Jedi wrote:You're throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Fewer injuries (almost certain) + 2 major signings + tweak tactics and this team can win a major trophy.
I'm not so sure. I think this window will be the most important in a while as it will decide whether we remain realistic challengers or fall back to the also rans of the the years where Spurs finished ahead or even before then when our season was over by February.
The injuries should be fewer but that isn't guaranteed. Moreover, what if we only get two long term; one of which is Raya and the other being Saka again? Perfectly realistic, plus when Havertz and Jesus return, they are doing so from serious injuries, especially for Jesus whose knees must now be a retirement waiting to happen. There is also the case of Saliba and Gabriel having to be almost ever-present, which again puts them at risk and we have already seen what happened when we lost Saliba.
With a combination of many overplayed players (which if England get their way will see Nwaneri follow in Saka's footsteps) and some coming back from severe career threatening injuries, we cannot be blase about player fitness next season.
Tweak of tactics I wouldn't know about, but it's clear that passing the ball sideways all the time, being slow as anything and square pegs etc hasn't worked this year.
Two major signings I also have issue with. Everyone and his dog knew Nketiah wasn't good enough as Palace are now finding out, but a significant number of people here and elsewhere thought we needed a striker way before we let him go. I don't believe we need one, think we need two. If we only buy one, he will be overplayed and then we know what happens. It's not like we can rely on Jesus or Havertz to rotate with this mythical number nine that everyone wants as, one now has knackered knees and the other is coming back from serious injury.
We will also need (yet) another goalie as Neto will go back and we don't have a Raya back up unless Arteta has seen enough in Setford to reassure him.
Then there is the Saka issue. Serious injury having been overplayed or some other reason I'm not aware of. Nwaneri might be good enough to cover but on the other flank, Trossard and Martinelli haven't exactly shone, which is why I really want Nico Williams (not the Forest one).
You then have Partey and possible issues to which I will not go further plus a probable departure in Jorginho, hence the alleged interest (which I really hope is true) in Zubimendi.
For me that is four top class, not squad, players we desperately need to keep punching at the top.
That doesn't even cover the other part of the window which is flushing out the crap. Tierney will go to Celtic (not crap just unlucky with injuries), not sure Kiwior can do a decent job when needed, Vieira is nowhere near good enough but will he command a fee, Zinchenko has also had his day and I don't know if Lokonga is even under contract to us.
For me it is a pivotal window; as soon as the summer of 2024 had finished, I (can't speak for everyone) thought we had already blown the title but January basically confirmed it for everyone. As soon as summer 2025 finishes, we will know whether we have a chance at major trophies or if Merino might need some goalie gloves.
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2025 5:06 pm