[Albion] Bloom: "Top 10... is a very realistic aim for next season"

[The_Viper]

Hopefully then TB is going to back GP with a top ten budget ?

This. As of right now, there is zero pressure on GP. Our wage budget is in the bottom 6 and all talk from the club has been "expect little to nothing in the window this summer". If that is the case GP has zero pressure on his shoulders, there is a chain reaction here and it needs to begin now.

To be a top 10 club by end of next season:

1. Invest both transfer fees and wages into becoming a top 13 spending club, Villa as your blueprint
2. Keep your best players, or reinvest those funds into players that will give GP the reinforcements he needs. Example, if we sell Biss and White for 100m, we need to reinvest all 100m.
3. Stop wasting time on a sunk cost fallacy of shit players, offload AJ, Locadia, Andone, whoever else who is just eating up budget.

If you check those 3 boxes, then in August the pressure correctly moves to GP. If the club do not tick those boxes, then there is zero pressure on GP, because he's been given an unfair set of expectations.

 

[Machiavelli]

Prior to watching that video, I'd have agreed that Bloom would probably have settled for 12-13 next season. However, he doesn't strike me as the sort of chap who would take failure to achieve a "very realistic aim" that he has announced publicly very well.

I wonder if you've just effectively called our Chairman a muppet - though he probably wouldn't scream and cry; instead possibly reaching for a P45.

I wouldn't call him a muppet, but I think he's being extremely unrealistic in thinking:
1, we will/need to finish in the top half of the table next season
2, the transfer in/out and the player wages levels will take a downward turn

It's banged out often, but 'be careful what you wish for' springs to mind

 

[Goldstone1976]

I wouldn't call him a muppet, but I think he's being extremely unrealistic in thinking:
1, we will/need to finish in the top half of the table next season
2, the transfer in/out and the player wages levels will take a downward turn

It's banged out often, but 'be careful what you wish for' springs to mind

Well, if you combine the "very realistic aim" to finish in the top 10 with his statements in the same video about reducing the losses through transfer dealings, one could be forgiven for concluding he's essentially saying "I want more for less", which is...interesting.

 

[Machiavelli]

Well, if you combine the "very realistic aim" to finish in the top 10 with his statements in the same video about reducing the losses through transfer dealings, one could be forgiven for concluding he's essentially saying "I want more for less", which is...interesting.

Or unrealistic, even. And even more so when you factor in that it's likely that our rivals will be spending more although we might want to defer to the dullard on the likelihood of that.

 

[Gwylan]

3. Stop wasting time on a sunk cost fallacy of shit players, offload AJ, Locadia, Andone, whoever else who is just eating up budget.

Andone's goals-per-minute record is better than any of our other strikers I believe (and that was when he played most of his games under Hughton).

It really isn't easy to offload players - we've tried with both Locadia and Ali J and had no takers. If you're suggesting paying off their contracts, I don't see how that's saving money

 

[blockhseagull]

I think the frustration will come if no first team signings are made yet we spend another £15m plus on ‘ones for the future’

My main worry is come next season we have a weaker squad than we did at the end of the last and an expectation of a better finish from the chairman.

 

[pocketseagull]

Potter may well receive a top ten budget but that would represent quite a change of strategy.

The job he accepted and believes is possible is to be part of team that transforms us into a top 10 club without the corresponding budget.

 

[Weststander]

Bloom - “very realistic aim” is literally just that, an aspiration, a target. In reality, incredibly hard to achieve consistently with the ESL clubs, West Ham, Everton, Leicester and Villa all spending vast sums on (law of averages) better players than Bloom’s prepared to write cheques for.

NSC then translates that into wants, needs and pressure on Potter.

Unless poached, I see Potter as our manager for the long term. A quality striker will tuck away a load of these chances and secure mid table.

 

[brighton_tom]

I think the frustration will come if no first team signings are made yet we spend another £15m plus on ‘ones for the future’

My main worry is come next season we have a weaker squad than we did at the end of the last and an expectation of a better finish from the chairman.

Given that we have so many young players at the club, either involved in the mens squad, u23, or have been out on loan, and if more come in then the focus each gets is watered down, then I think I would be in the ''slightly annoyed'' camp if we spent another £15m on ones for the future. We have enough of those to focus on. We need some ones for now.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I think the frustration will come if no first team signings are made yet we spend another £15m plus on ‘ones for the future’

My main worry is come next season we have a weaker squad than we did at the end of the last and an expectation of a better finish from the chairman.

First line - that is what we do, you've obviously not been paying attention.

Second line fair enough, if Biss goes (likely) we need Moder or Caicedo to step up, sign a few more 'ones for the future' and maybe take a fairly big money risk 'up front' (that'll be >£20M). If we were to keep this squad, a year older and more experienced, I'm not sure we would need to sign anybody

 

[White Fan man]

It is, but consider that THE LEEDS UNITED came 9th last season, 18 points above us, with the same number of losses as us = 15.

The difference being that they had 18 wins and 5 draws against our 9 wins and 14 draws - potentially only 9 extra goals across the whole season, which would also have put our GD above Everton (but not Leeds).


Edit: If you look at our form for the 2nd half of the season, or last 10 matches, or whatever, we were fairly consistently placing about 12th, so it's not that much of a push on from there to get top 10.

You also won at home to City and LPool away. Do you seriously think you are repeating those victories again? Your key stats on whether you improve or not are linked to your lack of goals scored and losing points from winning positions. Too often you sit on leads which is why you lose so many points. Assuming you lose Bissouma will that weaken you in a key position? Where are your extra goals coming from? Everything costs money. Villa have just spent 35m to also get in the top 10. Think Wolves with a centre forward will be much better and I can't see LPool losing 6 home games.
Leeds win lots of matches because they attack so much part of the reason they lose so many. But most of their losses came when they only had 1fit centre half. When they had 4 they only lost one. Next season with fans present will be very different.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I note with interest the many posters who do not equate the word ‘aim’ (particularly when clarified with ‘very realistic’) with the word ‘expectation’.

I am pondering on the difference. While they are clearly not completely synonymous, there’s not a huge gap, at least in my mind.

Captain: ‘Aim your guns at that ship’
Gunner: ‘Yes, Sir’
…
Captain: ‘You missed!’
Gunner: ‘Well, Sir. I was only aiming at it. It was only very realistic that I would hit it. You didn’t expect me to hit it, did you?’

I think I can guess the answer that the Captain may now give. I doubt it’s ‘no, not really’.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I note with interest the many posters who do not equate the word ‘aim’ (particularly when clarified with ‘very realistic’) with the word ‘expectation’.

I am pondering on the difference. While they are clearly not completely synonymous, there’s not a huge gap, at least in my mind.

Captain: ‘Aim your guns at that ship’
Gunner: ‘Yes, Sir’
…
Captain: ‘You missed!’
Gunner: ‘Well, Sir. I was only aiming at it. It was only very realistic I didn’t hit it. You didn’t expect me to hit it, did you?’

I think I can guess the answer that the Captain may now give. I doubt it’s ‘no, not really’.

Although to counter the argument:

Caddy: ‘Aim your ball at that flag for a hole in one on this par three’
Ambitious young golf pro: ‘Yes, Jeeves’
…
Caddy: ‘You're ten feet short!’
Ambitious young golf pro: ‘Well, Jeeves. I was only aiming at it. You didn’t expect me to get a hole in one, did you? Your'e fired, you cheeky ****’

 

[Weststander]

Do Leicester have a top 5 budget?

Leicester’s squad has cost £440m, on a par with Arsenal and Spuds. Including £40m Tielemens, £36.5m Fofana and £30m Perez. In 2019/20 they paid out £124m to clubs and agents in buying new players.

Funded in part by selling a star or two every summer, reinvesting every penny in huge fees for new players and far more than that.

In very recent seasons, Leicester’s not a Cinderella story. The owners generously back Rodgers on the playing side.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I note with interest the many posters who do not equate the word ‘aim’ (particularly when clarified with ‘very realistic’) with the word ‘expectation’.

I am pondering on the difference. While they are clearly not completely synonymous, there’s not a huge gap, at least in my mind.

Captain: ‘Aim your guns at that ship’
Gunner: ‘Yes, Sir’
…
Captain: ‘You missed!’
Gunner: ‘Well, Sir. I was only aiming at it. It was only very realistic that I would hit it. You didn’t expect me to hit it, did you?’

I think I can guess the answer that the Captain may now give. I doubt it’s ‘no, not really’.

Hmmm… I’m guessing tongue in cheek ?
Business and personal aims are aspirations, something to strive for. There are many variables that ultimately determine success or otherwise.
Aiming a gun involves putting the pointy bit towards a target and (optionally) yelling ‘fire.’ It is instant success or failure, a lot more than aspiration and not that complicated.
Anyway, I would imagine Tony is having a bit of a chuckle about our over analysis of his every word

 

[Guinness Boy]

Like Sheffield the season before that then.

It happens sometimes. Not the first time a newcomer produce some great results.

As for Leeds squad being no better, I dont know, I'd say they are quite similar in terms of quality. Brighton got the better defenders but I think most people out there would take Raphina over Trossard, Bamford over Maupay, Harrison over non-existent equivalent.

Harrison is a reasonable shout but then the two systems are different. Bamford was a laughing stock until this season. A posh boy who couldn’t score in a high class brothel.

Either Bielsa can coach finishing or Leeds made better chances.

Leeds won’t do a Sheffield United next season unless Bielsa leaves.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The_Viper]

Andone's goals-per-minute record is better than any of our other strikers I believe (and that was when he played most of his games under Hughton).

It really isn't easy to offload players - we've tried with both Locadia and Ali J and had no takers. If you're suggesting paying off their contracts, I don't see how that's saving money

We did get takers with Locadia, he's been at Hoffenheim and Cincy. If nobody wants him on a permanent then continue to loan him out until he's done with his contract.

Alireza, by all reports per Naylor/Owen and others has said he is 100% committed to stay at Albion and they had turned down a few offers they felt weren't good enough. I would argue anything that is a few million or so is enough, otherwise he's just burning our wages.

Andone isn't a quality problem it's an attitude one, hence why he was shipped out as fast as he was and then said the things that he said in that interview, I'm not debating his quality, I am debating his presence when we have a no dickheads policy that Maty Ryan just fell victim to as well.

Don't pay off their contracts, just get them off the books in some way, shape or form this summer. As far as I am aware Bernardo, Locadia and Ryan enter their final contract year this year, the rest unfortunately have a lot longer to go. That is the clubs fault, not Potters. This piss poor recruitment weighing down our books does not translate as pressure on GP, if we aren't able to spend and strengthen for him correctly due to our prior expenditure on bad players then again, that is the clubs fault, not his.

 

[blockhseagull]

First line - that is what we do, you've obviously not been paying attention.

Second line fair enough, if Biss goes (likely) we need Moder or Caicedo to step up, sign a few more 'ones for the future' and maybe take a fairly big money risk 'up front' (that'll be >£20M). If we were to keep this squad, a year older and more experienced, I'm not sure we would need to sign anybody

I know we have, and it works for us and if we wanted top 10 in 3 or 4 years I don’t have an issue with it.

However now the urgency means we need also players for the here and now as well as for in 2/3/4 seasons time.

 

[vagabond]

Bloom: "Top 10... is a very realistic aim for next season"

You also won at home to City and LPool away. Do you seriously think you are repeating those victories again?

Ah but you make that sound like those results were flukes.
Anyone who’s been watching us would see we play exceptionally well against the big sides that try to play. We’ve also beaten Arsenal, Spurs, Drew with Tuchels Chelsea and were robbed against Utd.

In fact most of the games we played last season we were nearly always the better team. Even a neutral would admit most of our draws we should have won.

 

[Machiavelli]

You also won at home to City and LPool away. Do you seriously think you are repeating those victories again? Your key stats on whether you improve or not are linked to your lack of goals scored and losing points from winning positions. Too often you sit on leads which is why you lose so many points. Assuming you lose Bissouma will that weaken you in a key position? Where are your extra goals coming from? Everything costs money. Villa have just spent 35m to also get in the top 10. Think Wolves with a centre forward will be much better and I can't see LPool losing 6 home games.
Leeds win lots of matches because they attack so much part of the reason they lose so many. But most of their losses came when they only had 1fit centre half. When they had 4 they only lost one. Next season with fans present will be very different.

Yes, I agree with all of this. You're dependent on Beilsa, but there's a reason he's an iconic manager. It shows, and you've been brilliant this/last season.
On a slightly different point, I heard Chris Waddle last night say that Ben White played CM for you, and he's barely played CB at all. Must be true.