Not Actually that Crucial a Summer as of August 2023...beginning to now think everything isnt fine!

Not allowed to talk sense on here mate. Someone will be alone shortly to tell you to calm down and our squad is fine and still loads of time left etc.....

 

I get it mate. Totally. Just think wi BR coming in, we're about 3 weeks behind in our plans than if Ange was still here. Scouting parameters will have been updated to what Rodgers wants also.

Hoping when we're back from Japan, things start moving. A week in Japan, Portugal and Glasgow is enough for the squad to be assessed.

 

I know the window has about 6 or 7 weeks left but the season starts in 2.5 weeks and even 2 points dropped in the first month can leave us playing catch up. We can't wait to fill loads of positions on deadline day, but I get the feeling we will.

We currently don't have a fit RB, only 1 passable CB fit and we don't have a goalkeeper good enough to save us from those frailties.

I don't think it's acceptable to be honest. I don't understand why people are being so accepting of it.

 

Today's game doesnt really tell us anything we didn't know. We badly need a few additions at the back before the season starts.

I agree with the consensus that Brendan joining probably set our targets back a few weeks, but nows the time to start bringing in some known quality. I have no doubt we will tbh, but waiting until August is too risky, would love to see us secure at least 2 big signings before the end of July.

Next week and a half will be interesting to say the least. We've had rumours, just need to start making moves.

 

I accepted that as a reason to not bring in players instantly, but he's now been in a month. Even before they returned to training he would have been watching videos to assess the team. I think anybody with half a brain could tell you Yuki, Welsh and Scales aren't going to challenge for starting XI unless they challenge CCV in training with sharpened studs. The club have known CCV will unlikely be back for the start of the season, knew Ralston was injured and AJ came back injured a couple of weeks ago, knew Mooy was retiring and it's been over 2 weeks since Jota left.

 

I’ve got a really horrible feeling that we are going * this transfer window up.

I hope tae * I’m wrong, but it’s like we have gone backwards again and dragging our heels.

I hope tae * we sign quality in the next week, but it’s concerning we are less than 3 weeks away from the first game of the season and we are still weaker from last season and still not addressed the areas we need.

 

The great thing about preseason is seeing who doesn't fit into this side. New manager, new philosophy. For me there are quite a few that need to go from this mega bloated squad.

Kobayashi
Starfelt
Bernabei
Siegrist
Forrest
McCarthy
Turnbull
Haksa
Abada
Iwata
Ineguchi

I wouldn't shed a tear if they were all punted. Our squad is huge and I realy don't see where they fit in with the new players coming in. Ange brought in a fair few decent players, but he also brought in a fair amount of * too.

We have a bad habit of hanging onto sub par players, done it for years, just seem to hang onto them for far too long. There's one thing bringing players in, but getting players out is equally as important.

 

Difference between talking sense and talking utter pish on repeat for over a month

 

My issue is that we now have a bloated squad filled with mediocrity. We need 4 quality additions minimum but will that be sanctioned while we still have average players filling the squad.

 

You say that but what have I said that so far is wrong? Genuinely I'm happy to hold my hands up and I will if we ever do make a proper investment.

Just because I've been banging the same drum for a while doesn't mean I'm wrong

 

Fair Points. I think BR will be aware of where we're short. Think this Japan tour will have confirmed a few things for him and would expect things to move on from next week.

 

Maybe mate. Not meaning to be a * it just gets a bit boring and grating when it's on every post.

 

I suspect we will get a marquee forward signing to paper over the cracks and then precontracts for Jan and like before hope we can ride high until then.

Of course euro run again sacrificed, don't stand a chance in CL with this squad as it stands.

 

True and honestly I annoy myself but get so * frustrated mate. We are in a real position of strength to really kick on but we seem reluctant to do so.

 

New GK, New CB, New LB, New CM, New RW needed. Significant quality needed as well.

Should be all over Livakovic, Rieder and Tete. That would would be £25m on 3 top players. Instantly improves your starting 11 too.

I think we can get Tierney in but it's going to be towards the end of the window. Taylor is fine to deputise there in the mean time but we need to improve that position.

I genuinely have no idea about centre back. There's not even a defender out there who I know enough about to come and take Starfelts position. Again, it needs upgraded on.

We are struggling with some major injuries, CCV and Johnstone are the clear issues but that can happen. Starfelt is fine for a back up but we need improvement in his position.

Livakovic
Johnstone CCV New CB Tierney
McGregor
Rieder Hatate
Tete Kyogo Jun

 

I agree. I'm not at all confident that things will be that much better come the end of the window. Certainly not regarding all the positions that need serious upgrades.

There's a growing concensus which supposes that things are vastly different from before and that we're getting more competent and more efficient at doing our transfer business and therefore there's no need to be sceptical. But I've yet to be really convinced of this. In my view, we were operating at such a low bar that when we managed to complete a few windows without a disastrous * up it was seen as evidence of us now being 'good'. But it's still all a bit meh for me.

Take the last summer window for example.

We exercised our option to buy on both CCV and Jota. Great, but with guaranteed CL footbal we shouldn't be thankful that we spent 12m to bring them in. That should be the standard business for improving the team not some sort of luxury purchase.

After that, it all looks very erratic. Jenz and Abilguard were brought in on loan and were sent packing in January. We shipped out 3.5m on Bernabei who is incapable of playing the inverted full back, and is so untrusted we had to play Juranovic in his place at Ibrox. Doesn't seem like good scouting or business. Then there's Seigrist who can't even shift Scott Bain, never mind Joe Hart.

Mooy was the only 'new' signing who made a positive impact but even then it took him a while to get up to speed and was clearly not a realistic long-term player given his mobility issues.

It was an OK window but nothing spectacular.

Over the piece (say from Ange's arrival until now) we've signed some great players but we've not really had that one great transfer window. There are reasons for that of course. Post Covid things were looking bleak, we needed a huge rebuild, largely on the back of the Ajer and Edouard sales, and it naturally took a few windows to have a durable squad. But that doesn't apply anymore. We're cash rich and we're about to receive a second consecutive CL windfall. We've no qualifiers so our season isn't being thrown into early chaos. We've received an additional large fee for Jota. If we can't maximise our resources from this postion you have to ask yourself if we ever will?

 

We were never in for Livaković, I'd wager.

I think this lineup is realistic:

Ivo Grbić
Johnstone- Cesar Montes- CCV- Tierney
Hatate- O'Riley
Abada- McGregor- Keito Nakamura
Furuhashi

Iwata at DM in Europe, McGregor shifts to LM as he did the first time under Rodgers.

 

It’s the defence and midfield that really worry me. I do think we need a standout player in the final third to replace Jota as well but it’s nothing like the issues we have further back.

Goalkeeper - if we go into this season with Hart and Siegrist as our main options I don’t think we win the league. We need someone who is a significant upgrade their primarily in shot stopping and if they can play a bit great but our options just now aren’t even functional in the basics anymore.

Centre back - we have a starting two in CCV and Starfelt who are capable but beyond that Welsh, Kobayashi, Scales and Lawal as options all look miles off it. Realistically we need a clear out and two brought in. Someone to challenge Starfelt and a proper capable prospect.

Left back - Bernabei is a bombscare we should be shipping him out. Taylor will never be a good option as an overlapping full back, he is painfully slow. Inverting last year gave him a new lease of life and by and large he done really well. However, his one v one defending often leaves a lot to be desired. An Alastair Johnston-esq left back should be a top priority for us.

Midfield - we lack legs and someone with proper defensive instincts and ball carrying capability. This again for me should be a priority. You can have as good a defence as you want but when our midfield just let teams run through them we have real issues.

Wingers - I worry we have an abundance of inadequate or untested options here. For me we need a proper Jota replacement here.

 

We all knew we needed 3 or 4 quality signings to improve the team and its not happened yet with 15 days until the league starts.

I'm not confident