Yup - clearly a talented player but about as unsuited to AVB's style of play as anyone we could've signed. Someone like Negredo would've been a far better fit.Soldado didn’t look suited to the Premier League. Lacked real pace and physically slight. Never understood that buy.
It's been performing poorly, but is it actually that bad? Toby was one of the best CBs in the league for years, Sanchez has the raw attributes to be a very good CB and was a key part of our defence in 17-18 which was excellent, while Davies is solid if unspectacular. The jury is still out on Dier at CB, and everyone knows Aurier's weaknesses, but under the right manager and with an actual defensive midfielder protecting them, this set of players is certainly no worse than most.
I thought Paulinho looked class before we bought him, and class in his early games. Soldado I thought was more physical than he actually turned out to be. Both completely lost their confidence and never ever recoveredThis is a really good comment. The same could be said for most of the signings we've made. Most have made perfect sense at the time. People like Paulinho and Soldado looked like excellent buys, but were just transfers that didn't work out. The answer to why these managers and players didn't work out is never as simple as "we just should never have bought them in in the first place".
The only problem I have with that is the 'type' of coach.It is a bit of a funny problem isn't. Who is supposed to hire managers if only people capable of being the best managers can hire them? Going for "big names" (as in solid records) or "young and promising" doesn't seem like a bad strategy to me.
Go through them one by one I don't really have much of an issue with any of them:
Hoddle: Return of the hero with a solid resume. How would you not hire him?
Santini: In hindsight ridiculous, but solid resume from both club and country. And it was a time where many argued we should look outside of the UK. I was over the moon by the fact that we could attract someone like him by the time.
Jol: A bit random, but I am actually still a bit impressed that Levy was pragmatic enough to allow Jol after Santini.
Ramos: Like Santini he had the track record. How is that a problem? Again my remembering of it is that generally people couldn't believe that we could attract someone like Ramos.
Redknapp: Desperation move. Worked out better than most thought.
AVB: Still can't believe how good I thought that Porto team was. Fair looking to find another Mourinho or Wenger. How is that a problem?
Sherwood: I am just glad Levy didn't extent him.
Pochettino: Not much English, but he was OK?
Mourinho: I didn't mind the punt and still don't.
I think that is a fair mix of big names (Santini, Ramos and Mourinho). Up and coming (AVB and Pochettino). And some pragmatism with Jol and Redknapp.
The sad part is how it didn't last longer with Pochettino and partly Jol. Not sure who to "blame" for that. How many last that much longer?
As for who do you hire if you are not hiring big names and the "next big thing"? Was Klopp a big name coming to Liverpool? Should we stay away from Nagelsmann?
I also think one will see almost regardless of which team it is that a list of managers from 2001 will be a very mixed bag. Even City, RM, Barcelona, BM etc. will have a very very mixed bag. Doesn't mean you can't criticize Levy for that list, but I think it is half decent and would challenge anyone to find more then 1-2 clubs at our standing since 2001 with a better one overall.
we’ve got a lot of quality in advanced positions but the defence we’ve got out at the moment is very poor. Probably one of the worst back fours in the league imo.
The only problem I have with that is the 'type' of coach.
Hoddle - experienced at the time, not a winner but a coach with a reputation for getting teams to play well (not with us though) -
Santini - A vastly experienced coach who was much more defensive minded. - a winner
Jol - A coach who wanted his team to attack and be open. - a project coach
Ramos - A coach who wanted his team to be highly tactical/technical and disciplined. - a winner
Redknapp - A coach who wanted his teams to play on the front foot and have a go. Typical 4-4-2 football. - a short term coach
AVB - A technical/tactical coach who wanted to control games. - A project coach
Poch - A highly rated upcoming coach - A project coach
Mourinho - Pragmatic coach who has won it all - winner/short term.
As you can see we bounce around from coach to coach, no specific identity of how we want it to be. And I'd argue that two of those reactive gambles were the more successful (Jol, Redknapp) other than Poch of course.
....And that's why we don't have success or continuation. Decisions are too reactive and not made with a consistent theme.
Sadly right now we are about 30 odd games away from greatness and 1/10th of a game away from being an utter shambles.This is why we support Spurs. We are always one game away from greatness and yet at the same time, one game away from being an utter shambles.
It's all part of the fun!
I like the approach of clubs like Southampton (who to be fair lost their way for a bit) who have an idea of how they want to play, a clear recruitment strategy and can then appoint a manager that fits within that "ethos".The only problem I have with that is the 'type' of coach.
Hoddle - experienced at the time, not a winner but a coach with a reputation for getting teams to play well (not with us though) -
Santini - A vastly experienced coach who was much more defensive minded. - a winner
Jol - A coach who wanted his team to attack and be open. - a project coach
Ramos - A coach who wanted his team to be highly tactical/technical and disciplined. - a winner
Redknapp - A coach who wanted his teams to play on the front foot and have a go. Typical 4-4-2 football. - a short term coach
AVB - A technical/tactical coach who wanted to control games. - A project coach
Poch - A highly rated upcoming coach - A project coach
Mourinho - Pragmatic coach who has won it all - winner/short term.
As you can see we bounce around from coach to coach, no specific identity of how we want it to be. And I'd argue that two of those reactive gambles were the more successful (Jol, Redknapp) other than Poch of course.
....And that's why we don't have success or continuation. Decisions are too reactive and not made with a consistent theme.
I guess it has been since the final hasn't it because we showed such character to get to the final. The football on the pitch wasn't amazing by that point but there was guts and still flashes of quality. Pity that it covered the cracks as Poch was clearly getting frustrated by that point.I think Jose should be doing better with the squad that we have but I do agree with him on our mentality, it's weak and it has been since that final. I'd say that given that he hasn't had the ability to shape the squad yet and once he has had the summer then I'd be more inclined to be critical of the comments seeing as he had the chance to build add what he wants to the squad. Having said that It's also worth remembering he got the job by saying that he had everything he needed with the personnel that we have.
That's the first time I've ever seen anyone complain about ENIC spending money.we're paying him a lot of money for 9th place.
I guess it has been since the final hasn't it because we showed such character to get to the final. The football on the pitch wasn't amazing by that point but there was guts and still flashes of quality. Pity that it covered the cracks as Poch was clearly getting frustrated by that point.
you must not have been around when we bought Sissoko on deadline day.That's the first time I've ever seen anyone complain about ENIC spending money.
Much better placed than when he came in though.we're paying him a lot of money for 9th place.
Much better placed than when he came in though.