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Thoughts on the window

It was satisfying constantly rejecting Newcastle and showing we won't just be bullied into selling our player but I do think it would have made more sense keeping Andersen and selling guehi, would have got double the amount and could have strengthened the squad even more. Let's face it, guehi will be off next year anyway and will be lucky to gey 30 mill for him.
 
Turner, Nketiah, Lacroix, Chalobah, Sarr, Riad and Kamada not a bad window.

Andersen will be a big miss but Palace have got Lacroix, Chalobah and Riad. Plus Lerma can also play in a back 3 and they still have Richards so Palace have enough cover at CB.

CM/DM is fine as well (Hughes, Lerma, Doucoure, Wharton) Plus Kamada can also play CM if necessary.

ST - Mateta and Nketiah. (Not bad hopefully Nketiah can get goals and Mateta can start getting the goals like last season)

I think where Palace might be short of are wingers. Ayew left. He could play there. Apart from Sarr who else in the team is a winger? Maybe Schlupp can play there. If injuries happen to Kamada, Sarr Palace will be very short. Glasner does play with 2 Number 10's normally (likely Kamada and Eze most games) Perhaps with Nketiah signing the formation could change to a 3-4-1-2 (Eze as a No 10 and Mateta, Nketiah up front)


I think the team will look like this very soon (Henderson, Chalobah, Guehi, Lacroix, Mitchell, Doucoure, Wharton, Munoz, Eze, Mateta, Nketiah) 3-4-1-2 If Kamada can get some form it will be hard to see who starts or not. Eze is a definite starter. The coach likes Mateta. But they also bought Nketiah. Hard to see who will start.
Or he might surprise us all and set up a red bull classic of 3-5-2 with a box midfield and the attacking midfielders under lapping. In my opinion it can be quite dangerous and hard to defend against. From what I’ve seen it seems setup for it with a congested midfield and fast ball recovering. I could just be talking absolute rubbish but I’ve seen it used quite often specially with teams with a similar gegenpressing. The transfers in suggest that’s the profile of players we want, high energy, fast, physical
 
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It was satisfying constantly rejecting Newcastle and showing we won't just be bullied into selling our player but I do think it would have made more sense keeping Andersen and selling guehi, would have got double the amount and could have strengthened the squad even more. Let's face it, guehi will be off next year anyway and will be lucky to gey 30 mill for him.
Deal of the decade if you ask me, he peaked at palace, really dropping off now and I was getting to the point of worrying every time he had the ball and passed back. His best 2 years of football and still a hefty profit, yes please
 
It was satisfying constantly rejecting Newcastle and showing we won't just be bullied into selling our player but I do think it would have made more sense keeping Andersen and selling guehi, would have got double the amount and could have strengthened the squad even more. Let's face it, guehi will be off next year anyway and will be lucky to gey 30 mill for him.
I think you underestimate the power that the players have. Marc pretty clearly didn’t want to go to Newcastle. He has a contract which he is honouring. We could have accepted an offer but not forced him to sign a contract.

He seems like a really level headed and decent guy. So I would not be surprised to see him sign a new contract with an agreed release clause set at the kind of money offered by Newcastle in return for a substantial wage increase.
 
i think the purchases have either been OG recommendations or Dougie favours with little in between.

We have tried to buy quite cost effectively with the exception of Eddie N which is quite a bold statement and a bit of a risk IMHO.

The late loans make it a better window than it looked earlier in the day - 7/10 for me
 
Olise dosent play on the wing he played CAM, on the right side of the two, cutting on to his left foot
Olise is a right-winger. After OG joined he did move slightly inside but he still spent most of his time on the right wing, where he is now playing for Bayern. The heatmap for his last season with Palace is clear where he spent most of his time i.e. the right wing.

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Olise is a right-winger. After OG joined he did move slightly inside but he still spent most of his time on the right wing, where he is now playing for Bayern. The heatmap for his last season with Palace is clear where he spent most of his time i.e. the right wing.

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I'm sure Lanzo was on a wind up. Either that or he was suffering from sun stroke.
 
I think you underestimate the power that the players have. Marc pretty clearly didn’t want to go to Newcastle. He has a contract which he is honouring. We could have accepted an offer but not forced him to sign a contract.

He seems like a really level headed and decent guy. So I would not be surprised to see him sign a new contract with an agreed release clause set at the kind of money offered by Newcastle in return for a substantial wage increase.
I agree with your comment but Liverpool would have been difficult to turn down. However, if he really is a decent person he will sign a new contract with a sell on clause just like Olise did. This would prevent Liverpool getting away with a cheap deal.
 
i think the purchases have either been OG recommendations or Dougie favours with little in between.

We have tried to buy quite cost effectively with the exception of Eddie N which is quite a bold statement and a bit of a risk IMHO.

The late loans make it a better window than it looked earlier in the day - 7/10 for me
If you look at the number of minutes Nketiah played rather than the appearances then his goal scoring / assists record is very good. With a sprinkling of Glasner gold dust this could turn out to be a very good and cost effective signing.
 
If you look at the number of minutes Nketiah played rather than the appearances then his goal scoring / assists record is very good. With a sprinkling of Glasner gold dust this could turn out to be a very good and cost effective signing.
i don't think £30m and a supposed £120k a week wage can ever be considered cost effective for a club the size of Palace.

He also played against the weaker side e.g a hat trick v Sheff U so his goalscoring recording is a little misleading. Let's see.

The biggie for me is that we currently play 1 up top do unless OG wants to change the formation, or is worried JP may leave in Jan, i'm not sure Eddie N will get a regular game.
 
i don't think £30m and a supposed £120k a week wage can ever be considered cost effective for a club the size of Palace.

He also played against the weaker side e.g a hat trick v Sheff U so his goalscoring recording is a little misleading. Let's see.

The biggie for me is that we currently play 1 up top do unless OG wants to change the formation, or is worried JP may leave in Jan, i'm not sure Eddie N will get a regular game.
Sorry but can’t agree with this. Every PL team has to have at least two strikers and there are numerous reasons as to why you would start with Mateta, or with Nketia, or indeed on occasion, both. Depends who we are playing, where we see their weaknesses etc etc.

Mateta is currently playing with some confidence however all strikers go through good and lean times. Having someone in the team to push you for that position is important otherwise you just end up with a Benteke type of situation.

Personally I think he’s a good, solid signing and the move will inspire him to bring out his best. The cost is what it is, but the important question is, can you find better cheaper and the answer to that is, very very difficult.
 
I was a little worried with a few days to go but think it ended up being a solid window.

GK - Lost Johnstone, signed Turner on loan. Definite downgrade but then if Henderson stays fit it won't make any difference.

DF - Lost Andersen and Tomkins, signed Lacroix, Riad and Chalobah. Massive win here. Was gutted to see Andersen go but there can be no arguing that we're not significantly stronger in this department now. Only complaint is I still think that LWB is now, by a distance, the weakest position in our first XI and squad and would really have loved a signing there to do what Munoz does on the other side.

AM - Lost Olise & Ayew, signed Sarr and Kamada. Realistically losing Olise is an enormous blow and he can't be replaced but I'm optimistic that Kamada in particular will grow in to the team once he gets used to the league. Very interested to see how Sarr fits in and whether he has a bigger role than 75th minute sub every week.

FW - Lost Edouard on loan, signed Nketiah. This is a straight upgrade and will give us another option in a couple of positions.

Honestly, other than keeping Olise and not signing a LWB I think the window was very good. We have a much stronger looking overall squad and still were one of just 6 clubs to make a profit. Very good work from all involved.
 
I was a little worried with a few days to go but think it ended up being a solid window.

GK - Lost Johnstone, signed Turner on loan. Definite downgrade but then if Henderson stays fit it won't make any difference.

DF - Lost Andersen and Tomkins, signed Lacroix, Riad and Chalobah. Massive win here. Was gutted to see Andersen go but there can be no arguing that we're not significantly stronger in this department now. Only complaint is I still think that LWB is now, by a distance, the weakest position in our first XI and squad and would really have loved a signing there to do what Munoz does on the other side.

AM - Lost Olise & Ayew, signed Sarr and Kamada. Realistically losing Olise is an enormous blow and he can't be replaced but I'm optimistic that Kamada in particular will grow in to the team once he gets used to the league. Very interested to see how Sarr fits in and whether he has a bigger role than 75th minute sub every week.

FW - Lost Edouard on loan, signed Nketiah. This is a straight upgrade and will give us another option in a couple of positions.

Honestly, other than keeping Olise and not signing a LWB I think the window was very good. We have a much stronger looking overall squad and still were one of just 6 clubs to make a profit. Very good work from all involved.
Spot on CP, mirrors my thoughts exactly.
 
I was a little worried with a few days to go but think it ended up being a solid window.

GK - Lost Johnstone, signed Turner on loan. Definite downgrade but then if Henderson stays fit it won't make any difference.

DF - Lost Andersen and Tomkins, signed Lacroix, Riad and Chalobah. Massive win here. Was gutted to see Andersen go but there can be no arguing that we're not significantly stronger in this department now. Only complaint is I still think that LWB is now, by a distance, the weakest position in our first XI and squad and would really have loved a signing there to do what Munoz does on the other side.

AM - Lost Olise & Ayew, signed Sarr and Kamada. Realistically losing Olise is an enormous blow and he can't be replaced but I'm optimistic that Kamada in particular will grow in to the team once he gets used to the league. Very interested to see how Sarr fits in and whether he has a bigger role than 75th minute sub every week.

FW - Lost Edouard on loan, signed Nketiah. This is a straight upgrade and will give us another option in a couple of positions.

Honestly, other than keeping Olise and not signing a LWB I think the window was very good. We have a much stronger looking overall squad and still were one of just 6 clubs to make a profit. Very good work from all involved.

If you were to draw up a spectrum with 'Perfect' at the top to 'Absolute disaster' at the bottom, you'd have to place us a lot closer to the top. Nothing will ever be perfect and they're difficult waters to navigate, but 'very good' is an appropriate summary for me.

As infuriating as it is, I'd guess that a lot of the last minute work wasn't a result of late in the day epiphanies too. May well have been a necessary element of proceedings.
 
I still do not really know why we have gone through a long spell now without providing specialist cover at LB. More so in fact now that the position is the focal point for width/an outlet ball/defensive and attacking duties.

Perhaps OG is happy with Schlupp, one of the RBs or one of the youngsters filling in where necessary, but as someone has already said, in depth terms, it’s our weakest position.

It will need resolving at some point.
 
If you were to draw up a spectrum with 'Perfect' at the top to 'Absolute disaster' at the bottom, you'd have to place us a lot closer to the top. Nothing will ever be perfect and they're difficult waters to navigate, but 'very good' is an appropriate summary for me.

As infuriating as it is, I'd guess that a lot of the last minute work wasn't a result of late in the day epiphanies too. May well have been a necessary element of proceedings.
I think part of it was simply a question of price. Wolfsburg wanted something like €22m for Lacroix. We offered €14m and we ultimately settle in the middle (€18m) probably on the basis that they needed to sell him this window to get any money and would have to lower their demand sooner or later.

I suspect something similar happened re Nketiah. I've seen purported prices of over £40m supposedly being quoted by Arsenal for Nketiah in the not too distant past. £25m with £5m add-ons is better value.

I suppose Newcastle were hoping for the same re Guehi, perhaps believing that we wanted a sale before the window closed and would accept one of their low-ball offers.

All speculation on my part.
 
As to my thoughts on the window, I think ultimately it was a decent one. We don't have as many players but with the exception of Holding and (I would suggest, Matthews) those now in the squad can do a job and we are, therefore, a stronger outfit than we were last season.

As I've said elsewhere, it's also great that three of our younger players are on loan at Championship clubs and that bodes well for the future.
 
Olise is a right-winger. After OG joined he did move slightly inside but he still spent most of his time on the right wing, where he is now playing for Bayern. The heatmap for his last season with Palace is clear where he spent most of his time i.e. the right wing.

View attachment 169
 
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