02 Aug 2022 23:48:02
With Sterling, Koulibaly, Slonina and Chukwuemeka signed we have spent around 115 million this window. Boehly is really building for the future with Chukwuemeka, Hutchinson and Slonina. This is great news.

If we sign Cucurella and Fofana and that's a BIG IF that would take our spending to around 220m this summer. Big intent from Todd got to give him credit to a bit of the mess he's come into in tough times.

He knows we have a lot of players earning a lot more than they should for there performances I. e Werner, Kepa, Barkley and he is trying to ship them out. It will take some time but I think this will happen. In the end I think we'll get fees for the likes of Werner, Kepa, Ziyech or obligations but may have to bite the bullet on the likes of Batshuayi and Barkley.

Hopefully we can get Fofana and Cucurella over the line this week and then Azpilicueta, Alonso and Sarr will be allowed to leave.

Future is looking bright!

1.) 03 Aug 2022
03 Aug 2022 03:01:33
I love the post Jay, really positive and upbeat. I have to say that i’m a bit peculiar and actually want Werner to stay. I feel really bad for him as he works so hard, and in reality he hasn’t really had a regular run of games, even on the rare occasions that he has been performing and finishing.
I feel similarly about ziyech in terms of game continuity, however I also don’t think that he’s shown enough willing to earn it.
As for Kepa I actually think that he deserves another go ahead of Mendy. He was really down in the dumps before we signed Mendy, however seems to have recovered now and personally i think he’s unlucky not to be starting ahead of Mendy.

2.) 03 Aug 2022
03 Aug 2022 07:17:12
I enjoyed the above two posts.

If workrate was enough we would keep Michy.

Werner could well end up being a good player for another club and coach and the same applies to Ziyech but we have to assume TT is staying for a while.

The new owners are upgrading our squad and
that is welcome and overdue in my opinion.

3.) 03 Aug 2022
03 Aug 2022 07:32:24
Great post Jay08, so nice to read a positive stance on what TT and Todd are trying to shape. The future does indeed look good.

4.) 03 Aug 2022
03 Aug 2022 08:27:07
Cech, I agree with your post especially about Werner and Kepa but I feel they must go for their own good as TT doesn’t trust them. Kepa is a better keeper than Mendy. I am pleased about the talented young players have brought in. However in terms of the first team squad none of the links have yet turned into actual signings, I am sure we will sign another CB, whoever that may be. I still strongly believe we need a striker and it needs to be sorted in this window not in January as a panic buy: still a way to go in the window but time is ticking away.

5.) 03 Aug 2022
03 Aug 2022 09:23:31
Tom, i agree that workrate in itself isn’t enough and there does need to be quality. However i honestly still believe that Werner has that quality. We just haven’t seen it yet. However, that being said, I realise that I am in the minority with that opinion - and that the risk outweighs the potential rewards at this stage so he probably does have to go. It’s a shame in my eyes, but so be it.

Jimbo I also agree that it is better for the players to move on, as clearly no matter what they do, they won’t be in TT’s long term plans. I like TT but his stubbornness irritates me at times. I just pray that they won’t both be players that we come to regret moving on.

6.) 03 Aug 2022
03 Aug 2022 11:52:09
cech, I tried for so long to defend Werner and maybe a different coach will work on his faults and improve him as a player but like Lukaku his first touch is like a brick wall and he has zero instinct in the box.

His pace should be an asset but he times his runs so badly and with out any bend it’s child like.

I have never been sure what Ziyech is. The supposed wand of a left foot has hardly been seen and his workrate for a wide player is average.

I have never been convinced by parts of Mendy’s game. He is a good shot stopper but he let's the ball run away from his body. His foot work is at best average and that is so important now in a modern keeper.

I have said for a long time I would have given Kepa another chance but he now looks to be moving out on loan. I hope we don’t regret this decision.