs trying to bring in A-level players during the winter. And to a large extent it's our wrong doing by not reinforcing during the summer.
 

andyp8080

SC Supporter
Jan 30, 2011
2,098
4,203
i think we have to accept money is a massive issue. The over run of the stadium must be costing a fortune in terms of the additional labour and sorting the issues. Also we have brought forward a lot of the work on the stadium that was due to be done next summer so that must affect the short term cash flow etc. Plus every extra match we play at wembley is costing more money.
Has the club had to borrow more than expected? Yes.
Do we have a naming rights yet? No
Will we be compensated by contractors for the over runs and extra costs? presumably unknown

This all has to be paid for and with uncertainty on how long this will go on i can imagine Levy is being even more careful than normal.

We are run a business and don't have someone just throwing cash around for new players.

So at this time to think we are going to make a stellar signing on massive wages is just a dream.
We are surely looking for bargains which we know are hard in January. Focus might be on players who are nearing the end of their contract or are sitting on a bench somewhere and would come to us on loan.

Plus we already have too many players so we either need to sell the likes of Janssen so that we don't have more players being paid that can't actually play.......or we need to buy players that class as homegrown.

So if I am right in my assessment our potential list of players is a lot smaller than ideal
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
11,234
46,574
ali z: Not great news but I heard today we have tried for a few and getting nowhere, Poch will only accept players he wants, so I expect nobody. Think any incoming will be due to a player poch likes becoming available or a punt on a younger player, means major work to be done in the summer, personally think we are making a mistake.
This is where there is going to be a domino effect on last summer. Last summer, we needed 2 CMs, a LB and a backup striker. Now this summer, we can add RB to that list, and potentially CB & AM with the Toby & Eriksen contract issues. Does anyone really think we're going to replace/add 6 first team players?
 
Last edited:

Snarfalicious

Well-Known Member
Jul 15, 2012
15,709
71,935
This is where there is going to be a bit of a domino effect on last summer. Last summer, we needed 2 CMs, a LB and a backup striker. Now this summer, we can add RB to that list, and potentially CB & AM with the Toby & Eriksen contract issues. Does anyone really think we're going to replace/add 6 first team players?

Considering we are all commenting that we are finding it hard to imagine a single signing, I think there answer to your question is a resounding 'no.'
 

Hugh DeMann

Well-Known Member
Dec 14, 2010
203
348
This is where there is going to be a domino effect on last summer. Last summer, we needed 2 CMs, a LB and a backup striker. Now this summer, we can add RB to that list, and potentially CB & AM with the Toby & Eriksen contract issues. Does anyone really think we're going to replace/add 6 first team players?

As AndyP mentions above a lot of incoming will be dependent on outgoings for that position.

Hope lots of work is on-going on that as much as finding new players.
 

Westmorlandspur

Well-Known Member
Feb 1, 2013
2,685
4,500
It's aways been about the money...even before the inception of the Champions League. That's whyclubs like Chelscum and Man City were able to leapfrog us almost immediately they got their rich benefactors in.

Even the likes of Blackburn, Newcastle, Leeds were able to do it because at various stages they were being financially doped. It's the only reason why players in their prime go to the Chinese league.

The only reason the CL is put forward as a requirement for attracting the top players isn't so much the prestige of competing in the competition but more because it means the clubs taking part have more money to give towards player salaries.

It's always about the money.
It sure is. A lot of these deals depend on how much we will pay the agent ...don’t think we are particularly keen to do it. That’s the difference with “Liverpool who paid agents 26m last year.
 

mil1lion

This is the place to be
May 7, 2004
42,341
77,593
Agreed, the problem is, if what Ali Z is true and we don't sign anyone until August then it means we'll have signed one player in two years.

Assuming the likes of Wanyama, Llorente, Nkoudou, Janssen, Vorm all leave, along with possibly Eriksen if his contract isn't sorted, and bear in mind we've already lost Dembele, that's some pretty wholesale change to manage there.

Not ideal to bring loads of players in at once as they need time to gel, and if we struggle yet again to ship players out in summer while Levy haggles over spare change and pisses everyone off, it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence for next season.
This is where there is going to be a domino effect on last summer. Last summer, we needed 2 CMs, a LB and a backup striker. Now this summer, we can add RB to that list, and potentially CB & AM with the Toby & Eriksen contract issues. Does anyone really think we're going to replace/add 6 first team players?
This isn't how we operate and rightly so because we simply can't. We don't make signings for every position that needs filling. It will be a combination of signings and promoting academy players. We don't need wholesale changes in the summer even if we sign nobody this window. We only really need about 3 signings at the moment max. Winks replaced Dembele, Skipp replaces Wanyama, whether people like to accept it or not. For me we need better competition for Eriksen, Kane and Winks (now Dembele is gone). People really do exagerate with how many signings they think we need. Quality over quantity is the key.
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
11,234
46,574
This isn't how we operate and rightly so because we simply can't. We don't make signings for every position that needs filling. It will be a combination of signings and promoting academy players. We don't need wholesale changes in the summer even if we sign nobody this window. We only really need about 3 signings at the moment max. Winks replaced Dembele, Skipp replaces Wanyama, whether people like to accept it or not. For me we need better competition for Eriksen, Kane and Winks (now Dembele is gone). People really do exagerate with how many signings they think we need. Quality over quantity is the key.
Depends if you want to actually win the title or are happy "competing" for it.
 

freeeki

Arsehole.
Aug 5, 2008
11,836
69,426
Depends if you want to actually win the title or are happy "competing" for it.

Exactly this.

If we want to tick over in 3rd-4th place, while Liverpool and City pull miles ahead, our current approach is fine.

Until, of course, Chelsea, United and Arsenal get their act together. If they do that between now and August, and we continue on our current trajectory, I doubt we’re headed for top 4 next season as it stands.

Obviously much can change between now and then but we really need to use this window to remedy the issues carried over from the last one as a minimum.
 

doctor stefan Freud

the tired tread of sad biology
Sep 2, 2013
15,170
72,169
Exactly this.

If we want to tick over in 3rd-4th place, while Liverpool and City pull miles ahead, our current approach is fine.

Until, of course, Chelsea, United and Arsenal get their act together. If they do that between now and August, and we continue on our current trajectory, I doubt we’re headed for top 4 next season as it stands.

Obviously much can change between now and then but we really need to use this window to remedy the issues carried over from the last one as a minimum.
The ITK transfer gridlock suggests we’re playing with fire potentially. Top four is not guaranteed- Chelsea, United and Arsenal have the capability to unseat us. I think we’ll get there but the next month is so crucial to our progress as a club next season it’s not something we should dismiss lightly
 

Ron Burgundy

SC Supporter
Jun 19, 2008
7,705
23,267
I'm concerned that the ITK suggests we're either (a) expecting a lot to happen in the summer or (b) unable to deploy capital - either because of indecision or because it's not there.

Either way, going two windows without any signings is going is a big risk.

Firstly, the existing squad is thin, and getting thinner

Secondly, it means we're asking for a lot to happen over the summer - something (a) we've been unable to do in the past and (b) that teams generally aren't successful with - I can't back this up with data but I'd suggest teams that make small, steady incremental changes are more successful than those who go through wholesale changes

Not encouraging
 

mil1lion

This is the place to be
May 7, 2004
42,341
77,593
Depends if you want to actually win the title or are happy "competing" for it.
But we only need a few quality signings to win the title. We're only 5 points off City playing away from home and a young squad always improving. We don't need wholesale changes.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,391
The ITK transfer gridlock suggests we’re playing with fire potentially. Top four is not guaranteed- Chelsea, United and Arsenal have the capability to unseat us. I think we’ll get there but the next month is so crucial to our progress as a club next season it’s not something we should dismiss lightly

The thing is. Utd Chelsea and Arsenal are all on an upward trajectory at the moment and we're not. People laughed when I said 'don't write Utd off for a top 4 place' just a few weeks back as if it was a ridiculous thing to say, but stuff changes in the blink of an eye with a possible 6 point swing every week.
 

Fredo

Realist
Jun 8, 2018
3,934
17,956
But we only need a few quality signings to win the title. We're only 5 points off City playing away from home and a young squad always improving. We don't need wholesale changes.
Need more than a few. Say we got Werner, great, but we still have trippier giving away goals like nothing. LB, RB, CM, ST are areas we need to improve on
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top