The problem with the Bale money was we panicked and bought a shit ton of players just to buy them. Only Soldado, Eriksen, and Chiriches truly fit the needs we had. Though you could argue that a unit like Benteke would have been a better fit as a loan striker than Soldado. Especially since Soldado has looked much better paired with a striker. Chadli and Paulinho don't seem to have well defined best positions. Capoue was just meant to be back up for Sandro? I don't even know what to say about Lamela besides that it doesn't seem like AVB wanted him. We bottled the LB spot and still didn't add a CM who could pass.
To me it looks like the board made our signings with PR in mind as opposed to actual football. They were bricking it about the fans reactions to the Bale sale and thus just bought a shit ton of players to cushion the blow. To be fair it did work as we were all thrilled after the summer window but it never made sense in football terms.
It seems like Levy and AVB were on different pages but if AVB was demanding we spend 50m on Hulk that was never going to happen nor should it have. Also AVB didn't want Eriksen? Ultimately it all goes back to missing out on Moutinho two summers ago. That was truly one of our worst possible transfer misses.
This summer just seems like Levy, AVB, and Baldini had no idea what was going on. AVB was sulking about us not going after his unrealistic dreams signings, Baldini was just trying to sign everyone, and god knows what Levy was up to.
Our next manager needs to try to find himself on the same page as Levy and whoever else is involved with our transfers. We're not going to be able to spunk more than 30m on a transfer or pay massive wages so those are parameters that need to be worked around. Also, Levy should set those parameters and then step bad and allow the manager to pick players that fit and not be a disruptive force. There needs to be a give and take.
I seem to be in the minority but I like all of our new signings, with the exception of Paulinho (but even think he will come good as history shows that the South American players appear to take the longest to settle into the perm). No team in the history of football have won anything having bought so many players into a squad in one go, so why everyone believed we would I find strange. It is widely accepted that you are lucky if a new (foreign player) signing settles into a club by six months and the expectation is it takes 12 month, these are Sir Les's words when interviewed before he and Sherwood got the gig, so seeing that our last signing was 7 months ago I honestly don't get where the expectation has come from that for some special reason the settling in period doesn't apply to Tottenham. Not only this but every single one of them has been injured only slows down this process.
I addition to this would I take back Huddlestone, no. Would I take back BAE, no (although I say this as expected a new player here.) Would I take back Livermore, no. Would I take back Defoe, no. I could go on but I still believe these players once settled will push this club on, but we need an experienced manager.
For me my biggest disappointment has been in our existing players:
Sandro, struggling for fitness but bellow par,
Lennon our worst player this season which is odd as most of us thought he had a very good season last year mainly because he appeard to has learnt how to track back and defend.
Dawson technically appalling.
Vertonghen, one of my favourite players, over the moon when we signed him, very poor form and attitude…it's been said.
Rose, whilst new to the fist team he was Sunderlands best player last year and used to the Prem. He has shown to be at Championship level at best.
Walker, I have to say IMO he is our 2nd best player.
Naughton, never liked the guy, but thought he had taken his chances well when given the opportunity at right back, but how long did that last?……3 or 4 games then back to utter shit.
Dembele, love the player, probably our most technically gifted player in our team. I can't work out if he has been crap or asked to play in a way that doesn't suit his game, either way I recall the partnership both he and Sandro formed last year which was envied throughout Europe, where has that player gone?
Kaboul, when he has played he has been shocking.
Sandro, when he has played he has been poor.
Townsend, new into the first team but he has been poor
Adebayor, I guess he has been good but he hasn't scored since early Feb.
Sigurdsson, I think he is a Prem player just not top 4 quality.
Lloris, our best player! That says it all, our goal keeper is your best player.
So for me, our existing players have been shite. Our new players are still on target to click, some of them starting to show signs namely Eriksen and Chadli (best of the bunch who performed from the off has been Chiriches).
:holtbytongue::kaboullol::eriksenlol:
