Are we stronger or weaker

[thinktank]

I think we are stronger because the team is about the same on paper but we've made money in this transfer window. Modric was a goner and VdV, much as I rate him, was a good sale. We probably made good profit off him, he's a 70k player, AND he is a player in decline; he contributed less in last season both in goals and assists, and his fitness level is not improving. On the other hand we got Dempsey who looks a late bloomer and scored even more goals.

When Parker comes back we will be more efficient moving the ball to the final 3rd. I dont expect to see a repeat of Norwich performance.
Dembelle fits the bill and most things will flow through him in the final 3rd. He looks like a jack of all trades and gives us abit of vDv (individual goals) and Modric (penetration). My only concern with Dembele as our playmaker is that our style will become too short, so we make less use of Bale/Lennon. I expect to see more triangle passing (tikitaka anyone?), slower attacks and alot more possession. I think avb should be able to transition us to this, and hopefully soon enough.

My main disappointment, like many on the site, is Sigursson; he doesn't seem to have a fitting role. If his job is to score or make goals then he doesn't seem to have a weapon potent enough. As a link-up player we have better/cheaper options too. For counter attack we have enough pace. He looks like a box-to-box but we already have dempsey/dembele to do that.. Maybe he was brought to learn the game...in which case lets hope he learns fast.

Agree with the bold for sure.

 

[Kingstheman]

We are weaker because the crab has shed its shell.

We await to see how the new shell hardens and how quickly, but harden it will, with time and support.

Without support, we'll end up a hermit crab again.

 

[Spurger King]

My main disappointment, like many on the site, is Sigursson; he doesn't seem to have a fitting role. If his job is to score or make goals then he doesn't seem to have a weapon potent enough. As a link-up player we have better/cheaper options too. For counter attack we have enough pace. He looks like a box-to-box but we already have dempsey/dembele to do that.. Maybe he was brought to learn the game...in which case lets hope he learns fast.

Definitely agree with this. It's only been three games, and I'm sure he'll score a good amount for us this season, but I've not seen anything since he joined to suggest that he should be in a starting 11, and as you highlight - where in that starting 11 he would be.

At first I thought he could be a Lampard-type midfielder. Then I thought he could play a similar role to VDV. He doesn't really seem to be a natural for either. One thing he does bring to the table is his ability at set-pieces, however he needs to be far more involved. He pretty much vanished against Norwich.

 

[ultimateloner]

Definitely agree with this. It's only been three games, and I'm sure he'll score a good amount for us this season, but I've not seen anything since he joined to suggest that he should be in a starting 11, and as you highlight - where in that starting 11 he would be.

At first I thought he could be a Lampard-type midfielder. Then I thought he could play a similar role to VDV. He doesn't really seem to be a natural for either. One thing he does bring to the table is his ability at set-pieces, however he needs to be far more involved. He pretty much vanished against Norwich.

Is his setpiece even better than Bale's? Does he track back? I dont want to bash him too much but at the moment he doesn't even seem good enough for a jack-of-all-trades type.

 

[Spurger King]

Is his setpiece even better than Bale's? Does he track back? I dont want to bash him too much but at the moment he doesn't even seem good enough for a jack-of-all-trades type.

His corners and free-kicks are much better than Bale's, or anyone else's at the club right now I expect.

He's certainly got plenty of good qualities. He can dribble, he has an eye for a pass, he can make good runs, and he has one hell of a shot on him. He has all the skills to make a great attacking player. However he seems like he lacks a lot of confidence at the moment. If AVB can get him playing with some real belief then I think the whole team could benefit, but so far he's not making much of an impression.

 

[mattstev2000]

Is his setpiece even better than Bale's? Does he track back? I dont want to bash him too much but at the moment he doesn't even seem good enough for a jack-of-all-trades type.

Considering Bale's setpieces are poor and he rarely manages to clear the first man, I'd say so.

 

[StartingPrice]

Definitely agree with this. It's only been three games, and I'm sure he'll score a good amount for us this season, but I've not seen anything since he joined to suggest that he should be in a starting 11, and as you highlight - where in that starting 11 he would be.

At first I thought he could be a Lampard-type midfielder. Then I thought he could play a similar role to VDV. He doesn't really seem to be a natural for either. One thing he does bring to the table is his ability at set-pieces, however he needs to be far more involved. He pretty much vanished against Norwich.

It may be that AVB just needs time to work him out and work with him - here's hoping.
I really can't believe that if Levy had settled on AVB and we were in for Sigs, that AVB wouldn't have been consulted, because I don't like the idea of him coming in and isolating a new signing straight away.

Is his setpiece even better than Bale's? Does he track back? I dont want to bash him too much but at the moment he doesn't even seem good enough for a jack-of-all-trades type.

Well, the firs thing I said, in pre-season, was that at alst we have a corner-taker who can regularly clear the first man. Maybies jsut needs to build his confidence up.

 

[mill]

Thing is for me we're very weak on the wings and there were plenty of players available over the summer for reasonable prices that could atleast of provided competiton for Lennon if not improved on him, some may say Dempsey but with Ade and Defoe as the only striking options him having to cover there as well leaves us looking very light if we suffer a few injuries in attacking positions, a run of games with Defoe upfront alone is worrying.

I think value for money strikers were less available this summer but lets face it we've known we've needed strikers, plural, for ages and have wasted loads of windows chasing them and still come up short. Considering the high standards Levy sets for his managers he should at least match them standards. Before some bellend gives it 'You don't know what it's like to run a football club' the long term debacle over strikers is just plain neglegent

 

[dagraham]

His corners and free-kicks are much better than Bale's, or anyone else's at the club right now I expect.

He's certainly got plenty of good qualities. He can dribble, he has an eye for a pass, he can make good runs, and he has one hell of a shot on him. He has all the skills to make a great attacking player. However he seems like he lacks a lot of confidence at the moment. If AVB can get him playing with some real belief then I think the whole team could benefit, but so far he's not making much of an impression.

He looks to me like a player who is struggling with the weight of expectation playing for a club expected to win. Some players can handle it (like Dembele) an other's can't. I actually thought he played well against Newcastle but on Saturday, once the natives started to get restless he seemed to shrink.

Time will tell but i think he'll come good. It will be interesting to see how Avb handles him. It wouldn't surprise me to see Dempsey take his place against Reading