Do we have a better platform to build from?
We’re not safe yet, I know that, there is still a long way to go. But if we stay up do we have a better platform to build from than we did in 2021?
Out first season back under Bielsa was incredible, 9th place, just missing out on European football. But we struggled the season after and were ultimately relegated in 2023. For me it felt like a season where Bielsa got the most of what we had rather than us building in the right way to compete in the Premier League. The summer of 2020 we brought it Gelhardt, Drameh, Greenwood, Koch, Rodrigo, Summerville, Llorente and Raphinha. With the exception of Raphinha, I’m not sure any of the others made us a better Premier League side than the players we had. Rodrigo had potential but didn’t fit into the system we played, an expensive square peg.
Roll on this season. Summer didn’t see any world class superstars like Raphinha come through the door, what we say was more structured squad building. I’d argue Bijol, Bornauw, Nmecha, Longstaff, Stach, Perri, Gudmundsson, Clavert-Lewin, Okafor and Justin have all either improved us in positions or provided the much needed depth you need to compete in the Premier League. Not a single one of those transfers can be deepened a failure and given what we paid a lot have exceeded expectations.
£10 million less spent this summer that our last time back in the Premier League. But has last summers spending given us a better platform to build on?
Out first season back under Bielsa was incredible, 9th place, just missing out on European football. But we struggled the season after and were ultimately relegated in 2023. For me it felt like a season where Bielsa got the most of what we had rather than us building in the right way to compete in the Premier League. The summer of 2020 we brought it Gelhardt, Drameh, Greenwood, Koch, Rodrigo, Summerville, Llorente and Raphinha. With the exception of Raphinha, I’m not sure any of the others made us a better Premier League side than the players we had. Rodrigo had potential but didn’t fit into the system we played, an expensive square peg.
Roll on this season. Summer didn’t see any world class superstars like Raphinha come through the door, what we say was more structured squad building. I’d argue Bijol, Bornauw, Nmecha, Longstaff, Stach, Perri, Gudmundsson, Clavert-Lewin, Okafor and Justin have all either improved us in positions or provided the much needed depth you need to compete in the Premier League. Not a single one of those transfers can be deepened a failure and given what we paid a lot have exceeded expectations.
£10 million less spent this summer that our last time back in the Premier League. But has last summers spending given us a better platform to build on?