Bossman Blessed It Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 I think the most important progression is how our style of play had developed towards the end of last season. We played a brand of football that we didn't even see during the title winning season (apart from that absolutely mental tiki-taka moment against Liverpool at home). So I guess the progress comes in the sense that we have a better squad than this time last season, but most importantly, a coach that appears to be able to get the best out of this squad; evidently something we didn't have this time last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychonaut Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 (edited) 1 minute ago, Bossman Blessed It said: I think the most important progression is how our style of play had developed towards the end of last season. We played a brand of football that we didn't even see during the title winning season (apart from that absolutely mental tiki-taka moment against Liverpool at home). So I guess the progress comes in the sense that we have a better squad than this time last season, but most importantly, a coach that appears to be able to get the best out of this squad; evidently something we didn't have this time last season. I think the OP was referring to the transfer window Edit: But good points non the less Edited 5 August 2019 by psychonaut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trav Le Bleu Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basildon Fox Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 Yes. Good signings coupled with the youngsters a year older and a manager that is a massive upgrade on this time last season. Disappointing to lose Maguire but I see us finishing higher than last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 (edited) Yes and no. I thought we were progressing, I was buzzing and going into the season with some swagger, confidence, I thought we were showing ambition and really gonna give it a good go. All of those things may still be the case and losing one player (Not even our best player last season) doesn't make/break the team but for me it's killed alot of the above, I think there are massive question marks now, I think we've got a massive whole in our team and pre Maguire I was ripping my head out at the state of our defence, it took us 2/3 years to get our defence solid and we're now going into the season with the unknown, I fear we're back to square one. We've got money we can't spend because of other clubs pricing us out (Which fair play to them, we can't have it both ways) but without a doubt we're weaker in the defensive department for it. Edited 5 August 2019 by Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ithuriel Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 After watching the preseason games bar Rotherham, I think we have improved, Tilly is now our player and he complements Maddy perfectly, then Hamza is really looking like a solid stand in for N'Didi with Mendy third choice for that defensive midfield role. Against Atalanta some of our passing, build up, attacking play was qualiteee. Perez is like a younger, more mobile Okazaki. It is a shame we lost Maguire but if we replace him with a decent centre half, then barring injuries, I think we could push on and target a cup or European place. Just to think too, this is our sixth season back in the Prem and we have a pretty fine team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arriba Los Zorros Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 (edited) 100 % Yes. vs last summer Brendan in as manager Maddison settled in and acclimatised to PL Young stars ie Chilwell, Ndidi, Harvey, Hamza, Ricardo another year of experience under their belts Puel gone vs start of this summer Tielemans in on a permanent Perez > Okazaki Justin > Simpson as RB back up Maguire offset by blooding Soyuncu and Benkovic both of whom have massive potential Don't see how it can be seen as backwards. Saying 'we already had Tielemans' doesn't count because it was purely a loan and one we were very uncertain to tie up. Edited 5 August 2019 by Arriba Los Zorros 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetintedspecs Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 1 minute ago, psychonaut said: I think the OP was referring to the transfer window Signing too many or a bunch of misfits can can do far more damage to team ethos and success, it's how they settle and improve the starting 11 that counts imo. 1 or 2 more quality signings in the last few days would be the icing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambiasso Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 Whilst the starting 11 is spot on, I still look to the bench for someone who may come on and change a game. The only names on that bench is Barnes and Hamza. Seeing some of the signings that other teams in the league have signed at realistic prices, I can't help but feel that some of those would have boosted our overall squad depth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox42 Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 I too thought we haven’t progressed as much as West Ham, Wolves, Everton, etc. However if you think about it, before the transfer window opened, we we’re in a stronger position than all those teams. They all had to strengthen in more areas than ourselves. They’ve made more signings than we’ve done because they simply had to. In a nutshell, we’ve progressed nicely, making subtle improvements where it’s needed. One or two more would cap it off for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopfkino Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 I think we need 2 more, 3 with a CB but the 3 additions are upgrades from this time last year. The difference will come from the team having been together for longer with a better manager and will play far more positively with a better overall atmosphere around the club. We'll be miles better than we were for most of last season. I think people got ahead of themselves before, talk of top 6 was always more of a wild ambition than realism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfox Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 From midfield to attack, yes. In defence of course we've been weakened. If we don't sign a CB and possibly a winger then I don't see us getting top six, unless Soyuncu and Benkovic develop into defensive beasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Maul Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 (edited) Bring in a quality centre back and winger with that £80m and we've had a cracking window. Slightly alarming that we haven't managed to shift a few more off our books though, I was hoping we'd be carrying a lot less deadwood going into the season. Edited 5 August 2019 by Ted Maul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4everfox Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 We have thus far been weakened defensively with the sale of Maguire, but we are stronger in an attacking sense. Perez looks like he fits in perfectly so far. We also have Brendan Rodgers as manager, who is regarded as one of the world's best for developing young talent, and we have Harvey Barnes (who was carrying West Brom back to the Premier League before we recalled him last season). If anyone can bring out the best in Barnes it's Rodgers, and if we don't sign a winger this window I'm gonna stick my neck out and predict Barnes gets into the England squad before the season finishes. The coaching ability of Rodgers might just be our biggest strength this season, and Soyuncu or Benkovic might turn out to be mustard as a result. Any signings we make for the first team would be at the detriment of our brightest prospects at this point. PS. Don't forget how good Hamza Choudhury is 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lestajigs Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 Disappointed if we don’t sign a winger or a striker in the next 3 days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arriba Los Zorros Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 9 minutes ago, 4everfox said: Any signings we make for the first team would be at the detriment of our brightest prospects at this point. Exactly. 8 minutes ago, lestajigs said: Disappointed if we don’t sign a winger or a striker in the next 3 days See above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretPro Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 Windows gone to sh*t. I'm still waiting for @LinekersApples imaginary breeze to turn into that hurricane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manders86 Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 Will be seen as a masterstroke if we dont replace Maguire and one of last years signings step up. Will be seen as a disaster if not. We under achieved last season with the squad weve got. Wouldn't swap our team for any of those around us. With Rodgers at the helm, I'm still confident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkie1999 Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 We’ll see on Sunday for sure but I certainly think we looked a lot quicker in pre season. Pérez looks a good signing, it could be a case of 2 steps forward and 1 back. Bit like me on the way home from the pub. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambiasso Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 6 minutes ago, SecretPro said: Windows gone to sh*t. I'm still waiting for @LinekersApples imaginary breeze to turn into that hurricane. What information has he provided that makes him such a trusted source? Seems like a wum without any substance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxes_rule1978 Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 (edited) Last season we didn’t have Brendon until the last couple of months; when Brendon arrived only Liverpool and Man City took more points. Under Brendon for a whole season, I think this young squad is more than capable of finishing above wolves, Everton and West Ham even without additions Edited 5 August 2019 by foxes_rule1978 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smitha Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 6 minutes ago, kingfox said: From midfield to attack, yes. In defence of course we've been weakened. If we don't sign a CB and possibly a winger then I don't see us getting top six, unless Soyuncu and Benkovic develop into defensive beasts. That's a valid point, we don't know how Soyuncu and Benkovic are going to fare, Rodgers has seen Soyuncu for the last 10 weeks of the season and Benkovic for the first 6 months at Celtic so he is aware of their strengths and weaknesses. If he brings someone in then it's because they are not up to the level required, personally I think we will be priced out of a defender because of the fee we received. This is where Hamza and Ndidi are vitally important to us as they can protect the central defenders. As good as Huth and Morgan where in 15/16 Kante was pivotal in front of them, if they can do a similar job it will help the new pair adjust. As a previous poster mentioned if we could bring in a couple of quality signings in the next few days it will have been a good window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheppyFox Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 (edited) Not at all. We have made quality signings but all of our direct 6th spot competition will think they have too. We’ve replace Okazaki with Peréz. We’ve signed Tielemans who in fairness we had to sign or regress. The rest is irrelevant in my eyes in terms of beating wolves etc to that spot. (So Far). Edited 5 August 2019 by SheppyFox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinekersLugs Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 1 hour ago, Billy Big Balls said: Bit unfair to ask when the windows not closed and we've now got £80m to spend. Come back in a few days and I'll give you a better answer. There is NO 80m to spend as the next 3 days will show 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sphericalfox Posted 5 August 2019 Share Posted 5 August 2019 Umm... Close thread. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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