[Albion] January - if we wanted to…..

[Milano]

It feels like the majority of clubs in the EPL are either shit scared of FFP or need to sell to buy. I’d suggest we are in a minority of clubs that could invest this window without selling.
I wonder if Tony is tempted to roll the dice, especially if any of our targets either play directly for FFP affected clubs or an FFP affected club would otherwise be a rival for one of our targets.
Have we ever been in this situation of ‘power’ before and should we look to take advantage while we are?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

It feels like the majority of clubs in the EPL are either shit scared of FFP or need to sell to buy. I’d suggest we are in a minority of clubs that could invest this window without selling.
I wonder if Tony is tempted to roll the dice, especially if any of our targets either play directly for FFP affected clubs or an FFP affected club would otherwise be a rival for one of our targets.
Have we ever been in this situation of ‘power’ before and should we look to take advantage while we are?

It's going to get worse for a lot of these clubs, so I think we'll take the same approach as usual.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

It's all very well buying players in a 'fire sale', but you'll end up pissing off the players you have trying to accommodate all their playing needs...especially when all the walking wounded are fit again

 

[macbeth]

judging by the window so far, tony has absolutely no interest in rolling any dice and will stick to the formula.

the manager openly asked for 3-4 players but imo he will be lucky to get one (barco possibly loaned out). we know the formula the club have is good enough to keep us in the league, the question is if it’s enough to keep RDZ happy and to consistently compete with bigger spenders like villa, west ham and eventually newcastle.

jury is still out on that, however i’m leaning towards probably not. for all our smart manoeuvres, you will have to be routinely spending £40/£50M to bring in players to keep you at the level where you can consistently fight for europe. we do not do that and the others who do will catch up eventually. which is fine. as stated by the board again and again, the aim is to be a stable top 10 club, not one that consistently competes for and in europe. it may well cost us the most exciting and talented manager we’ve ever had, however

 

[Mancgull]

I’d say that we will enquire about a few midfielders this windo but probably only buy one in the summer.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

judging by the window so far, tony has absolutely no interest in rolling any dice and will stick to the formula.

the manager openly asked for 3-4 players but imo he will be lucky to get one (barco possibly loaned out). we know the formula the club have is good enough to keep us in the league, the question is if it’s enough to keep RDZ happy and to consistently compete with bigger spenders like villa, west ham and eventually newcastle.

jury is still out on that, however i’m leaning towards probably not. for all our smart manoeuvres, you will have to be routinely spending £40/£50M to bring in players to keep you at the level where you can consistently fight for europe. we do not do that and the others who do will catch up eventually. which is fine. as stated by the board again and again, the aim is to be a stable top 10 club, not one that consistently competes for and in europe. it may well cost us the most exciting and talented manager we’ve ever had, however

I don't think spending the money will keep RDZ either. It will just make us better, which will make RDZ even more in demand, and the big offers will roll in. Ironically, we're more likely to keep him if we do badly than if we do well.

 

[Commander]

judging by the window so far, tony has absolutely no interest in rolling any dice and will stick to the formula.

the manager openly asked for 3-4 players but imo he will be lucky to get one (barco possibly loaned out). we know the formula the club have is good enough to keep us in the league, the question is if it’s enough to keep RDZ happy and to consistently compete with bigger spenders like villa, west ham and eventually newcastle.

jury is still out on that, however i’m leaning towards probably not. for all our smart manoeuvres, you will have to be routinely spending £40/£50M to bring in players to keep you at the level where you can consistently fight for europe. we do not do that and the others who do will catch up eventually. which is fine. as stated by the board again and again, the aim is to be a stable top 10 club, not one that consistently competes for and in europe. it may well cost us the most exciting and talented manager we’ve ever had, however

I think it will as well. I’m OK with that, as would lose him at some point anyway. But I do wonder whether Bloom might look back in 20 years when the big clubs are long gone in the ESL and think “I’ve I’d just gone a bit harder we could have won a major trophy English football was at its absolute peak”. Which would be a shame.

That said, the guy seems to have better judgement than me in every single aspect of his entire life, so I’m happy to go with whatever he thinks.

 

[Beanstalk]

There's no point in getting over-excited in the January sales if you already feel you have everything you need.

Rather we have a highly competitive squad, where everyone buys into a higher aim, than a number of players who are only here because we were the only club available to them in all of this FFP mess.

 

[Hugo Rune]

It feels like the majority of clubs in the EPL are either shit scared of FFP or need to sell to buy. I’d suggest we are in a minority of clubs that could invest this window without selling.
I wonder if Tony is tempted to roll the dice, especially if any of our targets either play directly for FFP affected clubs or an FFP affected club would otherwise be a rival for one of our targets.
Have we ever been in this situation of ‘power’ before and should we look to take advantage while we are?

I was thinking about this.

There seems to be possible opportunities to get big talent relatively unopposed. But, we’d need almost Joao Pedro level fees. I’m thinking of the likes of Samardvic, Veerman and Bardghji.

Still half a window left to hook a big-un or two!

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I've posted it many times before but, once again, TB has made public in the past that he doesn't like buying in the January window because prices are inflated. Some clubs will indeed have to offload players to be able to buy but that doesn't mean those they wish to sell will not be sold at a discount - they need to get as bigger return as possible to enable them to buy the players they want.

 

[Mellotron]

It's all very well buying players in a 'fire sale', but you'll end up pissing off the players you have trying to accommodate all their playing needs...especially when all the walking wounded are fit again

This is one of the main reasons I never thought we'd go big this month. I was surprised by how many thought we might bring 3-4 in, talking back in Nov/Dec in the depths of our injury crisis.

Never going to happen.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I've posted it many times before but, once again, TB has made public in the past that he doesn't like buying in the January window because prices are inflated. Some clubs will indeed have to offload players to be able to buy but that doesn't mean those they wish to sell will not be sold at a discount - they need to get as bigger return as possible to enable them to buy the players they want.

Might be wrong, but doesn't TB like to spend January in Oz? Maybe his own personal downtime, and who would begrudge him that? Tho, if memory serves - didn't the Hyypia resignation debacle - aka The Night Of The Long Knives at the Junior Seagulls Party disrupt TB's travel plans somewhat? Did he not have to come back and deal with it? Was probably a bit pissed off

 

[peterward]

I was thinking about this.

There seems to be possible opportunities to get big talent relatively unopposed. But, we’d need almost Joao Pedro level fees. I’m thinking of the likes of Samardvic, Veerman and Bardghji.

Still half a window left to hook a big-un or two!

With all players back by Feb, Enciso back as a number 10, Fati and Pedro up top, good defensive options across the back and cover at FB for Veltman/Pervis from Milner /Gross/ Hinshelwood / Lamptey and Barco arriving, the only real position where we could do with something, is the former Caicedo now Baleba DM role next to WBG. We need that pitbull, ball winner, steely DM, that so far isn't quite at the levels required yet with Carlos.

Other than that, where else is truly short with all players back?

 

[macbeth]

I think it will as well. I’m OK with that, as would lose him at some point anyway. But I do wonder whether Bloom might look back in 20 years when the big clubs are long gone in the ESL and think “I’ve I’d just gone a bit harder we could have won a major trophy English football was at its absolute peak”. Which would be a shame.

That said, the guy seems to have better judgement than me in every single aspect of his entire life, so I’m happy to go with whatever he thinks.

i think that is the real conundrum. gamble and try to win a trophy or just stay stead in the top 10 for as long as possible. wouldn’t blame anyone for agreeing with either way, just personally, i would go big and try and win something. but that may be the reason i do not have a net worth of a billion quid and i am not the chairman.

i do think there are middle grounds, however, between going big and just plugging away. i think in terms of the money spent, the club have got a bit lucky a couple of times, ferguson emerging bailed out the failure to buy a striker in summer 22 and hinshelwood has done the same this year with the fullback position. eventually the players coming through won’t be of that quality

 

[Hotchilidog]

If everyone is back bar Solly in Feb then I would not be expecting too much more activity above the Barco signing, unless an opportunity arises to acquire a coveted target.

 

[Triggaaar]

Might be wrong, but doesn't TB like to spend January in Oz? Maybe his own personal downtime, and who would begrudge him that?

Pretty sure it's nothing to do with personal downtime. He's simply said that the good players we would want, would not usually be for sale for a reasonable price (in Jan) as the current team would need them.

Can't see this window being any different.

 

[drew]

Pretty certain that rolling the dice is not the type of gambling that TB partakes in.

 

[Commander]

Pretty certain that rolling the dice is not the type of gambling that TB partakes in.

This. People always say 'Bloom is a gambler', which makes him sound like someone who takes punts. He's quite the opposite, he's a statistical analyst. 'Rolling the dice' couldn't be further from what he does.

 

[dazzer6666]

Don't think it's a case of rolling the dice and never really has been anyway, but likely we will face much less competition for any targets we have identified. We're not going to change our overall approach

 

[peterward]

This. People always say 'Bloom is a gambler', which makes him sound like someone who takes punts. He's quite the opposite, he's a statistical analyst. 'Rolling the dice' couldn't be further from what he does.

Very true, every "gamble" is a heavily calcuated/weighted risk where odds are analysed to be in his favour.