DavePage
Well-known member
City 28/1 what are they expecting?
Ipswich were heavily reliant on loan players, weren’t they. For Leicester, I guess the fact that they’re a financial shambles has been priced in.How come that both Leicester and Ipswich are odds on to return to whence they came, yet Southampton are 7/4?
City 28/1 what are they expecting?
The value there, without yet knowing how clubs recruit in the summer, is Forest, Brentford and unfortunately us.
I believe the bookies are anticipating a few FFP punishments for Leicester, whilst Ipswich look like the weakest team in the league next season.How come that both Leicester and Ipswich are odds on to return to whence they came, yet Southampton are 7/4?
The value there, without yet knowing how clubs recruit in the summer, is Forest, Brentford and unfortunately us.
Does it? I think it just signals we're not going to spend a lot of money on players that he wanted, as opposed to ones the club has identified.Whether your glass half-full or half-empty, I think you can recognise 20/1 is pretty good odds as it stands. RDZ’s exits signals that we’re probably not going to spend much money this summer. A few of the key injured players aren’t expected to be fit for the start of the season. All it takes is a bad run to begin with and you’d be in a good position to lay off the bet for profit. Put it this way, those odds aren’t going to get any longer.
True but it felt like it to me as we looked mostly shit and clueless for the last few months, then we lost a previously brilliant manager who seemed to have totally lost interestLet’s just say that they had a very good end to the season and we didn’t. Also, we were consistently in position 7 to 10 in the league until the final day. That is hardly being in disarray.
We’ll see. I’d be surprised if TB said, ‘Roberto, we’re going to spend good money this summer on a few players to improve the first team, the recruitment team have identified the talents and we’re gonna start going after them.’ And RDZ said, ‘Nah, you need to let me pick them, Tony. I can’t agree to that.’Does it? I think it just signals we're not going to spend a lot of money on players that he wanted, as opposed to ones the club has identified.
I doubt we'll go for top players hitting their prime because the type of proven Premier League ready player we'd need to improve the current side would cost £60-70m each. We broke our transfer record twice last summer though to bring in Pedro and Baleba, so Bloom is not exactly tight. Just not generous enough to satisfy De Zerbi.We’ll see. I’d be surprised if TB said, ‘Roberto, we’re going to spend good money this summer on a few players to improve the first team, the recruitment team have identified the talents and we’re gonna start going after them.’ And RDZ said, ‘Nah, you need to let me pick them, Tony. I can’t agree to that.’
I’d guess it was more like, ‘Roberto, we’re going to sign a couple of promising youngsters again this summer. Are you happy to work with that and continue to develop the talent we have?’ And RDZ said, ‘if we want to challenge for Europe again we need to sign a few players ready to walk into the first team, not just youngsters.’ To which TB would have said we’re not moving from our model.
It’s Tony’s money and his business plan so I have no problem with that.
I hope I’m wrong and we go in for a few top players hitting their prime, ready to go straight into our XI.
Agreed, but the squad really feels like it needs a few players in their mid-late twenties, ready for first team football. We’ve got plenty of experienced heads and plenty of youngsters but not a lot in between.I doubt we'll go for top players hitting their prime because the type of proven Premier League ready player we'd need to improve the current side would cost £60-70m each. We broke our transfer record twice last summer though to bring in Pedro and Baleba, so Bloom is not exactly tight. Just not generous enough to satisfy De Zerbi.
I agree that we were certainly off the boil as the season was drawing to a close. I can only think of two dominant performances in the league in 2024 - beating Palace 4-1 at home and Sheffield Utd 5-0 away. I really don’t know why RDZ seemed to lose interest, I really thought that with the chips down he would show resilience and gee the team up. Unfortunately that was not the case.True but it felt like it to me as we looked mostly shit and clueless for the last few months, then we lost a previously brilliant manager who seemed to have totally lost interest
We’ll see who comes in and who we buy or sell…
Sorry, but I don't think you're telling anyone anything new. The model (that's worked) is exceptionally talented young players, mentored by very experienced pros because that's what we can afford and still be competitive. It'd be great, for instance, to go and sign Morgan Gibbs-White but he'd be £70-80m. Mid-20s players from the Championship might be an option, but as an emerging talent like Pedro cost us £30m, that's awkward too. We've got players this season like Enciso, Baleba, Adingra, Hinshelwood and Buonaotte and a hopefully revitalised Ferguson (if we get a manager with a style to suit him) who've been building up experience they'd never get at 'bigger' clubs and can put in performances beyond their years.Agreed, but the squad really feels like it needs a few players in their mid-late twenties, ready for first team football. We’ve got plenty of experienced heads and plenty of youngsters but not a lot in between.