Bar the evident mishap in the kit room that led to Victor Moses lacking a shirt while Alex Song was awash with claret and blue, this was one of the better transfer deadline days – and transfer windows – in recent years.
I admit, I have never been a huge fan of the owners but, in the words of Mr Dale, credit where credit’s due. The squad looks better than it ever has and it was nice to see us dominate the headlines for once. Yes, Jelavic is not the best striker we could get but he adds depth to our attack, which is something we desperately need. In every game this – and indeed last – season, I have always felt many of our players were shy in front of goal, with an aversion to taking a shot when it was needed. What a relief – and what excitement – to finally have a plethora of striking options, as well as individuals like Victor Moses and Michail Antonio who will add not just much needed width but some potent attack too.
It all comes as somewhat of a surprise to me, but does it to any of you? Whilst listening to the two-part podcast interview with David Sullivan on KUMB, I couldn’t help but be overcome with one thought: this guy is a good businessman but is maybe not the best football mind. That is – as has been pointed out a million times before – the conundrum of modern football: the balance between business and football. Looking at Manchester United and Chelsea, you can seen the evident tension between what the manager wants or desires and what the individuals above him actually deliver.
I was perplexed by Mr Sullivan’s lack of understanding at just how bad a hire Avram Grant was for the club. He was their first appointment and he got the team relegated. Yet there was a defence of him as a nice man, a manager who is good on a Cup run, and someone who was runner-up in every final he got to (i.e. not winning any). It gave me an uneasy feeling that the owner could not admit a mistake and realise his naivete in some of his dealings in the past. Furthermore, it was quite amusing to hear Mr Sullivan say he would not get Twitter because he would say something wrong, and then go on to bemoan Charlie Austin’s fitness, forcing the QPR striker to disapprovingly respond. Yes, the money was ridiculous, but maybe his words hindered any possible future negotiation.
This is not overt criticism at a time of great optimism but more a question – what do we think of the chairmen now? Not just in the euphoria after deadline day but in general football dealings? Of course, now that the deals have been done, the manager must do his bit to make it all work. Remember, we can all move players around on a computer screen and on a football game but that’s not how it works in reality. Many praise Swansea for their game plan in the transfer window: buy early and mould early so that you don’t spend most of the season trying to get the system to work. Just look at Manchester United: a club constantly making a variety of deals yet never quite getting the right shape and formation.
Our first four games showed a mix of excitement and frustration; brilliance and ineptitude. Let’s hope the new players help create greater cohesion and consistency to really get the season moving. The two-week break, combined with a late Monday kick-off against Newcastle, is the perfect opportunity to work on shaping the team. Let’s not lose sight of the games coming up and just how much better a lot of teams are now: Newcastle at home should be winnable, but Bournemouth should have been too; Norwich are arguably the best of the promoted sides, while Crystal Palace away in mid-October is a real tough match. Having said all that, Manchester City away now looks like an easy three points after Arsenal and Liverpool.