The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 27th December 2023

[EastUpperDK82]

January is all about that quality/reliable extra CB for me (Todibo/Dragusin).. anything else is a bonus if Ange wants more (Like Jota)... happy new year and a massive thanks to all ITK and the SC guys

 

[THFCSPURS19]

It’d be funny if someone posts one of those ‘sign some players Leevy!’ posts at midnight in here, as usually happens, and then we get the Dragusin here we go.

 

[Thenewcat]

Whilst understandable & sensible, the Jan market is notoriously difficult so bargains are likely to be hard to come by, we really need at least 3 bodies to give us a realistic chance of pushing for top 4 this season

Trying to be realistic I'm hoping for Dragusin + say Tosin (on assumption Dier goes) & Jota on loan with option

If we had money to burn then Gallagher would be great but I'm not convinced he represents a wise way to spend our limited funds altho if we shift PEH & Lo Celso it would be great to get a youngster in but otherwise once our crisis is over we're pretty stacked in midfield

No one buys 3 important first team players in January. I did the analysis last year and literally no top 6 side outside of Chelsea’s insanity last year has even bought 3 in the last 5 years - the most successful Jan window was us getting Kulu and Bents.

also we are 5th now despite a horrible injury crisis. We don’t need 3 bodies to compete for top 4, we’ll get it if we’re vaguely healthy. If we get a CB and one more I’ll be delighted

 

[arunspurs]

Quality CB is the priority - as long as we get it done , I dont mind it to be the only Jan signing. CB now and anything else we could do in Jan wll be a bonus.

I would be delighted if we tie up a deal like Udogie or Sarr -where do the deal now for a player to join in next summer.

 

[thehipster]

No one buys 3 important first team players in January. I did the analysis last year and literally no top 6 side outside of Chelsea’s insanity last year has even bought 3 in the last 5 years - the most successful Jan window was us getting Kulu and Bents.

also we are 5th now despite a horrible injury crisis. We don’t need 3 bodies to compete for top 4, we’ll get it if we’re vaguely healthy. If we get a CB and one more I’ll be delighted

I'm curious to see what our strategy is this transfer window.
And history is history. The game has moved on. Stats from the last 5 years don't account for how the landscape is changing.
Matches now last another 5-10 minutes and that plays havoc on players' physiology, who already bust a gut to give everything in the 90 minutes.

Furthermore, Ange's system of play results in the players covering much more ground and being more dynamic in movement throughout a game. It all adds up.
So I'm not being disparaging about your considerations, but more the fact that The Premier League (and Champions League) in general are pushing a lot of these players to their limits and so squad size/capability is going to become an issue if teams want to continue playing in the style they do.

For us, I would prefer to get in 3 important players this window so that they are fully incorporated into our system by the time next season starts and we have twice as many games....playing at the pace we play at.
I would settle for two though.

 

[Thenewcat]

I'm curious to see what our strategy is this transfer window.
And history is history. The game has moved on. Stats from the last 5 years don't account for how the landscape is changing.
Matches now last another 5-10 minutes and that plays havoc on players' physiology, who already bust a gut to give everything in the 90 minutes.

Furthermore, Ange's system of play results in the players covering much more ground and being more dynamic in movement throughout a game. It all adds up.
So I'm not being disparaging about your considerations, but more the fact that The Premier League (and Champions League) in general are pushing a lot of these players to their limits and so squad size/capability is going to become an issue if teams want to continue playing in the style they do.

For us, I would prefer to get in 3 important players this window so that they are fully incorporated into our system by the time next season starts and we have twice as many games....playing at the pace we play at.
I would settle for two though.

Sorry but you’re missing the point - it’s hard to get deals done in January. It’s not a reasonable expectation to ask for 3 important players in, no one does it because it’s too hard for selling clubs to also do their deals etc

 

[Flashp]

Herc on Dragusin (in the player thread):

Definitely very good conversations taking place.

 

[thehipster]

Sorry but you’re missing the point - it’s hard to get deals done in January. It’s not a reasonable expectation to ask for 3 important players in, no one does it because it’s too hard for selling clubs to also do their deals etc

Edit: For those disagreeing, feel free to post examples of top teams (let’s say the traditional big 6) buying 3 important players in January outside of Chelsea’s insanity last winter. I’ll wait

It was hard to run a 4 minute mile, until one person did it.
And then everybody did it.
My point being is that if one club became the outlier and got a lot of business done in a January window, it would most probably break the mould and everyone would start to do a bit more business.
I understand there are always sticky bits around contracts…but that’s the case in summer too.

Using tradition and past history as a reason why things can’t be done in the present is really nonsensical, in my book. Otherwise the world would never evolve and everyone would stand still.
Don’t use history as a reason why you can’t change, otherwise you’ll always get left behind.
Transfer windows might need fresh thinking and thinking outside the box, but Ange is bringing some of that to the club and hopefully it might inspire others within the system.

And I’m sure quite a few players want to come and play for him too.

 

[Hercules]

Genoa conversations extremely positive. May surprise you to know this fella is Ange’s first pick. Jota, we are really trying to do some things. 18 year olds which you know about, we are waiting especially on one, the Ajax lad’s decision

 

[Col_M]

I am surprised. Ange appears to be a good judge of character and player

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Sorry but you’re missing the point - it’s hard to get deals done in January. It’s not a reasonable expectation to ask for 3 important players in, no one does it because it’s too hard for selling clubs to also do their deals etc

Edit: For those disagreeing, feel free to post examples of top teams (let’s say the traditional big 6) buying 3 important players in January outside of Chelsea’s insanity last winter. I’ll wait

Feel free? Feel fucking free?

Go on chaps, spam the thread, he's given you permission.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Herc on Ko Itakura links

Been watching him for a long while

 

[Austin Powers]

Tbh if we sell Hojbjerg then replacing him with Gallagher makes sense

if we end up with jota, Gallagher and dragusin we’ve done well
We’d be stronger in all departments and then my only worry would be an injury to Pedro Porro, or vicario

I don't disagree if money is no object but if we haven't got much money to spend ,which the itk I was replying to had said, then a new CB is more important. We wouldn't get anywhere near £50m for Holberg to fund CG

 

[Thenewcat]

It was hard to run a 4 minute mile, until one person did it.
And then everybody did it.
My point being is that if one club became the outlier and got a lot of business done in a January window, it would most probably break the mould and everyone would start to do a bit more business.
I understand there are always sticky bits around contracts…but that’s the case in summer too.

Using tradition and past history as a reason why things can’t be done in the present is really nonsensical, in my book. Otherwise the world would never evolve and everyone would stand still.
Don’t use history as a reason why you can’t change, otherwise you’ll always get left behind.
Transfer windows might need fresh thinking and thinking outside the box, but Ange is bringing some of that to the club and hopefully it might inspire others within the system.

And I’m sure quite a few players want to come and play for him too.

I didn’t say it couldn’t be done. I said it wasn’t a reasonable expectation. I’d love us to try to bring in 3 important players, but it’s highly unlikely we will do so

 

[Thenewcat]

Feel free? Feel fucking free?

Go on chaps, spam the thread, he's given you permission.

Apologies, forgot which thread I was in when I added the edit. Have removed it again

 

[Cochise]

Itakura was linked over the summer although I don't believe it was anything more than a couple of journalists name dropping him alongside Tosin and Tapsoba.

 

[McFlash]

I expect this to be done the way things are going, as a loan, but you never know.

@Hercules in the front page Jota thread.

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

Herc on Ko Itakura links

Is there a player thread? Or am I being dumb in not being able to find it (highly probable)?

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Genoa conversations extremely positive. May surprise you to know this fella is Ange’s first pick. Jota, we are really trying to do some things. 18 year olds which you know about, we are waiting especially on one, the Ajax lad’s decision

Must say I’d be pretty happy if we went for ether of Bardghji or Vermeeren as well as Mozambo. I definitely think signings like Sarr and Udogie, even if we loan them straight out, is a very wise long term squad building strategy. Also as long as we register them even if we loan them they will eventually count as HG assuming they come in now. Not that we would go for all three but in general it’s good to hear we are continuing with this thinking.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Is there a player thread? Or am I being dumb in not being able to find it (highly probable)?

No thread yet.