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Preseason 2018

I think Levy is happy to do deals early if they're on terms which he believes are better than is likely to be considered 'fair' or 'market' and if there are no knock-on repercussions for for other deals. If he isn't able to get a bargain, or something better than fair/market, then he's happy to wait

In a number of circumstances though, I think it would be better to accept paying £20m for a £20m player and getting them early, rather than waiting to the last minute and seeing whether you can get it done for £15m

The thing you don’t seem to be acknowledging is the gazumping aspect. We have to wait so that we don’t get Willian’d, and a lot of the time it’s about that, rather than trying to drive the price down. Sanchez wasn’t a cheap signing, and we didn’t wait until the last day to get him, we just made a good offer once we thought that any of our direct rivals with more money had already filled the spaces in their squad where he would fit.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Poch’s ‘be brave : take risks’ line got a slight rebuke from Levy. It was leaked that he was referring to moving players on quickly, and it just tipped our hand because clubs that would probably really like our players have waited, I wouldn’t be surprised in part knowing that we wouldn’t move until we’ve gotten them out. The early closure of the window doesn’t help as well, but overall when people are trying to frame Poch as being somewhat against Levy, Levy holding back the money etc, I don’t think that’s the case. Poch is a smart guy and I think recognises the moving parts to all of this.
 
The thing you don’t seem to be acknowledging is the gazumping aspect. We have to wait so that we don’t get Willian’d, and a lot of the time it’s about that, rather than trying to drive the price down. Sanchez wasn’t a cheap signing, and we didn’t wait until the last day to get him, we just made a good offer once we thought that any of our direct rivals with more money had already filled the spaces in their squad where he would fit.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Poch’s ‘be brave : take risks’ line got a slight rebuke from Levy. It was leaked that he was referring to moving players on quickly, and it just tipped our hand because clubs that would probably really like our players have waited, I wouldn’t be surprised in part knowing that we wouldn’t move until we’ve gotten them out. The early closure of the window doesn’t help as well, but overall when people are trying to frame Poch as being somewhat against Levy, Levy holding back the money etc, I don’t think that’s the case. Poch is a smart guy and I think recognises the moving parts to all of this.

I do recognise the gazumping thing but in a different way!! Its one of the reasons why I think its so risky to leave things so late in teh window...you just dont have time to react if you do get gazumped. Just like if you're going to go 1-0 down, you're better doing so early on. If you're going to be gazumped, its better for tat to happen on June 1 rather than 31 Aug. And other clubs manage to get deals done earlier in the window and are equally susceptible to being gazumped...
 
I do recognise the gazumping thing but in a different way!! Its one of the reasons why I think its so risky to leave things so late in teh window...you just dont have time to react if you do get gazumped. Just like if you're going to go 1-0 down, you're better doing so early on. If you're going to be gazumped, its better for tat to happen on June 1 rather than 31 Aug. And other clubs manage to get deals done earlier in the window and are equally susceptible to being gazumped...

But we won’t get gazumped if we’ve played it right. It requires patience and strategy, and an understanding of how other clubs are thinking.

Other clubs aren’t us, with our financial constraints and our target of punching above our weight in that regard. We’ve signed players early before too, but they typically won’t be the players we’d be going head to head with our top 4 rivals for.
 
But we won’t get gazumped if we’ve played it right. It requires patience and strategy, and an understanding of how other clubs are thinking.

Other clubs aren’t us, with our financial constraints and our target of punching above our weight in that regard. We’ve signed players early before too, but they typically won’t be the players we’d be going head to head with our top 4 rivals for.

Anyone can be gazumped though...I dont see that we're at a greater risk than others. Take Leicester signing James Madison for example. We were linked to him in various places and could have gazumped them. Just as ManC, Man U can gazump us, we can gazump others (esp as we also have CL football).

Anyway, fingers crossed things fall into place over the next 4 days
 
Anyone can be gazumped though...I dont see that we're at a greater risk than others. Take Leicester signing James Madison for example. We were linked to him in various places and could have gazumped them. Just as ManC, Man U can gazump us, we can gazump others (esp as we also have CL football).

Anyway, fingers crossed things fall into place over the next 4 days

But we didn’t want Maddison, or rather I’d wager that Leceister showed Maddison he’ll be starting every week which we would never have been able to do.

As Milo says, we’re competing with richer clubs for players. So we need to make our move when we are in the better position to offer first 11 football every week.
 
- who will start next week??? Who dares start the OMT here???

- Poch has to play some of the WC returnees at Saudi Sportswashing Machine doesn't he?

- Where is @Greg to rub it in?

- Will Poch play Eriksen/Alli deeper and allow us to play Moura and Son?

- Who is on the injury list? Sissoko, Wanyama, Lamela?, who else?

Rub what in?

We are a mess.

Signed some average players. Rafa is furious.

Made a profit of approx 30m this window.

Ashley out. Get out of our club, you fat lying bastard.
 
Rub what in?

We are a mess.

Signed some average players. Rafa is furious.

Made a profit of approx 30m this window.

Ashley out. Get out of our club, you fat lying bastard.

Would you take Moussa back? How much do you think he's worth now? Goodness knows what his wages are now.
 
Losing 1-4 to Girona is really embarassing even if it was a pre-season friendly. This is easily one of our worst ever defeat in pre-season. Regardless of which team we fielded against them, we should not be getting thrashed by a lowly Spanish team. This match proves that our youngsters are not good enough to play at the highest level now. They should be send out on load to prove their worth at other clubs like Kane did.

Credit to Moura for scoring another goal in the pre-season. He did well to score from a well-taken free kick. Maybe Moura and Trippier can take our freekicks ahead of Eriksen from now onwards. It was disappointing we failed to make use of the lead and let Girona came back to win.

Frankly, not sure why this match against Girona was arranged. Not sure what we are trying to prove by playing against a shyte Spanish team.
Atleast we played against some good players against Roma, Barcelona and AC Milan. But playing against an unknown team like Girona is meaningless.

Let's hope Pochettino will learn a thing or two from this defeat to Girona and will try to sign a few quality players before the new season starts.
 
Let's hope Pochettino will learn a thing or two from this defeat to Girona and will try to sign a few quality players before the new season starts.

I think we know that Poch isnt involved in the approaches to clubs or negotiating of deals. He identifies the players and then leaves it to others
 
Losing 1-4 to Girona is really embarassing even if it was a pre-season friendly. This is easily one of our worst ever defeat in pre-season. Regardless of which team we fielded against them, we should not be getting thrashed by a lowly Spanish team. This match proves that our youngsters are not good enough to play at the highest level now. They should be send out on load to prove their worth at other clubs like Kane did.

Credit to Moura for scoring another goal in the pre-season. He did well to score from a well-taken free kick. Maybe Moura and Trippier can take our freekicks ahead of Eriksen from now onwards. It was disappointing we failed to make use of the lead and let Girona came back to win.

Frankly, not sure why this match against Girona was arranged. Not sure what we are trying to prove by playing against a shyte Spanish team.
Atleast we played against some good players against Roma, Barcelona and AC Milan. But playing against an unknown team like Girona is meaningless.

Let's hope Pochettino will learn a thing or two from this defeat to Girona and will try to sign a few quality players before the new season starts.
Girona beat Emirates Marketing Project last season in a pre season game... their not shyte, their owner by City and have big backing.
They finished 10th in the first season in La Liga I think

I do agree however what was the point of the game as neither club have anythung in common and in our case we had no need for the game
 
Girona beat Emirates Marketing Project last season in a pre season game... their not shyte, their owner by City and have big backing.
They finished 10th in the first season in La Liga I think

I do agree however what was the point of the game as neither club have anythung in common and in our case we had no need for the game
On top of that our kids were - understandably - totally knackered from their successful but gruelling schedule across America whereas Girona were in peak condition and really up for it.
 
Was good fun to be the club with the most players late in the World Cup. Now not so much fun. Huge ask for Pochettino to get us into fighting condition for the early season games.
 
I think we know that Poch isnt involved in the approaches to clubs or negotiating of deals. He identifies the players and then leaves it to others

It does seem he gets actively involved once it comes to dealing with the player, many have come in saying how speaking to Poch convinced them to join.
 
No. Bridges have been burnt.

Kenedy is better than him anyway (even if he just on loan).

You say you made a £30m profit....we have just the player....

He's not a bad signing. Obviously won't be going back to you, Wolves who were linked would be improved by him. Was a terrible signing for us, and a great piece of biz for Ashley. How much money has he taken out of the club?
 
You say you made a £30m profit....we have just the player....

He's not a bad signing. Obviously won't be going back to you, Wolves who were linked would be improved by him. Was a terrible signing for us, and a great piece of biz for Ashley. How much money has he taken out of the club?

Has Ashley taken out the club?
 
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