The Summer Transfer Window POST MORTEM THREAD

[Stamford]

As long as none of the core players are allowed to leave in the next three weeks we should be stronger than we were last season . Toby, Lamela, Moura, and Rose were hardly used last season for one reason or another, so all four back in the fold should give us quite a bit more depth and the chance to rotate a bit.

Levy though has failed big time this window though, plain and simple. Just hope we go on a run and qualify for the CL because if we don't a lot of the blame will rest with him.

But surely we should be aiming to win things not just be steady within the top four. Thats why Liverpool have spent so much because they know they are miles off City.

PS this isn't having a go, just frustrated by the club settling for CL and not being ambitious.

 

[Hazelton]

Just got in from work, haven't been able to check on the news so literally just learned about this. Not even sure how to react, I don't have the energy to get angry.

The last two transfer windows have been the most important in my lifetime and was the tipping point in whether we take the next step or stay still. We have properly, properly ballsed them up.

The fact is, if you compare our team from two years ago to our current team, it's actually become worse. We've lost the the best defence in the league, through one reason or another, while Dembele has declined and left a whole in the spine.

Apart from Sanchez and Lucas, we have failed to improve whatsoever. At this point we're on course for 4th, possibly 5th as Chelsea have done some good business and have previous of improving massively the season after a failure.

I really, really hope the lads prove me wrong but it's going to take a monumental effort. At least we have the new stadium to look forward to. COYS.

 

[King of the Lane]

Hold on a minute they lost their best players one by one pretty much every window. Yes they brought players in but it was never a case of them trying to Improve. I'd rather Keep our stars than let them go and replace with slightly lesser players.

You mean like we did with Bale, Modric, Walker...

Im sorry but Im not buying this ..we are stronger with a few of the players back in the fold either. There is no positive spin that can be put on this. None.

 

[olliec]

Just got in from work, haven't been able to check on the news so literally just learned about this. Not even sure how to react, I don't have the energy to get angry.

The last two transfer windows have been the most important in my lifetime and was the tipping point in whether we take the next step or stay still. We have properly, properly ballsed them up.

The fact is, if you compare our team from two years ago to our current team, it's actually become worse. We've lost the the best defence in the league, through one reason or another, while Dembele has declined and left a whole in the spine.

Apart from Sanchez and Lucas, we have failed to improve whatsoever. At this point we're on course for 4th, possibly 5th as Chelsea have done some good business and have previous of improving massively the season after a failure.

I really, really hope the lads prove me wrong but it's going to take a monumental effort. At least we have the new stadium to look forward to. COYS.

Chelsea still have only Morata and Giroud to choose from up front. If they got a world-class striker than I would be worried, but as it stands they still don't have a great striker, so I am not worried about them.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

I’ve always been a Levy defender, but this is indefensible and anybody who tries to excuse it away is, frankly, not right in the head.

New stadium. Massive increase in season ticket prices. Years of raping the wallets of fans for every penny possible. A manager crying out for the club to take risks and sign early. Third year of CL football and best position to push on that we’ve ever been it. Levy voted for the early closure of the window in a World Cup year. Anyone with common sense knows it would be a much harder window. He couldn’t afford to play his usual games. He had to go out there and get things done, for once swallowing his pride and paying a bit over the odds. That was the nature of the market this window. Now we risk losing manager and players through lack of ambition. I think this will seriously come back to haunt us.

Right now I am furious. I’m sure Levy will do his usual and post up a bullshit letter on the website, like he always does when he screws up another window. Well, as far as I am concerned he can take that and shove it up his backside. Tired of the excuses when it comes to another gutless transfer window performance. Levy should have “to dare is not to do” tattooed across his arse.

 

[BigPlimpton]

Losing Eriksen next summer could cause a cascading domino effect. My concern is that he hasn't signed anything, and at his age likely wants to take the next step in his career. If our squad doesn't take a step forward this season, it's hard to argue that ENIC/Levy have done anything to convince him that his long term future should be here.

And if Lopetegui goes at RM, we could lose both Poch and Eriksen next summer. Which would feel a little like getting stabbed in the kidney for me I think at this point.

 

[dtxspurs]

Hold on a minute they lost their best players one by one pretty much every window. Yes they brought players in but it was never a case of them trying to Improve. I'd rather Keep our stars than let them go and replace with slightly lesser players.

Wasn't that what we did last summer though? And were about to do this summer losing Toby/Dembele/Rose and finding replacements.

Not bashing you just trying to see how its different.

 

[olliec]

Losing Eriksen next summer could cause a cascading domino effect. My concern is that he hasn't signed anything, and at his age likely wants to take the next step in his career. If our squad doesn't take a step forward this season, it's hard to argue that ENIC/Levy have done anything to convince him that his long term future should be here.

And if Lopetegui goes at RM, we could lose both Poch and Eriksen next summer. Which would feel a little like getting stabbed in the kidney for me I think at this point.

Might lose Kane as well as we all know Poch and Kane have a very good relationship

 

[HildoSpur]

We are fucked.

 

[BigPlimpton]

Might lose Kane as well as we all know Poch and Kane have a very good relationship

I didn't include Kane, but only because I don't think Levy would sell next summer, in the middle of a six year contract, even if Kane refused to train for a month Van Dijk style (which I doubt that he would do).

 

[Trix]

Are ITKs allowed to bash other ITKs?

I see no reason to doubt the integrity of JJs information, and in fact trust him the most.

For all you know he's having a pop at the positive spin he's hearing himself.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

How strong are we looking in midfield? Wanyama is injured for God knows how long. Winks has ongoing injury problems. Dembele needs to be "nursed" through the season. Dier is increasingly awful there. Sissoko.

We are strong in attack and defence but our midfield was weak even before the injuries. At the moment you're looking at Dier + either Sissoko and Dembele every game.

You can't buy people for just 'at the moment' though can you.

Thing is, anyway you spin it we still have 5 CMS ranging from competent to very good who will all expect significant game time when fit. We may not like the players there, but we have more than enough depth, and whatever you think of Dier, Pochettino clearly sees him as one of our best players.

 

[markiespurs]

No doubt it's been a very disappointing and frustrating transfer window and as the man who holds the purse strings and does the negotiating, Levy should rightly take the blame.

The only real positive is that it looks like we haven't weakened the squad

 

[mil1lion]

All the talk of whether the stadium would get finished in time and we didn't get any signings done in time.

It was a sucky window for sure but at least we didn't weaken by selling our top players. So it's not the end of the world. I'm still positive and can't wait for the season to start. I love this club and the stadum looks amazing so can't wait to make that our new home.

I do agree with Herc in regards to Levy stepping away from transfers. I don't want us to sell out and throw silly money around. I do want us to have a structure in place where we go out and find players that Poch can make great.

That for me is the biggest dissapointment from this window and previous ones. We keep dreaming of these big expensive signings and even find ourselves toying with the idea of Bale/Martial/Zaha. Yet they're clearly out of our financial reach so why are we even chasing them? I don't have an issue with not being in the market for them.

I do however fail to see why we can't find affordable prospects instead like we have in the past. I can't imagine how we couldn't find someone to replace Sissoko in midfield and challenge for Dembele's spot in the first team. Nor a dynamic forward to replace an ageing Llorente and someone who can play in modern formations and partner Kane.

It's funny really that we only really needed 2 or 3 players to give us the depth to seriously challenge. Those are the fine margins between champions and almost. I actually think this squad when everyone is fit is one of the most well balanced in the league. The issue comes when the injuries kick in and we just lack that little extra depth to cover.

We've had worse windows than this but this will probably be the one remembered and brought up most. It's now the easy excuse for anything that goes wrong this season. Anything less than success will be met with 'because we didn't sign anyone'. Daniel Levy has made a rod for his own back here and he has only himself to blame.

 

[daveduvet]

I won’t deny - apart from my internal look on the bright side - that Levy has truly shot himself in the foot. This was a year/summer to ratchet things up a gear. Yes we’ve retained our core players etc; but to fail to add even one individual of first team calibre is a failure for any business model. Whilst we’ll never know the full extent of behind the scene politics, it’s safe to say that Levy’s way of transfers is stuck in a bygone era. Basically, Levy you’re a knob-end. If Poch goes in 12 months, I’ll stand up and applaud his professionalism and patience. Shame on you Levy ... you’ve been cowardly this window ...

 

[$hoguN]

First PL club to to not sign a single player ina summer window since it’s inception in 2003

 

[Vwbottom]

Well Levy can still sell the players abroad.....

 

[Trix]

I will reflect with no emotion, as at the moment I am farking ballistic.

Why there is a little semblance of understanding. I fear how far we are taking the piss out of Poch. If we made T4 (which I doubt) that will be another reason for DL to procrastinate further. Any little sign of unrest from within the squad etc, will see him regrettably race to do deals quick in January to appease all.

It does not make good reading, and I personally believe DL should stick to the commercial aspect of running the club, and let someone else handle the transfers, without his interference.

And I again for one minute do not buy all the PR spin doctoring ‘all is well’.

The number of people that slagged Baldini(even though they had no idea what he di) was incredible. Knew how to get deals over the line though didn't he.

 

[BigPlimpton]

Also, has someone raised the question of whether this is just a big pump-and-dump stock trade for ENIC? They were looking for equity investors last year before taking out the 400M loan from Goldman. Now they have a shiny new stadium and probably a big fat cash reserve thanks to the whole no transfers thing (and a few outgoings over the next three weeks). Can you say fatten up the horse before the glue cart gets to the farm?

The glue cart is a private equity firm in New York, probably.

To be clear, we're the horse.

Just sayin...

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Just got in from work, haven't been able to check on the news so literally just learned about this. Not even sure how to react, I don't have the energy to get angry.

The last two transfer windows have been the most important in my lifetime and was the tipping point in whether we take the next step or stay still. We have properly, properly ballsed them up.

The fact is, if you compare our team from two years ago to our current team, it's actually become worse. We've lost the the best defence in the league, through one reason or another, while Dembele has declined and left a whole in the spine.

Apart from Sanchez and Lucas, we have failed to improve whatsoever. At this point we're on course for 4th, possibly 5th as Chelsea have done some good business and have previous of improving massively the season after a failure.

I really, really hope the lads prove me wrong but it's going to take a monumental effort. At least we have the new stadium to look forward to. COYS.

So, apart from where we've improved, we haven't improved at all?