Just reading all the comments I would like to add my 10p worth. Yes we have signed 6 new players and quite a few have departed, but I would say we should give these new ones a chance to shine before writing them off and comparing them to those that have left. At least Thudd & Daws are still here and that will give us solid back up for cups and cover for injuries that will surely come. The new era starts today V Norwich and I for one can't wait to see the reaction from the players.
We look stronger than last season, and I'm more than happy to replace Brad a knackered King VDV Luka Saha (who didn't play much) with Lloris JV (both big steps up) Dembele Siggy Dempsey Overall it gives us a stronger more balanced team and squad Oh and Caulker is back as well as Naughton giving better cover than Nelsen and Rose
I don't know how I feel this morning. mixed thoughts. (wont go into Verts, Sig and Ade as it's been done to death. good signings, blah blah blah) Firstly, the purchase of Hugo LLoris for the price mentioned (if true) is absolutely amazing business and we've made a great acquisition there. Clint Dempsey is a fairly versatile player who will enable us to have position options, as well as goals. for 6 million quid, that's good business as he's in him prime at the moment. Dembele is looking like a top midfielder and is someone who will improve further. we've made a good buy there. However, a part of me still feels slightly empty. regardless of the fact Rafa is 29 and hasn't got the fitness, or the fact that modric doesn't score enough goals and we got good money for him etc etc; we've still sold 2 WORLD CLASS players and not quite brought in the replacements to strenghten, IMO. Dempsey and Dembele are good players, don't get me wrong, but if someone said to you at the start of the window that we'd be swapping a 29 year old in Clint Dempsey for a 29 in VDV... i think most people would have raised an eyebrow. Same goes for Modric. if the same question was asked, although you might think Dembele is a top quality player, i think you'd have been unhappy that he was the Modric replacement, despite his talent. Moutinho not signing after the 22mill was accepted has come as a huge blow for me. he was at the heart of AVB's plans, he's worked with him before and he was a major factor in Porto's system being so successful. Despite the obvious talent we've signed, i really think we're going to see how much we miss Modric with out a direct replacement coming in. lots of us are mentioning that "so and so can play in "x" position, or in "y" position" which is great for cover and versatility, but those players aren't necessarily natural players to cover Modric's role. And before anyone says it's not, yes, Modric's role will still be needed in AVB's formation. (hence trying to bring in Moutinho. similar players.) we've done really well over all, but I think for all the good we've done, we've also lost some major world class influence which will become very apparent over time. But there's always January. Best of luck to the new lads, they've certainly got the talent. Most exciting signing for me: Lloris. for so long we've always had some sort of dark cloud over our goalkeepers, or there's been a "catch" that we're not happy with (excuse the pun). for example, "they are too old", "gomes is dodgy", "cudicini's wrists and age are getting the better of him now", "friedel's past it now", "friedal doesn't comefor crosses" and "we need to think about the future". These unsatisfactory comments have gone on for years. For this reason, (as long as Lloris shows us what we've seen that he's capable of), i think the fans are really going to warm to him, knowing they've got someone safe who they can really trust between the sticks. I can already us hear fans shouting "Hugoooo, Hugooooo" from behind the goal. - This transfer definitely excites me the most, despite him being a goalkeeper. (which is usually a position that doesn't get enough credit.) and yes, i'm still sat here hoping that we're going to pull off a "VDV style signing" with moutinho at some point this morning. I just haven't seen enough about it being "off" yet. Ok, i'm in denial. we were so close.
