Summer Window 2026 - The Denouement....

BlackGold said:
As a leader of men, what single piece of advice would you pass down to a padowan learner eager to become part of their footballing vanguard, chap?
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I would suggest that always swim against the tide, until they get too tired and then drown.

Then, with the benefit of hindsight, I would remind their families that the choice made was likely the wrong choice.
 
in_the_top_one said:
Seasider was making the point that they weren't regulars. I was making the point that they were.

You're right that Hutchinson didn't deliver what we might have hoped but he still did more than the others.

You have been positive about us signing Delap. Fair enough, me too. But how did his season go last time out? Or are you cutting him some slack because he's young and was playing for a new team?
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I am cutting him some slack because his style didn’t suit Maresca nor Rosenior by which time his confidence was shot. OG style will fit nicely. The retain and rotate style is not natural to him, more take opposition on. He also prefers a play on the break team to a control and build possession. He will be the main striker with Wood his cover. Last season he was a bit part player with different players around him every week. When at Man City and Derby he was an obvious talent. Scoring 12 goals, at Ipswich, in a relegation season for a poor side was a decent return. When sold by Ipswich he was under value. He is still young, especially for a striker and having Wood as a mentor and a manager who very much wants him should be crucial. If he can get a couple of early goals his confidence must soar. I would suggest he could be Harry Kane successor. With MGW and McAtee feeding with through passes and Diomande and Murillo with long passes, it is about getting on same wavelength. That takes practice and game time. It will take 10 games to know each other and then practice will be fitful. Could be another 10 before any consistency.

It’s not playing for a new team but playing for a team that fits his strengths and style.
 
weejockmcplop said:
Does Glasner play with a cdm and a '10'?
Schlager seemed to play a box to box role against Liverpool with McAtee playing a more creative but less dynamic role.
I'm not sure its as easy to apply traditional role structure to what Glasner has in mind.

Then again, when Sangare is on the pitch he clearly plays as a CDM, so I think it will be adapted depending on who is playing, rather than having set roles and trying to fit players into them. At least that's what I hope we do.
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I think we may set up differently at home compared to away, even with same clientele. Watching Man Utd game we appeared more comfortable with set up rather than previous week when Leeds pressed but also got 10 behind the ball. Getting first goal maybe crucial as teams have to push on rather than sit deep.

Will Yates and/or Sangare be fit for Spurs?
 
PsychoTheLegend said:
The Summer window has SLAMMED shut.
What are everyone's realistic views of our business and which position in the EPL is achievable?

The appointment of an elite coach in Glasner has fundamentally changed how we conduct business in my opinion. We've seen a more sensible and mature approach to transfers.

Glasner prefers a small squad and he definitely had time to assess our squad during pre-season.

We've seen several ins and outs. We knew Anderson was going and I think it fair to say we all expected a CM replacement. But we've not been at training, Glasner thinks McAtee can step up. We tried for players but I think price was a factor. We've also seen the implications of SCR. It doesn't benefit us or 13 other EPL clubs. The so called big 6 will be able to spend far more than we thought.

We've signed some good players, we've moved on several who needed a loan, or, a fresh start. I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Diomande develop under Glasner.

Glasner has spoken of reality, steady progression and consistency. He's taken a calculated risk with midfield and at centre half, but we have to trust him. He's the highly paid Head Coach after all.

Realistically, 12th is achievable. Talk of a top 8 finIsh is fantasy. I would hope that in his many discussions with EM, Glasner has tempered our owner's ambitions.

We have a good squad with a top quality coach. We have signed players he wanted. He has said that it'll take 3-6 months for his ideas to fully embed within the squad.

A solid 7/10 window for me.
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Broadly agree. I dont think we have finished the job but it was always a big ask to totally rebuild the squad in one window.

Certainly happy that we are prepared to go without rather than waste money on players that arent right.

6/10 but i dont think we could have realistically done more.
 
finbar70 said:
I would suggest that always swim against the tide, until they get too tired and then drown.

Then, with the benefit of hindsight, I would remind their families that the choice made was likely the wrong choice.
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Deep: much like the paddling pool they're swimming in, i suspect?
 
finbar70 said:
I would give the window a 7/10. We are one CM away from it being an 8/10, and if we had managed to get Henderson, that could have been a 10/10.

The positives are keeping Williams, MGW. The lack of a CM will give more chances to McAtee, Schlager and likely Dom to have a 16 game trial until January.

We will see Cunha and Diomande have plenty of minutes also, and Delap now has the starting shirt.

Hoping that Ndoye, Kali, and Jesus make the most of their chances alongside MGW.

Future thoughts - Sels and John will be need replacing by this time next year. We will need that top CM signing, maybe January, or at least cover or a top prospect here.

Worries - Will MGW and Williams be here next Summer? What are we going to do with CHO

12TH-15TH finish for us as it stands. Maybe top 10 if we can hang around 12/13th until January and add that one or 2 we need (CM, CB cover, maybe GK
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Agree with most of that. I see us dealing with all of this next summer and next season hopefully to be an exciting one where we finish building the squad and have a go.
 
Quietly confident of sneaking into Europe.
Sky 6 minus Spurs to finish above us and a sneaky feeling for Leeds
We are more than capable against the rest
 
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