Saint-Fred

I am not sure we have ever had or have plans to buy that many at anytime during this window? Personally I think the last few years has raised expectations, however we were never going to maintain that position. We are a mid table club at best but our fans are struggling to understand that as we have a lot of money incoming why that isn't invested in the squad in areas which obviously need strengthening. If that money had been invested in those areas already I do not think, alternatively to your suggestion, many would be worrying or moaning about the squad. We will wait and see! Personally I think we will finish around mid point give or take a couple of positions which is about right whether we buy more or not!

So if Austin takes penalties we have to take away Tadics penalties and this adds to the goals we have missing next year? What about when he missed do these get added back in?

You win some you lose some but of last years signings only one is in the first eleven. And if Austin can't get in the team because Pelle, Mane and Long were better then surely selling two of the three to accommodate him is weakening the team..that's like saying Targett isn't in the team because of Bertrand so we had better sell him! Lol

Would getting VVD in earlier have changed those early results last season and meant that we made up the three points to Man City? If it did we could be preparing for champions league football now? Wouldn't that have been money well spent? Even if it did take 5 million or 10 million more to get him in earlier? We'll never know but IMO its one of my frustrations..we let our players go early so they get a full pre season at their new teams yet don't always get our people in till late, potentially affecting their season, especially when it's their first in the premiere the league?

It's not mental for Man Utd to want to have the biggest transfer fee paid in history. It's all part of the brand and they want to ensure they stay with Barcelona and Real Madrid. If they fail to "excite" those fans all over the world they will fall behind them especially whilst they are not winning many trophies. The big thing is they can afford to do it! I think top 8 for us is very top end of our "weight" at present. We are no where near the top 6 clubs in terms of revenue and likely to fall significantly behind West Ham this year( who are already above us) Not sure what last year will do for Leicester revenue wise and obviously Everton have been really close to us. Les talking about CL is just a pipe dream that I think he should stop peddling that and let the talking be done on the pitch. If we do top 10 this year it's a great year for a club our size. Funny enough been to turkey this year and you can buy football kits for every team in the top 8 last year including West Ham and Leciester except Saints!

I would agree that wages are very important, however our current success is off the back of considerable investment in the squad three summers ago after the first melt down. Yes players will go when they are clearly too good for us..(how long VVD will stay is the question then?) my worry is what if we do not invest what we get in back into the squad? Last summers signings excluding VVD did not really improve the first team and until we sign someone else this summer I am worried that the first team is weakened this summer. (Although FF and Ryan being available from the first game is a massive up on last year) However the squad we had last year was the best for depth I had known in my time. It's a fine balance which the club in fairness have got right so far!

Probably wanted the room next to Henderson!

Probably wanted the room next to Henderson!

Out of last summers signings how many cemented a place in the team? VVD..and that's probably it. Over the years we have wasted enough money on wages alone for other players excluding the oft quoted Osvaldo and Ramirez! Caulker, Mayuka, Juanmi, Durijic, Elia, Gardos to name a few off the top of my head even players like Romeu, classie and Austin have yet to show a return. Over a period (5, 10, 15 years) those who consistently can spend the highest will have a higher average position! Our current position probably reflects the 100 million we have spent on our squad in recent years!

Personally I think that team would struggle to get in the top 10. LCFC played 4 4 2 in an unconventional way if you like, giving away possession, defending tightly with defenders who rigidly hold position, hitting long balls early etc. I can't see that team doing that..eg Cedric would push up..would Redmond give enough cover for him? I don't know how good Hojberg is but expecting him to dominate games-both defensively and creatively ( which he'd need to do with regularity in that formation) would be a big ask! I think Rom has to start next to him to give a solid platform.

"Look at Tottenham. If you spend more than £100 million, you expect to be challenging for the league." I am afraid for the money spent, the wages paid etc etc that is a massive underachievement

TBF we can criticise our own policy (selling high and buying potential) but at least we seem to be one of the few clubs that you can actually understand what we are trying to do (even if you don't agree it's the right way). Most of the others just confound me with signings that I think.."was that really where you needed to strengthen".

How is their squad taking shape? They have bought more of what they already had..arguably not as good as what they had? And not really strengthened where they have had issues right back to when Suarez nearly carried them to the title? Scored a lot of goals but conceded enough to stop them winning anything! IMO Klopp is over rated and Liverpool deserve him..he'll never compete with Jose, Pep etc..check his record..always a bridesmaid!

It's funny how every bad decision, the kits, Osvaldo etc gets laid directly at Cortese's door but the good decisions eg 7 years of improving league positions , appointing Poch etc the current board get the credit for that? Surely there is some joint responsibility and credit for it all?

I would be amazed if we didn't have them? They are becoming standard and There are loads of famous examples in England, Everyone knows Suarez had one at Liverpool, wenger and his £1 over etc, Townsend had one at Newcastle( just invoked by Palace,) even that non league goal keeper had one of £1 in his contract! It's not necessarily a bad thing but it's becoming a reality of the modern game. Also Juanmi has one of 27 million pounds now! Crikey, we should have charged them more lol

They could but Vardy may not have signed an extension so now may be gone? Kante may not have signed for them at all and as a consequence they may not have won the league! The players and agents have the power, not the club! It's very easy to say they could say no but as everyone is finding wth wages there is usually someone else who will pay if you don't so it's a choice of make consessions or sign players no one else wants or is ever likely to want. Do anyone really think LCFC chose, under no pressure at all, to put release clauses into their players contracts?

I am not sure that they chose to put them in. I suspect agents insisted otherwise the players would not sign. You do not know if we have them in our contracts?

Chelsea did it but it cost a billion pounds. Man City did it quicker and it cost over a billion pounds. You need to have the best players, compete for tropheys and pay a top age. Just not possible for us unless someone wants to chuck loads and loads (not everton type 100 million) bucket loadsat us.

I haven't seen much of him to be honest. There is no doubt that being at Bayern and playing for Denmark regularily shows that he has something however expecting him to step straight in, replace Wanyama or A.N.Other in the starting eleven and be the nuts is IMO expecting too much of any young signing? He will need time to adjust. Juanmi came on the back of expectation too, hadn't he just broken into the Spain squad?

Standing already happens permanently in sections of the ground and it doesn't seem to be a significant issue where people are behind tall people and can't see? You do see kids standing on seats though which would be resolved by proper standing areas.

I liked Juanmi, he didn't really get much of a chance to demonstrate he could be an influence? I think Classie is a good player and if people expect him to be Morgan then he has to be given a few years to get to that level. The two new players also need to be given time before they are compared to Wanyama or Mane.

Surely The signings so far this year are potential rather than "top quality" signings? Not a lot different to Juanmi last year?

A level of debt is ok and, in fact, to be expected.

I thought it was mental that Bmth had spent 15 million on a player rather than anything to do with our spending!

Bmth record transfer is now higher than ours? That's Mental really!