[Albion] There is ZERO chance of SIGNING anyone today.

[Thunder Bolt]

I'm not writing them off. I'm saying we have brought in good honest players.

We haven't brought in anyone who has that X factor that we'll need to compete at the highest level.

To me Gross is the only player we've added to the squad that looks like he'll improve the squad from our Championship squad. As such thus far I think we've failed to bring in players who impact games for us in the PL.

You haven't got the foggiest idea yet, of who will impact games for us. Neither have I, so let's wait and see who else comes in, and how we play before jumping on the misery bandwagon.

 

[Nixonator]

Yeah I get that, and I agree with it, but the market has different levels.

I'm just curious as to who has been sold in the free - £15m (bargain basement) bracket, that could have been THE deal for the Albion?

It's one thing us all expecting more from the club so close to the start of the season, but shirley if no deals are happening it's less of a surprise.

Hernandez was around that fee but huge wage demands. There are probably others.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

You haven't got the foggiest idea yet, of who will impact games for us. Neither have I, so let's wait and see who else comes in, and how we play before jumping on the misery bandwagon.

First game is in just over a week. How long do we have to wait before we can pass a judgment on our lack of squad improvement?

 

[Albion in the north]

Hernandez was around that fee but huge wage demands. There are probably others.

That's the one I would have mentioned.
In the RPost today the first name in their Stars in the making" section is...
Pascal Gross

 

[Thunder Bolt]

First game is in just over a week. How long do we have to wait before we can pass a judgment on our lack of squad improvement?

1st September. Last season we signed Shane Duffy on 26th August.

 

[Nixonator]

1st September. Last season we signed Shane Duffy on 26th August.

Just playing devil's advocate, if we lose to Watford marginally in a couple of weeks, and get relegated by a point or two in May, how will you feel? A shrug of the shoulders or a slight annoyance our business wasn't done earlier?

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

1st September. Last season we signed Shane Duffy on 26th August.

This is the PL, not going to accept we have the luxury of being able to wait until the end of the transfer window to start adding more players. We could be 0-3 by then and behind the eight ball already.

We could do that in the Championship because we were already the equal of most teams in terms of squad players. Now we're down the bottom talent wise and need to be ready to go from the opening minute.

We can't afford to be bringing in players and letting them have a month or two to bed down in the new squad as it will probably be too late by then. Need them up to speed on their team mates and game plans now.

 

[British Bulldog]

This is the PL, not going to accept we have the luxury of being able to wait until the end of the transfer window to start adding more players. We could be 0-3 by then and behind the eight ball already.

We could do that in the Championship because we were already the equal of most teams in terms of squad players. Now we're down the bottom talent wise and need to be ready to go from the opening minute.

We can't afford to be bringing in players and letting them have a month or two to bed down in the new squad as it will probably be too late by then. Need them up to speed on their team mates and game plans now.

Nail firmly hit on the head.

 

[n1 gull]

This is the PL, not going to accept we have the luxury of being able to wait until the end of the transfer window to start adding more players. We could be 0-3 by then and behind the eight ball already.

We could do that in the Championship because we were already the equal of most teams in terms of squad players. Now we're down the bottom talent wise and need to be ready to go from the opening minute.

We can't afford to be bringing in players and letting them have a month or two to bed down in the new squad as it will probably be too late by then. Need them up to speed on their team mates and game plans now.

Agree entirely and you've not even mentioned there is less games

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Just playing devil's advocate, if we lose to Watford marginally in a couple of weeks, and get relegated by a point or two in May, how will you feel? A shrug of the shoulders or a slight annoyance our business wasn't done earlier?

A shrug of the shoulders, as I've watched us in all four divisions before. Obviously, I want us to stay up but there's nothing you or I can do about it, apart from supporting the team.
We have to trust the recruiting team, and management. Hughton has been treated badly by two clubs previously in the Premier League because they got impatient. He didn't get relegated with either of them.

 

[Stat Brother]

Hernandez was around that fee but huge wage demands. There are probably others.

As the club appear to have spent it's recruitment time in Germany I just had quick look through this:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_German_football_transfers_summer_2017

There really isn't much doing, yet.

Jean KEVIN Augustin looks fun, but even that deal is still £10m for a kid.

 

[Hyperion]

I have faith in the squad we have. Most of them have taken us up. Yes I am a little disappointed we haven't done more by business by now but still confident we will add 3/4 more players.

TB is clearly not under any circumstances paying silly money to the top end agents to do his business which is why we are playing the waiting game. It's his money and his gamble of course. Many fans would prefer otherwise but Bloom does not want to be burdened with many players on unaffordable high wages if that spending gamble doesn't pay off in the first year.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Just playing devil's advocate, if we lose to Watford marginally in a couple of weeks, and get relegated by a point or two in May, how will you feel? A shrug of the shoulders or a slight annoyance our business wasn't done earlier?

But what if that player wasn't available until late in the transfer window? Would we have been better buying an inferior player on 15th July or waiting to get the one we want at the end of the window. Arguments either way but let's say for arguments sake we can get Delaney on 31st August or we can get someone inferior now - which do we go for? I'd suggest Duffy made the difference to our promotion and waiting for him was the right thing to do.

 

[Albion in the north]

I assume such a player has been bought of a practical fee, but I'm struggling to think of a completed transfer that has made me think 'that's the deal the Albion should have done'.

I'd add Jay Rodriguez to that. And wouldn't have minded Darren Fletcher on a free but other than a couple of relative unknowns from La Liga there's not much else going on in our price range.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I have faith in the squad we have. Most of them have taken us up. Yes I am a little disappointed we haven't done more by business by now but still confident we will add 3/4 more players.

TB is clearly not under any circumstances paying silly money to the top end agents to do his business which is why we are playing the waiting game. It's his money and his gamble of course. Many fans would prefer otherwise but Bloom does not want to be burdened with many players on unaffordable high wages if that spending gamble doesn't pay off in the first year.

What will be of interest to me is how our back 5 shape up at the higher level. We've been pretty miserly in recent seasons, and so far in pre-season. If we're not outclassed then the slower recruitment further forward might be less impactive.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'd add Jay Rodriguez to that. And wouldn't have minded Darren Fletcher on a free but other than a couple of relative unknowns from La Liga there's not much else going on in our price range.

Yeah I think Rodriguez is a decent call, even with his injuries.
Certainly a more realistic one than Hernandez.

 

[Hyperion]

What will be of interest to me is how our back 5 shape up at the higher level. We've been pretty miserly in recent seasons, and so far in pre-season. If we're not outclassed then the slower recruitment further forward might be less impactive.

Yes it's certainly going to be a big learning curve in many areas on and off the pitch.

 

[b.w.2.]

This is the PL, not going to accept we have the luxury of being able to wait until the end of the transfer window to start adding more players. We could be 0-3 by then and behind the eight ball already.

We could do that in the Championship because we were already the equal of most teams in terms of squad players. Now we're down the bottom talent wise and need to be ready to go from the opening minute.

We can't afford to be bringing in players and letting them have a month or two to bed down in the new squad as it will probably be too late by then. Need them up to speed on their team mates and game plans now.

Brilliant, and very much aligned to my thinking and posting for weeks...


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[Stat Brother]

What will be of interest to me is how our back 5 shape up at the higher level. We've been pretty miserly in recent seasons, and so far in pre-season. If we're not outclassed then the slower recruitment further forward might be less impactive.

The problem being the fine margins I assume we're all expecting this season to come down too.

As already said a clean sheet v Watford has the potential to be pretty meaningless if 2 points were thrown away.
As much as they'll be plenty of 'season defining' (thereby making a mockery of the saying) moments, I don't see how the Albion could possibly let even one pass them by.

 

[Nixonator]

A shrug of the shoulders, as I've watched us in all four divisions before. Obviously, I want us to stay up but there's nothing you or I can do about it, apart from supporting the team.
We have to trust the recruiting team, and management. Hughton has been treated badly by two clubs previously in the Premier League because they got impatient. He didn't get relegated with either of them.

As have I, but we differ slightly in that I think our business and recruitment decisions are there to be challenged as they have been under previous regimes. Football wise I totally agree that Hughton has earned himself 2 piss poor seasons (which I don't think will happen) before we should even consider another manager, I just want him to be given the tools to consolidate our position amongst the elite.

I should note that I myself would be quite happy watching us as a Championship club in perpetuity because it's the most exciting domestic league for me, but football is now hugely money orientated and if we want to club to progress further, as TB clearly does, then we need to somehow establish ourselves in this ridiculous league as many other clubs have done without the strong groundwork and structure we have in place.