We've had plenty of bad windows, and i've aired many a disappointment from those bad windows. I, like many including yourself, just give the club the common courtesy and respect to finish their window first. I bemoaned last summer's window when it slammed shut on the lack of defensive investment. The fact it's happening at the half way point of the window that's truly unfair to the club. We're way stronger than last seaons, CAM and ST still to come imo.
No argument there either. but will just reiterate the feeling of disappointment of missing on players as reported rightly or wrongly. The OP was not overly contentious in its questions about us being there before and settling for second or third choices out of desperation.
Of course not, because of who and what we are. We have a reported pot of 50mil and the Euro clubs pay that for one player because of their wealth and standing. Had it not been for the wages I would have preferred RVP anyway.
Someone has to chuck bombs and I love doing so. I have a little tick list of who will be first to lose the plot. I'm rarely wrong. That said, you seem to think my arguments are nulled with the Lens signing. It isn't. Up to now, which granted is still early doors, we have spent £15m, £8m on one player. Lens who I know only a little about other than brief international outings. I hope he settles quickly and can be a huge positive but the EPL is an unforgiving graveyard for foreign players. Mathews? Never played at the top flight so can't comment until he plays. Coates has very patchy form (hapless initially but far better under Advocaat). Which one have we actualy got long term? Kaboul. I feel he is a little bit of a desperation signing aftdr the Lombaerts fiasco. Am I right hes not kicked a ball since November 2014? If so I'd be hugely concerned. Hes big alright but is he fit enough to play a major part in our season? I can't answer that until kick off and why was no one else in for him in all that time? I still havent felt an earthquake btw and I am still to see the 'quality' spoken about personally. We have no creativity in the middle and no pace. We have lots of strikers who can't score goals and in our two opening pre-season games against 3rd rate opposition we've lost 2, scored 1 and conceded 4. Now, I am not at all suggesting all is at sea with 2 pre-season defeats but I don't see much change from the last 4 campaigns in the pace, creativity or goal threat yet. The squad as it stands today with our new 4 signings is fractionally better but in no way significantly improved. If we started with that squad we'd still be bottom 6 all season. When, or if we can secure 3 or 4 significant season changing players in the next few weeks then I will have reason to be cheerful. As it stands I don't feel the warm glow many on here do. That may irk some posters but it won't stop me airing my opinions on it at all. I'll look forward to discussing our future acquisitions with you all as they develop.
The only signing who worries me is Kaboul because of playing time but there's no doubt in my mind that every signing improves us massively. I don't believe price dictates quality. We look way better than last season and Dick still wants another two. Happy days.
I didn't say price necessarily dictates quality though, I merely said how much we had spent. How many games have you seen Mathews play to be confident he is better than Jones? If he isn't better then he is just back up. Lens looks then real deal mate but hand on heart, outside you tube, how many games have you actually watched him play? Kaboul is a total gamble IMO and may backfire just as easily as go well. As for Coates I want to see if the latter player is the real one or the clueless one I first saw is. Jury still out for me. I don't see this 'massive improvement' you talk about at all. Marginal but nowhere near massive.
Experts? Who are they then. Jones is an injury prone player. Done well in parts and poorly in others and I'm not disputing that. My question is you are saying we have massively improved yet you haven't seen Mathews play; have your own doubts about Kaboul and have to admit I guess your knowledge on Lens is as patchy as mine. I am just giving my opinion Funky and yours may well differ but don't put me down for having different ones. I'm not feeling the glow at all as things stand but hopefully after this meeting with Short, the manager can heat me up a bit more with his next 3 or 4 acquisitions.
Bombs? THB you don't say anything that other people haven't already said to some degree and I don't think anyone 'loses the plot'. I just find your unrelenting misery and negativity really boring. It that's your idea of fun then fair enough. You seem sure that you know better than everyone including everyone at the club.
****ing hell mate it would take hours of trawling through my twitter feed. Can't be bothered mate. I read plenty of experts saying he was a cracking signing.
Lens and Kaboul didn't play in the pre season games though, neither have a number of last seasons regulars, these are all about fitness, Dick has already stated that, he is not worried therefore neither am I.
If people want a realistic stance I am happy to provide one... None of us can actually be sure as to whether we've improved the squad until the season is underway and then further into the future. The players look decent on paper and perhaps better than what we already have but better players have transferred and failed at a new club while worse players have transferred and been a huge success. None of us have a ****ing clue how it will turn out for any of the signings... That's realism. Then you have the likes of Funky and Smug. They're optimists. They could be wrong but why the **** would anyone give them **** for being hopeful for the team we support. Then you have Cest. Call yourself a realist all you like but you're being pessimistic and really ****ing negative for very little reason whatsoever. We've signed some players who could turn out to be crackers or could turn out to be ****e. Let's just wait and see what happens before we lament the club and its dealings.
Is Lens a LW/FWD? If so then he'll replace that embarrassment Connor Wickham and that's on its own a massive improvement. A Henry the Hoover would be an improvement on that sack of ****. Advocaat obviously knows his onions, you shoukd trust him with the squad Cest, the next season may not be amazing but his job is to leave your next manager with a squad that can go places, he won't tip Sunderland on their heads in one year but rest assured he will fix your ****.
Dick has never used him on the left. Dick used him as a striker primarily or on the right of a front three.
Very good post and some good points. On this particular one I have to say I'm every bit a realist as well as an optimist. I know full well that Advocaat could turn out to be a lying bellend, that Congerton might sit playing Kerplunk with Short and every signing we'll ever make could be shyte. I know there are better clubs who spend more money and it's possible we might be in a relegation battle this season. It's just that we have to put up with enough during the season and would just like a tiny little window whereby we can all hope for the best and don't have 'realists' banging on endlessly about how useless SAFC is. Can they never give it a rest? They know nothing more than I do but make these pronouncements as if they're giving everyone the shock truth. The 'realists' all said we were down last season and the season before. They were wrong and my reality was right, their reality isn't as superior as they like to believe.
A couple of years ago you had a DoF who signed copious amounts of ****e, a manager who went nuts and a team who got 1 point from their first 8 games. You still didn't get relegated. You are an immovable object from this league irrespective of horrible decisions managers and buyers have made, I really don't know what you would worry about given the current players you are signing and your current manager.
