We haven't got it right since the summer of the title winning year four years ago. Thiago is a world class talent no doubt, but at his age and injury record it was a massive gamble even on a free (wages is the big issue here in terms of financial outlay), and so it proved. He was pretty glorious in that cup double winning year but outside of that, its a gamble that hasn't paid off, providing no foundation for future seasons that younger players would provide.
Kind of goes against the FSG philosophy of buying relatively young and measuring metrics in fitness, resale value, development, etc. So why did we get him? Again, I'm not doubting he's a top quality player who proved it when he had the chance, but we'd been better off investing the huge wage in two younger but cheaper players in the same position.
Ever since then, recruitment has looked scatterbrained, particularly with the disjointed and erratic forwards of Diaz, Nunez and Gakpo.
In that way, I'm relieved Edwards is coming back to grab the bull by the horns and put all responsibilities back on the data experts and scouts.
I don't think the biiggest problem since 2020 has been recruitment, its the lack of recruitment that has cost us, namely January '21 (top of the league, no senior centre backs for the rest of the season, and we do, feck all, have Jurgen tell a stunned press room circa 3rd Jan that signing a CB was "unlikely", then 3 weeks later he lets his mask slip by telling us we have no money, before a last minute bargain basement spree after the horse had bolted and the season sabotaged) and Summer '22 (team mentally and physically drained after the previous season's exertions, in desperate need of fresh blood to galvanise the squad, a new midfielder essential, with Jurgen wheeled out Comical Ali style in August to quell fears by reeling off the 8 "midfielders" we have (Ox, Keita, 36 year old Milner, and others whose legs had gone, Hendo we knew about and Fabinho) and the knackered midfield proceeds to get overrun/rinsed throughout the season).
My only real critique of Jurgen is his lack of disclosure about funds. Expose the pricks who are jeopardizing the good work of not just the players but him. One of the two (or three) best managers in the world who has been held back by the lack of support in building the team. This season too has been affected by Summer 22 debacle as needing to buy an entire midfield in one window, which according to Andy Brassell no top side has ever done before, left us with a mountain to climb and ultimately we have been found out over the past month as the miracle comebacks weren't sustainable with the flaky midfield finally exposed in being dumped out of three competitions, one in a humiliating manner against a 6th place Italian team who overpowered us.
That alleged late 110 plus million "bid" for what was hoped to be a quality DM that we never got and one we have been without for two years, with 10% of that money (more likely the realistic amount we had) going on a player who wouldn't get in a Palace midfield, 90% of that money wasn't spent, so lets see Slot given that this summer. Will he get it? Will he feck.
Thiago at 20 million was good business if the team building is properly backed; we collapsed in his first season because it wasn't, in what was without question the single worst transfer window of any club since the window came in. And the current forwards, very difficult for them to function alongside a slow, disjointed midfield that has to stay close together so as not to expose the unathletic 6.
Jurgen has maybe had one miss in the window: Keita, he misjudged his timid character. Not including the bargain basement signings as they weren't his, he would never have signed a Kabak, (the other CB who didn't play and went to Rangers?), Melo and Endo...two last ditch loans (Kabak and Melo), 500k? for that other CB, and 15 million for the little unathletic lad who Will Hughes targeted. Jurgen's record in the transfer market, when given funds, was extraordinary. Its scandalous he wasn't backed..
