The Burning Question: Overall, are you happy with this Transfer Window?

[Jennings]

Not happy. Was looking forward to improving the spine of the team. Under delivered.

[Pureblood]

Tart. Say what you think! And stop nibbling at your internet nemesis.

 

Sexist.  Okay, I will.  Use of the word "nemesis" is good, one of my favourite shoot 'em ups (shmups).  

 

Incoming:-

 

Salah.  Obviously class from the word go.  £35m (or whatever it was) looks like a snip in the post Neymar era.  Hopefully his knee flare up is nothing to be concerned about.  If so, he looks set to torment full backs everywhere.  Is he quicker than Mané?  I'd like to see the player who could catch him. 

 

The Ox.  I think this will prove to be an astute buy, but then I would say that.  You have to put this signing into context.  Turning down Arsenal and the reigning champions is a fantastic start.  I don't think this aspect of it can be downplayed.  When you factor in the reduced wages and the fact that Arsenal did not sign anyone subsequently, it amounts to weakening them on the penultimate day of the window and stealing one from under the nose of Chelsea.  Unfortunately, unless he impresses hugely from the word go I think he will carry a bit of a "nearly man" stigmata that will be hard to shake off.  But that does not really matter.  I welcome his signing enthusiastically.  I foresee an injury free Ox flourishing under Klopp.

 

Robertson.  I have no real view, I haven't seen enough of him.  Looks to have a cultured left foot.  That's the best I can do.

 

Solanke.  Similar to Robertson, no real view.  The jury is out until he plays a bit.

 

Naby Keita.  An interesting way of doing business.  It would have been far more preferable to have him for this season, but the signing of the Ox can temper that for a season as we are now strong in the midfield area.  I have only seen youtube clips but not enough to pass judgement.

 

Overall I would give the window 6.5 out of 10.  It would have been a 7 but Naby Keita does not arrive for a year, so that's half a mark deducted from the TK rating.  Alternatively you could say it was disappointing and I would understand that point of view, but I rate the existing squad quite highly - in particular players such as Lovren - so my starting threshold was a bit different. 

[Dan Vito Corleone]

All good pieces. Dan is spot on about the transfers though. Our failures are a pattern now and im sick to death of hearing people say "But we clearly tried to spend big" coupled with "its been a tough window for every club".

 

 

Just not buying it when you see the likes of the mancs getting good deals done early and easily. City too got a plethora of good deals done early. If you are prepared to pay what it takes and dont fuck up the deals you will get the players.

 

Wait until the next excuse.

 

"There's no value in January."

[Captain]

I'm not happy at all. We failed to plug the single biggest hole in our first team, which has been a priority since Klopp decided to freeze Sakho out.

 

Now Sakho has finally been sold, but still not replaced.

[TheBitch]

What was the net spend minus Keita?

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Getting Keita just about saved it, not getting a cb was plain wrong.

[Guest Alex_K]

Keita will come off 2018 budget.

Another horrendous FSG showing -- to be expected. You cannot play the energetic style we adopt with such a shallow squad. Maybe you can get away with it if you are conservative -- like Chelsea. The lack of quality across the back 5 compounds the problem. Unlike Chelsea/Tottenham, we have no ground/infrastructure committments -- their approach to running the club is galling. Slum lords.

The best thing that could happen to us is 1st round domestic cup exits, to allow for a tilt at Europe after Christmas. Which -- for one of the worlds richest clubs with one of the best managers -- is morose.

[jsjazz]

We barely stumbled over the line for 4th last year, without CL games. Most people agreed we needed a strong midfielder, a commanding centre back, a left back instead of an out of position midfielder or a brain dead non-defending wing back. Almost as urgently, a striker as Sturridge can't be relied on, some pace up front for when Mane is injured or away, a reliable goalkeeper. Definitely needed to increase numbers to cope with the extra games, and hopefully people haven't forgotten how poor we were from end December to March.

 

SO....

Salah- excellent signing. If the plan is two quick goalscoring wide men as first choice, where is the replacement to rotate / replace if one is injured?

Midfield- Keita is next year anyway, but it looks like we will gain him and lose Can- so no great increase in squad depth.

Left back- somehow Moreno is first choice again, but I'll be amazed if he isn't dropped at some stage. I just don't see him improving the brain farts. Robertson may be OK, who knows- so OK with this.

Striker- Solanke is still a kid. Origi gone out on loan, so no stronger. If Firmino gets injured, what are the chances of Sturridge being fit at the time?

We've also lost Lucas who despite his detractors played a number of games for us last year, in midfield and in defence. Sakho gone as well- so defence looks really fragile.

Lemar- maybe next year? Who knows? But will be the replacement for Coutinho so no overall change, in fact a deterioration as Coutinho had been bedded in, got used to the league, improved, and was a pretty special player on his day.

 

So overall- B- from me. We've played very well the last two games- but we were blowing teams away for fun last year as well before Christmas. Don't underestimate the effects of the high intensity game we play, the thin squad, and the effect of the extra games.

[TheHowieLama]

Mate- we signed Oxlaide Chamberlin too.

[Ranxerox]

I'd give it a 6.

[Anubis]

Mate- we signed Oxlaide Chamberlin too.

He was trying to blank that out, damn you.

[Kevin D]

No.

[jimmycase]

I can see why. Ashley gave benitez assurances apparently then went back on his word.

[Bjornebye]

If we had nabbed Van Dijk i'd have been very happy. Instead we are left exposed at the back. 

[Hades]

3/10, given FSG's history and their zero net spend last summer.

 

6/10 without any context for the dimwitted stats gurus.

[ngogswilly]

If we had nabbed Van Dijk i'd have been very happy. Instead we are left exposed at the back.

Its the one place you dont want to ever be left exposed