Levy / ENIC

[dudu]

All still above us sadly

Makes sense, but they would all be finishing much lower than they had I'm sure.

I personally don't think these kinds of 'stats' mean anything at all and are not looked at by anyone seriously trying to analyse anything about how a team performs.

 

[justin]

Now do:

City without Haaland
Man U without Rashford
Woolwich without Saka
Liverpool without Salah
Newcastle without Wilson

They have ambition so they will just buy a replacement

 

[scott]

Makes sense, but they would all be finishing much lower than they had I'm sure.

I personally don't think these kinds of 'stats' mean anything at all and are not looked at by anyone seriously trying to analyse anything about how a team performs.

It’s more that you would expect top 4 for most of them without the players you mention. We struggled for 8th with Kane scoring 31. I get your point but think it’s very different. I think we are more over reliant on kane than the others are for there players you mentioned. I also think he is our only really good player so You say much lower. How much lower do u think city finish without halaand?

 

[scott]

They have ambition so they will just buy a replacement

Exactly. Chances of us buying anyone close to as good as Kane is very unlikely.

 

[dudu]

It’s more that you would expect top 4 for most of them without the players you mention. We struggled for 8th with Kane scoring 31. I get your point but think it’s very different. I think we are more over reliant on kane than the others are for there players you mentioned. I also think he is our only really good player so You say much lower. How much lower do u think city finish without halaand?

I wouldn't expect top 4 for United without Rashford at all. They wasted a lot of money on Anthony who was pretty poor for the most part. Who else is scoring for them? Fernandez had a poor season by his standards, Martial is not the player he was ever touted to be.

Liverpool were doing terribly until Salah stepped it up and rescued their season somewhat. Nunez was an awful purchase that most in here would be embarrassed by if Levy had brought him to WHL.

Bentancur and Bissosuma's injury were very crucial to our season, and had both been fit I believe we would have finished higher than 8th.

Son, golden boot winner who had a crap season was playing though inury for most of it and every single person on this board would have called him an incredible player this time last year.

Our struggle for 8th is nuanced far beyond 'we only have one really good player'.

 

[Richard Arlison]

Levy is hanging on a thread for fan confidence with this CB search.

Van de Ven looks a serious talent and it's great we are getting in before he's too expensive. maybe learning from the Kim Min Jae deal.

BUT

If we end the summer with this as a CB lineup:

Van de Ven, Lenglet
Romero, Dier


There will be no defending him and his neglect for the CB position.

 

[Spaniel]

I wouldn't expect top 4 for United without Rashford at all. They wasted a lot of money on Anthony who was pretty poor for the most part. Who else is scoring for them? Fernandez had a poor season by his standards, Martial is not the player he was ever touted to be.

Liverpool were doing terribly until Salah stepped it up and rescued their season somewhat. Nunez was an awful purchase that most in here would be embarrassed by if Levy had brought him to WHL.

Bentancur and Bissosuma's injury were very crucial to our season, and had both been fit I believe we would have finished higher than 8th.

Son, golden boot winner who had a crap season was playing though inury for most of it and every single person on this board would have called him an incredible player this time last year.

Our struggle for 8th is nuanced far beyond 'we only have one really good player'.

Yes...we have 2 really good players....that will get us into Europe...

 

[dudu]

Yes...we have 2 really good players....that will get us into Europe...

Simply ridiculous statement. We were in the CL last season with pretty much the same players we had this. Were they really good at the end of 2022 season but now cos we didn't get into the CL they aren't?

Nuance, circumstance. Things are more complex than you're clearly willing to explore.

 

[scott]

I wouldn't expect top 4 for United without Rashford at all. They wasted a lot of money on Anthony who was pretty poor for the most part. Who else is scoring for them? Fernandez had a poor season by his standards, Martial is not the player he was ever touted to be.

Liverpool were doing terribly until Salah stepped it up and rescued their season somewhat. Nunez was an awful purchase that most in here would be embarrassed by if Levy had brought him to WHL.

Bentancur and Bissosuma's injury were very crucial to our season, and had both been fit I believe we would have finished higher than 8th.

Son, golden boot winner who had a crap season was playing though inury for most of it and every single person on this board would have called him an incredible player this time last year.

Our struggle for 8th is nuanced far beyond 'we only have one really good player'.

We shall see when he leaves. I think we will miss him more than you realise. I think Woolwich & city still get top 4 without the mentioned players. & I still think we are more reliant on kane than the others are on the players you chose. I think they are all better teams.
Yeah I still have hope for bissouma & think he will become a good player for us. Bentancur was a big blow. I think we finish 6th if he had stayed fit.
For Son it’s a make or break season. Either it was an off season or he’s on the decline & this is him now.
Honestly think the new guys does well to get us 6th . Think it’s harsh to expect more with what he has.

 

[Spaniel]

Simply ridiculous statement. We were in the CL last season with pretty much the same players we had this. Were they really good at the end of 2022 season but now cos we didn't get into the CL they aren't?

Nuance, circumstance. Things are more complex than you're clearly willing to explore.

Don't you understand irony mr dudu?

 

[MemphisWill]

Yes...we have 2 really good players....that will get us into Europe...

Not saying we don't need more, but what else did we have the year before when we did qualify for the CL?

We've made progress this summer already. Still need to make some changes to the squad, but it's already markedly better than the 22/23 squad and I'd argue its better than the 21/22 squad.

 

[scott]

Not saying we don't need more, but what else did we have the year before when we did qualify for the CL?

We've made progress this summer already. Still need to make some changes to the squad, but it's already markedly better than the 22/23 squad and I'd argue it’s better than the 21/22 squad.

Peak son? & in form Kulu. Maybe don’t have kane either this season. We need a lot. But the fact it’s top 5 & not top 4 makes a huge difference. We may not reclaim our top 4 trophy but we can win the top 5 one!

 

[dudu]

We shall see when he leaves. I think we will miss him more than you realise. I think Woolwich & city still get top 4 without the mentioned players. & I still think we are more reliant on kane than the others are on the players you chose. I think they are all better teams.
Yeah I still have hope for bissouma & think he will become a good player for us. Bentancur was a big blow. I think we finish 6th if he had stayed fit.
For Son it’s a make or break season. Either it was an off season or he’s on the decline & this is him now.
Honestly think the new guys does well to get us 6th . Think it’s harsh to expect more with what he has.

Thanks for the reasoned reply. I think we have had two recent managers playing systems that didn't fit our players. Not so much the formations but more the rigidity of the in game movements and patterns that stifled rather than played to theirs strengths.

Madison, VDV, Solomon, Vicario all great signings with still the best to see of Bissosuma, Richalrlison, Porro, Deki and one game a week
...

Whilst I'm not convinced we will get Top 4 this season, I think we will see much more competent, confident football from what is actually a very good group of footballers

 

[dudu]

Don't you understand irony mr dudu?

I did not lol and I apologise. New to the board and very used to hearing statements like that and posters being serious

 

[scott]

Thanks for the reasoned reply. I think we have had two recent managers playing systems that didn't fit our players. Not so much the formations but more the rigidity of the in game movements and patterns that stifled rather than played to theirs strengths.

Madison, VDV, Solomon, Vicario all great signings with still the best to see of Bissosuma, Richalrlison, Porro, Deki and one game a week
...

Whilst I'm not convinced we will get Top 4 this season, I think we will see much more competent, confident football from what is actually a very good group of footballers

Well it’s top 5 this season so I think that’s a big difference. As I feel city & Woolwich are better. Then just 2 places left for us, United, newcastle, Liverpool & maybe chelsea but probably too soon for that mess! It’s hard to predict every year.

I’d be careful of calling all our signings great . We do it every season & then act shocked when they aren’t. We don’t like to learn our lesson! Calling Solomon a great signing is very optimistic for example.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Kane goes & rich comes in to his own. I know nothing about the 4 signings bar Maddison. Just always told they great & then we are trying to get rid of them before you know it!

 

[MemphisWill]

Peak son? & in form Kulu. Maybe don’t have kane either this season. We need a lot. But the fact it’s top 5 & not top 4 makes a huge difference. We may not reclaim our top 4 trophy but we can win the top 5 one!

The other way to put that is, as was already pointed out, last season Son, Betancur, and Bissouma had significant injury layoffs and a manager that effectively downed tools 1/3rd into the season. Hard to think that didn't effect players' form, including Kulu (and Richarlison).

Now we get a healthy Son, Betancur, Bissouma, a manager that gives a fuck. Add to that a keeper that isn't past it, one of England's best creative midfielders, anotger player with very high goal involvement/minutes stats on a free and counting.

Like I said, there's still world to do and it looks like the club is still working on a couple of defenders and possibly more. We're not nailed on top 4, aside from City who is? But acting like we're £300M away from top 4 is dramatic.

I'm more worried about the Postie than I am our transfer business.

 

[dudu]

Well it’s top 5 this season so I think that’s a big difference. As I feel city & Woolwich our better. Then just 2 places left for us, United, newcastle, Liverpool & maybe chelsea but probably too soon for that mess! It’s hard to predict every year.

I’d be careful of calling all our signings great . We do it every season & then act shocked when they aren’t. We don’t like to learn our lesson! Calling Solomon a great signing is very optimistic for example.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Kane goes & rich comes in to his own. I know nothing about the 4 signings bar Maddison. Just always told they great & then we are trying to get rid of them before you know it!

Except Kulusevski and Bentancur obvs.

 

[scott]

The other way to put that is, as was already pointed out, last season Son, Betancur, and Bissouma had significant injury layoffs and a manager that effectively downed tools 1/3rd into the season. Hard to think that didn't effect players' form, including Kulu (and Richarlison).

Now we get a healthy Son, Betancur, Bissouma, a manager that gives a fuck. Add to that a keeper that isn't past it, one of England's best creative midfielders, anotger player with very high goal involvement/minutes stats on a free and counting.

Like I said, there's still world to do and it looks like the club is still working on a couple of defenders and possibly more. We're not nailed on top 4, aside from City who is? But acting like we're £300M away from top 4 is dramatic.

I'm more worried about the Postie than I am our transfer business.

I know nothing about the new manager so can’t really give an opinion on him. I’ve not really read up on his style of play or anything, so it will be a complete surprise to me. Hopefully a good one.

Yes, I expect us to be better than last season. We really underperformed so it can’t be as bad! Rich, biss & son should be better. Porro all season is an upgrade too. Conte was a bad choice from levy for the sort of players we got so they might feel happier with the new guy.
But with what we have I don’t think 6th is that bad so I get some will think the new manager has done a bad job. But I just see it the other way when you consider what he has to work with. Especially that defence!
I am not saying we are awful. More like a 5th-8th type team. With the occasional CL qualification trophy every few years.

Sorry, when I meant we need a lot more. I was more talking about winning stuff & challenging for things. We are miles away. We can over perform & others under perform & get 4th or 5th next season with what we have. Same way I think we over achieved when we got 4th with conte & Woolwich under performed.
Last season Woolwich over performed where as us, Liverpool & Chelsea underperformed.
That’s why it’s hard to predict top 5 next season. Who knows how the teams around us will be.
So I go more off expectations. Do you expect this manager to get top 5 with the current players? Not for me.
But equally others might think we should do & then get rid of the new guy if we don’t. Very harsh in my eyes!

Ps. Kane staying/going will be 2 positions difference at least in my view.

 

[scott]

Except Kulusevski and Bentancur obvs.

Not sure about Kulu sadly. Was poor last season. Hopefully it’s not because he has been found out. But I think it was right to buy him for 25 for what he has shown previously & with his age. So I still got faith in him.
But yeah 2 out of about every 10 Is our recruitment success rate!

 

[John Thomas]

Simply ridiculous statement. We were in the CL last season with pretty much the same players we had this. Were they really good at the end of 2022 season but now cos we didn't get into the CL they aren't?

I think the superb management skills of Antonio Conte, along with the Woolwich implosion, are the main reasons we made it into the Champions league.
We then failed to back him, didn't capitalise on our good fortune, and the rest, of course, is history.