Jas10

Yep. The top or more successful teams do fine without signing players with PL experience. Quite tired of the phrase tbh, there’s a fair bit of (overpaid, overrated and over valued) crap in the league too (e.g. Drinkwater) How much PL experience did Liverpool acquire to end up winning the league? Did Allison and Van Dijk have PL experience? Wolves have signed players from abroad (Portugal) that have turned them into pretty much a top 6 team. They upset the league as soon as they were promoted really and I don’t see many players there that have or had PL experience. They scouted and signed talented players, it’s as simple as that. Chelsea have always signed players from abroad that have turned out really well (Pulisic looks good now, Hazard previously, Willian - too many examples to list). Man U have been transformed since they signed Bruno Fernandes...PL experience? I could go on and on, just look at the most successful teams. I’m not saying we could be the same (not anytime soon anyway) but it kind of blows away this theory that “all you need is PL experience” Aguero? No pl experience Aubameyang? No pl experience Jimenez? No pl experience David Silva? No pl experience The majority of the best players in the league have come from abroad anyway! Henry? Bergkamp? Zola? Ronaldo? Where did Leicester get Kante & Mahrez from? Look how Wenger came in & transformed Arsenal. And so on and so on... too many examples of teams and players to list. It may seem like I’m oversimplifying but the point still stands. Wolves is probably the better or most relevant example as they haven’t won anything yet but they have disrupted and upset the “normal order” and they’ve done it by getting talented players (and a talented manager) in from abroad! The means may be questionable but they have succeeded and continue to... We just need top quality players no matter where they come from. The more successful players tend to have stronger personalities and character anyway and have greater capability to adapt. Players used to fighting for something and competing along with displaying their obvious talent. That’s what we need. I actually think targeting pretty much any player with any PL experience is “small-time” We need to bring about a big/bigger club mentality (within the fans as well as those in charge) and show some ambition and intent. Some of the suggestions honestly make me despair at times. Not bad players per se but if that’s the kind we’re after then we’ll never really progress and be successful. E.g. Benteke, Albrighton, Lolley & f****** Troy Deeney???!!!! Come on guys...seriously?!

Yeah I can see them rejecting that tbh...

Omitting the players I think we should offload, I’d like us to strengthen as follows: GK: Heaton, NEW GK, Steer LB: Targett, NEW LB CB: Mings, Hause (not a fan tbh, so poor on the ball) CB: Konsa, Engels A new, top quality CB would really help. RB: Guilbert (would like to see him get a sustained run in the side and I’m sure the coaching team will have worked on the tactical side of the game with him as they have with others like Doug) Elmo is ok as backup but wouldn’t mind letting him go and getting a quality RB to fight for the position with Fred. Not a priority but I am happy with us adding as much quality as possible. DM - Luiz, NEW DM/CM, Nakamba (3rd choice or farewell, too limited) CM - McGinn, Hourihane, NEW CM CM/AM - Grealish, NEW AM/FW (maybe one of the new wingers to alternate) LW - NEW LW RW - NEW RW suggestions - Rashica, Sarr, Deulofeu, Buendia, Benrahma Trez & El Ghazi either subs or bye bye (more signings needed in that case) CF - NEW ST (Belotti?!), Wesley, NEW ST/Samatta (really don’t mind if he goes but, again, replacement required) Davis, Vassilev & others out on loan

We need genuine quality more than anything, PL experience isn’t a must for me. Get some proper players from decent/competitive leagues (Bundesliga, Série A, La Liga, Ligue 1) and some gems from elsewhere. South America is always worth a look. I personally won’t be happy if we just target players from much weaker leagues (we’ve already done that) like Belgium, Turkey, Scandinavia etc unless we’re looking at young talent with high potential to fill out the squad to complement the higher/proven quality players we would be spending most on. As long as they are to add to the “bigger”’or better players we would be mainly targeting I would have no issue but if we are only signing that kind of player then that would concern me greatly. We need starters who will greatly enhance the strength of our first team. Only players who are better than what we have already got. I don’t really see the point otherwise tbh. Happy with the links (or rumours & speculation) to highly rated players like Rashica & Belotti. Would love us to sign players who are used to competing at a higher level and with proven or recognisable talent & ability. Benrahma would be great too, players with obvious talent and potential need to be pursued. No objection to bringing Tammy back if possible (he will continue to go down the pecking order with the signings that Chelsea are making). There is talent (and that much vaunted PL experience) in the teams that have been relegated. Watford must be looked at (Sarr & Deulofeu in particular). I want us to demonstrate our ambition and intent this time, for all the money we spent I would say our previous transfer activity was fairly “meek” and below expectations. This season has proved that we don’t have what it takes to be competitive and become a mainstay in this division. We desperately and heavily need to strengthen. The main thing we lacked is quality...

Think you’re reading too much into my comment mate Need to get this off my chest though: I am desperate for us to add quality and improve. If we really want to kick on, progress and become a competitor in this league (rather than trying to survive by the skin of our teeth) then we can’t have players like Taylor, Nyland & Davis getting minutes for us. Maybe not even the likes of Nakamba, Trez & El Ghazi (although they are more useful and would provide cover). We need major “enhancement” and can’t afford to carry anyone, especially at this level. And we mustn’t target average, bit part etc. players either. I also don’t give a toss about PL experience. If you look at many of our signings, many were from weaker or comparatively poor leagues such as Belgium & Turkey. The bigger & more successful sides sign players from the stronger leagues such as Spain, Germany & Italy (I’d also include France). We need players who are better than what we have to replace and/or compete with whoever we already have in those particular positions. And I mean genuine competition, not just a sub par reserve or basic cover. I’d actually like a few of our players to become second choice purely because we have added much better players to the first XI. Most of all, we need a new and much better front 3. There’s a lot of work to be done. We have to be active and have to splash the cash.

Dunno if it’s legit but... we really must learn our lesson from the Drinkwater move. What a complete & utter disaster. Prem experience is not always all it’s cracked up to be...

Very limited player but not bad as a squad player, for closing out games etc. Just shows how weak our squad is though when we practically have to bring him on for another midfielder simply because we have no other (decent) options. Desperately hoping that we are going to be super active and make major moves in this transfer window. We really need to kick on and enhance the quality of our team, otherwise it’s going to be another season of struggle. Crucial time for the club.

Yeah but I just doubt he would move from Leicester to continue as 2nd or 3rd choice elsewhere...

Quality certainly seems to have improved...

Chelsea being linked with Aubameyang now?! They have plenty of forwards, must be looking to offload some. Tammy may consider us, Batshuayi not getting a look in either. I would prefer Belotti to anyone personally but don’t know how likely that would be.

Gonna miss the light blue away, really liked it:

I read “decent shit” at first! Thought you’d sharted!

Pretty good, no complaints. Much improved on the previous home shirt. Seems to be inspired by the Luke strip a bit.

Could Douglas tempt him here? Another exciting young player...

Gabriel Barbosa?

Yep, just think how we would have fared otherwise. Would say he was our top performer after the restart. Konsa did well too. Jack wasn’t quite himself but the quality is always there, improved in the last two games.

Need to consider his age, coming from abroad, having to learn the language and adapt to a new country, culture & environment. He is one of the few we have who possesses a strong enough character & personality to cope and succeed. That’s a big deal for someone so young as well as his talent & potential. As we saw, he just needed time and coaching. He is only going to get better and better.

He is class and yet so young, would love it if we could hang onto him for the long term. A special talent like Jack, the more we have the better off we will be... got to make some good signings.

That explains it!