Certainly wouldn't swap our transfer window for any of the promoted sides. Don't think I'd swap it for any side outside the big four tbh. So far, at least.
i don't troll. Posting an opinion that may be slightly different from the prevailing one on here is not trolling. It's done in the hope of fuelling debate, which is after all the whole point of having a forum. I think, if reports are true, Gradel was a top target for us because we offered a large sum of money to sign him, not far short of the money we offered for Perotti and Berghuis, both of whom I think most people here would refer to as top targets too. I'd not expect anybody here to say anything remotely complimentary about Bournemouth as there seems to be nothing but antipathy towards them, but trying to look at them objectively I think Gradel would be a good signing for them, adding more pace and goals from the wings, something they already have quite a bit of. Yes, I would describe our window so far as fairly decent. That's not a criticism, a negativity or a moan. We've secured several of our targets and we have certainly strengthened the squad immeasurably. We have missed out on the really big names we have been linked with, but that's maybe to be expected. Only two of our eight new recruits so far have played in the PL (plus Vydra, who isn't actually a new recruit as such) so we must wait to see how they adapt. Their career CVs look good. I'm eagerly looking forward to the new season and think we have had a good summer and could do well next season, but equally I'm keeping my feet on the ground and trying not to get carried away with all the hyperbole. That is totally different from being a troll.
That's a very good post malts but you can see why people respond like that when you play down the success of our transfer window but praise Bournemouth's. All you have to do is look at the neutral view of the promoted team's signings to see how well we've done. Norwich are struggling and their fans are losing patience, Bournemouth have bought a back-up keeper, Josh King, Sylvain Distin, Atsu on loan and an average Championship full-back in Mings. We're buying proven quality, and experience. I'd wager that AFCB have been turned down by a few of their main targets but you haven't seen them reported because A)non-bournemouth fans probably wouldn't have paid any attention and B)it seems Italian clubs and Italian media are a bit more loose-tongued when it comes to potential transfers.
Was he really a top target? Spent his entire career here in the championship didn't he? From what I've seen I'd have said Perotti, Santon, Capoue and Stambouli were more like our top targets
I don't think your first sentence is an accurate summary of my post lol !You're implying I said our new signings were rubbish but Muffs were great. That wasn't at all what I said. I described our window as fairly decent, which is my opinion of how it has been, in the sense that we've signed some very decent players but have also lost out on a few key targets who really were top drawer. In no way should 'fairly decent' be misread as a veiled criticism of our summer. Re Muff, I think Gradel will be a good addition to them and personally I think they are giving themselves a good chance of staying up. That's my opinion on them. It's not the same as saying they're great and we are ****. I support WFC like we all do here, and I also wouldn't swap our window for anything. The whole trigger for my point was Gradel apparently rejecting us for them, and after his 17 goals in La Ligue last season, I'm disappointed by that. He will do well next season Im certain.
Who are the key targets we've lost out on other than Perotti? There are no reports that we ended up bidding for Gradel, let alone him rejecting us. I'm not counting the likes of Stambouli because there's nothing we can do about that.
Let's not forget that Inler and Perotti are still on the cards . 2 signings that would grace any team outside top 4 or 5 I think even if we stopped now , this transfer window has been pretty spectacular. People's expectations seem to be moving so quickly, That we re forgetting what an incredible job Gino is doing behind the scenes .
MellowYellow, reckon you could give an opinion of your own once in a while? Love to know your insights
So did Harry Kane up until last season. Players get better, especially younger ones like Gradel was when he was over here.
some players get better why players like Gradel especially? And even if that were true, why would he be a top target? Perotti was in the Serie A team of the year so it's not hard to believe he was (or is) a top target. Ligue1 is generally considered inferior to Serie A, La Liga, BL, and the Prem.
It was a generalisation rather than saying Gradel specifically, as in younger players tend to get better.
I'm off to Italy tomorrow for a couple of weeks, just outside of Genoa, if I see Gino talking to an athletic looking fella out there I will post it on this forum...
Can we be certain that we actually made a bid for him? There has been lots of speculation of supposed targets - but very little has leaked from the club, so it is sometimes media gossip, media conjecture or sometimes from the player or agent themselves - I think we are best placed to just wait until something is officially announced before speculating. If you look at the rumours this close season, I would be very surprised if we had targeted 20% (generous). I doubt we'll never know as the Pozzo's play their cards very close to their chest. Having said all that I would doubt he would have been a top of the list priority - maybe a nice to have. The way we seem to have pursued Inler and Perotti I think says a lot - but again, it could just be agents fuelling the flames.... The signings we have made seem to be typical Pozzo investments - young and upcoming talent or experienced players they know can be depended on. For me it has been a magnificent window (and there could still be more to come). It may take us a little while to hit top gear but if and when we do - sit back and smile...
Exactly, the Gradel speculation could have been put out there by his agent to encourage Bournemouth to offer more wages.
Well, assuming we don't get them, I think we can safely say we have bid for Inler, Perotti, Stambouli and Santon. And the Serbian midfielder, whose name I can't write on my predictive text! I'd call them key targets as our bidding for them took place early in the summer. I'm also confident Nyom will prove as good as Santon, Berghuis could match Perotti and Behrami (if he stays on the pitch!!) will have more English experience than the Serbian. So, as I expressed the opinion last night, it has been a fairly decent window.
I don't think we have key targets. Just key positions for which we spread the net fairly wide. I don't imagine Pozzo cares too much who we end up with out of Perotti, Vasquez, Jurado, Gradel or Berghuis. They're all just high quality creative, attacking players who can operate behind Deeney.
Prodl I think was a top target, we needed a behemoth of a CB and it sounds in principle it was agreed long before the season started
Whether we missed our targets or not, its clear Gino and the boys have worked their b****y socks off over the summer so far, and if we've missed some of our bigger targets, it won't be for want of trying, and there's nothing more we could have done. Just the fact that we've invested the time trying to attract these names shows how serious the owners are about staying up and genuinely competing in this league.
Absolutely! I've not read anybody saying it's not been a good window. I just said last night it was 'fairly decent', which I think got mis-read as a critical comment. It wasn't! If I went out tonight for a fairly decent meal with a fairly decent female and the weather was fairly decent, I'd be happy
Yes I was just making the point that whether the window has been ok, fairly good, good, excellent, or stunning, I don't think it could have been any better than the outcome we have had. I reckon we probably have made enquiries for the vast majority of those referenced and probably many more we never heard about. Some we only had ever had an outside chance of signing, others were there as plan C and dropped very quickly as other better deals came off. As for Gradel and Gueds, if we don't sign them and they go elsewhere, I expect they were considered plan C's and rightly or wrongly other signing were considered better options.
I think (as usual) you make a fairly decent point In fact all summer I've argued that anybody logging off for the summer, hearing no rumours and then turning up at Goodison will be happy with our signings. The only ones who may feel just the odd tinge of 'what might have been' are those of us on here every day reading every single rumour and dreaming of a side containing Inler, Mertens, Doumbia etc! And the Guedioura Fan Club of course!
But if you told her at the end of the night you'd had a fairly decent time, she'd possibly slap you in the face.
I agree with you Malts, if we were signing him, people on here would be lauding his stats. Now he goes elsewhere he is Championship standard. He is a great homegrown option. As is Mings, and even though they overpaid, they weren't going to get a better young British talent for less. I don't see why he can not match Trippiers exploits in the premiership, who was very impressive last year. We have signed players that could be great, but could also fall to settle. They have gone for solid lower table players who we would have loved in any other promotion season, who have less ability but they can rely upon more. It is just a different approach. For a clubs first time in the premiership, I think they have done very well if they get Gradel.
As an English dj in malta he probably has this problem several times a week ! talking of DJ's in the med, good to see that Nige seems to be winning his battle with the dreaded C word => http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Der...lives-mental/story-21120411-detail/story.html
