The fates of Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte tell a significant story and serve as a timely reminder of how important it is to get this summer’s signing policy spot on.
It’s also perhaps as well to bear in mind that before blaming the boss for bad picks there weren’t too many of us who would have disagreed with them back in January.
Things were looking grim and two recognised Premier League performers with decent pedigrees looked more than sufficient to help the cause during a shocking season.
Indeed the ’emergency’ arrivals were applauded and by and large most of us thought we had enjoyed a pretty decent January window. We were wrong and that’s the problem with January buys.
The pair had cost us between £15m and £20m in fees and collectively around £130k a week in wages -depending on who you believe – and looked off the pace from Day One for which nobody but themselves can be blamed.
It’s tempting to blame the manager or David Sullivan yet truth is neither performed and now could both pass through the door marked exit with all of us breathing a sigh of relief.
January is a terrible time to make signings and however good the two may have looked at the time, the selling club always knows more than the buyer!!
Snodgrass is an inevitable departure over the next couple of weeks and Fonte, having started life on the bench at Old Trafford, may follow if a club were to come in.
So the conclusion is that clubs like our MUST get their buying right in the summer and given the events of last summer we will have the right to worry if we aren’t comfortbly placed by the time January comes around.
Thus, William Carvahlo would be a great buy and fingers remain crossed that he will become the fifth quality signing of this window.
COYI
Spot on Hugh 😉
Best buy in decades mate not this summer IMO 😁
Actually Hugh, we ain’t done bad. We had one bad summer in 4. Some supporters tend to exaggerate these things.
I’m hoping in the near future we promote more of our youth players, as the level of their quality rises enough, so we don’t rely on buying so much. Despite criticism in the past our youth policy has progressed at a good pace in recent years, so that now we have players in most positions who could be ready very soon ( specially at CB ).
I don’t get the critism of fonte to be honest. He’s not been incredible sure, but given he’s played with a changing partner and virtually no right back most of his time here, he’s been OK. Also don’t forget he had no rest over all of last summer. Coz he won the sodding euros…
I agree with that. Has was not exactly dropped into a winning team, so I’m sure he can perform better.
As I see it, one of the main criticisms of Fonte is his lack of pace, well he didn’t suddenly slow down when he came to us, I like his calmness on the ball, I just Hope It spreads to Reid who just panics with the ball at his feet, just watch how many times Reid plays us into trouble.
Hugh absolutely spot on there more suited to Hackney’s walking man’s team 😀
Fonte was needed due to Ogbanna’s injury op and may still be a decent buy over time.Snodgrass looked decent compared to team mates at weak Leeds,Norwich and Hull teams.Personally I didn’t favour buying him but understand why given our league position then.
I aint got nothing against Fonte compared to the rest of our defence.I aint written him off yet anyway.Where as Snotgrass has been a major disappoint i must admit,but if that Froggie hadnt thrown his toys out of the pram we wouldn’t have needed Snotgrass.We had to buy someone to replace him.if we hadnt there would have been a meltdown 😁
If we can sell Snodgrass and Fonte before the window closes, the club would have done amazing business on the “outs”. Snodgrass is very skilful but it just has not worked out. Fonte is a very poor defender – he does not react to defensive situations quickly enough. I said last Christmas that he was a lucky CH in that he was blessed to play alongside some very good CH partners at Southamptom. Then if we sign Carvellio and a new CH and LW then we will have done fantastic in business this summer. The owners will deserver enormous credit.
Slavs a nice bloke but is a bit tactically clueless – getting rid of Tompkins was a massive mistake as he could play a decent RB and CH
Agreed Crewehammer Slav should not have sold Tomkins he was 100% better than Fonte & more versatile I think Slav felt guilty about playing him out f position ( the most annoying trait our manager has ) & when Tomkins got fed up he sold him before making sure we had cover.
Reid injured after his 6 year deal so unless we cal back Burke or by another CB wouldn’t sell Fonte and he would be hard to offload given wages.
That’s why shouldn’t be handing out 6 year deals to everyone close to 30. Defence needed to be addressed and it wasn’t and Ogbonna is injury prone too so Fonte and Collins are needed unless buy another CB or call Burke back. Don’t see either happening. Tho think Burke will be great in January.
And we should that thinkg about these long heavy waged deals. They haven’t worked for us. And Reid is Ok CB not Bonucci or Evans and even if was at 29 6 years is Madness what’s wrond with 3-4 and has followed thru with Injury already.
Sorry our Retirement style of Business drives me mad
How many
Start again ?
How many above have the same opinion of fonte after the game yesterday ?
😉