The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 28th August 2021

[Dakes]

I also look forward to the day Lo Celso leaves the club. In my opinion he is nowhere near Christian Eriksen. A new CAM is much needed. Son's goal yesterday was the first free kick goal since CE two years ago... A Mikkel Damsgaard or James Ward-Prowse would make us much more dangerous on set pieces.

Welcome

 

[Stoof]

I think peoples concerns are very much valid, it’s just 3 games and we scraped those wins.
It’s great to be top, we were too at Xmas last season also, look how that turned out.

We’re under prepped and under strength for the season ahead, that’s why the concern.

You underestimate the power of a manager not thinking all his players are ****s. Personnel can perform differently if coached properly.

 

[DannyNZ]

Lo Celso is not an AM and I can't believe people are still comparing the 2. He's a CM

And a bloody good one at that.

 

[daryl hannah]

At the very least, where in the name of buggery is the striker/Vlahovic alternative?

It has gone very quiet on that.

 

[Ginola+Tonic]

You underestimate the power of a manager not thinking all his players are ****s. Personnel can perform differently if coached properly.

Yes I very much agree with that and think the morale among the squad will be better.

But we’re still sorely lacking in certain positions and weaker on a whole from last season.
That’s why I’m very confused at our recruitment.

 

[mil1lion]

Bryan is, effectively, the Eriksen replacement - in this line-up.

Even Eriksen would have to play from a front-3 role in this set-up. He would not be able to slot into either Dele's, or PEH's roles.

Yep, we often play our creative 10 in from the wing. Did it at times with Modric too. Plus with Kane dropping in it works better now. Gil was clearly done instead of Damsgaard but isn't spoken like an Eriksen replacement. I also think people worry too much about age. Pedri and Ansu are regular starters for Barca and they're only teenagers. I think Gil will be a regular for us this season.

 

[worcestersauce]

ok

Tanganga has been a member of the first team squad for 18 months.

And he's a far better player now so I think the point is valid.
I'd like a couple more in but I'm just not going with the idea we've achieved nothing this window, three new first team players plus what seems like a cracker for next season and the goalkeeper replacement for when Hugo leaves next summer.
I don't accept the we haven't replaced Bale line, he was a one year loan that we didn't really get a season out of and I genuinely believe Scarlett can replace Vinicious who, let's face it wasn't good enough for us.
I remain hopeful for the next day or so.

 

[EJWTartanSpur]

Couldn’t agree more. Rebuilds take multiple windows, this is just the start. Also too much change too soon can lead to instability negatively impacting results.

Players like Winks, Sanchez, Doherty… clearly back themselves to find form and play their way into the new managers plans, rather than leave now. So best of luck to them - they play well, we play well. If not, by January/next summer it will become clearer to them (and others) whose not going to play and we’ll be able to move them on (which they won’t agree to now) and replace them with the funds recouped. (Almost) no club can afford to just write off these investment and wages.

We can’t forgot existing players like Rodon, Sessegnon & Skipp have yet to barely feature and have their chance, whilst we’ve (hopefully) not seen the best of big money signings like Lo Celso & Ndombele yet. Add to the impact of Nuno’s coaching and the team improving as a unit… oh and our winning start, it’s hardly panic stations!

When you consider our financial situation, not sure *realistically* what more we expected…

This is very true. People have a habit of condensing down the past into a more abridged memory, however, its worth remembering that Poch had to make do with remnant players and it took a couple of windows for him to fully craft the squad he wanted.

 

[HW61]

ITK is very thin at the moment which probably means two things:
1. Very little to report as next to nothing of worth is happening.
2. There should be very few messages in the ITK discussion thread. Yet there’s loads about debriefing the transfer window before it’s closed.

 

[Rob]

We’ve signed one first team player? Don’t let our league position fool you,this squad is weaker than it was last year 100%.

“First team” doesn’t mean what you think it means. There’s absolutely no argument that Gil, Romero and Gollini aren’t first team players. They’ve been involved in every match day squad when fit.

If you mean starting 11 say it. Else everyone replying to you is using a different (correct) definition and will obviously disagree with you as you’re wrong.

 

[RobjDerby]

“First team” doesn’t mean what you think it means. There’s absolutely no argument that Gil, Romero and Gollini aren’t first team players. They’ve been involved in every match day squad when fit.

If you mean starting 11 say it. Else everyone replying to you is using a different (correct) definition and will obviously disagree with you as you’re wrong.

Agree. Very few players are First XI until they have settled, trained and made a few sub appearances.

But let the bed wetting continue anyway!

 

[thelak]

The 9 points from 3 games argument is the worst thing the club or any fan can use ! That shouldn’t change transfer plans in the slightest. We can easily go and lose the next 3 or Kane can get injured and we are short etc etc. Transfer planning shouldn’t revolve around short term results in the pitch ?

Totally

Baffling mindset from some fans to focus on 3 tightly contested wins as not justifying further squad improvement

the issue for me and why I feel some criticism of this window is justified is there was a view that the continent is ripe for plundering given the state of finances post Covid with a view that our past frugal spending would now swing the other way as bargains presented themselves

let’s see what the next 2 days bring but assuming prices only go up from here it seems like we have missed the chance to capitalise

 

[ardiles&villa]

What’s the point going through all of that to keep kane if we are as weak as we were last year and not looking to make some big upgrades to challenge. I just don’t get it.

 

[EireYid]

I also look forward to the day Lo Celso leaves the club. In my opinion he is nowhere near Christian Eriksen. A new CAM is much needed. Son's goal yesterday was the first free kick goal since CE two years ago... A Mikkel Damsgaard or James Ward-Prowse would make us much more dangerous on set pieces.

Welcome.

 

[ukdy]

When all’s said and done, bar perhaps Romero (who is unlikely to start many games in coming weeks) we haven’t made one signing that improves/affects first 11. Unlikely we sign that type of player now in 48 hours.

They affect the XI directly and indirectly.

What if the players we’ve signed this window and the players signed in the last couple of windows (& sent out on loan) and are now back in the squad.. strengthen the squad and motivate current first choice players to raise their game and fight for their place. They’d also be worthy of a starting XI in their own right but this is a squad game, across 4 competitions for a long season. Faces, tactics, and approaches will change as the season progresses.

It’s also the first window for Fab and a good start given the pandemic constraints, needing to shift players on, the Kane drama drawing focus and us not having the bottomless pit of money.

 

[sidford]

Some people are wetting the bed at this stage (still 1.5 days left in window) as they didn't apply appropriate levels of salt to the very strong vibes that were given by media & ITK's that things really were going to be different this summer and that we had Paratici over the football side and we had money to spend.

this info is/was likely accurate but football transfers are bloody complicated and deals can collapse for untold amount of reasons. Anything can happen between now and tomorrow night but if the worst happens and we don't sign anyone instead of blaming the club, Levy, Paratici, media, ITK's etc have a word with yourself for fully believing everything that's said and not applying some common sense or salt to it.

 

[RobjDerby]

Varane, Ronaldo and Sancho say hi.

LOL yeah good examples mate. ???

 

[Yiddo100]

What’s the point going through all of that to keep kane if we are as weak as we were last year and not looking to make some big upgrades to challenge. I just don’t get it.

Going through what? According to most people city offer £75m +25m. No way should we be selling for that

 

[Guntz]

Ally Golds latest article doesn’t make for good reading.

 

[camhall88]

Can we for a minute stop to consider that Fab and Nuno and co have only had a few months to work with the squad? Perhaps their requirements have changed as they get to know the squad? Perhaps they see more potential working with the team every single day than we do from our computers? Perhaps they are better placed to know what we need?
Say what you want about it only being three games but we are the only team to not concede and we have played the premier league champions with a defence that we were terrified of having. We have also kept them away from their first choice of striker. We also obtained a new commitment from another key player.
I’m not dissimilar in the sense that I would love a shiny new signing, but I for one will get excited about the season regardless and back in nuno and fab. If they think it’s worth investing great, if they would rather save their money - also great. Either way I feel like the future is very bright.
(cue the negative ratings, but just my opinion)