Bilbo
TeaBaggins
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2004
- Messages
- 14,547
I think Ole has been quite brave in taking his time over targets. In his second season he could easily have gone for a big name attacker that would have kept the fans happy. He spent his budget on the defence instead, which was definitely sensible, if not exciting. So I do have respect for the job he's done so far in building properly.
The difference is that when you've just finished 6th, you're not really writing off the season by targeting 4th. Its a step up. But when you're a regular in the top 4 and finished 2nd last year, anything other than a title challenge is at best stalling, and at worst going backwards. You can only have so many years where you call it long term planning, before it looks more like the top 4 hamster wheel.
Very much agree on the first point. He was selfless in how he stripped down the squad in his first summer. That was a guy landing his dream job and risking his reputation making moves that were right for the club, not him. Doesn't get enough credit for that.
Let's be clear, the top 4 hamster wheel is no bad place to be. I've gotten more used to not being in the CL than I have being in it so we shouldn't downplay that. With regards to progress we have to be careful also. If Chelsea don't win the league or CL are they regressing? If Liverpool don't get 95 points with VVD back have they regressed? I realise those managers have 'credit' in the bank from recently winning big titles, but it is possible that we could look back on this season without trophies and still see progress, just as it's possible that we could win an FA cup and decide otherwise.
As I just said in another post in this thread, if the plan was and still is to build something that will be ready to thrive once City's cycle is through, we are still making very good moves and well placed for that.