Summer transfer window 2021

[est1874]

2 minutes ago, AXD said:

Same could be said about Norwich, who even have more experience in the PL. I'm not saying Brentford can't do well and perform like sheffield or wolves in their first season, but more often newly promoted teams struggle. Especially those coming up through the play-off final. Our own club as an example: on paper we had a good team with mings, mcginn, heaton and one of the greatest talents in England with Grealish. A good manager, strong support, wealthy owners,... everything to succeed and we still struggled because the step-up to the PL is massive. For every Sheffield (1 lucky season was followed by a horrible one) or Wolves, you have twice as many Fulhams, Norwichs, WBAs or even to a lesser extent Newcastle or Brighton (lower mid-table at best).

So yes any team has the potential with a bit of luck, but to state this as a certainty is farfetched. I hope for Brentford to avoid relegation, but expect a difficult season. Happy to be proven wrong.

They literally have the potential to be mid-table.

In the same way Leeds did, before they finished 9th.

Also can't help noting you left them off your list.

[MJ_1874]

Tielemans - stats are about the same as McGinns (the disrespect on his name is criminal)
Maddison - A number 10 comparable to Buendia, we'll see who end up creating the most this year
Ndidi - Defensive machine would love him
Rice - Overated can tackle ok but no where near to Ndidi's level.  Doesn't really contribute much else. £100m for him a joke.  Would prefer Bissouma.
Soucek - Weird player, ok at tackling and scoring goals but that's about it.  
Benrahma - Comparable to Bailey/Buendia/Traore we'll see who scores/assists more come the end of the season

So no we are not a million miles away from these two teams.  We are lacking a true Ndidi type player which we all know.

[Zatman]

5 minutes ago, HalfTimePost said:

Benrahma-Buendia-Bailey

Would comfortably be better than anything we have currently.

Bailey-Ramsey-Buendia

Bailey-Buendia-Traore

Bailey-Ings-Traore (effectively 442 with Ollie)

AEG-Buendia-Bailey.

Bailey-Buendia-JPB

Bailey-Chuk-Buendia

Comfortably the first with Benrahma is the best option

well Benrahma plays on the left so will not be playing same side as Bailey who is vastly superior. on the right I would have Traore over Benrahma all day

[Aston_Villan4]

6 minutes ago, HalfTimePost said:

Benrahma-Buendia-Bailey

Would comfortably be better than anything we have currently.

Bailey-Ramsey-Buendia

Bailey-Buendia-Traore

Bailey-Ings-Traore (effectively 442 with Ollie)

AEG-Buendia-Bailey.

Bailey-Buendia-JPB

Bailey-Chuk-Buendia

Comfortably the first with Benrahma is the best option

That’s just not true. “Arguably” at best. No where near “comfortably better.” Heck, West Ham fans I've spoken to aren’t even as high on him as you are. He was mediocre last year. (Obviously he could improve but so far it doesn’t match up to what you’re saying)

[AXD]

2 minutes ago, est1874 said:

They literally have the potential to be mid-table.

In the same way Leeds did, before they finished 9th.

Also can't help noting you left them off your list.

Apologies, I'll rephrase: 

For every Sheffield (1 lucky season was followed by a horrible one), Leeds or Wolves, you have twice as many Fulhams (2x), Norwichs (2x), WBAs or even to a lesser extent Newcastle or Brighton (lower mid-table at best).

Also can't help noting you ignore the fact that most promoted teams struggle.

[Jas10]

Outside of the top 4, we may well have two of the best attacking players in the league in Bailey and Buendia. Better than any West Ham player for example…

I expect Traore to be even better (I love him).

In Watkins and Ings we have two of the best strikers in the league too.

I expect and hope our midfielders will improve and have better overall seasons. I am also excited about seeing how Sanson will do. Another addition or two (DM) is possible and would be most welcome.

We have one of the best GKs in the league. A solid defence.

Lots to be positive and optimistic about but at the same time we need to be patient and keep expectations in check. 

But no need to feel inferior too…

[Rolta]

8 minutes ago, MJ_1874 said:

Tielemans - stats are about the same as McGinns (the disrespect on his name is criminal)
Maddison - A number 10 comparable to Buendia, we'll see who end up creating the most this year
Ndidi - Defensive machine would love him
Rice - Overated can tackle ok but no where near to Ndidi's level.  Doesn't really contribute much else. £100m for him a joke.  Would prefer Bissouma.
Soucek - Weird player, ok at tackling and scoring goals but that's about it.  
Benrahma - Comparable to Bailey/Buendia/Traore we'll see who scores/assists more come the end of the season

So no we are not a million miles away from these two teams.  We are lacking a true Ndidi type player which we all know.

It's all a bit subjective really. I don't really agree with any of this. Those players have all been very impressive at Prem level and I think they'd all be in our starting 11 and probably our best outfield players.

[Vive_La_Villa]

I haven’t seen enough of Benrahma at West Ham to have a good opinion but from what I have seen he looks a better player than Bertie. 
 

Fair points about central midfielders. Both West Ham and Leicester seem stronger than us in this area and they are the teams we need to be competing with really.

[MJ_1874]

8 minutes ago, Rolta said:

It's all a bit subjective really. I don't really agree with any of this. Those players have all been very impressive at Prem level and I think they'd all be in our starting 11 and probably our best outfield players.

Stats are not everything but they can cut through personal opinions which (unless you watch every single game multiple times) are very subjective.  Everything I said is supported by stats.  Fbref (link below) provide a good summary.

https://fbref.com/en/players/6613c819/Tomas-Soucek

Edited August 24, 2021 by MJ_1874

[RicRic]

Weston Mckennie fingers crossed he may well be the icing on the cake ... are we able to pull it off we’ll see many reports but as we all know 9/10 they come to nothing and bear no fruit

[omariqy]

Way I see it is we have one of the best back 5’s and forward players outside the top 4/5 teams. Our issue is still quality in depth and the midfield. McGinn on his day can be up there and likewise Luiz - issue is consistency. We are probably a top midfielder away from being on that level. 

If I was to categorise them

Top 6 to 8 players

Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Mings
Targett
Young
McGinn
Luiz
Bailey
Buendia
Ings
Watkins
Traore

Unknown

Sanson
Tuanzebe

Need improving on

Steer
Guilbert
Hause
Hourihane
Nakamba
El Ghazi
Trezeguet
Wesley
Davis
 

Prospects

Ramsey
Chuk
JPB

Edited August 24, 2021 by omariqy

[CVByrne]

1 minute ago, omariqy said:

Way I see it is we have one of the best back 5’s and forward players outside the top 4/5 teams. Our issue is still quality in depth and the midfield. McGinn on his day can be up there and likewise Luiz - issue is consistency. We are probably a top midfielder away from being on that level. 

If I was to categorise them

Top 6 to 8 players

Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Mings
Targett
Young
McGinn
Luiz
Bailey
Buendia
Ings
Watkins
Traore

Unknown

Sanson
Tuanzebe

Need improving on

Steer
Guilbert
Hourihane
Nakamba
El Ghazi
Trezeguet
Wesley
Davis
 

Prospects

Ramsey
Chuk
JPB

Agree with this list.

[est1874]

16 minutes ago, AXD said:

Apologies, I'll rephrase: 

For every Sheffield (1 lucky season was followed by a horrible one), Leeds or Wolves, you have twice as many Fulhams (2x), Norwichs (2x), WBAs or even to a lesser extent Newcastle or Brighton (lower mid-table at best).

Also can't help noting you ignore the fact that most promoted teams struggle.

Of course they do. They've come up from a lower league mate.

That doesn't mean you don't generally get 1 team most seasons (with few exceptions) who outperform expectations.

Last year that was Leeds, the year before it was Sheffield United, the year before that it was Wolves, the year before that it was Newcastle. All of whom finished top 10.

I don't think it's improbable that a very decent Brentford side will be this season's dark horse and finish somewhere around midtable while the other 2 struggle.

Edited August 24, 2021 by est1874

[Delphinho123]

3 minutes ago, omariqy said:

Way I see it is we have one of the best back 5’s and forward players outside the top 4/5 teams. Our issue is still quality in depth and the midfield. McGinn on his day can be up there and likewise Luiz - issue is consistency. We are probably a top midfielder away from being on that level. 

If I was to categorise them

Top 6 to 8 players

Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Mings
Targett
Young
McGinn
Luiz
Bailey
Buendia
Ings
Watkins
Traore

Unknown

Sanson
Tuanzebe

Need improving on

Steer
Guilbert
Hause
Hourihane
Nakamba
El Ghazi
Trezeguet
Wesley
Davis
 

Prospects

Ramsey
Chuk
JPB

I don’t agree that Luiz, Traore or McGinn are too 6-8 players. If they were, we wouldn’t have finished 11th last season with Grealish in the team. 

[omariqy]

3 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I don’t agree that Luiz, Traore or McGinn are too 6-8 players. If they were, we wouldn’t have finished 11th last season with Grealish in the team. 

I think Traore can become one with his first season under his belt. My point stands re Luiz and McGinn - consistency is key. If they can find it this season then they can be at that level. If they can’t this season then both will fall into the ‘need improving’ category for me.

[Mantis]

How on Earth is Traore not a top 6-8 player?

[Delphinho123]

3 minutes ago, Mantis said:

How on Earth is Traore not a top 6-8 player?

Lol

[Okonokos]

7 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I don’t agree that Luiz, Traore or McGinn are too 6-8 players. If they were, we wouldn’t have finished 11th last season with Grealish in the team. 

All 3 absolutely are. Don't confuse form with quality.

[Delphinho123]

Just now, Okonokos said:

All 3 absolutely are. Don't confuse form with quality.

Ok. No point in us signing another central midfielder then is there? Especially with the emergence of Ramsey. With Buendia and Bailey on the wings as well, we’ll cruise into the top 8 and potentially Europe. 

[Okonokos]

1 minute ago, Delphinho123 said:

Ok. No point in us signing another central midfielder then is there? Especially with the emergence of Ramsey. With Buendia and Bailey on the wings as well, we’ll cruise into the top 8 and potentially Europe. 

No, we also need another top defensive midfielder. 100%. But that doesn't mean those 3 aren't top 8 quality.