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[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Sorry but I haven't a clue what you are saying here, what do you mean by " because we are quite clearly through having a good coach and scouting system trying to reach the top 4"

We have a coach renowned for improving players. We aim to but young players with big potential. We have ambition to break into the top 4 with this method.

I don't understand what your grievance is with this? Especially as you claim to understand that we don't have the financial clout to buy our way into the top.4.

 

[Barry Mead]

We have a coach renowned for improving players. We aim to but young players with big potential. We have ambition to break into the top 4 with this method.

I don't understand what your grievance is with this? Especially as you claim to understand that we don't have the financial clout to buy our way into the top.4.

We have a coach that has a limited history, he took over at Espanyol and got them up the table early on and took them down to the bottom of the table again, he showed a good 18 months at Soton but it's far too early to bill him as renown for boosting young players indeed Soton only came back to the PL two seasons ago and it's fair to say Adkins did a pretty good job of developing a number of the players and the extra PL experience helped them develop. Soton already had a great reputation for developing young players through their academy so we should be careful in not overstating Poch's impact with comments like renowned. He did a good job at Soton in the short term we don't know if he'd repeat the same downturn as at Espanyol if he had stayed, we do know that all the credit for the development of the young players wasn't all down to him
I'm not having a dig at Poch here so much as trying to get a bit of perspective, you seem to be making the assumption he already has proven he is a top coach and top developer of players, I think that remains to be seen
We have always aimed to buy young players of potential and there's nothing wrong with that but building a team takes balance, a mix of youth and experience, young players don't become world class overnight, we had Bale at the club 6 years and despite his obvious talent he didn't make any significant impact in his early time
The reality is despite all the supposed exciting new coaches (didn't we hear the same thing about Ramos and AVB how they were going to coach the team, develop players etc.,?)we still continue with teams that lack quality in key areas and sufficient depth of quality in others

I don't understand why you feel signing Poch is any guarantee that we have a coach who is going to miraculously transform players that have not shown any great aptitude or quality. For sure there are a few players who can and will improve with experience because they have talent, but to help those players they would benefit as much from a balanced team with some more experienced players to help them and with skills that compliment and compensate for strengths and weaknesses
I agree we don't have the same budget to compete with the likes of City and Chavs, that doesn't mean I don't think we have no money to actually buy some quality players, just that we need to be more careful in where we best spend and where we feel we can get lesser names cheaper that can offer similar qualities
I think we have been one of the lowest net spenders in the PL in the last five years, we have more financial clout than that and if we have ambition to be among the top four we have to accept that there will be times we have to use some of that clout we have to add key players where maybe there is no obvious cheaper alternative that can provide us with similar quality.
You use your money wisely you don't just opt out of spending totally because some other teams have a bigger budget, what you do is supplement it by better scouting and targeting and development
I don't see that Poch is anymore certain of developing the team and bringing in the right players than Ramos was or AVB was. Time will tell but no way is it a forgone conclusion and the recent transfer dealings have not given me more belief in his ability to target players to build that success but less. I was hoping for more and think there was opportunity for more

Is it grievance? no I don't think that's the word disappointment is a better one

 

[luka loopy]

That stadium still won't make us close to as wealthy as the 5 richest teams. Success on the pitch is more financially valuable than the stadium would be. We're all hoping that the stadium leads to success on the pitch, but we still won't match the spending power of any of the 5 richest clubs.

The two go hand in hand. But gambling on big money signings with no guarantee for success is risky. Last season is an example that spending big money doesn't guarantee rewards. Whilst it isn't as exciting as a few shiny new signings (It is for me - I'm an architect with a particular interest in arena design!!!), I would rather we invested £50m a year in the stadium which has a guaranteed pay-off at the end rather than on signings that may or may not work out.

When the stadium is complete we will have a match day income on a par with Arsenal, and higher than anyone else in the league. If that isn't a platform to compete, I don't know what is.

 

[Barry Mead]

The two go hand in hand. But gambling on big money signings with no guarantee for success is risky. Last season is an example that spending big money doesn't guarantee rewards. Whilst it isn't as exciting as a few shiny new signings (It is for me - I'm an architect with a particular interest in arena design!!!), I would rather we invested £50m a year in the stadium which has a guaranteed pay-off at the end rather than on signings that may or may not work out.

When the stadium is complete we will have a match day income on a par with Arsenal, and higher than anyone else in the league. If that isn't a platform to compete, I don't know what is.

The reason some player prices are higher than others normally is because they have shown qualities that should make them less of a gamble, gambles tend to be priced in relation to the risk
That said there's a difference between just going for the most expensive players and weighing up carefully the needs of the team and the best fit to compliment the team
What though you can't lose sight of is the gamble of not getting new players, sometimes that can be a bigger risk than getting a new player. This brings us on to last years signings, I would imagine that even with the greatest scouting and evaluation we don't expect every new signing to shine day one, you normally buy players for four of five years, often in buying players you assume that they will fit well with an existing player or players or have plans to add a player that would work well with that player. Sometimes you fail to get that other player or players, sometimes the planned say midfield, CB or striker partner is injured or demands a move and you don't get the fit you hoped
I actually think a lot of last seasons buys were very good, I also think that had we managed to get some of the other targeted players we had planned and hoped to get (Pjanic, Coentrao, Willian) we might have seen better from the likes of Lamela, Soldado, Paulinho and Capoue last season( injuries permitting)
Either way I think we will see better this season although I still feel we lack a couple of players to help get the best out of them.
I think if you have plans for a big stadium you have to have plans to build a team capable of providing the success and entertainment to fill it. I don't think we can afford to ignore team development to build a stadium otherwise it just might become something of a white elephant. Success on the pitch can bring it's own financial rewards and help attract money for the new stadium by way of naming rights, sponsorship or simply improved access to decent funding. There are also plenty of commercial benefits from greater success particularly as we push to expand our markets internationally
At the end of the day the more seating capacity though bringing in more revenue will still be finite, the potential commercial returns emanating from on the field success can be limitless
The last thing we can afford to do now is starve the team the financial muscle to improve it for the sake of building a new stadium

 

[luka loopy]

The reason some player prices are higher than others normally is because they have shown qualities that should make them less of a gamble, gambles tend to be priced in relation to the risk
That said there's a difference between just going for the most expensive players and weighing up carefully the needs of the team and the best fit to compliment the team
What though you can't lose sight of is the gamble of not getting new players, sometimes that can be a bigger risk than getting a new player. This brings us on to last years signings, I would imagine that even with the greatest scouting and evaluation we don't expect every new signing to shine day one, you normally buy players for four of five years, often in buying players you assume that they will fit well with an existing player or players or have plans to add a player that would work well with that player. Sometimes you fail to get that other player or players, sometimes the planned say midfield, CB or striker partner is injured or demands a move and you don't get the fit you hoped
I actually think a lot of last seasons buys were very good, I also think that had we managed to get some of the other targeted players we had planned and hoped to get (Pjanic, Coentrao, Willian) we might have seen better from the likes of Lamela, Soldado, Paulinho and Capoue last season( injuries permitting)
Either way I think we will see better this season although I still feel we lack a couple of players to help get the best out of them.
I think if you have plans for a big stadium you have to have plans to build a team capable of providing the success and entertainment to fill it. I don't think we can afford to ignore team development to build a stadium otherwise it just might become something of a white elephant. Success on the pitch can bring it's own financial rewards and help attract money for the new stadium by way of naming rights, sponsorship or simply improved access to decent funding. There are also plenty of commercial benefits from greater success particularly as we push to expand our markets internationally
At the end of the day the more seating capacity though bringing in more revenue will still be finite, the potential commercial returns emanating from on the field success can be limitless
The last thing we can afford to do now is starve the team the financial muscle to improve it for the sake of building a new stadium

I disagree. To improve just a fraction on where we are now would require large amounts of investment, 1 which we cant afford, 2 which would be tough for FFP and 3 could endanger the financial position of the club.

I think until the stadium is completed and we have the financial platform to build upon, we will stay where we are. Barring an unforeseen series of events the lowest we are likely to finish over the coming seasons is 7th (look at last season for example, train wreck of a season and still finished 6th), and we will be well placed to capitalise if the richer clubs fuck up.

 

[jezz]

Well at the beginning of the window my wish list was pretty cheap Clasie, Corchia, Umtiti, Davies, Garay with only Griezmann a comparatively expensive buy and pretty much all offset by sales of Dembele, Paulinho, Siggy, Chadli, Rose, Fryers, Naughton and Vlad.

As I said earlier in this thread I think we missed a trick in failing to get both Garay and Griezmann because I think they would have strengthened 2 positions hugely for us (as I think Clasie would have too). Those two would have cost about £36 mill and that would have used up the profits this window and last and left us down £20 mill but without the need to spend on Fazio that would have reduced to £12 mill which it seems Soton would have paid for Andros so still gettable within a flat net spend

Oh I know it sounds easy, but if we had offered the money early I think both were feasible, I doubt Garay would have opted for Russia if we had matched their offer and we could have tied up a deal for Griezmann had we offered the buy out early whilst AM dithered but we reportedly offered half and it was unsurprisingly declined

Still these are all past, we have what we have and we have to hope they can all work together, but that's really the key, sometimes to get the best out of what you have you need a catalyst. That player doesn't always have to be a top player but simply the right player.

We look back at the double team and see 11 or 12 greats but the likes of Peter Baker and Ron Henry were more the cement that held the stylish bricks together, Maurice Norman a cornerstone, we had the exceptional John White and Dave Mackay, the pace and skill and not to forget the fantastic heading ability of Cliff Jones, the huge experience and footballing brain of Danny but it was a team that was great not just some individuals

I hope we can find a blend a balance like that again in my lifetime and I think we have the nucleus of a good team sprinkled with some quality players, sadly I don't see any John White or Dave Mackay, I guess they dropped the mould somewhere

So we should sell player's we bought last season and buy the players you mention.
What happens if they don't progress in there first season?
Sell them and move to the next signings?
That won't bring stability to the club.
People are to quick to dismiss player's abilities based on one season.
Personally I'm glad we are still purservering with last season's signings.
Coming back to bite you in the arse comes to mind.

 

[SamR]

I think we had a consolidating window. We strengthened areas of concern and trimmed the fat. What separates us from the top 5 is that we don't have a player who you can pick out as a very special outfield player who will perform when it matters. I'm confident Lamela will find his feet and might even get there and we do have a team of good players who I think will be competitive this year.

I'd say we are primed for 6th and I think we should be happy with that considering the superior spending power of our main 5 competitors, smaller stadium etc.

What we need to do now is slowly replace our fringe players with first 11 starters (ala MS, JR and Co) who will come and and raise the ability in the squad. I'm optimistic with Fazio and Stambouli...but we need some more 8/10s to start pushing Liverpool, Arsenal and United for 4th! Keeping hold or Lloris, Vertonghen, Eriksen and Lamela will be our biggest challenge next summer.

 

[king26]

thought we did well this window stamboli will be a regular starter from what ive seen and read very much poch pressing style player with good skills and passing fasio gives us more heading ability defensively and more threat from corners vorm is good back up keeper davies will take over as first choice from rose dier looks like a class act at 20 yrs old pluss yedlin to come in still pluss the signings from last season feel quite optomistic once poch gets properly working with the squad and we will play much better football

 

[Barry Mead]

I disagree. To improve just a fraction on where we are now would require large amounts of investment, 1 which we cant afford, 2 which would be tough for FFP and 3 could endanger the financial position of the club.

I think until the stadium is completed and we have the financial platform to build upon, we will stay where we are. Barring an unforeseen series of events the lowest we are likely to finish over the coming seasons is 7th (look at last season for example, train wreck of a season and still finished 6th), and we will be well placed to capitalise if the richer clubs fuck up.

I disagree, just look when Ramos took over we ended up propping up the table. Take your eye off and focus on things like the stadium and it can all go Pete Tong very quickly. I think the whole stadium thing is really more of a distraction than anything else, we really need to focus on getting success on the pitch and with that we could find we are making more money and gaining sponsorship and backing is a lot easier

 

[Barry Mead]

So we should sell player's we bought last season and buy the players you mention.
What happens if they don't progress in there first season?
Sell them and move to the next signings?
That won't bring stability to the club.
People are to quick to dismiss player's abilities based on one season.
Personally I'm glad we are still purservering with last season's signings.
Coming back to bite you in the arse comes to mind.

Unless I'm mistaken we have changed coach, he wants to play a different style, some of the players we bought last season aren't necessarily best fit, sometimes they might be OK but offer a better value than other players that enables you to buy a more suited player
As for judging players on one season, I don't believe any of the players we bought last season have only played one season. Paulinho has played for quite a few years and imo can be a great player in the right team but not as part of a two man CM. Is there better value in persevering with a player better suited to a different shape and replacing with one better suited to what we are likely to play. Chadli was never convincing at Twente in terms of looking a good PL fit, nothing last season suggested any different and this season two goals against one of the most generous teams I've seen in the PL only serve to flatter to deceive imo. That said if money was not an issue then there's less argument to sell to raise funds for better players and you could leave him as cover or put him out on loan, only difference was he wasn't too keen to go on loan last season. As for Vlad where he was presumably bought last season as a 4th choice CB that would allow him cherry picked games to hopefully adjust to the PL and develop Eunice's injury, combined with Verts having to switch to LB to cover Rose's injury meant he was pushed into the firing line and he clearly struggled. Now with the experienced Dawson sold, Kaboul still clearly struggling and Dier already looking a far better 4th choice to develop we still need a quality experienced proven CB so again if money is an issue why hold a player who is still struggling to adjust if you can use the money towards a far more experienced and proven option
The club themselves have already come to the conclusion some of the newer players added weren't a good fit, Siggy was only bought two years back, Holtby only 18 months back, Zeki Fryers same, last summer we sold Dempsey after only a year
Fair enough getting decent money back on mistakes and a shame that they didn't manage similar with the likes of Bentley and Gomes that they held onto too long hoping they might get better
Stability comes from having a strong balanced squad with a depth of quality, continuity is fine if you have good players that fit well but worthless if you have poor ones that don't. Not every player shines in their first season but normally you get some signs of how good or bad they may potentially prove to be and with what you see previously from the players and it should give a decent idea of whether a player is better kept or sold early, especially if a change of coach has brought a change of plans and playing style
There is always room for getting it wrong although that's not necessarilly proven because a player does well elsewhere, take Pienaar never fitted well for us yet he works well for Everton, he has players there he works well with and his game and their players are better suited
As for being bitten on the arse well we were pretty badly bitten by keeping Bentley too long, selling a player too late can bite you on the arse just as much as selling a player too soon

 

[luka loopy]

I disagree, just look when Ramos took over we ended up propping up the table. Take your eye off and focus on things like the stadium and it can all go Pete Tong very quickly. I think the whole stadium thing is really more of a distraction than anything else, we really need to focus on getting success on the pitch and with that we could find we are making more money and gaining sponsorship and backing is a lot easier

Im not saying we should totally ignore the playing squad, but I think this summer of small scale opportunistic alterations to the squad, with very little net spend is what we will see for atleast the near future. Under Ramos was a one of, and with a bit of cash and Harry steadying the ship I think we finished 8th in the end. I think Levy et al will make sure we would always be in a position to re budget and spend again should a similar potential disaster present itself.

I appreciate what your saying that success on the pitch would bring with it financial reward, but the part I have highlighted makes it sound as if investing in the playing squad is a sure fire way of guaranteeing we progress as a club. It isn't. We could sink £100m on players and do no better, and at the same time risk the financial position of the club, and still not finish any higher in the league. What your suggesting is unsustainable, and reliant on too many thing that are out of our control.

Imagine you want to live your dream apartment. You can either rent a cheap but still decent apartment for a few years while you save the deposit to buy, Or you can spend more rent on a different apartment but never have the money to buy. Except in this case we have no guarantee that the dearer rental apartment is any better than the cheaper one, or as good as the your dream apartment!!!

 

[jezz]

Unless I'm mistaken we have changed coach, he wants to play a different style, some of the players we bought last season aren't necessarily best fit, sometimes they might be OK but offer a better value than other players that enables you to buy a more suited player
As for judging players on one season, I don't believe any of the players we bought last season have only played one season. Paulinho has played for quite a few years and imo can be a great player in the right team but not as part of a two man CM. Is there better value in persevering with a player better suited to a different shape and replacing with one better suited to what we are likely to play. Chadli was never convincing at Twente in terms of looking a good PL fit, nothing last season suggested any different and this season two goals against one of the most generous teams I've seen in the PL only serve to flatter to deceive imo. That said if money was not an issue then there's less argument to sell to raise funds for better players and you could leave him as cover or put him out on loan, only difference was he wasn't too keen to go on loan last season. As for Vlad where he was presumably bought last season as a 4th choice CB that would allow him cherry picked games to hopefully adjust to the PL and develop Eunice's injury, combined with Verts having to switch to LB to cover Rose's injury meant he was pushed into the firing line and he clearly struggled. Now with the experienced Dawson sold, Kaboul still clearly struggling and Dier already looking a far better 4th choice to develop we still need a quality experienced proven CB so again if money is an issue why hold a player who is still struggling to adjust if you can use the money towards a far more experienced and proven option
The club themselves have already come to the conclusion some of the newer players added weren't a good fit, Siggy was only bought two years back, Holtby only 18 months back, Zeki Fryers same, last summer we sold Dempsey after only a year
Fair enough getting decent money back on mistakes and a shame that they didn't manage similar with the likes of Bentley and Gomes that they held onto too long hoping they might get better
Stability comes from having a strong balanced squad with a depth of quality, continuity is fine if you have good players that fit well but worthless if you have poor ones that don't. Not every player shines in their first season but normally you get some signs of how good or bad they may potentially prove to be and with what you see previously from the players and it should give a decent idea of whether a player is better kept or sold early, especially if a change of coach has brought a change of plans and playing style
There is always room for getting it wrong although that's not necessarilly proven because a player does well elsewhere, take Pienaar never fitted well for us yet he works well for Everton, he has players there he works well with and his game and their players are better suited
As for being bitten on the arse well we were pretty badly bitten by keeping Bentley too long, selling a player too late can bite you on the arse just as much as selling a player too soon

The proof being who we sold, none of the seven.(after there first playing EPL)
The system, 4,2 3,1 has it changed from last season?
Player's change positions over there career to become better, Bale being the glaring one here, but there plenty of others.
I don't advocate holding on to player's for season's on end, Gomes, Bentley being an example.
But after one season is wrong, especially the first one in a new league.
Dempsey is mute here, he played most of his career here in the EPL and the offer was good enough.
I think you're wrong about about Chadli, he's shown he really is a decent player and scores goals.
Only time will tell of course, but that's my point in the first place.

 

[Kendall]

Last year we were critical of the defence. This year we have bought 4 new defenders and a defensive midfielder that isn't a crock.

We could've done with upgrading Soldado, but I think Kane is due a big year.

 

[Barry Mead]

The proof being who we sold, none of the seven.(after there first playing EPL)
The system, 4,2 3,1 has it changed from last season?
Player's change positions over there career to become better, Bale being the glaring one here, but there plenty of others.
I don't advocate holding on to player's for season's on end, Gomes, Bentley being an example.
But after one season is wrong, especially the first one in a new league.
Dempsey is mute here, he played most of his career here in the EPL and the offer was good enough.
I think you're wrong about about Chadli, he's shown he really is a decent player and scores goals.
Only time will tell of course, but that's my point in the first place.

Well AVB was more a 4/3/3 fan but what he actually played last season or for that matter Sherwood played is a source of great confusion to me. It was certainly nothing like his Porto side.
I have to say I'm not too sure who wanted who last season or what AVB planned to play, Lamella cutting in from the right and playing more a RWF than a winger role could suggest that AVB was happy enough, hardly a carbon copy of Hulk's inverted LWF role but arguably a less predictable more skilled option and yet it appeared a Baldini choice. Soldado yes more of a player who could link with his attackers deeper but always head for the box as play advanced, hardly the same as Falcao but certainly more similar than Ade and he was supposedly AVB's choice. Either way the composition, who wanted who, who we wanted but didn't get then combined with injuries Rose, Sandro, Kaboul, Capoue, Paulinho, Lamella all made for a disjointed season and a disjointed and changeable style of play
I'm not altogether sure how much keeping all 7 of the previous signings were proof of anything. I do think Poch was always inclined to want to keep Lamela, quite how keen he was on keeping the rest less so, I'm sure he didn't want major turnover but I'm less sure if maybe bigger offers earlier or not acceptable offers for say Sandro, Gylfie or the loan offer for Holtby might have seen one or two others out the door
For me I'm glad we kept Lamela, Soldado, Eriksen and Capoue even thought they for the most part struggled last season. I like Paulinho as a player but worry how good a fit he'll be in Poch's team. I never wanted Chadli and knew nothing of Vlad
Now they could all step up, adapt to the PL and do a decent job maybe a very good job in time although I have doubts about the level either Vlad or Chadli could achieve but if you consider they cost us approx £36 mill and we could recover pretty much that amount and could have replaced them with say Garay and Griezmann I would have sold them in a heartbeat
Now I grant you both could have taken a time to adjust too. There's always an element of risk but for me a tall, pacy agile, hugely experienced CB good with both feet and a pacy skilful young LW/LWF capable of playing AM or second striker who has gotten better year on year and improved his goal tally year on year whilst still expanding his game then I'd take them over a couple of players I had doubts about as far as PL adjustment goes and one who I didn't think was a best fit
We haven't gotten them of course and now we have to hope those players can step up but I know who I'd rather have and whilst I accept your point about one season is not enough for players to necessarily show they can make it sometimes it's a question of choice and who you are prepared to sacrifice to make it

 

[Barry Mead]

Im not saying we should totally ignore the playing squad, but I think this summer of small scale opportunistic alterations to the squad, with very little net spend is what we will see for atleast the near future. Under Ramos was a one of, and with a bit of cash and Harry steadying the ship I think we finished 8th in the end. I think Levy et al will make sure we would always be in a position to re budget and spend again should a similar potential disaster present itself.

I appreciate what your saying that success on the pitch would bring with it financial reward, but the part I have highlighted makes it sound as if investing in the playing squad is a sure fire way of guaranteeing we progress as a club. It isn't. We could sink £100m on players and do no better, and at the same time risk the financial position of the club, and still not finish any higher in the league. What your suggesting is unsustainable, and reliant on too many thing that are out of our control.

Imagine you want to live your dream apartment. You can either rent a cheap but still decent apartment for a few years while you save the deposit to buy, Or you can spend more rent on a different apartment but never have the money to buy. Except in this case we have no guarantee that the dearer rental apartment is any better than the cheaper one, or as good as the your dream apartment!!!

If we take your analogy a step further, I cant afford to buy a place so I get a cheap place to save money but I don't spend anything on furniture or to make it nice because I want to buy my own and I expect that when I get it I'll be able to let out a couple of rooms that will give me enough to pay the mortgage and buy some nice furniture

I finally get enough money for the deposit and buy but because I have saved up all my money for the deposit and sacrificed on furniture I have no furniture and no money spare to buy, I advertise for sharers but no one wants to pay to live in an unfurnished place

I'm stuck with inadequate money coming in to pay the mortgage and the only way to change that is to spend money I no longer have to furnish it in the hope of getting some more money in

Of course if I have a flat that I rent and invest a bit on nice furnishings I can rent out a room or two that gives me more money to save and to maintain the quality of the furnishings. I finally have enough money to pay the deposit, I can furnish the place with what I have accumulated, chances are I bring the same sharer across so I get income and having a nice place I can easily find another to further reduce my mortgage cost

So what's the better option?

We can always find analogies and arguments to challenge, I have never suggested we should simply spend millions but I do think we would have a better chance of achieving things if we added a few quality players and as I explained earlier with two imo very gettable players this summer, we could have had imo a stronger squad and at no net outlay

 

[DiscoD1882]

This thread is lop sided as we made the bulk of our signings last season. Put that list in and the players we have bought aganst what the other teams have bought and we will look alot more balanced. im pretty happy with the two seasons of transfers. would have liked a new winger and another "prolific" striker. But hey we thought we were getting that with solado. and hell. we still might.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I disagree, just look when Ramos took over we ended up propping up the table. Take your eye off and focus on things like the stadium and it can all go Pete Tong very quickly. I think the whole stadium thing is really more of a distraction than anything else, we really need to focus on getting success on the pitch and with that we could find we are making more money and gaining sponsorship and backing is a lot easier

But only by increasing our means of revenue within FFP can we compete on a more level playing field. It's easy to say we should just concentrate on getting success on the pitch but that is what every team in the world is trying to do.

With the implementation of FFP (which is bullshit legislation that I don't agree with) hopefully eventually what will designate a club's power will not be it's bankroller, but more bias towards it's legitimate ability to generate revenue.

It's important mot to take our eye off the footballing ball so to speak, but the stadium is paramount to our long term ability to compete on a more level playing field with the top clubs.

 

[spurs9]

Personally I am not satisfied with this transfer window but I am not really disappointed – as I didn’t have high expectations with this window. We all know Levy.
However, there are many “variables” in ever transfer window “equation” that most, if not all, of us on SC are unaware of. Which is also the case in this window.
F.ex. do Levy see this season as a transition season in which Poch will be given time to establish his style of play without him risking his job if Spurs does not make it to the CL or Euro league or is it an all-out challenge for the CL at all cost Levy want? In either case I am a bit perplexed: for mounting a serious CL challenge, Spurs would have needed to dig deeper into the transfer kitty. And in the case of Poch needing to revamp his squad to fit his needs – while Levy accept that Spurs won’t challenge for more than best of the rest again (a bit like Rodgers’ first season at Liverpool) - I feel too few changes were also made.
In all fairness, Levy did go very far to sign MM and MS; and I respect that he did not want to be held at ransom. While 2 other main targets, Hector Moreno and Jay Rod, were both out with long term injuries.
It’s hard to assess any new signing, and certainly more so as neither of Spurs signings were high-profile players – very far from it. The signings carried more of an element of curiosity rather than excitement.

Michel Vorm – Spurs needed a back-up goalie and got a proven EPL quality player
Ben Davies – decent talent, but yet to replace much-maligned Danny Rose. I thought Poch would have opted for a faster LB though (but understand why Spurs would not pay £17M for Moreno plus his high salary; and albeit he was excellent vs Spurs he was poor in their loss to ManC).
Eric Dier – adjusted faster to EPL life than expected but still raw. And I hope Spurs fans now realised that he really isn’t a RB.
Federico Fazio – jury still out.
DeAndre Yedlin – jury still out
Benjamin Stambouli – jury still out.

Of course, there is no way Spurs can compete with Chelski, ManC, ManU, Liverpool and Arsenal; which means Spurs have to take risk on relatively unproven talent and build them up – something Poch did very well at Soton. But even in this regard I didn’t really see much being done. I would have liked for Spurs at least to have gotten another CB (I can’t see Kaboul being at Spurs next season), CMF and, particularly, added a fast LWF and a CF for the future (as I have a feeling from ITK that Poch was ready to sell both Ade and Soldado for the “right «price). Maybe Posh felt, regarding the LWF that come January then Spurs can get a fully match-fit Jay Rod.
And when buying players, well, every player comes with some “baggage - which for us, in many cases, is undetected but which a club like Spurs should have info about… so, with that in mind (i.e. that not all players have the right attitude for Spurs) I can think of a few “affordable targets I believe Spurs should have tried for.

Rabiot
Depay, Fischer, Firmino, Berahino, Luis Muriel.
Victor Ibarbo, Jurgen Lucadia, Martial.

But Roma was not built in one day and I feel that Poch/Spurs did move in the right direction this transfer window, considering Poch needed time to assess his players etc. etc

Completely agree about Davies, we need someone with more pace for Poch's system. Moreno apparently was only 12m though (not sure what his wages are).

In regards to Depay, according to JJ we tried to get him but he didn't want to come to us.

 

[Barry Mead]

But only by increasing our means of revenue within FFP can we compete on a more level playing field. It's easy to say we should just concentrate on getting success on the pitch but that is what every team in the world is trying to do.

With the implementation of FFP (which is bullshit legislation that I don't agree with) hopefully eventually what will designate a club's power will not be it's bankroller, but more bias towards it's legitimate ability to generate revenue.

It's important mot to take our eye off the footballing ball so to speak, but the stadium is paramount to our long term ability to compete on a more level playing field with the top clubs.

But you do increase revenue with success, regular CL football brings a huge increase in revenue, the higher you finish the more the prize money, profits on commercial activities can be huge if you are successful. Real Madrid have been making huge amounts of money leveraging off their players image rights, when they signed Beckham he was their milch cow when there and they are doing the same with Ronaldo and Bale. Why do you think they are prepared to pay such big fees?

Take a look at this it gives an overview of what Real do, as I said earlier, a new stadium with extra seats is a finite source of additional income (sure there's a variable on the annual pricing, but we will only have 20k extra seats to fill, we can't change that every couple of years). With a growing global market and the increase in wealth in growth markets like China and India, not to mention the USA now which finally seems to have grown to love football, commercial profits are infinite

http://www.jomec.co.uk/blog/why-hav...-for-gareth-bale-its-a-commercial-investment/