End of Season 19/20 Review

[Brown Nose]

In his piece for the Athletic today, Rob Tanner said that BR set out six targets for this season to his players.

1. To reach the Carabao Cup final
2. To reach the FA Cup final
3. To qualify for European football
4. To score more goals than last season
5. To improve their defensive record
6. To have more players available (fewer injuries)

We have ticked off numbers 3, 4 and 5. Not sure about number 6. Obviously, we got close to 1 and to a lesser extent 2 but failed to achieve them.

However, I thought it was interesting to see how he had framed the season for the players at the outset.

 

[Miles Away]

Suspect if we had a lot of cash to spend we would have brought in some better recruits in January.

 

[alex]

Suspect if we had a lot of cash to spend we would have brought in some better recruits in January.

I wondered that. I have to say, January was a very odd month for the club. I would add that our lack of recruitment in Jan is the prime reason we failed to make top 4 and possibly hit targets 1 & 2.

 

[Payne74]

Problem with buying in January is any good players don't want to be sold by the clubs and if they were tempted to sell the price is inflated.
Very few deals go through in January hence why we got Bennett

 

[Lako42]

We've just become less attractive than we looked like we might be.

Even with 2nd tier Europe we will struggle to compete with the likes of Everton because of the manager.

Look at the shit we signed when we were actually in the CL, I dread what BR's best mate will come up with when we have Thursday nights in Estonia lined up.

 

[FOX Franks]

Problem with buying in January is any good players don't want to be sold by the clubs and if they were tempted to sell the price is inflated.
Very few deals go through in January hence why we got Bennett

We signed someone called "Riyad" something in January once.

(I know it was a rarity I'm just pulling your leg)

 

[Miles Away]

We signed someone called "Riyad" something in January once.

(I know it was a rarity I'm just pulling your leg)

wilf something too.

 

[Blaarev]

We signed someone called "Riyad" something in January once.

(I know it was a rarity I'm just pulling your leg)

Robert something and Youri something too, although on loan first.

 

[Robin127]

One thing I have just thought of regarding European competition, unless something very odd happens we won't be playing Atletico Madrid next season. Makes a change.

 

[Fox Fan]

One thing I have just thought of regarding European competition, unless something very odd happens we won't be playing Atletico Madrid next season. Makes a change.

Do teams that drop out at the group stages still end up in the Europa league?

 

[Robin127]

Do teams that drop out at the group stages still end up in the Europa league?

Yes, but as I said, unless something very odd happens that won't happen to Atleti.

Then again Leicester would have to make it to the second stage themselves for that to happen as well.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Strangely, I think next season will confirm how this season is viewed ultimately.

Depends on whether we carry this momentum and rock-bottom confidence into next season or not as to whether this will be remembered as a great season we qualified for Europe in or that Peter Taylor season with a good start but disastrous momentum.

Have a great run in Europe and a good league campaign and this year is seen like 2012-13 where a young side needed to learn a harsh lesson on consistency for the greater good. Continue this campaign and end up rotting around in 15th and throw away Europe and the cups and it could be seen as 2000-01 all over again.

Need to clear out heads over the short intermission and add 3 or 4 quality players (wingers who can score and another centre-back as a priority) really.

 

[City Fan]

Strangely, I think next season will confirm how this season is viewed ultimately.

Depends on whether we carry this momentum and rock-bottom confidence into next season or not as to whether this will be remembered as a great season we qualified for Europe in or that Peter Taylor season with a good start but disastrous momentum.

Have a great run in Europe and a good league campaign and this year is seen like 2012-13 where a young side needed to learn a harsh lesson on consistency for the greater good. Continue this campaign and end up rotting around in 15th and throw away Europe and the cups and it could be seen as 2000-01 all over again.

Need to clear out heads over the short intermission and add 3 or 4 quality players (wingers who can score and another centre-back as a priority) really.

Great way of putting it.

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

We need to inject some much needed creativity into the team to counter that tactic of 'sitting back deep' that seems to completely nullify us. We compound matters by playing a high line and shooting ourselves in the foo repeatedly. This catastrophic loss of form is in part down to the fact that Brendan has no plan B. I'd like to see us bring in a no nonsense CB with a bit of height and pace too - someone like Demiral would be particularly ideal and worth a chunk of money. A CB and some proper quality in the wide positions should be our immediate concern this transfer window.

 

[Lako42]

Just been looking at his Europa league games with Liverpool.

Needless to say I am not hopeful of us achieving anything meaningful off the back of this qualification.

A couple of lowlights in amongst a very average list of results. won 10 lost 10 draw 4

Liverpool

1:1

Heart of Midl.

Liverpool

2:3

Udinese Calcio

Anzhi

1:0

Liverpool

Liverpool

2:2

BSC Young Boys

Zenit S-Pb

2:0

Liverpool

Besiktas

6:4

Liverpool

 

[Payne74]

Just been looking at his Europa league games with Liverpool.

Needless to say I am not hopeful of us achieving anything meaningful off the back of this qualification.

A couple of lowlights in amongst a very average list of results. won 10 lost 10 draw 4

Liverpool

1:1

Heart of Midl.

Liverpool

2:3

Udinese Calcio

Anzhi

1:0

Liverpool

Liverpool

2:2

BSC Young Boys

Zenit S-Pb

2:0

Liverpool

Besiktas

6:4

Liverpool

I think any side would struggle to get a win if they had to play 6 different teams at the same time

 

[Feriol]

I think the fact that we ended up with Bennett in January highlights the lack of investment and backing. Maguire wasn't replaced in January and we get a duffer that a team below us wanted rid of in January because we didn't want to pay.

Without serious investment we will not be able to compete in the Premier League and Europe, an will ultimately fail in both I fear.

 

[popillius]

I think the fact that we ended up with Bennett in January highlights the lack of investment and backing. Maguire wasn't replaced in January and we get a duffer that a team below us wanted rid of in January because we didn't want to pay.

Without serious investment we will not be able to compete in the Premier League and Europe, an will ultimately fail in both I fear.

The failure to buy a CB after Maguire's departure was ****ing idiotic. Many of us thought it at the time.

 

[Brown Nose]

One reason that I've been pointing out the new contract that we gave to BR in December is that it would have had a detrimental effect on our January budget.

According to reports at the time, by making him the third highest paid manager in the league (behind only Guardiola and Mourinho), we spent an absolute fortune.

A new 5.5 year contract on £8m-£10m a year plus new 'double their money' deals for the rest of his main backroom staff committed a lot of money that then had to be accounted for somehow.

That's approx. £30m pounds gone just before the window opened.

Add to that the impact that such lucrative new deals for 'some' of the backroom staff whilst others stayed on the same deals they were on previously. Not exactly good for team spirit.

 

[Micky]

The failure to buy a CB after Maguire's departure was ****ing idiotic. Many of us thought it at the time.

I think the problem was that we were being quoted ridiculous sums of money for the likes of Ake and Tarkowski. In that situation you either massively overspend or you remain patient and wait for the next transfer window.