Taking a moment to state outright users positions on the latest window now it's seemingly over for another Summer:
Happy to start...
Positives:
Some seemingly incredibly shrewd business done. On paper, Tete for a couple of million + Tosin for around 1.5-2mil (man city fans appaled) + Robinson on the cheap, all look like great value and have the seeming potential to upgrade those positions significantly on what we had. Solid business dealings there
Loans: Lookman looks a step above any attacking player we have atm. Mitro might finally have someone to create openings for him and that's something we should all be excited about. Feed Mitro properly and we might just see him get back to his battling best (he's always got scoring in the bank but he hasn't been so regularly dominating of games lately for many reasons)
Areola, too early to judge but universally people were surprised we'd managed to pull this signing off at the time, impressive resume, off to a rough start behind an awful defence, hopefully with this new look back 4 (or 5) he might get some more protection and show us the keeper we know he can be. And an option to buy if he does well here, yes please, thanks very much. On Paper a good signing albeit a little harsh on Rodak, and appreciate that may be a sticking point for a few of the fulham faithful....and I get it.
Another person I'm excited to see is of course RLC, someone who can really help link defence to attack quickly and run at players from the centre of the midfield which I don't feel is a dimension we really have at the moment. If he can link well with Mitro and Lookman -what a left-hand side triangle that could be. - a quality player on his day, did well enough at Palace to get an England call up. Hoping he really pushes on in his career, though....the lack of options on some deals we'll get to.
Then we got Anderson who's been rated highly for some time - experience playing in top competitions for good quality teams. Tall and composed on the ball and able to play out from the back...but better than our current players do... really hoping he forms a solid partnership with Tosin.
We kept Big Frank Anguissa! That's major and wasn't looking all that likely to many of us... with how he's started the season off,the back of a great year in Spain, that's exciting.
Jurys out:
On Aina, too early to be written off, theres some quality in there and he improved significantly from his first game at Brentford. Good backup on paper with the potential to improve. Willing him on now he'll no doubt start the next game with Tete out.
Reed- We were all made up when he signed permanently and for a not unreasonable price given his multiple MOM performances for us last year, a big factor in us coming up. Hasn't quite hit the ground running in the Prem yet but it's early days.
Lemina - good business in that it's an inexpensive gamble that is a massive bonus if it pays off. On his day has some top-flight talent, can he do it consistently in the prem? well, that'll be up to him. Would be a dream if he steps up alongside Frank in the middle.
Negatives:
So much for 'not being in the business of developing other peoples players' , if indeed we don't have an option on RLC or Anderson. All of a sudden that raises some concerns as to where we end up at the end of this season having to rebuild a defence again if we lose Joachim.
But I can see the argument that this season is just about staying up by any means necessary ,and if a payer of RLC's potential quality comes up I'm not against it in this instance.
Haven't yet signed a striker/forward as an alternative option/backup for Mitro...and that's the one really concerning thing for me.
We all wish we'd have signed a CB sooner. If true that we were close to a couple of deals that fell through due to corona virus, well, hard to get too het up with the board for that. Better late than never, but if we go down by the odd point or 2, no doubt people will raise this as an issue.
Summary.
All in all I think that's a largely brilliant window on paper. Alot of positive reports of most of the players we've signed and some top flight talent in to steady this team, as well as some nice relatively young potential too. My only issues are failing to secure another striker and a quality winger which could be costly.
That said, I mean, a spine of
Areola
Tosin/Anderson
Anguissa
Loftus-Cheek
Mitro
That suddenly looks much less a soft touch. Some real strength, physical presence and quality in that spine that I'm allowing myself (perhaps fatally) to be excited about.
Window rating:
8/10
disclaimer:
IF - we somehow manage to bring in Josh King and Said Benrahma it would be a 9.5/10 from me. IF we do that, for me, there is no excuse for Parker imo- it's over to him to prove where he can take us, once again he will have been backed with a squad that "on paper" seem largely to have more than enough quality to compete well at this level. If they don't and the problem is no longer our defence but goal scoring, I'll understand the argument that TK could, and probably should have addressed this issue.
What you reckon?
Statsitics Comparison of Centre Backs
- Michael Hector (Championship Whoscored Rating) - 7.04 in 18/19 and 6.95 in 19/20
- Tosin Adarabioyo (Championship Whoscored Rating) - 6.77 in 18/19 and 6.97 in 19/20
- Maxime Le Marchand (Ligue Un Whoscored Rating) - 6.85 in 16/17 and 6.85 in 17/18
- Joachim Andersen (Ligue Un Whoscored Rating) - 6.73 in 19/20 and 6.50 in 20/21
Lets not get too excited, Hector and Tosin are not much different, neither are MLM and Andersen much different.
My thoughts:
* Lookman is shaping up to be a terrific loan signing. Based on his performances off the bench in his first two appearances, and given the fact that we have the international break is now to help him acclimatise, he should be in the starting lineup from henceforth.
* RLC is a HUGE upgrade on any of our attacking mids. Him in the gap between the mids and Mitro will be dangerous. I'd expect Zambo and Cairney/Reed to sit behind him in our best XI.
* Reed - stock standard signing given his efforts to help get us promoted. I'm still not convinced that he has enough in him to be a PL player - but deserves a shot when he recovers
* Lemina - doesn't really seem to be in Scott's plans. Not really sure why we didn't just buy him outright, or not buy him at all - instead of wasting a PL loan spot that could have been used on someone like Saliba.
* Areola - fantastic game against Wolves. That double save was phenomenal. Looks to be a class above Rodak so far.
* Tete - it's a shame he got injured, he was starting to look particularly solid, and seems to be our best crosser of the ball. Hopefully he's back sooner rather than later.
* Aina - looked OK defensively against Wolves, but a bit suspect going forward, which was meant to be a strength of his. Given it was a much improved effort from the Brentford game and that Tete is injured, deserves a run of games at RB.
* Robinson - had a really promising first half against Wolves, he was probably our best outfield player behind Anguissa. He's got loads of energy, looks switched on defensively and also enjoys getting forward.
I'll group the 2 new CBs together - I'm a bit underwhelmed at the moment, but willing to reserve judgement until they play a few games. Andersen doesn't seem to have done all that well at Lyon, whilst Adarabioyo is still unproven at the top flight. Hopefully they can develop a partnership.
What we still need?
* Benrahma - seeing as all our signings bar the "Championship 3" in BDR, Knock and Cav + Tete & Robinson (cumulative transfer spend less than 35m) have been loans, we should have a bit of coin to strengthen the wide positions. None of the Championship 3, Kamara or Kebano are good enough to start, and Benrahma seems like a perfect fit.
* Grant/King - would probably lean towards Karlan Grant, given the fact he'd probably be a bit cheaper and about 5 years younger, but we need one of these guys. Mitro needs someone with a bit of zip that can play alongside him, or play out wide when necessary.
Remember that window was very short and we were late into it from Wembley
We have recruited the centre backs a bit late but at least now have what looks to me like real upgrades and great full back cover, these were the priorities and they have now been delivered.
We have upgraded the goalkeeper, the CAM and attacking MF.
At lease an 8/10 and with a really good backup striker who can also allow us to go 4.4.2 a 9/10.
No doubt some will still say Tony Khan is not up to it, but I am very happy and it's over to Scott to make it work.