Season Tickets - 2022/23

[cdward]

I don't think it's the amount we're spending but rather that we're spending it on 'now' players rather than on future prospects. With the exception of Kamara, all Gerrard's signings are of an age where you shouldn't expect them to greatly improve. 

We do expect them to greatly improve the team though, and immediately.

[AlexAlexCropley]

Hasn't hurt Real Madrid

[LeonW]

I don't think it's the amount we're spending but rather that we're spending it on 'now' players rather than on future prospects. With the exception of Kamara, all Gerrard's signings are of an age where you shouldn't expect them to greatly improve.

With the age profile of the side Smith helped cultivate and left behind, there was definitely room needed for an increase in experience. Gerrard has brought in players who have been winners elsewhere and this experience is important and will help.  If it becomes the de facto recruitment strategy though, that will harm us down the line. I think it still remains to be seen.

[AV82EC]

It’s not either/or is it. It should be both.

[pauliewalnuts]

Yes, it is entirely about getting the balance right.

[dave.woodhall]

It’s not either/or is it. It should be both.

It should be, but as I've said before my concern is that we've chucked away one in the rush to go for the other.

[Ads]

Signing Champions League quality players seems like a good idea to me.

[AV82EC]

It’s not either/or is it. It should be both.

It should be, but as I've said before my concern is that we've chucked away one in the rush to go for the other.

Boubacar would suggest that isn’t the case though.

[dave.woodhall]

It’s not either/or is it. It should be both.

It should be, but as I've said before my concern is that we've chucked away one in the rush to go for the other.

Boubacar would suggest that isn’t the case though.

That's one player.

[AV82EC]

As we’ve only signed three players this summer I’d suggest he hasn’t gone full O’Neill quite yet. In some ways I suppose it’s how the squad looks at the end of the summer and where that average age ends up. Kudos to Smith looking for the growth opportunities with a squad with just about the lowest average age in the League but if we want to progress that has got to go up. As long as we keep some balance between the 20-25 and 29-35 stuff, we’ll be ok.

[AlexAlexCropley]

40 is the new 35

[amfy]

I think the overall age of the signings would worry me more if we didn’t already have so much youth around the squad and coming through.
If I start to see us letting go of players like Archer because we’ve signed Suarez, I’ll be worried.

[chrisw1]

I don't mind a bit of experience.  Coutinho was a bit of a one off opportunity and an experienced head at centre half is no bad thing, but the next few transfers will be telling

[Lastfootstamper]

I don't think the 'buy young' strategy was the long-term plan in itself, it was merely one part of the 'many sides' plan. We assembled a team that were ultimately good enough to keep us up with probably more than half an eye on the wage bill if they hadn't been, the year's experience helped them progress us up the league, and we'll more than make our money back on almost all of them.

I'm confident we know what we're doing.

[olaftab]

Sorry does anyone know where the Season Ticket chat thread is?