What we had this summer. Jan Kab Daws and Caulker who was 'back up' and presumably not rated by AVB as he's been sold, and apparently (and this is from ITKs) told he wouldn't be a 'first choice' and so that helped make his mind up to go. I'm also backing up Lenny's and Roo's similar remarks, where they feel that the club/AVB reckon they can get away without having 4 quality CBs (including Kab) Kab is the main problem here. If we had 3 quality CBs and none of them were 'long-term' injured we might manage with 3 plus back up. Kab effectively means we have to have 4 quality CBs (including him) plus 'back up.
I'm not saying AVB is settling for no defenders, how dim would that be. I'm saying his and/or the club's short sightedness has landed us in this mess. Incidentally we didn't 'get away with it last season' we precisely ****ed it up and those who were 'panicking' were proved 'spot-on' right. Did we win anything - NO! Under ENIC we have won one Lge Cup in 13 years - our worst trophy haul in over 60 years. Did we get CL - NO! - Has this made us more vulnerable to losing our best player - YES So how did it all turn out right - it didn't - how anyone could have lived through that last day and the subsequent Arsenal gloating, and think things 'turned out right' - it's beyond me Last season, we were unprepared at the start and got 2 points out of of 9. I'm amazed if some people have forgotten this. IIRC Arsenal got 9 points from the same fixtures - ie the difference between CL football for them and not us.
Can't argue with any of that ,spot on,Caulker might not have been first choice,but selling him before getting a C/B in was madness, as we had no Verts and Kaboul still not fit
I mentioned earlier AVB's comments last summer where he said that three estaished CBs and a youngster was optimum. I now realise that was wrong. I was thinking about what he said about strikers where he said he wanted two established players and a third youngster. Which also seems risky. But maybe he was just trying to put a positive spin on things at the time. Anyway - he certainly seems to have been happy with just four CBs last year which I thought was a bit risky, especially considering one was young, one was injured (?) and one, as it turned out, was our back-up left back.
Caulker wants to be starting on a regular basis and I believe he has a kid in Wales. If everyone was fit, then he wasn't going to be in the first XI. It's unfortunate, but that doesn't mean that we're looking to bring in back-up. The opposite appears to be the case, going by who we've been linked with. Other than Chiriches, Sakho and Alderweireld, all of whom would expect plenty of game time, we've been linked with a few left-backs who can also play centre-half. Umtiti and Bruno Indi Martins have both been mentioned. Villas-Boas may well be unhappy with his options in this position, but we'd never know either way. He'd hardly say it to the media if he thought we were weak there. It's down to Levy and Baldini to sort it out.
Avb said last year he wants four top centre backs which was why he couldn't keep Gallas, so much depends on how they view kabouls injury and the verts one couldn't be predicted. No one knows how much say AVB has, as levy could quite easily have wanted Caulker sold as Avb has fryers, And as Caulker wanted to go they cashed in, not a decision I agree with but I doubt Avb can take much blame or being accused of trying to wing it.
Good on yer Roo. Wish I could be as optimistic. It's true we've spent big so far. But overall, we're currently worse off than at the end of last season, despite that. (IMHO) We'll see how the next four weeks play out till the window closes. ATM, I'm thinking we're making the same mistakes (in different areas) as we have done so often in the ENIC era (remember the Berbs saga, us losing at Boro, etc) I hope you're right, and this time it will be different. It's no coincidence the only time we've made CL is when we got off to a flyer, winning our first 4 games IIRC. We need a start like that, as we have winnable games. To get CL you have to think in terms of 6 points from Palace away and Swansea at home. I'll bet now that at least 2 of the CL teams manage that this season, and quite likely 3 of them will.
You're right Lenny, he did say that about the strikers. With regards to defenders, did he not say a few months ago he was happy to go with 3 CD's for this season ?
please log in to view this image I'm back. After a few days away trying and failing to escape the Bale talk, I have returned. Got some transfer gossip coming later...
Thanks for clarification LP. The main point for me is that with Gallas gone, we had effectively 3 CBs, as Kab was injured. That's probably not enough to get top 4 and win a trophy. When Jan got injured, not acting quickly to get another CB in was poor. Then selling Caulker on top of that, WTF!!!!!
This was what Avb said So it's clear he wanted four top centre backups and young players coming through but clearly injuries and the selling of Caulker has caused him a problem.
At least you've got something. it's been dry on here this week. I am struggling to find anything worth mentioning.
If people want some 'ITK' gossip, on SC they're talking about perhaps that we're going 'Double Dutch' (or maybe that's already been mentioned) I must stress I don't post on SC, but I do read there and quite a few other forums. So if people want ITK gossip I'm happy to post some of it. I've no idea in the main as to what's true, what isn't, but it's often fun to speculate.
Isn't double Dutch some sort of kinky sex move/position? I have to admit I don't really see how that will help our situation
I tend to agree with Mr. greaves, our defence seems to be a perennial problem. Of course, the current CB "crisis" is not helping, but I can't help thinking that it goes deeper than that. We do, and have done for many, many years now, concede far too many goals.
OK gossip time: This is all stuff I've seen around the houses so it's all to be taken with salt. Vlad played for Steaua tonight - apparently we're still very interested but they wanted him for their CL tie - they've now won the tie so we might well see some movement in the right direction on this. Bernard - I've seen other posts on this but apparently Miniero are desperate to sell him to raise funds. We want him - he doesn't want to go to Shaktar who are prepared to pay the full price. He's said he wants to go to Porto but AFAIK they haven't bid for him. This is getting more interesting and confusing by the second. Alderweireld - another defence option we're looking at - he suits AVB in that he can play RB and CB, so reducing the squad numbers. Could well see him brought in and he has a partnership with JV in the Belgian lineup - plus the ties with Dembele and Chadli too. Huddlestone - twitter reporting that Cardiff want him and are prepared to pay £3m Defoe - Everton being linked as are Besiktas, who appear to have gone quiet on the Adebayor front. Livermore - apparently now not going and is being converted to a CB rather than a defensive mid. Erm...ok. And last but not least - I'll tease the name with this: [video=youtube;Q3LE15AyT5g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3LE15AyT5g[/video] Yes it's Mr Damiao - his move to Napoli has apparently broken down - who knows, maybe we'll make a move late on again. There you go - that's plenty for you all to have a natter about.
