Summer transfers

[jr81]

Devil is in the detail for me.

I think the idea of keeping Gakpo, a player who scored 18 goals in 49 appearances (all comps) and can play up front or from the left, whilst maintaining a decent record in terms of injuries, made some sense.

However the wage bracket he got placed into seems a pretty awful call.

I think the idea of selling one of our older attacking stars not named Salah made some sense as the fee was very respectable and we have to be mindful of the future.

However not replacing said player (Diaz) with a plug-and-play (or on the verge of plug-and-play) replacement in the form of a 21-25 year pacey, tricky player to continue our succession planning was a terrible shout, with the only caveat being if were to have successfully adopted a 4-4-2 Diamond or 3-5-2 etc, which we absolutely have not.

If they're going to make big calls (which I am not inherently against) then you have to do the subsequent follow-up to said calls, which we certainly failed with this time around.

Yes, Diaz being sold was one thing but the issue was exasperated by not replacing him. Again, if the transfer team said use rio, but slot thought he was too young (which seems correct) then it's set up to fail.

Also, I would argue with you regarding if gakpo can play up front and wide left. Based on this season, he can't play either position. I liked gakpo as a back up player. He came in, got some goals and assists. Last season himself and Diaz rotted well. But as the main man, he isn't anywhere near consistent enough. He is now on huge wages and we will never get rid. Sounds like United post fergie. Huge wages for average players.

I would expect Rio gets a lot more game time next season on the left. If not, he will be gone.

[Ravo19]

biggest issue is the 4 2 3 1 and slot is part of the problem,even when wirtz isnt fit slot has tried forcing other players in as the 10 and for a whole season has stubbornly refused to go 4 3 3.
macallistair would be back to his best in a 4 3 3 but wirtz not suited to dropping back as a 8 and not a wide player.
as for guehi it was a done deal untill palace shafted us at the last minute.

[jr81]

biggest issue is the 4 2 3 1 and slot is part of the problem,even when wirtz isnt fit slot has tried forcing other players in as the 10 and for a whole season has stubbornly refused to go 4 3 3.
macallistair would be back to his best in a 4 3 3 but wirtz not suited to dropping back as a 8 and not a wide player.
as for guehi it was a done deal untill palace shafted us at the last minute.

Palace didn't shaft us. We thought we were clever going in so late. We messed that up ourselves. They were never selling their best cb without getting someone in. The guy they wanted went elsewhere.

We could have had guehi signed 4 or 5 weeks earlier and it would have been done but for an extra 5mil.

[ianlfc]

We need another number 9 going g into the new season, there's no way I'd trust Isak to stay fit and with Ekitike being Injured there's no way we can endure watching Gakpo as out number 9