Changing the manager wont lead to a change in personel on the pitch. Gracia is a good manager and has done a small miriacle esp. Season just gone. The only way we are going to move forward is to fix the holes the squad. A good striker a decent LB and maybe one more midfield if Decoure' leave. We budget well, and i understand we cant sign Messi. But at least half decent players or hell how about PLAYING our other striker? Would be a start.
I think Javi has done very well with the squad that he has. If he had Man City's squad, he probably would have picked up a few more points.
Although as Fulham learned, splashing out doesnt always work. Had they kept most of their champo squad they may of faired better.
It will be interesting to see what a manger with a chance to build a team over a few seasons can do.i think Javi has done a good job, but the challenge this year has to be taking more points from the top 6 I fully expect another cup final and a top 10 finish next year
Javi has performed above expectation. The worry is owners (and to a lesser extent fans) expect the same over performance next season. It’s not unreasonable to suggest that 18th next season would be expected position if we sell Doucoure and only strengthen with bargain bucket Sema/Masina/Navarro/Quina types.
We got to the cup final. Little old Watford got to the cup final. 2nd out of 7000 teams/least we got there etc etc
Agree. Burnley, Brighton, Naarch, Sheffield, Villa/Derby will have a battle on their hands! If we keep our team together no way will we be involved.
Fair point. It's quite incredible that we haven't been in the relegation zone since promotion though. I can understand some thinking it's only a matter of time until this changes. I'm just trying to look objectively at the situation. This is the best squad we've had, arguably ever. We've got a good manager, who is committed to the club. Owners who know what they are doing and will look to strengthen in the necessary areas. The last point is obvious as Britos is on his way out, Prodl permanently crocked and JG clearly see's Wilmot as a midfielder.
Wants to play Champions League and I guess he means a team that will progress to the latter stages. So which one of those teams will buy him? He’s excellent for us but he is not at that level in my opinion
Spurs don't need him. None of the other three would pay the required £35-45mil for him. Dortmund's current transfer record is £27mil. Porto's transfer record is £18mil. Ajax's record is £15mil. I reckon Doucoure will stay, especially now PSG have signed a similar player in Herrera.
Any team from 7th downwards can get involved in a relegation scrap if they aren't careful. Having the right mentality is perhaps more crucial than the players. We should be ok in terms of quality of squad (even if we do sell a big name or two) however the problem will be if we get complacent and lose the effort/desire
My post was written more in response to the view that he’s not “at the level” of a later stage CL team rather than as a prediction of who might buy him. I think he may well be at that level, but I agree with you and Knight GT that the key lies in the asking price, which probably rules several such clubs out. But we’re also assuming that he genuinely would only consider a CL team. What if Everton came calling?
See above. I was responding to your view that he’s not at that level. I think he is good enough to play for those teams. Doesn’t mean they need him, I agree.
He's at least the level of Delaney at Dortmund and Sch*ne at Ajax, to be fair. They both do slightly different jobs though as more pure defensive midfielders. In his preferred box to box role he'd find it more difficult.
Fair enough, see my response to Knight GT above - I also don't think he'd look out of place at that level; the issue is indeed more about the required fee (and how many of the clubs really need him). As for Everton, I still think we'd be reluctant to sell to them and he wouldn't be that bothered about joining them.
Doucoure could do a job at manure and Liverpool imo playing with better players around him would only improve him to. I hope he stays we missed him when he was out this season. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It's one thing to sell them a lad who hadn't performed in months in a position where we ultimately were OK (for £50m as well), another thing entirely to sell them someone who's pretty much been our best player for the past two years, for any cost. Highly doubt that he would kick up that much of a fuss just to go to Everton, even if it does pique his interest, I don't think he'd sulk his way to a move there