WINDOW WRAP - SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW 2015 — from OS

[Francis Gibbs]

lol just as expected from Levy .....'Not about egos' pmsl
Pragmatic dealings allowing stadium build to start? - said previously the two are unconnected
Obviously Berahino was the only striker in world football in this price bracket MP wanted ..... laughable
It wasn't the fact there was staged payments that were the issue it was the fact the initial payment was embarrassingly low
and it was stacked with add ons and so late in the window because he thought WBA would fold, but not about egos.
MP not surprisingly overjoyed with the squad that the rest of the world can see has glaring ommisions.
Noticeable no mention of any targets for the season ' next level of competiveness' wtf is that - CL? Given 5th place last season surely that must be what he means if so then say it - but of course he wont.
All in all typical Levy bullshit shaped by Cullen

 

[carpediem991]

I, for myself, don't entirely agree with their view, but what do I know. They have made some good points and to be fair it is good we are not looking for more Stamboulis e.g. .

I like the look of the squad, but see two major concerns, where even short-time solutions could be useful:

- Central Midfield: Given Mousa is planned as an AM we have Mason, Bentaleb, Dier and Winks left, maybe Carroll and Alli. This area of the pitch screams for experience and our most experienced player there is....eh...who? Nabil? I'd be happy to have someone there who the young ones can rely on and learn from. There is a huge pressure the club put on these kids in four competitions with more or less ambition. No one really knows how to protect a defense and give stability in tough times and tough moments in a game (Stoke eg). A Scott Parker, James Milner or an experienced head from oversea (Witsel eg) was and is absolutely necessary, and we weren't able to solve this unfortunately.

- Center Forward: It is really a big question what happens when Kane does not start or is even injured a longer time. We tried Chadli there in pre season and it didn't really work out. We need someone with good hold up play to keep the ball upfront and bring the wingers into play. We see what happened when Kane limped off versus Stoke. In my opinion someone like Rickie Lambert would have been a solid solution. Just to be there in any case....or if we want to try two upfront or need a big guy up there for the last 10 minutes.

Huge gamble, but their statement put some things in perspective but I stay firm: We failed in key areas.

 

[mil1lion]

Pretty much what I was expecting. We're not in position to add players for the sake of it, a team that finished 5th last season. We kept our first team together and replaced the fringe players who didn't contribute enough. Now we have less players sat in the cold and a closer group. Add to that a couple of additional youngsters who spent time on loan last season and we're looking good.

People make a lot of what happened last season and what we were lacking. However what we can't predict is what the same players will do this season. There's every chance a couple of these players go onto the next level particularly when you consider the age of most players. We're a year further along with our development and I for one am exciting for the future.

As for the obvious response to West Brom I think it's clear how upset this has made Daniel Levy. It may be difficult for West Brom to make a signing from us (maybe they didn't consider that?) in the future. The fact is it was West Brom who made our bids public so any blame they put on us for unsettling him is plain ridiculous. We did everything we could to bring Berahino to the club and as far as I'm concerned we bid well above his true valuation. Yet Peace said we tried to get him on the cheap. I'm not defending what Berahino put on social media but I'm not surprised by his outburst, I wouldn't want to work for a Chairman like him either.

 

[mil1lion]

lol just as expected from Levy .....'Not about egos' pmsl
Pragmatic dealings allowing stadium build to start? - said previously the two are unconnected
Obviously Berahino was the only striker in world football in this price bracket MP wanted ..... laughable
It wasn't the fact there was staged payments that were the issue it was the fact the initial payment was embarrassingly low
and it was stacked with add ons and so late in the window because he thought WBA would fold, but not about egos.
MP not surprisingly overjoyed with the squad that the rest of the world can see has glaring ommisions.
Noticeable no mention of any targets for the season ' next level of competiveness' wtf is that - CL? Given 5th place last season surely that must be what he means if so then say it - but of course he wont.
All in all typical Levy bullshit shaped by Cullen

Please share the facts about what we offered?

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

Nothing more than Levy's usual PR offerings to keep the gullible happy. None of what is said changes the two major holes in our squad and I get tired that whenever we end a transfer window with an incomplete squad Levy slaps up this sort of statement on the OS in an attempt to placate. It's old and obvious now.

 

[Air Jordan 3]

Very strong statement and as others mention addresses our key concerns, whether we agree with them or not. From reading that to me it seems Poch has a very clear vision and Levy has backed him.

We have what we have, so let's get behind the team/manager and push for a good season!

COYS!!

 

[Geyzer Soze]

Well written Donna

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

As for the obvious response to West Brom I think it's clear how upset this has made Daniel Levy. It may be difficult for West Brom to make a signing from us (maybe they didn't consider that?) in the future. The fact is it was West Brom who made our bids public so any blame they put on us for unsettling him is plain ridiculous. We did everything we could to bring Berahino to the club and as far as I'm concerned we bid well above his true valuation. Yet Peace said we tried to get him on the cheap. I'm not defending what Berahino put on social media but I'm not surprised by his outburst, I wouldn't want to work for a Chairman like him either.

Levy can be as upset as he wants. Fact is that we went into the last day without a backup plan. When Chelsea couldn't get Stones they moved on to a backup on the last day, while that also failed the point is they the at least didn't just assume Stones would get done and kept pursuing it until the last minute.

The eggs in one basket approach is the problem here.

 

[Hazelton]

Agree with all of that. Glad Levy took a couple of shots back at Peace, too. That twat needs putting back in his place.

 

[mil1lion]

I, for myself, don't entirely agree with their view, but what do I know. They have made some good points and to be fair it is good we are not looking for more Stamboulis e.g. .

I like the look of the squad, but see two major concerns, where even short-time solutions could be useful:

- Central Midfield: Given Mousa is planned as an AM we have Mason, Bentaleb, Dier and Winks left, maybe Carroll and Alli. This area of the pitch screams for experience and our most experienced player there is....eh...who? Nabil? I'd be happy to have someone there who the young ones can rely on and learn from. There is a huge pressure the club put on these kids in four competitions with more or less ambition. No one really knows how to protect a defense and give stability in tough times and tough moments in a game (Stoke eg). A Scott Parker, James Milner or an experienced head from oversea (Witsel eg) was and is absolutely necessary, and we weren't able to solve this unfortunately.

- Center Forward: It is really a big question what happens when Kane does not start or is even injured a longer time. We tried Chadli there in pre season and it didn't really work out. We need someone with good hold up play to keep the ball upfront and bring the wingers into play. We see what happened when Kane limped off versus Stoke. In my opinion someone like Rickie Lambert would have been a solid solution. Just to be there in any case....or if we want to try two upfront or need a big guy up there for the last 10 minutes.

Huge gamble, but their statement put some things in perspective but I stay firm: We failed in key areas.

Both points you make are fair but also they could have both been said last season too yet we finished 5th. Everyone wants the squad to be perfect but it's near impossible to get unless you're mega rich. I think every window we finish thinking there's at least one position needs filling. The quality will shine through still come the end of the season.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Please share the facts about what we offered?

I reckon the third bid was £5m up front and details of the fourth bid seem to be emerging now….

From the BBC West Midlands reporter

"We’ve had it confirmed Saido Berahino has been given extra time off, so will meet face to face with club bosses for the first time on Monday, though the main issue at the moment for the Midlands club is inaccurate reports over the fee offered by Tottenham.

"Our sources are adamant the final offer from Spurs was just £6m up front with the rest in add ons and performance based bonuses.

"Not enough to enable Tony Pulis to move for Charlie Austin at QPR, who would have been Albion’s main target."

Which ties in with SSN's reporter on the spot who said he understood the 4th bid was only ever so slightly higher than the third.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

Very strong statement and as others mention addresses our key concerns, whether we agree with them or not. From reading that to me it seems Poch has a very clear vision and Levy has backed him.

We have what we have, so let's get behind the team/manager and push for a good season!

COYS!!

Don't be so ready to accept whatever you're told. Every manager says all the right things during and after every window, especially the January ones. But when the manager leaves we get a different story. I therefore take these sorts of statement with a pinch of salt. It's the state of the squad and what happens on the field that will tell the real story. In that respect, we shall have to wait and see what happens this year.

 

[ILS]

People can agree and grade the statement as a winner but if we don't win in the next three games, they will all be shouting at both Levy and Poch. So before lapping this annual drivel up let's just wait and see.

 

[markiespurs]

Levy can be as upset as he wants. Fact is that we went into the last day without a backup plan. When Chelsea couldn't get Stones they moved on to a backup on the last day, while that also failed the point is they the at least didn't just assume Stones would get done and kept pursuing it until the last minute.

The eggs in one basket approach is the problem here.

Which part of what Poch said don't you understand?

"“I have been very clear that we would only add players that we felt would improve us and if any one player was not possible then I prefer we do not add for the sake of it."

This is also consistent with what Poch said last week regarding strikers

"It's like when you are in love with some lady," Pochettino said. "There are a lot of women around the world, but you want only one.

 

[Spurger King]

So, there will be absolutely no excuse for any underachievement on the pitch this season.

Good

That's the crux of it for me. Kind of feels like Levy's sold Pochettino down the river with that statement - pretty much saying that it's Pochettino's preference to only buy the number one targets, even if it leaves us painfully short in key areas.

Over to you then Mauricio. Good luck keeping your job

 

[Francis Gibbs]

Which part of what Poch said don't you understand?

"“I have been very clear that we would only add players that we felt would improve us and if any one player was not possible then I prefer we do not add for the sake of it."

This is also consistent with what Poch said last week regarding strikers

"It's like when you are in love with some lady," Pochettino said. "There are a lot of women around the world, but you want only one.

so there is only one striker in the whole of world football, within the the £20-£25m price bracket that MP wanted? ..... given our newly acquired extensive player recruitment set up I find that difficult to believe.

 

[Spurger King]

so there is only one striker in the whole of world football, within the the £20-£25m price bracket that MP wanted? ..... given our newly acquired extensive player recruitment set up I find that difficult to believe.

I'm sure he had pretty broad parameters of what he wanted:

"He must be able to play wide or up front. He must have Premier League experience. He must also play for West Brom and be called Berahino."

Mitchell's black box must have been working overtime.

 

[Larryjanta]

Excellent statement and backs up what I said in the Berahino thread - last season we added Stambouli and Fazio when we wanted Schniederlin and that CB whose name I've forgotten. Why waste money on players we would flog in a year? I also agree on the Kane situation, sure, it would be nice to have another striker but we have lots of players who can add goals. It also heartens me to see Poch talk about adding players in attack with pace, Son, N'Jie and Alli will add "extra dimensions" and something we sorely lacked last season.

 

[PieNChips]

Just curious - but why activate a £40million overdraft if you are only going to use £5-6million of it...

 

[raggy]

so there is only one striker in the whole of world football, within the the £20-£25m price bracket that MP wanted? ..... given our newly acquired extensive player recruitment set up I find that difficult to believe.

Is that so hard to believe? Most clubs in Europe are really struggling to buy strikers right now, there's a shortage. So much so that United ended up paying an initial £36m for a player that has only ever scored 10 league goals.

Personally I think it was a failing not signing Berahino this window, he was needed but lets not pretend there are a lot of alternatives at the moment.