How do you think we've done in the transfer market overall and what makes you feel that way?

 

 

I have it as good.

Kante was an excellent signing and one that we desperately needed in the middle of the park. Not since Maka have we had such a player, he will be huge for us.

Michy has the potential to be a special striker IMO, he has already scored some important goals and will surely improve with time in this league.
 

I feel we have done OK in the defensive aspect of the window but if I'm being honest I expected us to do much better given it was an area that has hampered us for 12 months now. Luiz is the best we could have hoped for at the late stage we were at and I'd take him over the names we were getting linked with.

I'm unsure on Alonso, he is either total rubbish or fairly solid according to the fans of Fiorentina with the latter being more rare judging by their forums. I trust Conte though and hope he can adapt to our style and philosophy.

 

So in short it was a good window (maybe a very good one compared to the shambles last season) but as ever I believe it could have been better.

It's unfair to call it a poor window, we did spend over 100m, and Kante is a fantastic signing that we really needed.

Batshuayi is someone who's got great potential, hopefully he'll develop into a fine striker, the signs are there.

Defense is where our season will be decided and unfortunately we haven't done enough to upgrade it, which to me represents a failure on part our board, given that we haven't addressed that issue for two summer windows now. We clearly haven't learned from our past mistakes and once again spent too much time chasing players that were unattainable. While I can sympathize with the club considering all the issues they're facing (FFP, plans for the new stadium, overinflated transfer market, lack of the CL football and coming off our worst league season in many years) I feel our recent problems in getting players only confirm that we're no longer the transfer market powerhouse we once were.

Not overly excited about the comeback of Luiz, would be happy if he proves me wrong. The biggest question mark for me is Alonso, it's funny but I feel he can make a big difference in the way our season progresses. If Marcos turns out to be the right fit that we've been looking for for so long and brings the much needed balance to our backline, it would make things so muc better for us overall. If he is another Rahman/Del Horno/Zhirkov then we're back to square one.

Edited September 1, 20168 yr by abramovich

Good overall...

GOOD

Kante - against mid/lower table opposition he's the "rat" we lacked in midfield last season
Bats - upgrade to Remy, less injury prone and seems well suited for Conte's 4-4-2/4-2-4
Alonso - left footed, can play LB / LCB / LWB / LM, and can take a set piece.... I'm sure he'll still have moments of naivety but at 25 his best years may be ahead of him
Luiz - adds depth in defence and quality - if/when JT retires without Luiz we'd be at risk of losing personality/presence on the pitch, could be our future captain?

BAD

No obvious 3rd choice CF - I still think we lack a genuine target man, i.e. Mandzukic, Dzeko, Drogba, Mick Harford, etc
Lack of a physical box to box CM to play 4-3-3 against top opposition (conversely however I'm salivating at the prospect of seeing 4-3-2-1 in the big games, with Luiz/Matic/Kante or Mikel playing at the base of midfield) 

Edited September 1, 20168 yr by the special one

I hope it's the end of buying players for big money then not playing, going out on loan, running contracts down and leaving for pennies. Can't do our ffp any good and surely can't please Roman.

3 hours ago, the special one said:

Good overall...

GOOD

Kante - against mid/lower table opposition he's the "rat" we lacked in midfield last season
Bats - upgrade to Remy, less injury prone and seems well suited for Conte's 4-4-2/4-2-4
Alonso - left footed, can play LB / LCB / LWB / LM, and can take a set piece.... I'm sure he'll still have moments of naivety but at 25 his best years may be ahead of him
Luiz - adds depth in defence and quality - if/when JT retires without Luiz we'd be at risk of losing personality/presence on the pitch, could be our future captain?

BAD

No obvious 3rd choice CF - I still think we lack a genuine target man, i.e. Mandzukic, Dzeko, Drogba, Mick Harford, etc
Lack of a physical box to box CM to play 4-3-3 against top opposition (conversely however I'm salivating at the prospect of seeing 4-3-2-1 in the big games, with Luiz/Matic/Kante or Mikel playing at the base of midfield) 

Mick Harford made me laugh! Could of included Trevor Aylott!!

3 minutes ago, Richard P said:

Mick Harford made me laugh! Could of included Trevor Aylott!!

Or. Tommy Langley

3 minutes ago, Sapper245 said:

Or. Tommy Langley

Tommy worked hard and scored goals, wouldn't put him in the same bracket as Aylott.

I pretty much agree with what you've both said, I was just interested to see what the overall feel was. It seems the majority agree & just a few aren't happy.

1 excellent signing (Kante)

1 very good signing (Batshuayi)

1 squad depth signing (Eduardo)

1 urgent need satisfactorily addressed (Alonso)

1 questionable/poor signing (Luiz)

1 urgent need left unaddressed (CF)

Several questionably loaned out (Ake? Baba? Traore? Remy? Kenedy?)

 

Overall, an okay-good window which could (and should really) have been a little better.

Edited September 2, 20168 yr by Kante Conte