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Post by Art Vandelay on Sept 1, 2022 23:31:56 GMT
So relieved it's finally closed, I thought we were going to keep signing players indefinitely.
Thoughts on the window then? Not sure what to make of it myself. Started out quite promising, like there was a clear plan, but seemed to get more and more like the old style trolley dash type recruitment of recent years and I feel considerably less confident of staying up than I did a couple of weeks ago.
While the players signed are a much higher standard than we're used to, and with two or three possible exceptions look good signings individually, the sheer number is ludicrous. It's like we've learned nothing from the last decade. Years of underachievement while always carrying 5-15 players more than we need, then the one season we have a small squad get promoted, only to immediately bloat it up again.
Obviously the squad is now much too big. I'd say we've got two central defenders, at least one full back, at least one midfielder and a forward more than we need. And that's not counting Colback and Cafu, who I would expect to be off next summer anyway. To basically build a whole new squad from scratch and still end up with it being much too big is bizarre. Although not entirely unexpected......
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Post by bryan on Sept 2, 2022 7:05:01 GMT
Think the injuries have ruffled the club a bit so they have gone overboard with the buys. Also by targeting cheaper overseas players the club know the risk that some don’t adapt to Premier league football and given the pace of the Premier League, are aware there will be more injuries.
Should we stay in the league then I expect we will pass a few onto Olympiakos or otherwise and establish a smaller squad next season.
Must say on the face of it, I think the purchases have been very good. Only Kouyate and Lingard I havnt seen much from so far. However I actually think the players we have managed to get rid of this window should be celebrated more than the players we have signed. Some pretty poor players in the mix.
Just as Man City showed they are in another league to us, in my opinion this squad is in another league compared to the squad that got us promoted.
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Post by corncobguy on Sept 2, 2022 7:40:05 GMT
We should be used to the churn by now!
Just on outgoings - 10 players left permanently and 10+ are out on loan, and I don't think we'll miss any of them (with the exceptions of Samba and Grabban)
It shows how poor the recruitment has been, even players we signed last season have been moved on as they've not thought to be good enough to be squad players
In comings, a lot of quality has come in but agree that we've reverted to type and panicked recently. Injuries happen but that doesn't mean we need to sign new players. The key is having versatile players who can play a number of positions (isn't it?)
Also think the club has been surprised by how off the pace Worrall and Cook look too
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Post by ricknffc on Sept 2, 2022 10:58:29 GMT
Turns out batshuayi deal broke down on Chelsea end as they didn't send the paperwork in time
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Post by lutonred on Sept 2, 2022 11:08:42 GMT
So relieved it's finally closed, I thought we were going to keep signing players indefinitely. Thoughts on the window then? Not sure what to make of it myself. Started out quite promising, like there was a clear plan, but seemed to get more and more like the old style trolley dash type recruitment of recent years and I feel considerably less confident of staying up than I did a couple of weeks ago. While the players signed are a much higher standard than we're used to, and with two or three possible exceptions look good signings individually, the sheer number is ludicrous. It's like we've learned nothing from the last decade. Years of underachievement while always carrying 5-15 players more than we need, then the one season we have a small squad get promoted, only to immediately bloat it up again. Obviously the squad is now much too big. I'd say we've got two central defenders, at least one full back, at least one midfielder and a forward more than we need. And that's not counting Colback and Cafu, who I would expect to be off next summer anyway. To basically build a whole new squad from scratch and still end up with it being much too big is bizarre. Although not entirely unexpected...... I don't think I could sum my feelings up any better... We need to find some cohesion in the team and quick - not sure you can judge much on the City game but our players looked like strangers and it is in times of hardship that the lack of cohesion will show. Cooper is a magician for what he did last season and if he keeps us in the league this year he might as well be given freedom of the city!
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Post by Dane B on Sept 2, 2022 13:07:52 GMT
So relieved it's finally closed, I thought we were going to keep signing players indefinitely. Thoughts on the window then? Not sure what to make of it myself. Started out quite promising, like there was a clear plan, but seemed to get more and more like the old style trolley dash type recruitment of recent years and I feel considerably less confident of staying up than I did a couple of weeks ago. While the players signed are a much higher standard than we're used to, and with two or three possible exceptions look good signings individually, the sheer number is ludicrous. It's like we've learned nothing from the last decade. Years of underachievement while always carrying 5-15 players more than we need, then the one season we have a small squad get promoted, only to immediately bloat it up again. Obviously the squad is now much too big. I'd say we've got two central defenders, at least one full back, at least one midfielder and a forward more than we need. And that's not counting Colback and Cafu, who I would expect to be off next summer anyway. To basically build a whole new squad from scratch and still end up with it being much too big is bizarre. Although not entirely unexpected...... I'm not too convinced of the overall quality of the players signed, Art. I'd have rather signed fewer players of better quality, but there is a reason why we have signed 20 players. We need a squad of 25 players. There's about 5 from last season who'll make the final squad, hence 20 players signed.
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Post by mctavish on Sept 2, 2022 15:08:47 GMT
Too many is better than too few and as long as we've some good accountants keeping an eye on contracts, cash flow and solvency then I think we're in good shape.
You have to remember that as a team in the PL for the first time in 23 years with a threadbare squad and no stars it was always going to be tough to attract the players we needed. The early signings showed this and it was only after we got Lingard that the bigger players started to take us seriously.
It was all about building momentum and credibility through the window. Notice the players we signed later are of greater reputation (and calibre?) than the likes of Biancone and Toffolo. From that perspective Lingard neednt even play much to be a worthy signing... it's his prestige that matters.
I understand why some are nervous after the last two decades of transfer policy but I dont think this is comparable. We have some seriously smart and driven people organising transfer policy behind the scenes this time... Marinakis is no fool and 150 bar isn't small change for anyone. Think we've done well and it'll work out ok.
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Post by Art Vandelay on Sept 2, 2022 22:54:40 GMT
..... but there is a reason why we have signed 20 players. We need a squad of 25 players. There's about 5 from last season who'll make the final squad, hence 20 players signed. Do we though? The 25 man squad is a limit, it's not compulsory. I make that 30 first team players now, not counting the likes of Mighten and Bowler (loaned out) and Arter (boxed up in the back of the shed). Can we even register everyone? I doubt many (any other?) clubs will name 25 senior players. For example I make Man City's 21 and that's including three keepers and Cole Palmer.
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Post by corncobguy on Sept 7, 2022 19:15:15 GMT
Serge Aurier announced...
Agree with the sentiment that the squad is too big. I felt like one of the reasons we did so well last year was because we had a small group of players in the first team and that created a good team spirit.
We have at least three players who won't be in the first team squad (I'd guess Cafu,Arter and Taylor) on 80k a week between them
The likes of Mbe Soh, Biancone, Surridge will hardly get any minutes either
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Post by Art Vandelay on Sept 8, 2022 7:08:30 GMT
Not another one! Even the closing of the transfer window won't stop us  Must be very hard to build a good team spirit with so many players not playing every week. And with the World Cup break it's only really eight weeks until the window opens again....
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Post by usred on Sept 14, 2022 16:31:06 GMT
#NFFC’s 25-man squad for the Premier League has been confirmed. Brennan Johnson, Neco Williams and Loic Mbe Soh are in the U21 bracket so don’t need to be registered within the 25. No room for Cafu or Lyle Taylor. 
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Post by mctavish on Sept 14, 2022 19:05:43 GMT
All looks very carefully planned, except no room for the Brazilian lad joining in January.
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Post by Art Vandelay on Sept 15, 2022 1:00:25 GMT
Feel a bit sorry for Cafu - One minute you're scoring a penalty to take your side to a Wembley promotion, 6 games later you don't even have a squad number. Harsh.
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ben
Full Member
 
Posts: 211
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Post by ben on Sept 15, 2022 8:17:50 GMT
All looks very carefully planned, except no room for the Brazilian lad joining in January. He'll be U21 squad won't he?
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Post by mctavish on Sept 15, 2022 14:09:30 GMT
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ben
Full Member
 
Posts: 211
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Post by ben on Sept 16, 2022 7:56:11 GMT
Depends how good he can dance
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Post by ricknffc on Sept 16, 2022 17:51:50 GMT
You can re register players in the next transfer window
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