The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - THE POST MORTEM 1st February

[Mustard]

So you think AC will beat Barca in the UCL and for their sins be demoted to the Europa League to face us?
Interesting

Milan. I should have said Milan.

Imagine my embarrassment.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Looks like we did consider selling Sigg

And boss McDermott confirmed: "We tried to bring him back. We had spoken to Spurs and we made three offers.
"I thought at one stage we had a real chance of doing a deal, but unfortunately, we couldn't manage to do it.

WTF? This seems far of the mark unless we had a replacement lined up. We are already short of cover in attacking midfield/wing, this move would have been suicidal.

 

[Colonel Dax]

As I said I didn't want to list them, but any team that loses a world class player like Bale for example would need to find an alternative way of playing - Holtby, Siggy or Dempsey there for example. The same goes with every other scenario you've indicated. As mentioned, if it all happens at once then yes we are in trouble, but if 1 or 2 happen, granted we'll be stretched but it won't be a disaster will it? Do you honestly think so? You really do not have any faith in those left on the bench?

No I don't have faith in those on the bench. IMO Hud, Livermore and Obika are simply not good enough, even as backups, for an aspiring top 4 team.

I like the look of Holtby but it's too early to assume he can slot in to take Bale's place if he were injured, for example.

Siggy - average IMO. Not sure what his position is and not even sure why we bought him. Would he be able to slot in to the right wing if Lennon gets injured? Doubt it.

Dempsey - meh. Would he get into the other top 4 teams? Again, doubt it.

Apologies if I sound too down. But it's only my opinion. Our first team when everyone is fit is very strong. However there is a gulf in class between the first choice players and their backups. I'm not saying we should have 2 world class players for every position but surely we can do better than we have. Only two strikers for an aspiring top 4 team is not enough.

 

[Gb160]

Nothing wrong though with going for realistic targets instead of messing with the fans - that's my only gripe with DL.

‘It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low'

 

[sunnydelight786]

Very interesting indeed - who the hell where we moving for then if this happened. No way we could of been selling Sig not bringing anyone else in.

Maybe this guy....

@mattspiro: Etienne Capoue's agent Mino Raiola says Arsenal, Spurs & Fulham all tried to sign the MF but wouldn't meet Toulouse asking price (L'Equipe)

The asking price was 15m euros.....

 

[Francis Gibbs]

No I don't have faith in those on the bench. IMO Hud, Livermore and Obika are simply not good enough, even as backups, for an aspiring top 4 team.

I like the look of Holtby but it's too early to assume he can slot in to take Bale's place if he were injured, for example.

Siggy - average IMO. Not sure what his position is and not even sure why we bought him. Would he be able to slot in to the right wing if Lennon gets injured? Doubt it.

Dempsey - meh. Would he get into the other top 4 teams? Again, doubt it.

Apologies if I sound too down. But it's only my opinion. Our first team when everyone is fit is very strong. However there is a gulf in class between the first choice players and their backups. I'm not saying we should have 2 world class players for every position but surely we can do better than we have. Only two strikers for an aspiring top 4 team is not enough.

yep agree, need to pray for 2 things ....... no injuries at all and that either Adebayor or Defoe find a consistent run of form that has to date been beyond them

 

[bigpalacios]

He obviously hasn't this season, maybe last season he did...

Rafael is the best RB in the League for me - by a distance to.

Think you would have through zabaleta into that debate, he is immense.

 

[cookiemonster]

It was the window where Levy raised the white flag

With someone to put the ball in the net we could have near enough been certain of 4th place, CL and £40m in the bank but now instead we have a mountain to climb to retain 4th, a miracle infact

Liverpool are scoring goals like they are going out of fashion
Arsenal likewise
Everton are continually snapping at our heels

We have to rely next 4 months on a cripple and a guy who has had questionable attitude all season, both of which are scoring at a rate of 1 goal per 30 shots, hopeless situation

We could have bought a 15-20m striker out of the CL revenue we would get for 4th, if by some chance we didn't get 4th we would have still had an asset with resale value

Levy had CL in his sights and lost his bottle when he could have taken us over the line now we are going to pay the price

Simple really

Given the choice - 6th place and a 10m profit or 4th and a 2m profit

Little Danny will choose the former

 

[Mr Pink]

Think you would have through zabaleta into that debate, he is immense.

Yeah you're dead right mate...totally forgot about him!!! Quality, he'd be the best in the League.

 

[Hoopspur]

No I don't have faith in those on the bench. IMO Hud, Livermore and Obika are simply not good enough, even as backups, for an aspiring top 4 team.

I like the look of Holtby but it's too early to assume he can slot in to take Bale's place if he were injured, for example.

Siggy - average IMO. Not sure what his position is and not even sure why we bought him. Would he be able to slot in to the right wing if Lennon gets injured? Doubt it.

Dempsey - meh. Would he get into the other top 4 teams? Again, doubt it.

Apologies if I sound too down. But it's only my opinion. Our first team when everyone is fit is very strong. However there is a gulf in class between the first choice players and their backups. I'm not saying we should have 2 world class players for every position but surely we can do better than we have. Only two strikers for an aspiring top 4 team is not enough.

I won't further this anymore - but thanks for the reply. I just don't see the scenario where these guys will need to be considered - maybe with the exception of livermore, who actually did prove to be a decent deputy last season. But as you said it's all about opinions, so we'll just have to beg to differ (and look forward to Sunday's game).

 

[Gb160]

Has he signed? Is this confirmed. Not been on the official site for about an hour but yesterday the news was just the loan. No contract extension mentioned?

I know the source is crap,but talkshite reported new 3.5 year contract.

 

[SpurSince57]

You were obviously sleeping if you cant notice we need a striker im sure mr levy is happy today as he has saved us money but at what cost but still your happy thats the main thing

Do spare me and everyone else your attempts at humour. They're pretty shit, frankly.

Yes, a striker would be nice. Getting one that's any good is another matter, as you may have noticed by the high flop rate in the EPL over the past few seasons. Or perhaps you haven't noticed. £13m seems to me a pretty fair bid for a striker with limited experience who could very easily bomb in the EPL, doesn't it you? None of the big boys from Spain or Italy seem too interested in him. Or was it £17m we offered? And that, apparently, wouldn't have been enough either. So what do you suggest Levy should have done? Gone to £20m plus, RvP-style money, perhaps?

Or maybe you think we should have paid through the nose for a donkey like Hooper? Any old shit will do as long as we sign someone, eh?

 

[Martin Jol Loves Me]

I just don't get the levy appeasers on here.

This bloke clearly loves and cultivates his image as an arch negotiator but what has he achieved? Bugger all.

I am not picking a fight with you mate, and you have valid reasons alone for feeling how you do. But the above statement to me just comes accross as flippant. He has achieved alot. I said earlier I remember 10 - 20 years ago of watching us get turned over on a regular basis, fighting relegation, buying piss poor players and hoping next season would be better by Nov. Things have changed and that is a majority down to Levy. I can't talk for you as I dont know you, But alot of you get so excited and age old "I pay my money, so I have a right.... yadda yadda" just gets boring. Yes you pay your money, yes you have a right (to an extent) But I pay my money too and it doesnt make all the Levy Out Brigade's opinion any more valid than mine. I remember just how shit it was being a spurs fan and you know what? our worst day with todays team is nothing comapred to how shit even our good days were back then.

 

[RButch]

To everyone moaning about how Levy has 'cost us champions league', at least wait till the end of the season to start your man hunt. Levy has done wonders to us since becoming chairman, and yes his deadline day bids are most likely bids of little substance but only made to show to the fans that he 'tried', we still have a fantastic squad and with the addition of a creative spark that goes by the name of Holtby (that we desperately need), I am positive that we will get top four. Like people before me have said:

Chelsea: Little improvement, possibly more goals but not entirely sure Ba will stay on his current form
Arsenal: Filled the gap left by Gibbs' absence (do not know if Monreal will be a hit or not)
Everton: Did nothing of real ambition,
Liverpool: Strengthened but I believe that are not quite there yet to be claiming fourth.

Talking about Leandro to, anything north of £15mil is expensive for a player who has not been tired and tested in the champions league, EPL or any top european teams. He might become a great forward but has done little lately to prove he has the calibre. Even the Internacional fans do not believe he will be a world beater, and they were urging Lugi to sell him to us for the quoted £17mil.

 

[foxilator]

Do spare me and everyone else your attempts at humour. They're pretty shit, frankly.

Yes, a striker would be nice. Getting one that's any good is another matter, as you may have noticed by the high flop rate in the EPL over the past few seasons. Or perhaps you haven't noticed. £13m seems to me a pretty fair bid for a striker with limited experience who could very easily bomb in the EPL, doesn't it you? None of the big boys from Spain or Italy seem too interested in him. Or was it £17m we offered? And that, apparently, wouldn't have been enough either. So what do you suggest Levy should have done? Gone to £20m plus, RvP-style money, perhaps?

Or maybe you think we should have paid through the nose for a donkey like Hooper? Any old shit will do as long as we sign someone, eh?

Completely agree with this.

Not directed at anyone specific on here but that attitude prevails in my corner of WHL - frankly it stinks. Change for change's sake does not equal progress.

 

[Gb160]

On the Negrido front, on 5 Live last night they were saying the Seville chairman had made it clear to everyone in Spain that unless you have 20m euro's to offer don't even bother calling me. Apparantly it was the player and his agent who were encouraging other teams interest in the hope the cahirman might take less. So that was never really on for anyone, us or Everton

Agreed, everton only offered 10m....and were promptly told to do one.

 

[Misfit]

WTF? This seems far of the mark unless we had a replacement lined up. We are already short of cover in attacking midfield/wing, this move would have been suicidal.

Which is why it didn't happen, imo. I don't expect Sigs to be here much longer. Unless he finds a way of running faster. Just isn't an AVB player, for mine.

 

[Spurs1960]

yeah so we missed the chance the steal a march on these clubs

A purchase does not guarantee improvement.

Arsenal bought a left back because the last one they bought turned out to be a dud, Santos £5 million.

We have improved by buying Holtby so our squad has improved more than our rivals, in that respect we have stolen a march, if only a smaller one.

 

[Mustard]

I am not picking a fight with you mate, and you have valid reasons alone for feeling how you do. But the above statement to me just comes accross as flippant. He has achieved alot. I said earlier I remember 10 - 20 years ago of watching us get turned over on a regular basis, fighting relegation, buying piss poor players and hoping next season would be better by Nov. Things have changed and that is a majority down to Levy. I can't talk for you as I dont know you, But alot of you get so excited and age old "I pay my money, so I have a right.... yadda yadda" just gets boring. Yes you pay your money, yes you have a right (to an extent) But I pay my money too and it doesnt make all the Levy Out Brigade's opinion any more valid than mine. I remember just how shit it was being a spurs fan and you know what? our worst day with todays team is nothing comapred to how shit even our good days were back then.

Wise words mate and I agree. I was more commenting on the transfers though. Levy the arch negotiator has become a joke IMO.

He has done well for the club, there is no doubt about that. But I am worried for the future when avb tires of his meddling and penny pinching. Where did the money go that we bid for mounthinio in the summer?

 

[Colonel Dax]

To everyone moaning about how Levy has 'cost us champions league', at least wait till the end of the season to start your man hunt.

The same was said on February 1st 2012.