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The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - Groundhog Day you say? Groundhog Day you say?

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Ekmek

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2014
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I'd disagree with that as ...

(a) I only think we only need 2-3 players, and
(b) bringing in 5 more players could result in another transitional season.

Bringing in 2-3 at most every year to keep things fresh is the way to go IMO. For example, this summer we could bring in a monster CB (like Koulibaly), an athletic LB and a back up CF, and we would have a very strong squad that will challenge on all fronts...

LLORIS
Gazzaniga
TANGANGA -- ALDERWEIRELD -- KOULIBALY -- LEFT-BACK
Aurier --------- Dier/Foyth ------- Sanchez ------Davies
GEDSON --- NDOMBELE
Sissoko ----- Winks
LO CELSO
Dele/Lamela
BERGWIJN ------- KANE ------------- SON
Moura ---------- BACK-UP-CF ---- Sessegnon



You really think Tanganga should be viewed as a back up RB? I think we need to get a new one if not KWP suddenly finds his game when out on loan. Also Bergwijn plays on the left not the right.
 

$hoguN

Well-Known Member
Jul 25, 2005
26,626
34,700
I'd disagree with that as ...

(a) I only think we only need 2-3 players, and
(b) bringing in 5 more players could result in another transitional season.

Bringing in 2-3 at most every year to keep things fresh is the way to go IMO. For example, this summer we could bring in a monster CB (like Koulibaly), an athletic LB and a back up CF, and we would have a very strong squad that will challenge on all fronts...

LLORIS
Gazzaniga
TANGANGA -- ALDERWEIRELD -- KOULIBALY -- LEFT-BACK
Aurier --------- Dier/Foyth ------- Sanchez ------Davies
GEDSON --- NDOMBELE
Sissoko ----- Winks
LO CELSO
Dele/Lamela
BERGWIJN ------- KANE ------------- SON
Moura ---------- BACK-UP-CF ---- Sessegnon


But your logic is broken because Sessegnon isn’t seen as a WF he is seen as a LB. We clearly are looking at a new RB. Foyth appears to not be fancied and we also look increasingly like 4-3-3 will be the way forward. That move and the players we have means that players like Sissoko and Dier have question marks over their future as do they really fit?

It looks as though a CF, RB, DM and CB could all be on the cards along with Eze. That’s means changes is a foot

Edit: I think you just have to look at the squad honestly and the indications Mourinho is giving, will be really interesting to see what he does with Dele over the next few months. Does he stay at 10 or does he start being moved wider.
 
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Teddy Klinsmann

Well-Known Member
Aug 5, 2008
7,343
18,291
2 transfer windows to replace Llorente. 2 windows approx 14 weeks. This is to find a striker who can step up for at least 6-8 weeks when Kane gets his annual injury. Unbelievable that the club cannot identify a player to do this and pay the required amount of money. Going to be even more fun finding a striker when Kane finally realises he’ll never win anything with us.
 

matthew.absurdum

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
3,732
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You really think Tanganga should be viewed as a back up RB? I think we need to get a new one if not KWP suddenly finds his game when out on loan. Also Bergwijn plays on the left not the right.

I guess it is not what spids thinks. I think it is how Jose will actually use Tanganga (the Davies role at both RB/LB)
 

worcestersauce

"I'm no optimist I'm just a prisoner of hope
Jan 23, 2006
26,891
45,041
Can't get away from feeling the failure to get a striker isn't a disaster, we wanted a stop gap and we didn't get one which is completely different to failing to get a player we really wanted and needed to make us better and take us upwards, and we've had a few of those in the past. Good latest ITK which fits in well with what's happened this window. Fernandes I'm sure will be a good addition and Bergwijn would have had half the people on here delirious a few years ago, he could turn out to be massive.
 

bat-chain

Well-Known Member
Jan 4, 2009
2,232
9,478
Jose is never going to have a better time to try some new systems that don't use a target man. He has freedom to try any crazy thing he wants.

If he can get us functioning with counter attacking front three of Son, Moura and Bergwijn we could be frightening. Equally developing Alli as a forward or false 9 is quite an interesting prospect. Not to mention Parrott who I really hope gets some games.
 

WiganSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
15,974
32,682
5/10 window for the short term, 8/10 window for the long term is the way I see it. The business we have done is solid stuff and I like the fact they're under 23 players. I'd much prefer us to spend large sums on these types of young players than has beens or players even just past their peak. Pretty pleased with the outs also, but I guess we are relying on Tanganga a lot to cover a few positions.

My only gripe is not getting a striker in on loan. But that is a pretty big cock up that we've made there. The reality is we really needed a number 9 to see us through the next few months which could be pivotal to where we end up next season. There is nothing wrong with a stop gap to come in and help us until we get who we really want in the summer. I appreciate that we don't want to spend tens of millions of pounds on a striker we're not sure about but I can't help but think had we chucked more money at loan fees then we could have got a pretty good option in. I don't really think there can be an excuse for it in all honesty. There is a reason Mourinho wanted somebody in and i'm personally expecting a Europa League place finish because of that.
 

SamR

Well-Known Member
Jan 31, 2006
1,214
2,440
All things considered, we've done well in January to bring in two exciting players. Once Ryan S & Ndombele are up to speed and Harry is fit again, we have an exciting team.

We played reasonably well last year without Harry. Pretty sure Llorente came on late in games rather than started. Son seems to thrive when he is the main man and I'm expecting to see him step up again.

A three of Moura, Son & Bergwijn is a rapid counter attacking threat. Bergwijn looks intelligent. Le Celso is finding his spark so i think we'll be more creative and create more chances week on week.

I see nothing from Chelsea & United that concerns me. Wolves are the biggest danger. We have enough to challenge for a top 4 place and then it's showtime in the summer. A RB, LB, DM & CF in as early as possible & a full Jose preseason to get the team aligned.
 

sparx100

Well-Known Member
Jan 8, 2007
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6,646
Glad we didn't buy a shit striker that we would have to shift on in the summer or take up a squad place.

All loan options were dog shit and ighalo was desperation for both us and United. United now have to pay 100k a week for the privilege

We have the players to create and score and we just have to accept that there were no achievable options currently - the summer window is a completely different situation and I am sure we will address a few areas that need strengthening like a striker and a dcm.

We have got in some good players and hopefully we can get a bit more stable as the season ends and get into that top 4.

Getting rid of Eriksen and Rose was excellent business and hopefully the atmosphere improves.
 

luRRka

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2008
3,500
15,156
You really think Tanganga should be viewed as a back up RB? I think we need to get a new one if not KWP suddenly finds his game when out on loan. Also Bergwijn plays on the left not the right.
Bergwijn plays both left and right. He was actually more productive on the right last season despite playing more games on the left. Think he also plays on the right for the national team
 

Ben1

Well-Known Member
Jun 22, 2015
2,130
8,411
At least we moved forward. The club clearly couldn't address the main issues, but a couple of signings keeps the rebuild moving. Could have easily spent the whole time just focused on a striker, but the moves made lighten the summer load.
 

ShayLaB

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2006
1,510
1,689
No player, manager, pundit or journalist ever says you can rebuild a team in a single window.

We added killer with no filler.

We got rid of a few with more on loan (including kids).

Two or three in the summer and we could really be motoring.

I also get the sense that Jose has more say in signings here than at Utd and that's gonna help. Being told he can't have X in this window because of banks is a lot easier to accept than because Ed Woodward thinks you are wrong (Toby).
 

Kirayid

Active Member
Aug 31, 2012
53
105
Donation made! Thanks once again for an entertaining window and easily the best website in the whole interweb!
 

Ionman34

SC Supporter
Jun 1, 2011
7,182
16,793
You really think Tanganga should be viewed as a back up RB? I think we need to get a new one if not KWP suddenly finds his game when out on loan. Also Bergwijn plays on the left not the right.
It’s a distinct possibility. Whilst we only have the one game to go on where he played rb, he was excellent in the role when you consider the fact that he was targeted and, not only did he manage extremely well, he grew into the game and managed to push their left side back to the point where, in the latter stages of the game, he was marauding down the right with pace and power, and was unlucky not to have both an assist and a goal.
Aurier, for me, has been getting progressively better. Yes he still has the odd error in him, but iron that out and he has the potential to be quality.

RB is not a priority for me, and I don’t get the feeling it is for JM either.

Overall I feel this was a “fair” window, particularly as it was a January window. The backup striker would have been nice, but it wasn’t to be. No point losing the plot over that as we really have no idea how the remainder of the season will pan out. Son is a “Purple patch” player who will go on extended runs of scoring, so we can but hope he’s at the start of one of those patches after scoring against Soton. If he does then we could have a nice run in to the end of the season. Moura seems to be the same.

I said before the window opened that I expected very little, if any, incomings, so Gedson and Bergwijn was a pleasant and, dare I say it, exciting surprise.

We’re not 100% balanced by any stretch of the imagination, but I personally don’t think we’re near as weak as some on here believe.

On a side note too, whilst losing Eriksen’s creativity is seen as a blow by many, the reality of the situation is that we have replaced one creative player with three. Ndombele, Lo Celso and Bergwijn are all creative, so we’ve effectively increased our potential for penetrative passing and fast transition to three areas of the pitch rather than one. If you want a template for that, look at City who have that in De Bruyne and the two Silva’s.

So, not a perfect window, but when is that ever true of January, but a fair one. Two to three key signings in the Summer and I’m with JM, we could be challenging next season.
 

BringBack_leGin

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2004
27,719
54,929
Tanganga is a centre back long term I imagine but he could end up a far better centre back for having 18 months playing fairly often as a right back, it will help him learn a lot about the way teams construct attacks and how to defend them, while also ensuring he gets regular football.
 

McFlash

In the corner, eating crayons.
Oct 19, 2005
12,740
45,363
People moaning about our window need to have a look at other clubs.
Chelsea apparently had 150m burning a hole in their pockets and yet today, Lampard is moaning about the lack of any signings and appears rather unhappy about it.
I reckon we've done rather well.
 

FinnYid

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2006
4,529
4,111
People moaning about our window need to have a look at other clubs.
Chelsea apparently had 150m burning a hole in their pockets and yet today, Lampard is moaning about the lack of any signings and appears rather unhappy about it.
I reckon we've done rather well.

Hmm, their striker we were after doesn't even make it on their bench. That's how different their striker hunt was from ours.
 

doctor stefan Freud

the tired tread of sad biology
Sep 2, 2013
15,170
72,169
Steven Bergwijn.

A rising star in Dutch football. Strong, rapid, technically decent and tenacious. Just 22 and a regular in a resurgent Dutch international side. Very comfortable playing in a 433.

And we got him for about 27 million. That could be the bargain of the European window, when he could easily have gone for another 10- 20 million.

Very exciting
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
If you look at where we were at the end of December and where we are now we're probably better off in three areas, but significantly worse off up front:

Goalkeeper - Hugo's back from injury

Defenders - Rose sold, Tanganga debut

Midfield/Wing - Eriksen sold, Bergwijn in.

Striker - Kane injury.

As others have said not signing a Llorente replacement in the summer is what's hurting us now rather than the failure to get someone in during this window.
 
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