... it filled me with some sense of accomplishment and I truly believed that we would push on this season and have bigger success, either in the league or in CL (or both).
This start to the season certainly is a downer off of last year's finish, but I wonder how much injuries and just a general league and world cup hangover has taken effect?
You were right to have a sense of accomplishment FL - it was a fine achievement by Brendan and the lads. We deserved it and it shouldn't have been treated like some fluke but it has been, in my opinion.
My alarm bells started ringing,
before we signed or sold anyone, when I read that "we are a year ahead of ourselves" and that "we need to consolidate". That, to me, indicated that an awful lot of people thought what we'd achieved was a fluke and rather than 'pushing on', we were going to take a step back, re-evaluate and make the type of signings we could [should?] have made a season earlier.
To be honest I haven't looked at this season's 'start' at all, when making my observations, FL. I have mentioned my (personal) concerns before - certainly prior to the start to this season: even last. As you know I've been a bit suspect of our transfer 'policy' ['cheap, young with potential'] for a long time. I just can't see it working, in any sustainable fashion.
And certainly not when you want to 'improve' on a team which finished very worthy runners-up.
Unlike other seasons, we were in a position where we could build from a position of strength; we weren't playing catch-up - we
had caught up.
The sale of Suarez meant we actually had the chance to "Spend like City & Chelsea" [by that I assume people mean buy top quality players btw] or, if you prefer; we had the means to sign "First team Improvers".
Above all else - we should have used that money to bring in quality to fill the void left by Luis - a big ask for one player but maybe not two. Did we even try; did anyone, honestly, believe that the answer to that conundrum lay with Rickie & Mario?Instead we used the money to 'build a squad'; for what - to push on and win the League? The additional six Champions League games maybe? Nah... we built and filled the squad with cheap and young, with potential in the hope we could "consolidate" [and keep consolidating] so that, when the time comes to sell, we will have made a tidy profit.
Then, the theory being [at least, the theory that a lot of people have bought into], if that all works out... maybe, just maybe, we can use
that money to sign quality players to er... replace the quality players we have already sold. You know - just like Arsenal and Dortmund?
Theory is one thing; reality another.
The
theory is [just like Arsenal & Dortmund] - a good coach can work wonders with young players and deliver titles. It's a nice notion and it appeals to the romantic in us all... after all with "limited funds", the under-dogs are knocking it to the 'big boys'; aren't they? but...
The
reality is - the 'big boys', those who buy quality players [from Arsenal & Dortmund or elsewhere], will continually win titles and trophies. To them the odd 'blip' is nothing but a minor irritation. Meanwhile, back at the ranch; our 'stock value' keeps growing.
Finally [thank F**k says you] - when people talk about 'City & Chelsea spending', they forget that it was needed to build teams from no-where, teams who weren't runners up, teams without a history (past or more recent). We weren't nowhere, we finished second, we have a history (past and recent) and we had money but... rather than deviate from some 'cunning', business 'master-plan' and rather than sully ourselves with "superstars" ['cause we make 'em, dont'cha know?]; we took 'aim' at "consolidation"... both financial and football (sadly). Whoopity-F***ing-doo.
Catch y'all in January.