HAPPY

[Leeds Fox]

I was thinking similar to the OP earlier.

 

It’s not a window to get excited over whatsoever. In the circumstances, it isn’t ’too bad’. 
 

Whether it’s enough or not, who knows? It’s going to be a very tough season but we may have given ourselves a fighting chance with the squad. Cooper now needs to utilise it to its potential. 

[splinterdream]

4 hours ago, Thebluefox85 said:

I think it’s been a very lazy window. Makes me laugh on here people skating Ipswich’s window I think they have signed some quality young hungry players with something to prove! We have raided palaces bins. Players looking to pick a wage up have absolutely nothing to prove strap yourselves in it’s going to be a frisky very quick ride back to the championship 

seems a liitle harsh that, what we've seen as Ayew so far, he seems one of the most hungry players to.getting a result. Same might be said with Edouard who will know it hasnt worked out at Palace, a fresh outlook in a new team might change his fortunes, and if it doesnt weve lost a years wages on him. Only players that are comcerning are Reid and Okoli, more so Okoli for the money we've spent on him

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

6 minutes ago, foxinsox said:

Yes, hard to get enthused by penny pinching and no vision, but Starmer did win, not least by having hopeless opposition. 

We'll have to hope that Everton, Soton, Ipswich and a couple others are Sunak and Co then. I reckon they are. 

[splinterdream]

41 minutes ago, Bilo said:

Disappointed that we couldn't get a left-back or a striker who was further up our list, but I would say that we have more than replaced KDH and now have a better side than we came up with.

that LB/LCH position is key to playing Ricardo in Coopers eyes, i think he onky wants 1 advanced full back and at present thats VK, so he views Justin as a better defensive option than Ricardo. 

[Mark]

Apart from Buonanotte and El Khannous when they play I'm not sure who improves the starting 11 after this window whereas last season quite alot came in as starters.

Cooper seems to just want lots of options (and experience for experience sake), you can see why Forest went crazy bringing in so many players under him.

[Finnegan]

27 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

I think you have to break down the window into too parts.

 

BCDR, Ayew and Edouard are short term now signings.

 

Michael Golding, Caleb Okoli, and Bilal El-Khannous long term Investments 

 

Fatawu, Skipp are a bit of both.

 

I think it's a solid window considering some of the constraints we very under.

 

Think the number of loan out are a massive positive.

 

Lack of hacking deadwood a negative.

 

 

Skipp is the only one I'm genuinely annoyed at at the moment. I can't see him coming good enough to justify it if we could have spent the same money on a priority target striker and taken a midfielder on loan instead. 

 

The rest I see as largely the product of circumstance. 

 

I'm fine with BDCR and Ayew as cheap squad filler to play on rotation every now and then when someone is knackered. 

 

My problem isn't necessarily what the signings say about our squad management, it's what they say about the manager's intent because I have genuine concern he sees them as better options than Mavididi and Fatawu. 

 

But as I've said before, I've got everything crossed that he's sacked by November anyway and hopefully the damage isn't too done. 

 

[The Doctor]

21 minutes ago, foxinsox said:

Yes, hard to get enthused by penny pinching and no vision, but Starmer did win, not least by having hopeless opposition. 

so, to stay up we just have to hope that Rishi decides what he really wants to do now is have a go as Southampton manager then

[JimJams]

I'm largely indifferent slightly leaning towards optimistic.

 

You can't really say at this stage if it's good or bad as the proof is in the pudding.  We have actually made some fairly decent signings for the team.  Some prices are a bit iffy, but it's about survival.  If we survive, the fees become largely irrelevant as we'll have achieved the goal.  And if we drop, we've not gone mental with any £30mill+ players that cripple us.  One of our biggest fees in Bilal was well under his market value.  But the moaners will look past that and focus in on the Skipp and Ayew fees.

We didn't need a GK, but we didn't lose Mads to the mental Chelsea machine because they knew they couldn't pay what we wanted.

RB didn't need improvements.

CB not strengthened the starters at present. Okoli is being harshly judged already despite the fact he's not played for us in the league yet.  That might be a poor indictment of him though.  Other more exciting options seem to have gone elsewhere.  If right now you just look at Okoli as a Souttar replacement I'd say he's an improvement because he can probably move faster than a dead sloth.

LB VK coming back "is like a new signing" but how good that signing is is a bit of a curious one. He looked terrible in the first half vs Spurs (though he wasn't part of a 1 man club in that regard) but second half showed quality.  Not really sure he's capable of playing that high wingback type role that Cooper wants though to the standard needed. And Thomas is the reserve!  For what looks like a fundamental position for the way Cooper wants to play, this looks a big oversight. Unless Ricardo will be tasked with the role on the other side at times if VK isn't playing and JJ goes left.

 

In the midfield I think we've made good signings.  We've lost KDH, but hopefully his attacking output is bettered by having Buonanotte and Bilal in there who I'd say are probably more naturally attacking players than Kiernan, but we'll have lost that box to box energy he had, although the system under Cooper doesn't utilise that as much with it looking like we'll have a pair sat back with an attacking mid rather than the 6/8/8 of last season.  So we've got Buo who looked very good in our first game, who also has a bit of versatility for the front line too, on loan.  If he comes good for us, despite there being no option on him there's always that chance we can get him permanent if it suits all parties. 

Onto Skipp. I'm happy with Skipp. He's an unexciting player. He's not going to be giving you a chub-on watching any highlight reels, but he's an upgrade on Wilf for me.  He is better on the ball and more confident in possession imo.  £20mill (initially) is a lot, but Levy doesn't let players out the door on the cheap. Lots of people though they'd had our pants down for Winks last year. Hopefully we look at this transfer in the same way at the end of the season. Then El Khannouss.  We've bought an exciting high potential player at less than market value. We've effectively done with him what Chelsea did to us with KDH in terms of the fee.  As with any player from a lesser league this can go either way.  But the uncertainty is always in the positive on players in this mould until they give you reasons to think otherwise.

 

Up front.  The front 3 hasn't been improved upon (unless you have reservations about Mav really). But the depth has gotten a bit better.  For the wide positions we've got BDR and Ayew in. You're not going to be wetting your pants at the prospect of that but last seasons options were Yunus, who many thought wasn't good enough at champ level, and Marcal?  McAteer is still with us so that's irrelevant to signings.  Then we've lost Kel, gained Edouard.  At present I'm going to look at that as like for like.  Kel performed in limited spells and stank the place out in others.  With Edouard in, when Daka is back there's no room for Cannon and we've got him a loan where he can prove his worth to us or increase his value.  So a good outward move.

 

Then a lot of our young players have got decent loans. Again, positive, especially given the potential of our returning to the Championship. 

 

By far the biggest thing to have happened to us this summer, and one that almost dwarfs any signings we made is the change of manager.  We lost a manager who instilled an identity (however you want to view it) and that will have upset a few players perhaps that might have been better suited to Enzo than Cooper.  We've likely made signings to suit Cooper which are less inspiring than those we might have made under Maresca, though that might be doing the Italian a favour, as he pushed for Casadei who was dump, but also pushed for Winks who has been good.  But we did bring in exciting wide players last year, this year it's more in the midfield roles and those players are largely unknown quantities at present.

Anyway, the football we've played in preseason was dire.  Horrific.  But it was preseason.  Not neccesarily a concern, but that form has carried on into the (league) season but for a 30 minute spell in the opener. That spell was because Cooper changed things, so that's a positive.  But there is a feeling he's playing players out of their best positions and leaving out some of our better performers from last season.  But it's still early days.  I don't really think the player signings matter all that much when compared to the gaffer.  We're not at a level where individual brilliance can drag you through, something Ten Haag has had levelled at his side, that when the team gets results it's despite the manager, not because of him.  We can't really rely on individual performers/performances to get us points, it needs to be from the collective, and that generally needs the manager to be doing a good job on the tactical front, and so far it's looked pretty bleak really.

 

/waffling

 

 

[brookfox]

16 minutes ago, Mark said:

Cooper seems to just want lots of options (and experience for experience sake), you can see why Forest went crazy bringing in so many players under him.

I mean none of us will ever know, but I get the impression Cooper had as much say over Forests transfer spree as Enzo has had over Chelsea’s. If anything you’d guess his desire for Prem experience is a direct result of the learnings from that summer and who shone and who folded when the pressure mounted.

[Bilo]

We're obviously all concerned about the points deduction, but let's not forget that we may not be alone in that regard as Everton's finances remain an absolute shitshow. With them looking genuinely honking in the first two games, that could be huge.

[Paninistickers]

Unlike the club itself, fans often have one eye on the future. 

 

Hopefully we have a basis of at least a mid table championship squad in the very realistic event of us going down. 

 

Stolarcyk. Nelson, Braybrook, Cannon with a year's development under their belts. McAteer. Skipp and Winks and Wilf and Vesty all locked in for experience. Pity Alves didn't get so e time away. 

 

Obviously the absolute dead weight wages of BdcR and Ayew (who totally won't be arsed for the championship grind) and Ward and Soumare and Thomas. 

[coolhandfox]

20 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Skipp is the only one I'm genuinely annoyed at at the moment. I can't see him coming good enough to justify it if we could have spent the same money on a priority target striker and taken a midfielder on loan instead. 

 

The rest I see as largely the product of circumstance. 

 

I'm fine with BDCR and Ayew as cheap squad filler to play on rotation every now and then when someone is knackered. 

 

My problem isn't necessarily what the signings say about our squad management, it's what they say about the manager's intent because I have genuine concern he sees them as better options than Mavididi and Fatawu. 

 

But as I've said before, I've got everything crossed that he's sacked by November anyway and hopefully the damage isn't too done. 

 

I think Skipp will be a good player for us and improves us, but was probably 5-8m over priced. Being two injuries away from a Hamza- Soumare double pivot was scary.....

 

I think we would have spent big on forward if we could have secure our preferred target which seemed to be Ioannidis.

 

The BCDR and Ayew signings are interesting, I think Fatawu will stay in the  and Mavididi will force he's way in. Got a feeling we will see Ayew play CF as well.

 

I think we overplayed both wingers last season and they looked knackered at time.

 

I never thought Cooper was a good fit, but I willing to give him time for now.

 

 

[coolhandfox]

9 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

Unlike the club itself, fans often have one eye on the future. 

 

Hopefully we have a basis of at least a mid table championship squad in the very realistic event of us going down. 

 

Stolarcyk. Nelson, Braybrook, Cannon with a year's development under their belts. McAteer. Skipp and Winks and Wilf and Vesty all locked in for experience. Pity Alves didn't get so e time away. 

 

Obviously the absolute dead weight wages of BdcR and Ayew (who totally won't be arsed for the championship grind) and Ward and Soumare and Thomas. 

How do you know? 

[Paninistickers]

1 minute ago, coolhandfox said:

How do you know? 

Ok dude, just for you, let's pretend that Ayew will be up for it.  Still just about a mid table team

[iancognito]

It's a decent window now we have a couple of extra players in, still not happy about sending Cannon out on loan, not happy we still have deadwood like Ward and Soumare. Not overly delighted we let Albrighton walk away and then bought in a player of a similar age but with less ability (BDR)

 

But people need to be realistic. You can't be sitting there facing points deductions and a relegation trap door and go on a mad trolley dash for players. You can't have our last couple of accounting years and just carry on spunking cash up the wall.

 

We have some experience, some youth and competition for everyone's place. Let's hope it's enough.

[FosseSpark]

Skipp more useful as a holder than Ndidi 2.0

El Khannous and Buonanotte arguably could be better attacking midfielders in theprem than Dewsbury Hall was (no performance history in the prem). They are certainly better than we had before the window.

Edouard better than Cannon and injured Daka

BDR / Ayew are better back ups for wide roles than we had last season with McAteer and Marcal

 

so a good if not spectacular window, particularly considering the issues we have financially and with penalties coming. 

[coolhandfox]

6 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

Ok dude, just for you, let's pretend that Ayew will be up for it.  Still just about a mid table team

Best just to admit none of us know whether he will be up for it or not.

[Paninistickers]

5 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Best just to admit none of us know whether he will be up for it or not.

Ok,.just for you again,  let's admit we don't know how he'll react. It's STILL a mid table championship team, which was the whole fcking point of the post. 

 

Anymore fiddling you wanna do while Rome burns? 

[Vazman]

To be honest I was expecting worse, its not all bad, let's hope Cooper can make it work, early indicators suggest a bumpy to rough ride.

 

I see Danny Ward is still hanging around, no one come in for him, he is never going to leave.

[coolhandfox]

4 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

Ok,.just for you again,  let's admit we don't know how he'll react. It's STILL a mid table championship team, which was the whole fcking point of the post. 

 

Anymore fiddling you wanna do while Rome burns? 

No need to get upset.....

[fox_favourite]

We haven't improved the squad dramatically, but we have now got a better balance across the pitch. We won't have to play people out of position too often and a couple can play in more than one. 

 

It's okay, but not outstanding. Now we need to put that all behind us and really push the team in every game, because they will need us... especially at home! 

 

 

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, Mark said:

can see why Forest went crazy bringing in so many players under him.

 

In fairness, Ipswich have done similar. It's a product of coming up with a squad nowhere bar ready. 

 

Plus, Forest have kept up being bonkers in the market without him. 

 

You can blame a lot on Cooper but I don't think Forest signing ten thousand players is on him tbf. 

 

[mozartfox]

11 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

I think all considered we have done OK.

 

 

 

The great shame is no deadwood removed.  

[Bettsj2]

Pretty happy with all of the signings apart from Okoli.  Nothing against the player, but was hoping for us to sign a centre back that could come straight into the first team.

 

The goals against Fulham were just awful to concede and speaks to having no real leadership across the backline.

 

Edouard is an interesting one that could prove to be a masterstroke.  Not overly set the world on fire at Palace, but bags of talent, a good age and in the last year of his contract, could be extra motivated to overperform in the hopes of getting a better move.

 

If he scores 10 it should be looked on as a successful signing.

[whoareyaaa]

Not bad in the end not a fan of BDR though and hopefully he is dropped today.