By Hughie Southon
It really is tough working out quite what’s going on at the club within the transfer window…
I nearly added the words “right now” to that opening sentence but it is true of those we have seen under David Moyes since he has been at the club.
Put very simply, to be in a position where we are currently two down on the paper thin squad which finished last season – Fredericks, Nobes, Yarmo, Vlasic, Diop, Masuaku and Kral are gone with five , effectively four if we including Areola, having arrived – is awful.
Most believed that we would need to replace those that were leaving and add at least three to strengthen the squad this summer but right now we are seeing it reduced even further.
I’m trusting that that the players we have brought in are as good as we hope and believe them to be but one or two injuries or suspensions, as we are now seeing, is going to prove really troublesome unless Moyes manages to add another three or four at least before September 1.
And on his past record that is optimism rather than confidence. I hope I’m wrong.
At this moment things don’t look great particularly in view of the number of games on our agenda with European involvement.
Moyes is obviously a very fine coach – no question about it but MAYBE he has some proving to do in this area of his management approach!
Another week goes by and nothing but departures and now hearing that Moyes pulled the plug on the Onana deal not over wages but the player wanting Guaranteed first team football,Whilst no player should be given that and seeing as this was a long time target for Moyes why not of been a bit diplomatic pointing out he will get gametime but that has to be earned and with the way he thinks about Soucek that would of been soon but to just pull out without a talk come on…As for Moyes if he thinks he will have the players he needs before the window shuts then he best hope we have points on the board by then..Sundays game is going to be tough then our nemesis Brighton roll up to the B.O.M. Villa away..spuds and chelski in quick succession and inbetween all that a tip to Denmark for our Conference qualifier…Our players were dead on there feet last season and look the same preseason and against citeh(heat same for both sides)and now we have lost another two players Ants injured Fab to Dawson? Ogbonna needed replacing that kind of injury at his age sorry he will not like Winston ever be the player he was….so if we get beat sunday Moyes will be feeling the heat and lets see how quick he reacts then but i doubt it.
Just applying some common sense to your suggestion that Moyes pulled the plug on Onana without a conversation on game time. Do you really think that is likely? Criticism of Moyes is fair when it is both accurate and fair, your claim is neither. Of course, common sense would say, Moyes responded to Onana that he could not guarantee him a position of starting every game but he would get his fair share and the opportunity to develop, both in domestic and European games. To think he just pulled out and said no thanks sunshine, is naïve to say the least. It is far more likely that both parties couldn’t agree and Onana and his representatives were unwilling to compromise so the deal collapsed.
Agree it is very concerning. It seems that Dave is relishing in his reputation for a bargain buy in the championship and for only adding players that are better than what we have. Sometimes you just have to buy a few squad players to give Daves favourite 11 a rest.
It’s very worrying how weak the Squad is. I’m in broad agreement with the departures, but the lack of new signings is getting to crisis point. My hope is that there will be a whole raft of Loan signings but I’m not holding my breath!
Moyes has sorted out the Squad and got rid of the dead-wood, but we now urgently need new-blood, he doesn’t seem very good in this area!
I fear a Season of struggle!
Good article High , I agree the signings we have made look good no complaints. Also very short in numbers . What worries me is that we might have many irons in the fire but no progress. We have list other targets this window but appear to be able to get deals done quick when we want too. I see this as not just DM but the whole club as being responsible for delivering the targets and getting those deals done . If it is DM fault then he needs to be pulled aside by the owners and spoken to. It’s a collective responsibility and we need to see signings.
Is there something wrong with us?
It seems as though we are un-joinable for some reason.
We get close to a deal and then no, they are off somewhere else…
Hopefully we can get a few in and the stroke of midnight on the last day….
Hugh, I make you right on all counts and for me at this stage, I recognise the difference between the great coach that he is and the manager of his resources that he isn’t. These two parts need to come together if we intend on making that move to the next level.
The fact that we are as short on number’s as we are and have been perenially, cannot be accidental and maybe Moyes is setting the bar a little too high and we are now out there looking for bargains at the end of the transfer window. WHAT do we expect to find? There have been many players that have slipped by us probably because they don’t quite meet the high criteria set. But many of these players would undoubtedly have been an upgrade on what we have or had plus the team as a whole would have benefitted greatly.
Our transfer dealings always seem incremental and drawn out, which is possibly another reason why we have been unsuccessful on so many occasions. We have even gone cap-in-hand to our competitors at this late stage and to the kindest observer it is now beginning to look like a slow car crash. I did feel that the Flynn Downes transfer was a watershed moment for the club, where we identified a player, gone in and BOSH, we got him. I’m beginning to realise that Flynn probably made that transfer happen.
Like you Hugh, I’m hoping to be left shocked and stunned by some never seen before “Late” transfer dealings from this club.
:-}
All the players going out are players that hardly ever played anyway. The signings coming in are better quality so I would say we are considerably better off now as a squad with still plenty of time left in the window to bring in other signings. I don’t look at it as purely a numbers game. We have strengthened in key positions. It’s unfortunate that Aguerd got injured but I can’t lay the blame for that on Moyes. Still time to bring in another centre back if we really need one. Depends how close are Ogbonna and Dawson and only Moyes and his staff would know that.
Hit the nail on the head there Hughie, he is a good coach but his management of resources leaves a fair bit to be desired. We all still hope and pray for some great signings, but with slumped shoulders!
2 that i think we really need to get rid of……..
Benrahma & Moyes……….
One i can see happening, the other , maybe not.
Moyes is a proven disaster when it comes to transfer windows & he is just confiming it now !!!
I think a lot of people are panicking unnecessarily.
Surely of those who have left, the only one any of us would like to see pulling on the shirt again is Nobes!
We’ve signed some real quality which is not easy to do with so much competition.
Aguerd for Diop
Downes for Nobes
Cornet for Arthur
Scamacca for Yarm
That’s all ok by me.
I’d also say Ashby for Fredericks and Coventry for Kral. Often plenty of moans about not giving the youth a chance.
Of course we want a few more in but the concern has been over the top. Chill out and get behind the 11 players on the pitch! Irons!
Edwh, perfect riposte