The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - THE DEADLINE

[Albertbarich]

We need communication desperately.

More than any signing I'd argue.

Is Conte staying, is Paratici likely to be staying and if not who is choosing targets ( and it better not be Levy, Cullen and co) and what's the plan?

 

[chrissivad]

I bet we don’t sign all three of those that are straight into the first XI players of high level and an upgrade in the summer.

That's the 3 key signings for me.
As long as key players stay.

 

[Whazam]

I don't think anyone should expect or feel entitled to anything but maybe a short-term solution or two because of injuries in January.

Sure a starting CB would have been fantastic, but again, I don't think we should have expected it and we were even told beforehand that it wouldn't be a likely this window.

So, getting a guy with Porro's potential is rather amazing. And for all of you who are disappointed, don't forget to celebrate the win we actually got in this window as well.

 

[rossdapep]

I bet we'd have spent big had we been hovering above relegation. Like we did in 2009

 

[hutchiniho]

So we couldn't get one in the Summer, fine. So use the next 6 months to make sure you do get one at the next opportunity? Why have we waited till deadline day again to find out we can't get one again?

The fact is, this is a recurring theme and has been for years.

Edit - Thanks H88 for your reply whilst typing this

This I genuinely don't understand.

Surely Conte could draw up a list of 5 or 6 players he would like to improve LCB or CCB or wherever.

Pre-January, someone at the club can pick up a phone, to at least ask two questions.

1. "Would you consider the sale of x in January?" If Yes, go to Q2
2. "Good, Good. How much would he be available for?. Thank you for your time."

Someone could then work out if the numbers were workable and then enter meaningful negotiations in plenty of time

I appreciate we are not a club to be able to buy a player with stupid money even when the answer to Q1 is No, and if the first 5 players were not attainable Conte might be hesitant to dig deeper on the list.

But by your frustrations, it sounds like we have stumbled into and through January completely blind. Someone is clearly not doing their job.

 

[spursfan77]

That's the 3 key signings for me.
As long as key players stay.

But we won’t do it Chris, we won’t spend the money to do what’s required. Last January they said we’d buy a new centre back in the summer and didn’t and now they are saying we need a new keeper. Will they get one? I’m not exactly confident. It’s probably going to cost over £100 million, maybe 150 to get those 3 positions sorted. We just won’t do it.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I don't go in for OTT Levy-bashing, and most will know I'm no fan of Conte, but if anyone is happy with this transfer window then Levy has basically won.

We've signed a right back and a Lucas replacement.

That's not nearly enough.

 

[chrissivad]

But we won’t do it Chris, we won’t spend the money to do what’s required. Last January they said we’d buy a new centre back in the summer and didn’t and now they are saying we need a new keeper. Will they get one? I’m not exactly confident. It’s probably going to cost over £100 million, maybe 150 to get those 3 positions sorted. We just won’t do it.

I think we will get a keeper more than 2 CB's
We need to shit the growing number of players out on loan who we don't want.

 

[Scot-Spur]

I

I bet we'd have spent big had we been hovering above relegation. Like we did in 2009

Levy will be hoping he has done just enough for top 4. No more, no less.

 

[sidford]

Hopefully this is the final window for bulk of people who believe the lines that are always fed about lessons being learned and my favourite one which gets leaked coming towards the end of the window that we are still optimistic about getting a couple more in. It never happens yet people get sucked in every window which adds to the level of frustration because they feel let down.

Unfortunately with the ownership we have we will never do more than just barely scratch the surface of what is needed and any manager, even one of the top 5 in the world that we have now, won't get any more than that.

 

[rossdapep]

I don't go in for OTT Levy-bashing, and most will know I'm no fan of Conte, but if anyone is happy with this transfer window then Levy has basically won.

We've signed a right back and a Lucas replacement.

That's not nearly enough.

That Lucas replacement is temporary too

 

[mattspur1986]

But again, you say who is available right now? I'll counter that by saying Conte has gone through multiple windows now asking for a CB. So it's not who is available now, it's who could we have got in having 8 months of knowing this?

So we couldn't get one in the Summer, fine. So use the next 6 months to make sure you do get one at the next opportunity? Why have we waited till deadline day again to find out we can't get one again?

The fact is, this is a recurring theme and has been for years.

halle-fucking-lujah someone else sees it and says it how it should be said, the fact is we’re no stronger (squad wise) than we was at start of the window, Danjuma in, but Gil out (no extra body there) no CB, which is unforgivable and we will be back here saying the same shit in the summer.

the club never learns and has and has had for years gaping holes all over the squad yet they’re not being addressed for one reason or another.

I knew it’d only be porro today, and have been saying so all day, yet a little bit kind of thought “just maybe” but nah.

 

[Timberwolf]

The only thing I can think of is that we haven't invested as we should have done due to how many question marks hang over the club.

Will Conte still be with us in 6 months?!
Will Levy still be in charge?!
Will be be subject to a full takeover?! Will we have a small % investment?! Will Kane still be with us?! Will Paratici still be here?!

So many unknowns and much like Liverpool, I guess the club aren't willing to spend more money when there are so many uncertainties hanging over the club.

I am in complete agreement with you, it's a shambles year after year, every window the same issues. It won't change until Levy goes and we have some serious investment or change of ownership.

Every window I'm sucked in with optimism and believing what I'm told about the business we plan to do. Yet we ALWAYS fall short of what we need. Danjuma in and Gil out means we have no further attacking options from the bench if needed. Yes Danjuma gives us a pace option, but he's currently a complete unknown as to how he will settle. Porro is a fantastic addition and credit where it's due, without Levy it wouldn't have happened. But does Levy feel that's enough to save his skin and some fan backlash for the next few months?! Well it isn't anywhere near enough, because our main problems are GK and CBs and we have addressed none of them.

Porro is a fantastic addition, I'm very excited that he's joined us. But when we continue to see mistake after mistake for the remainder of the season from the same players, well the club only have themselves to blame for where we end up. It's going to take a Conte masterclass to get us top 4.

Rant over, COYS!

I'm willing to accept this window provided this summer we prove we've learned from our previous mistakes.

- If Conte re-signs we need to continue to back him and get him 3 or 4 big players to continue the rebuild.

- If Conte goes we need to bring in a manager that actually suits our squad and/or can play with a back 3 rather than chasing whatever big name Levy and the board fancy at that given moment.

- When Paratici inevitably leaves we need to have a plan to replace him adequately. The 5 years prior to Paratici when we left everything up to the transfer committee and Levy were a complete and utter disaster and the cause of most of our current problems. Paratici has put us on a good path and we need to continue down that as best we can.

I think all of these things are far, far more important than a couple of middling signings like Zaniolo and Hincapie.

We can afford to get a few small decisions wrong with regard to individual signings, but if we fuck up the big decisions we're in trouble long term.

 

[wrd]

We just have to accept that in over the last 18 months there's been no better cb's in world football available for anybody to sign beyond the level of Eric Dier and Ben Davies. It's not the clubs fault there's a shortage of people on earth with the skillset to improve or have the potential to improve our team in defence.

 

[wadewill]

I feel sorry for Porro, he looked so happy in that picture of him leaving Portugal last night

Imagine the bullshit the poor fella has been spouted, doesn’t know what he is letting himself in for

 

[arunspurs]

But a new manager needs better centre backs or a new goalie anyway! I bet if he was sitting here with 3 years on his contract it would be no different. We’ve been here so many times before!

For starters, good CBs aren't in the market in Jan. Even PSG are waiting for summer to get Skriniar. Teams who have good CBs, dont want to lose them middle of season. Like striker, its one of the position difficult to fil midseason.

Also, What if the new manager wants a specific type of CBs. What if its Poch , and he wants 2 no10 (we dont have any today) & just 1 CB instead of 2CBs.... What if new manager doesnt want long ball Pickford but wants a intricate short passing GK like Unai Simon.

I just feel there are simply too many uncertainties with managerial position to go recruit key positions now. Last thing this squad needs is deadwoods because manager who got them isnt there 6 months after

 

[Trix]

The only thing I can think of is that we haven't invested as we should have done due to how many question marks hang over the club.

Will Conte still be with us in 6 months?!
Will Levy still be in charge?!
Will be be subject to a full takeover?! Will we have a small % investment?! Will Kane still be with us?! Will Paratici still be here?!

So many unknowns and much like Liverpool, I guess the club aren't willing to spend more money when there are so many uncertainties hanging over the club.

I am in complete agreement with you, it's a shambles year after year, every window the same issues. It won't change until Levy goes and we have some serious investment or change of ownership.

Every window I'm sucked in with optimism and believing what I'm told about the business we plan to do. Yet we ALWAYS fall short of what we need. Danjuma in and Gil out means we have no further attacking options from the bench if needed. Yes Danjuma gives us a pace option, but he's currently a complete unknown as to how he will settle. Porro is a fantastic addition and credit where it's due, without Levy it wouldn't have happened. But does Levy feel that's enough to save his skin and some fan backlash for the next few months?! Well it isn't anywhere near enough, because our main problems are GK and CBs and we have addressed none of them.

Porro is a fantastic addition, I'm very excited that he's joined us. But when we continue to see mistake after mistake for the remainder of the season from the same players, well the club only have themselves to blame for where we end up. It's going to take a Conte masterclass to get us top 4.

Rant over, COYS!

Yeah but that's why you set out a plan and execute it.

This I genuinely don't understand.

Surely Conte could draw up a list of 5 or 6 players he would like to improve LCB or CCB or wherever.

Pre-January, someone at the club can pick up a phone, to at least ask two questions.

1. "Would you consider the sale of x in January?" If Yes, go to Q2
2. "Good, Good. How much would he be available for?. Thank you for your time."

Someone could then work out if the numbers were workable and then enter meaningful negotiations in plenty of time

I appreciate we are not a club to be able to buy a player with stupid money even when the answer to Q1 is No, and if the first 5 players were not attainable Conte might be hesitant to dig deeper on the list.

But by your frustrations, it sounds like we have stumbled into and through January completely blind. Someone is clearly not doing their job.

We got one out of three. Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted with Porro, but that's about it.

Danjuma is a good player, but not what we wanted or planned for. He was an opportunistic grab because he was cheap and easy.

 

[ShriekinKnight]

1) Winks
2) Udogie
3) Ndombele
4) Lo Celso
5) Rodon
6) Spence
7) Reguilon
8) Gil
9) Doherty

How are we getting around this rule?

 

[talkshowhost86]

That Lucas replacement is temporary too

Indeed

 

[rossdapep]

Another thing.

Had we not got Porro in. This window would have been a total disaster.

So once again, its "skin of the teeth" stuff and Levy deliberately does this just to keep the mob off his back a bit.

Dont buy into it!!