Eh? Did Levy/AVB not realise that injuries happen in football? Was AVB really happy to go into a season of four competitions with just four CBs (one of whom has barely ever played a top-flight game for us)?! Cos (and the maths is not tricky here) if one player gets injured you're down to three. And having one injury to one of your CBs is, well, highly likely, isn't it? And then you just need one more injury (again, hardly unrealistic) and Caulker HAS to play every game. Oh - and we have to hope that there are no more injuries. Which obviously brings me to the striker department. Is he really happy with just Defoe, Ade and Kane?! Surely, surely not. One injury and we're stuffed. And very little scope for rotation. Is he actually thinking of Dembele as a possible striker? I just don't get any of this. AVB has actually gone on record as saying that 4 (one with practically no experience for the club) CBs is sufficient and that three strikers (again with one barely a senior player) is OK. I hope to God that this post looks irrelevant in 24 hours' time...
Well said Lenny - to me AVB and/or ENIC are coming across as clueless/reckless so far in this window. It's absolutely bizarre that we haven't got another striker in by now, and as for the keeper situation ...... ATM I reckon we'll do well to get 9th, and winning trophies, no way.
not expecting trophy's this year,it's a year of transition,nextyear though i will expect us in with a shout for some,for me to become a AVB fan.
Avb said yesterday that they've known about kabouls knee injury for weeks and that it might need an operation. Yet we still planned to sell Dawson. I don't think this has changed either after seeing an interview with him yesterday. don't be surprised if he still goes. There has to be some major dealings today. We're still very short. Goalkeeper, modric replacement and striker will all happen. They simply have to. Ok, we could get away with not signing a keeper (just about) but we haven't got a playmaker and we are weak up front. Levy and AVB must know this.
As you say I think we can get away with not signing a keeper. Yes Friedel's 41 but he never misses a game and still good enough for now. His never missing a game also means that the reserves of Gomes and Cudicini will rarely be called on. As reserve keepers who we will rarely need those two aren't bad back up (though that's a bit of a reach there with Gomes - sadly I wouldn't feel confident in him returning to a team and feeling he needs to make a point). I don't think the Modric replacement needs to happen either. I don't think the plan is to have a straight swap. There'll be a different system and we have enough midfielders for the slots available, I think. Might be wrong though. Striker though...I would be terrified at the prospect of going into a new season with only JD, Ade and Kane. I will have to assume that AVB has some plan about playing Bale or Dembele as strikers (!). Or that he has some idea of a front 3 that can operate without Ade. But...but...that's still only two senior strikers! Surely there's no formation or tactics that can make that a good idea!
or at least I hope so. We all know that Danny boy likes to leave it late in the window and I guess that AVB coming out and saying "Holy Crap, only 4 CBs and 3 strikers!" is hardly going to help our bargaining position. I just really hope it's not what he actually thinks, or some bizarre form of man management.
For CB we do have Hall as well and that would have been enough to cover possible injuries - paying for extra cover as insurance might not be the right thing to do. But once someone is actually out the maths do change so I'd rather we keep Dawson too - but perhaps AVB thinks Hall is good enough?
Caulker, in fairness, showed at Swansea he was capable of playing week in, week out in the Premier League, and I think their final league position is testament to that.
I don't think we can get away with not signing a keeper, if top 4/trophies is the aim. If 7/8th is our target and another barren year for silverware is acceptable, then by all means stick with Dad's Army and the 'eccentric one'.
I agree on this one GH10, up to a point anyway - we have finished well above 7/8th with the current ones, but they are a weak spot
Friedel is definitely in decline, probably Cudicini too. Overall other teams have strengthened, ATM we're weaker, and possibly with an inferior manager. I've given up on 4th already, I'll be making my season prediction after Norwich game but 5th is the highest I'll be going.
I think that Villas-Boas asked Dawson what he wanted to do, after outlining how he was going to fit into the squad. He was then allowed to discuss a move with other clubs, if that was what he wanted. Probably a little too generous to the player, with the intent of bringing in another Nelsen-esque signing if he went, in my opinion.
