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The Daily ITK Discussion Thread 1st December 2018

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HildoSpur

Likes Erik Lamela, deal with it.
Oct 1, 2005
8,958
28,086
Looks like very little chance of any signings in January - I'm not upset about that as Poch tends to not play new signings for months anyway until they get their fitness and understanding of how we play sorted, so we would hardly get the benefit of any new people until next season anyway.
 

nedley

John Duncan's Love Child
Jul 28, 2006
13,942
28,069
How bitterly disappointing. Again I appreciate the info but these excuses are wearing thin for me.

To say it's hard to improve the squad. I'm fed up of hearing it. Been hearing it since bloody Redknapp.

Wheres our scouting? I don't believe for one minute that De Jong, Ndombele and Rabiot are the only CMS in the WORLD that would improve us.

If there is money there then find a player or two and get them in.
 

scottlag10

Active Member
Aug 18, 2012
657
1,069
Thanks for the info.....with the squad/shifting players situation the recent buy to loan back rumours hold out most hope imo
 

Teddy Klinsmann

Well-Known Member
Aug 5, 2008
7,343
18,291
Don't think I'm going to have too much to say this January. Info isn't given up as freely as it once was and it's just the odd snippet I get now, and usually asked not to pass on. As things stand we are in a very similar position to the Summer. There is 100% money to spend but only on the very few players we have shortlisted. If they are for whatever reason unobtainable that will be it. Poch has told Levy he needs signings but doesn't want to sign players just to get numbers in. We have already got a few we can't seem to move on, and the last thing we need is any more clogging up the squad. Never say never but it will be hard to get what we want. We were hoping the stadium might sway a couple that we have been chasing and are sitting on the fence, the fact that this will not happen till after January is not helpful in the short term.

Our short list, must really be the shortest list.

I understand we are after specific players, however if we can’t get these players, can we not move on and look elsewhere - bound to be alternatives?

These players will have retired and will still be on our short short list.

Again this can’t be used an excuse year after year.
 

Tucker

Shitehawk
Jul 15, 2013
31,131
146,025
How bitterly disappointing. Again I appreciate the info but these excuses are wearing thin for me.

To say it's hard to improve the squad. I'm fed up of hearing it. Been hearing it since bloody Redknapp.

Wheres our scouting? I don't believe for one minute that De Jong, Ndombele and Rabiot are the only CMS in the WORLD that would improve us.

If there is money there then find a player or two and get them in.

Sounds perfectly sensible to me.

Where is our scouting? It’s clear our scouts have identified key targets, and we won’t waste money on the likes of Stambouli just because we don’t get the ones we want again.

We have a good squad, that much is clear. We are now at a level where we can only realistically improve by signing players who are some of the best in Europe. We can’t compete with Barca, City or PSG and we don’t want to be competing with Everton, Wolves and West Ham.

It’s a tough market at the level we are at.

I trust Poch to know what he’s doing on this.
 

Hercules

Well-Known Member
Jul 23, 2014
5,694
156,565
Sorry for dampeners. Aside from my first post yesterday regarding possible loan backs. I am told very firmly that our preferred targets have much different preferences, and are prepared to hold out for them. Both January, and in the summer.
 

neilp

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2007
3,355
14,715
I was hoping that appointing Steve Hitchen would have made a difference by now, I appreciate he can’t wave a magic wand, but he must be adding value.
 
D

Deleted member 27995

Seems like we're stuck in a loop here. Not sure there is much chance of an out at the moment. Frustrating.
 

archiewasking

Waiting for silverware..........
Jul 5, 2004
7,848
11,668
Sorry for dampeners. Aside from my first post yesterday regarding possible loan backs. I am told very firmly that our preferred targets have much different preferences, and are prepared to hold out for them. Both January, and in the summer.

Thanks for the info, Herc. Far from encouraging though. If we're still plan B or C for the players we really want, we might as well flog the family silver and forget competing for the big trophies. Or Poch has to accept where we are currently in the food chain and lower his sights to attainable players who might improve enough to at least stay where we are.
 

scottlag10

Active Member
Aug 18, 2012
657
1,069
Sounds perfectly sensible to me.

Where is our scouting? It’s clear our scouts have identified key targets, and we won’t waste money on the likes of Stambouli just because we don’t get the ones we want again.

We have a good squad, that much is clear. We are now at a level where we can only realistically improve by signing players who are some of the best in Europe. We can’t compete with Barca, City or PSG and we don’t want to be competing with Everton, Wolves and West Ham.

It’s a tough market at the level we are at.

I trust Poch to know what he’s doing on this.
I would not underestimate the market that Wolves will be competing in. They have very rich, ambitious owners who have not got to the PL just to make the numbers up!
 

scottlag10

Active Member
Aug 18, 2012
657
1,069
Sorry for dampeners. Aside from my first post yesterday regarding possible loan backs. I am told very firmly that our preferred targets have much different preferences, and are prepared to hold out for them. Both January, and in the summer.
But we have a new stadium and excellent training facilities..................
 

nedley

John Duncan's Love Child
Jul 28, 2006
13,942
28,069
Sounds perfectly sensible to me.

Where is our scouting? It’s clear our scouts have identified key targets, and we won’t waste money on the likes of Stambouli just because we don’t get the ones we want again.

We have a good squad, that much is clear. We are now at a level where we can only realistically improve by signing players who are some of the best in Europe. We can’t compete with Barca, City or PSG and we don’t want to be competing with Everton, Wolves and West Ham.

It’s a tough market at the level we are at.

I trust Poch to know what he’s doing on this.

I'm not saying let's sign shit players like Stambouli, N'koudou or N'Jie or Janssens That was part of the problem that's got us in this mess in the first place. It's very poor scouting. I'm saying that scouting must improve.

I personally don't think we have any money. I know that's against the ITK but I can't see for the life of me if we have money, a world class training facility, best stadium in the world (in London), CL football, world class players already in the squad and a manager who has stated he wants to add to the squad, that we cant address deficiences within that squad because there are no players we can get.

We've proved we can compete with the likes of Utd, Pool, Barca, PSG etc.

And I like you wholeheartedly trust Poch but I don't trust Levy at the negotiation table one bit.


It's his job to sell the dead wood. He needs to get on and do it.
 

archiewasking

Waiting for silverware..........
Jul 5, 2004
7,848
11,668
Poch has told Levy he needs signings but doesn't want to sign players just to get numbers in. We have already got a few we can't seem to move on, and the last thing we need is any more clogging up the squad. Never say never but it will be hard to get what we want. We were hoping the stadium might sway a couple that we have been chasing and are sitting on the fence, the fact that this will not happen till after January is not helpful in the short term.

Thanks Trix. I get the not signing players just to get numbers up. The whole point though, is that we are surely so stretched now, with injuries in midfield to Dembele and Wanyama, we lose Sissoko,or Winks, or Dele, or Eriksen and we are well and truly screwed. We can't expect Skipp, Onomah etc to save our season if we won't at least get a couple in. Why can't we get a couple of loans? Chelsea have Kovacic, for example. We can't just cross our fingers in the higher echelons of our club and hope for the best.
 

RichieS

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2004
11,916
16,436
Sounds perfectly sensible to me.

Where is our scouting? It’s clear our scouts have identified key targets, and we won’t waste money on the likes of Stambouli just because we don’t get the ones we want again.

We have a good squad, that much is clear. We are now at a level where we can only realistically improve by signing players who are some of the best in Europe. We can’t compete with Barca, City or PSG and we don’t want to be competing with Everton, Wolves and West Ham.

It’s a tough market at the level we are at.

I trust Poch to know what he’s doing on this.
Well said. We are fishing in a very specific pond at the moment. We need players that are good enough to play for the likes of Barcelona but we don't have the money to tempt them, their agents or their clubs into dealing with us rather than waiting for the payday of a top top team.

And while I've been thinking about this, Herc's latest comes in. This is the reality of our situation.
 

Primativ

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2017
3,229
12,486
Has to be said the signing of N’Koudou has proven to be ghastly. Literally stuck with a bloke Poch clearly doesn’t rate in the slightest.

I think the issue about not able to get rid of deadwood is probably compounded by the fact Levy probably doesn’t want to lose money on these players so is asking for unrealistic money.

Unfortunately we are stuck in a situation where we aren’t a truly elite club so can’t attract the calibre of players we want, as examples, De Jong, De Ligt, Rabiot all prefer other elite clubs.

To compound that isssue and a way of getting around it would be to pay higher salaries to these players to get them to choose us. Of course we won’t do that either. So we are stuck unable to sign players to take us forward.

This is exactly why I have been moaning about the window to win stuff with this squad is limited. Once Toby and Eriksen leave, I don’t see us being able to replace them.
 

Kiedis

Well-Known Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,926
8,490
The guys working with football probably knows their shit, but delaying signings until we get certain players out seems a bit short sighted when just taking the football into consideration. Let's say we're going to replace Dembele, Wanyama, Eriksen and Alderweireld this summer (probably a big if, knowing us).

That would be four signings that will all need their time to get into how we play, our fitness regimes and getting themselves sorted off the pitch.

Moura, while not having been setting the world alight lately, has had a tremendous impact at key moments this season, most likely due to him not having been signed the week before this season started.
 
D

Deleted member 27995

Has to be said the signing of N’Koudou has proven to be ghastly. Literally stuck with a bloke Poch clearly doesn’t rate in the slightest.

I think the issue about not able to get rid of deadwood is probably compounded by the fact Levy probably doesn’t want to lose money on these players so is asking for unrealistic money.

Unfortunately we are stuck in a situation where we aren’t a truly elite club so can’t attract the calibre of players we want, as examples, De Jong, De Ligt, Rabiot all prefer other elite clubs.

To compound that isssue and a way of getting around it would be to pay higher salaries to these players to get them to choose us. Of course we won’t do that either. So we are stuck unable to sign players to take us forward.

This is exactly why I have been moaning about the window to win stuff with this squad is limited. Once Toby and Eriksen leave, I don’t see us being able to replace them.
You've contradicted yourself.

No idea if Levy is the problem in regard to out pricing players that it seems no one wants.

As far as salaries go, think that ideal has been quashed for the most part in the contracts handed out to those already within the team.

Overall, I think this is an unjust and slightly outdated view of where we're at - apart from the bit that you say we're not an elite club.
 

bceej

Well-Known Member
Mar 1, 2013
2,444
3,191
It’s an odd situation as we’re clearly targeting young HG players like Bowen, Aarons and Eze - if we’re targeting them at all then surely we should be able to secure a loan back deal. You would have hoped the new stadium shouldn’t have any bearing on signings: clearly we are going to move in imminently. My only worry is Poch’s patience, though if he’s working as closely as is reported with Hitchen and Levy then a player’s reluctance to join should not ultimately affect him.
 

scottlag10

Active Member
Aug 18, 2012
657
1,069
Sounds perfectly sensible to me.

Where is our scouting? It’s clear our scouts have identified key targets, and we won’t waste money on the likes of Stambouli just because we don’t get the ones we want again.

We have a good squad, that much is clear. We are now at a level where we can only realistically improve by signing players who are some of the best in Europe. We can’t compete with Barca, City or PSG and we don’t want to be competing with Everton, Wolves and West Ham.

It’s a tough market at the level we are at.

I trust Poch to know what he’s doing on this.
I know we don't know our targets but the
I was hoping that appointing Steve Hitchen would have made a difference by now, I appreciate he can’t wave a magic wand, but he must be adding value.
I was hoping that appointing Steve Hitchen would have made a difference by now, I appreciate he can’t wave a magic wand, but he must be adding value.
Supposed to be a French market expert however didn't spot N'Dombele at Amians (when we could afford him) and now Lyon and who they sell to will reap the benefit. Are his options limited by our non-hg issue?!
 
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