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WHY the summer window has been a success

thfcsteff

Garth Crooks
Yes yes, admit it, you've been click-baited by the title...except I will now try to detail WHY this transfer window has been an unqualified success (especially if compared to others in our recent past.)

Let's first of all recognize the TRUE significance of what happened between 10pm and the 11pm deadline last night.
For the first time ever, Daniel Levy gave up the ghost, gave in and paid the asking price for Sissoko. Bear in mind, this deal had been around for some time and Levy (knowing the player wanted Spurs) thought he could 'Do A Daniel' and wind the price down as the clock wound down too. Ashley wouldn't budge. Levy was left to either 'win' as he usually does (i.e. not back down) or sigh, admit 'defeat' and give the manager (in this case Pochettino) what they wanted. This is enormous. IS 30 million too much for Sissoko? Absolutely! In reasonable money, he is a 15 to max 20 million player at most. Thank Manchester, Roman and Sky for this horror hike.

As for the player, look, he is an excellent addition squad-wise. First of all, aside from Poch liking him, do you not think Hugo has been asked what his take on the man and his character are? Secondly, aside from Dembele, we do not have anyone who has the power, strength and speed to simply get the ball deep and drive up the field with it. When the Moose doesn't play under Poch, the entire side suffers, and as such, it is vital we have someone who plays like him so as we never, ever miss that brute presence. Wanyama is a fine player but different. Sissoko is a driver, and for me (laugh as you wish) on form he reminds me of YaYa (yeah yeah ugh if you wish). This means that the likes of Christian, Erik and Dele can benefit from his bullwork and the space it creates. Big stuff, very important.

The other great thing about this window is that aside from N'Koudou (who most of us have only seen on youtube) every other signing is an upgrade on who we have let go (I personally wanted to keep Mason but we can see why he was sold to Hull as Sissoko was always on the table) and you can finally see a proper squad of players with two strong for every position, yet enough room in the squad for youth to get a chance too.

Would it have been nice if Isco had decided not to be a coward and make the move? Of course! But if he'd rather prevaricate and trim his pubes in Spain than play in the CL and at top stadiums like , oh I don't know, WEMBLEY, then enjoy those Madriddy splinters in your bum lad. We won't remember you in two seasons.

I believe Poch is very happy with us and where we're at, and I have believed for sometime that he and Levy have been on growing, glowing terms. I think we saw full confirmation of that last night. So I say WELL DONE TO ALL CONCERNED. Would we all have liked an Isco? On paper, absolutely. But In Poch We Trust, and finally, as we saw with Daniel GIVING IN to Ashley last night, so does the chairman. A fine conclusion.

p.s. Sissoko will have a greater impact on our season than Mane on Liverpool's...who wants that bet?
 
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Refreshing to have key gaps in the squad addressed early (cover for Dier, cover for Kane) refreshing to have every player we've signed very obviously fit into the system we play and to the managers stated requirements, and really great that Levy has backed the manager. Rather than try and 'win' a negotiation or cut his nose off to spite his face, he's backed the manager with a player he wanted. That Poch has earned his trust and that Levy is willing to reciprocate is awesome.

Delighted with this window. Players that weren't quite up to standard but that were loyal servants have found good homes and profit for us. Key gaps in the squad so that young players won't be overworked have been filled. And on the final day we make 2 signings that give the manager and exactly what he wanted - pace, power, dribbling ability, breaking the lines. We're gonna have a good season.
 
Yes yes, admit it, you've been click-baited by the title...except I will now try to detail WHY this transfer window has been an unqualified success (especially if compared to others in our recent past.)

Let's first of all recognize the TRUE significance of what happened between 10pm and the 11pm deadline last night.
For the first time ever, Daniel Levy gave up the ghost, gave in and paid the asking price for Sissoko. Bear in mind, this deal had been around for some time and Levy (knowing the player wanted Spurs) thought he could 'Do A Daniel' and wind the price down as the clock wound down too. Ashley wouldn't budge. Levy was left to either 'win' as he usually does (i.e. not back down) or sigh, admit 'defeat' and give the manager (in this case Pochettino) what they wanted. This is enormous. IS 30 million too much for Sissoko? Absolutely! In reasonable money, he is a 15 to max 20 million player at most. Thank Manchester, Roman and Sky for this horror hike.

As for the player, look, he is an excellent addition squad-wise. First of all, aside from Poch liking him, do you not think Hugo has been asked what his take on the man and his character are? Secondly, aside from Dembele, we do not have anyone who has the power, strength and speed to simply get the ball deep and drive up the field with it. When the Moose doesn't play under Poch, the entire side suffers, and as such, it is vital we have someone who plays like him so as we never, ever miss that brute presence. Wanyama is a fine player but different. Sissoko is a driver, and for me (laugh as you wish) on form he reminds me of YaYa (yeah yeah ugh if you wish). This means that the likes of Christian, Erik and Dele can benefit from his bullwork and the space it creates. Big stuff, very important.

The other great thing about this window is that aside from N'Koudou (who most of us have only seen on youtube) every other signing is an upgrade on who we have let go (I personally wanted to keep Mason but we can see why he was sold to Hull as Sissoko was always on the table) and you can finally see a proper squad of players with two strong for every position.

Would it have been nice if Isco had decided not to be a coward and make the move? Of course! But if he'd rather prevaricate and trim his pubes in Spain than play in the Cl and at top stadiums like , oh I don't know, WEMBLEY, then enjoy those Madriddy splinters in your bum lad. We won't remember you in two seasons.

I believe Poch is very happy with us and where we're at, and I have believed for sometime that he an Levy have been on growing, glowing terms. I think we saw full confirmation of that last night.
p.s. Sissoko will have a greater impact on our season than Mane on Liverpool's...who wants that bet?


Far too enthusiastic and positive posting, please remember where you are.
 
I agree. The squad is now strong enough to compete on 4 fronts. Another benefit of the Moussa transfer - he has EPL experience. I would have preferred Gueye but I am ok with Sissoko.
 
I agree its been a great window, i said before the window opened that i thought players like Mason and Bentaleb were not good enough for where we want to go and expected one of them at least to be moved on. The signing of Janssen looks to me as a very good move, again i have said that i think that Kane will be a even better player behind a main striker ( and i took a lot of stick for saying that) and now we have a player ( Janssen) who we can do that with if Pooch decides to do so.

30 million is stupid money to pay for Sissoko but then again that is the market we are in and its great to see all those moaning minnies who keep saying that Levy does NOT ( which imo was always flimflam) back his managers have to keep stum as they were proved wrong. As for Isco to be honest i never thought that would happen, it always makes me laugh when fans read flimflam ITK, read blogs ( usually written by those who have nothing better to do with their lives) and made up rumours by the like of " Sky Sports News Understands" and take it all as truth and then start foaming at the mouth when these storys never happen.

Wanyama is a very good player who will enable to rest Dier for some games but also be used with him when we need to, as for N'Koudou i can not say how good he is because like most others i have only seen the YouTube highlights ( and lets be honest anyone can be made to look good by a few minutes editing), however if he is the type of player that can run at pace and do a few tricks to beat players then he is a player who will strengthen us.
 
Nice piece steff.
I would say that there were a couple of instances against Liverpool where Wanyama really did drive forward with the ball.
 
Yes yes, admit it, you've been click-baited by the title...except I will now try to detail WHY this transfer window has been an unqualified success (especially if compared to others in our recent past.)

Let's first of all recognize the TRUE significance of what happened between 10pm and the 11pm deadline last night.
For the first time ever, Daniel Levy gave up the ghost, gave in and paid the asking price for Sissoko. Bear in mind, this deal had been around for some time and Levy (knowing the player wanted Spurs) thought he could 'Do A Daniel' and wind the price down as the clock wound down too. Ashley wouldn't budge. Levy was left to either 'win' as he usually does (i.e. not back down) or sigh, admit 'defeat' and give the manager (in this case Pochettino) what they wanted. This is enormous. IS 30 million too much for Sissoko? Absolutely! In reasonable money, he is a 15 to max 20 million player at most. Thank Manchester, Roman and Sky for this horror hike.

As for the player, look, he is an excellent addition squad-wise. First of all, aside from Poch liking him, do you not think Hugo has been asked what his take on the man and his character are? Secondly, aside from Dembele, we do not have anyone who has the power, strength and speed to simply get the ball deep and drive up the field with it. When the Moose doesn't play under Poch, the entire side suffers, and as such, it is vital we have someone who plays like him so as we never, ever miss that brute presence. Wanyama is a fine player but different. Sissoko is a driver, and for me (laugh as you wish) on form he reminds me of YaYa (yeah yeah ugh if you wish). This means that the likes of Christian, Erik and Dele can benefit from his bullwork and the space it creates. Big stuff, very important.

The other great thing about this window is that aside from N'Koudou (who most of us have only seen on youtube) every other signing is an upgrade on who we have let go (I personally wanted to keep Mason but we can see why he was sold to Hull as Sissoko was always on the table) and you can finally see a proper squad of players with two strong for every position, yet enough room in the squad for youth to get a chance too.

Would it have been nice if Isco had decided not to be a coward and make the move? Of course! But if he'd rather prevaricate and trim his pubes in Spain than play in the CL and at top stadiums like , oh I don't know, WEMBLEY, then enjoy those Madriddy splinters in your bum lad. We won't remember you in two seasons.

I believe Poch is very happy with us and where we're at, and I have believed for sometime that he and Levy have been on growing, glowing terms. I think we saw full confirmation of that last night. So I say WELL DONE TO ALL CONCERNED. Would we all have liked an Isco? On paper, absolutely. But In Poch We Trust, and finally, as we saw with Daniel GIVING IN to Ashley last night, so does the chairman. A fine conclusion.

p.s. Sissoko will have a greater impact on our season than Mane on Liverpool's...who wants that bet?

I initially was horrified with us paying that amount for Sissoko but now i have changed my mind with how others have explained the likely wage differences between him and Wijnaldum and Batshuayi.

Levy has backed Poch like a muthafukka here in the end, no doubt.
Can't wait to see how Poch fully utilises the squad now.
Onwards and upwards COYS!
 
I initially was horrified with us paying that amount for Sissoko but now i have changed my mind with how others have explained the likely wage differences between him and Wijnaldum and Batshuayi.

Levy has backed Poch like a muthafukka here in the end, no doubt.
Can't wait to see how Poch fully utilises the squad now.
Onwards and upwards COYS!

Sissoko's fee also needs to be put in context - Leicester paid £29m for the 28-year old Sporting Lisbon forward Slimani who has scored goals in Portugal, Derby sold that RoI midfielder for £11m, Sunderland paid £14m for Didier N'Dong (who?), Jordan Ibe cost £15m, benteke £32m, Villa paid up to £15m for a CF from Bristol City....and there's many many more crazy prices
 
Sissoko's fee also needs to be put in context - Leicester paid £29m for the 28-year old Sporting Lisbon forward Slimani who has scored goals in Portugal, Derby sold that RoI midfielder for £11m, Sunderland paid £14m for Didier N'Dong (who?), Jordan Ibe cost £15m, benteke £32m, Villa paid up to £15m for a CF from Bristol City....and there's many many more crazy prices
Pogba for £95m?
 
Always worth remembering it is not our own money being spent!

One of the reasons some of our fans want to see us throw money around like confetti, its easy to say spend this pay that when its not them that has to find it.
 
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Personally, I'm happy with this window. We got Jansen in early (critically needed) Wanyama in early. Nkoudou, were it not for the issues of loans etc, early. And then we brought in a player, who under the right management could become a really top player, in Sissoko. As far as our windows go, this is a pretty damn successful one.
 
I agree with the opening post. I'd made a comment elsewhere about Sissoko being a very un-Levy-like signing, paying twice what we were offering at the eleven hour. A sure sign that Levy has a manager he trusts fully. Sissoko doesn't even fill a position where we don't have decent options already, he provides something additional that the manager wants. In the past, managers were denied players where we had far bigger need.
 
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I like the positivity.

However - we definitely overpaid (even in this market) I feel.

Leaving things that late smacked of confusion and desperation so slightly worrying.

He has talent so I think that IF poch can improve him like he has done to Dembele, Dier, Rose, Lamela then we have a very very good players on our hands. Also regardless of his poor output, I do think that he will open up a lot more space for others and he will add a dimension to our play that we didn't have. If he is focussed and on form I actually see him starting for us.

But Saudi Sportswashing Machine fans thought he was useless and a bad apple to go with it, his record as an attacking midfield is poor and he clearly is a big risk. Maybe it's because we needed someone that badly that I now think he will be good player for us... but I am quietly confident. Bar the poor attitude he actually has a lot of similarities to Demebele when he joined, so let's hope Poch rapidly improves him fast.
 
Recap of window

- We needed a CF, cover for Dier, options for width/pace/direct
- We also needed to shed some fringe players (esp midfield)

Both done.

We have to look at the fact that our best 11 from last season got us to 3rd, would have been 2nd if not for suspensions (and the lack of cover). That squad lacked pace/directness, no plan B and was scarily dependent on Kane/Dier being fit.

We now have both cover for Dier/Kane, and options we didn't have. Yes, maybe 3-4 other clubs went out and spent a ton of money, but nothing we can do there.

Final point as mentioned, Levy has shown a great deal of backing to manager ... all good.
 
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