What do I think of the transfer window? Well, I bloody love it. Well I love deadline day. It’s a rare phenomenon in football. It’s like a tornado is about to hit Premier League Town and all the clubs rush to the supermarket to gather any supplies they can before it hits. Some spend wisely and some take a gamble. Some spend ridiculous amounts (Andy Carroll - £35 fu**ing million?!) and others make a signing for the sake of it. Marcus Bent has made a career out of clubs making signings for the sake of it. Transfers become enjoyable for the neutral during this period of chaos.
To be honest one of the main reasons I look forward to deadline day is the end of ‘transfer speculation’. In the days before a transfer window speculation was obviously still rife but it could run at a steady speed all season, no need for the concentrated levels we now have in August and January. According to their website if Man United had bought every player they’d been linked with they’d of spent over a billion this summer. Don’t be silly. That kind of money is reserved to pay for Sir Alex’s various F.A. fines throughout the year.
Finally, we can only have a true prediction of how each team will fare once the transfer window closes and as football fans we bloody love to predict. So here I look at what I feel some of the ‘top 6’ need to do in the next 122 hours to hit their respective heights this season.
Arsenal: ‘Circus Master Wenger’ – “Roll up, roll up for the Arsenal circus. You’ll keep most of your money but won’t have that enjoyable a time.” The next five days are extremely important for Arsenal’s season and I think for Arsene Wenger’s career. They have lost Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri and they will obviously need to do something to replace this talented centre-midfield shaped hole. But before they left, Arsenal already needed a goalkeeper, a centre-back and a striker that scores goals. On top of this they have a manager who seems to wince at spending money. Their recent “insulting” bid of £6 million for Gary Cahill only proves Arsene’s issues further. If they want to claim a top 4 spot this season they need to spend some real money and do it rather quickly. A bit of steel wouldn’t go a miss either, something that hasn’t been seen since Vieira’s departure 6 years ago. Arsene’s ‘next season policy’ will not wash with fans anymore. Scott Parker’s number anyone?
Chelsea: The Blues: had been fairly under the radar for most of the summer but I think the signing of Juan Mata could be a masterstroke. For years Chelsea have missed the creativity of a Zola-esque player. Mata, in the David Silva mould, could slot into this role. Chelsea have power in abundance but they now have an element of finesse to compliment that. They also have strikers in abundance and Andre Villas-Boas (AVB?) will have a tough task keeping them all happy. Overall Chelsea have a strong squad but it is an ageing one. AVB has begun to bring in youngsters but a squad transition won’t happen overnight. Roman’s chequebook is probably being put back in his top pocket. At least until January.
Liverpool: With American owners that can be relied on, King Kenny has spent plenty of Dollar in the last two transfer windows. Time will tell if the Scotsman can gel his new players together, the fact that he purchased many of them from this country (unheard of?!) will help.
But is there further strengthening to do? Well yes I think there is. Suarez and Carroll are talented players but behind that? David N’gog is not (or at least should not) be a striker at a club who expects to be in the top 4. Liverpool are rumoured to be talking to Craig Bellamy and this is exactly the kind of player they need. He will provide the experienced cover they need. Elsewhere? Despite young Uruguayan Sebastian Coates supposedly being on his way to Anfield, Liverpool still lack in the centre-back position. Agger and potential Bond henchman Skrtel are not talented enough or consistent enough. Whilst Coates has a lot of promise, the Premier League is not forgiving for 20 year old South Americans. Having said that I think the rest of the squad is nicely primed for a Champs League push. Although if his time at Blackburn is anything to go by, King Kenny will retire to Director of Football before he is willing to take Europe’s elite on.
That’s all for now. More transfer window teachings to follow on the ‘top 6’ clubs and the players looking for a move in the next week.
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