I don't think that it was pure luck. I think that Levy had a plan to get us to the top that has over all been executed well. But like most super successful and rich people he likes to think that his way is the correct way and thus struggle to adapt to the changing landscape around him. Levy did not for see the advent of the petrol clubs and the absolutely stupid amounts of money that they would be willing to funnel into their clubs. Levy's plan for success was built on bridging the gap to United, Liverpool and Woolwich. But it didn't factor in Chelsea being bought up by a exiled oligarch and City being bought up by a gulf state.
This happens in every business field. Someone comes along and innovates his way to the top and everything looks fine. But then comes some younger pup with some completely new ideas and he revolutionizes the field from under you. You'll still be rich and successful, just not as rich and successful as you planned to be.
I don't agree with this one bit.
There are very obvious flaws in how we have been operating. Regardless of existence of oil-clubs.
Just look how Leicester has operated in the same environment. Won FA cup + EPL with lot less resources than we had.
Issue has been that -
- we have become one-dimensional in our transfer strategy of late. We only want to buy young and promising players, mostly out of foreign leagues. Totally disregarding that in some situations paying reasonable amount for experienced, top-of-the-game pro, is very wise move. Look at Milner in Liverpool, look at Evans at Leicester, look at Pirlo in Juve.
- our scouting has not been up to task. Our analysis of players has been way off and you can see this just by looking at our top 3 most expensive players - Ndombele, Lo Celso and Sanchez. None of them has played even for 1/3rd of what was expected.
- and from other side the squad management has really become stale - we have badly failed to move on the players that don't cut it. We seem to want way too much and wait way too long before we can conclude deals - the way we managed Eriksen, Rose, Aurier and Vertonghen contract situations are criminal. Plus how we kept likes of Sissoko around for so long, it just baffles me. As I've explained, there is opportunity cost involved. We do waste salary money for him, but also by being quicker in understanding, we could get in someone else who would perform better! How long did we tried with Soldado before still admitting he is a failure and still moving him on for loss? How long were we trying whatever with N'ije and N'Koudou before still selling him for loss? Now we are doing the same thing with Doherty for example.
- and lastly, I think this involves all of those previous points - every single deal has been more finance focused rather than football focused. Club has not been run properly from playing squad perspective.
If those things would have been done differently, we could have done so much better, even without being competitive in terms of pure financials by oil-clubs.
