This Summer's Window (Poll Included)

[MonsXI]

Well the window has closed how does everyone feel about the business we've done?

[cdbearsfan]

Voted "Happy" simply because I don't particularly like the satellite-based cliché.

[adrenachrome]

I voted happy.

There was a hell of a lot to get done, and we achieved most of it. Kudos to Dr. Tony and his team.

 

[supertom]

The Doc's done us proud. The squad looks in good shape.

[MonsXI]

I voted over the moon

If you look at the difference between the squad that finished last season and the group of players we have assembled now the transformation is amazing!

Yes we still have Richards and Gabby but we have managed to clear the decks and replace with a mixture of experience and potential with a fair few leaders thrown in.

Can't wait for this international break to finish and see this group really get down to the business of restoring our pride.

[frank]

Happy, but I'm a bit nervous about the goalkeeping position

[Vegas]

It's a brilliant performance. Much more progress than I thought possible,lots of good outs and an almost entirely new first team. Honestly couldn't have asked for more

[villadelph]

60mil spent for a Championship club.. can't ask for much more.

Shifted a lot of deadwood and put a lot of shit players in their place. I'm happy with Dr. Xia. Originally, his tweeting didn't sit well with me but his transparency up to this point clearly shows his commitment to the fans and the club. It was so refreshing to have him openly confirm interest in players and done deals. We didn't have to wait for some shoddy journalist to put out some transfer dross.

We recruited a lot of leaders, I'm thrilled about that. We recruited players with Championship and promotion experience, we needed that. We threw around our weight and showed our clout in the league, the fans needed to see it.

I'm happy. When the players prove their worth and we start stringing together some wins.. then I'll be over the moon.

[ozzjim]

Happy, but think we are a keeper, centre half and central midfielder light.

I think what we have done in 2 months though, is remarkable, I think the manager has been backed beyond his wildest dreams, £50m spent, £32 ish net spend and an owner who has already said there will be 1-2 more in January PLUS several loans means the club are already being proactive about the next 4 months to identify what we need.

One note of caution I would have though. Other clubs have strengthened really well. Newcastle look ridiculously strong really, but Norwich who had a more settled side have kept their best players and bought a couple of good additions in, Fulham look a different team and have some really decent signings, Derby bought Vydra and Anya in who will improve them no doubt, and Wolves look ominously strong. This is going to be a scrap and a half now. We have a strikeforce that most sides would cut their arm off for, a very, very talented forward in Grealish and now a winger who can compliment it. Ayew needs to find some form and a smile, the rest need to gel. RDM has got all he needs to have us within 6-9 points of the top 2 come January. He and the coaching team have no excuses. They have to deliver.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Did what he said he would do. Bought proven Championship winners even when it cost more than the going rate, bought a good manager and coaching staff. Shifted most of the bad apples.

I am happy.

[Tuscans]

footyskillz will love you MonXI ... Dave on the other hand.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I voted happy.

There was a hell of a lot to get done, and we achieved most of it. Kudos to Dr. Tony and his team.

This.

[tomd2103]

Happy with the window.  The need to get rid of so many has left a small squad and injuries could scupper us, but the starting XI looks strong.  Looking forward to seeing how the team develops over the coming months. 

[KevinGage]

6/10 for me. 

At the start of the window two positions most of us would agree we absolutely had to nail were goalkeeper and up top. I'm not convinced we have done either.

Gollini is learning on the job and looks raw. It's one position we couldn't afford to take a chance with after Guzan's disintegration over the past few years.

Up top, we have started games brightly but look like we lack a cutting edge in the games so far this season. McCormack seems to get through a lot of work and looks like a busy player in the Dean Saunders mould (seems to fade quite badly second half, mind).  It looks like he needs to play off a target man or an out-and-out penalty box merchant to get the best out of him.  There, we have turned to a player who has had the season of his life last year but who has a very mediocre record prior to that. Much like Rudy at Blackburn 14/15, in fact.

Kodjia turns 27 in October, this isn't some young up-and coming forward still finding his way.  This is a player who -judging by his record- wasn't even a regular starter at lower division French teams prior to joining Bristol in 2015. Less than 100 appearances from 2008-15.  And even in the season of his life last year, he had a stretch where he only scored 2 goals in 17 appearances at one point.  I'm sorry, my instinct is we have been done on both that and the Gollini deal.  I'll gladly come back on here and eat humble hair pie when Gollini is named in the Championship team of the season and Kodjia wins the Golden Boot.

Elphick looks like the kind of leader we have been lacking, Tish has promise and Albert has a good record at this level over a number of years, so they look our best bit of business.

For all its many, many faults, the side that went down had more ability than most sides in the Championship. It needed heavy duty surgery, mostly to get rid of the shits with the shit attitude. Richards and Gabby -two of the biggest turds in the punchbowl- still fester. So job not done there.   And -despite our spending- on the evidence of the games so far (obv pre Albert and Kodjia)  we don't look a class above. Far from it.

The argument for bringing in the likes of McCormack and Kodja for the fees we did was they know the division, so there is less risk.  There is logic to that, but I can't help thinking that £25-30 million we committed to that pair couldn't have been utilised better.  At that sort of range, could we have spent the bulk of that on an Afobe or even Berahino to annihilate the division (aware as I am it would be by no means a given they would take a drop down to the Championship) and a targetman who can actually head and control a ball to replace Rudy. That level of money is more than enough to secure one of the up and coming talents in Italy or Germany too -leagues Di Matteo knows well. The kind who could also make the transition if/when we secure promotion.

Tish and Jedinak look more than capable of breaking up play and offer us a bit of athleticism and bite in the centre of the park. Westwood is still just Westwood, so we are probably short of a CM who can do a bit of everything, as we are when it comes to CB cover.  Lescott was mince, but I would have preferred to see him remain instead of Richards.

[mr underhill]

very harsh. 9 in and 13 odd out, most of whom were total wankers taking the piss, is good business. 8/10.