CHELSEA NO SLOUCHES OVER THEIR GOALKEEPER CONUNDRUM
▶ Graham Caygill analyses the main issues from the transfer deadline day
After all the hype, almost inevitably the final day of the summer transfer window for Premier League clubs was a largely quiet affair. Sure, some money was spent, but it was hardly the carnage that had been predicted in some quarters.
Here is a look at some of the talking points to come from the action, or lack of action, on Thursday.
Chelsea show quick reactions
It is unclear when exactly Chelsea knew that Thibaut Courtois was not exactly enthusiastic about the prospect of returning to the London club following his exertions at the World Cup.
Any subtlety went out of the window on Monday when he failed to show up for his first scheduled training session after his holiday break, and that was followed by a second no-show on Tuesday.
But, whatever the case, the London club could not be accused of wasting time finding a resolution to the conundrum of having a goalkeeper that no longer wants to play for you.
By Thursday afternoon, all was sorted. Courtois was posing with fans and kissing the club crest of Real Madrid as he completed his move to the European champions.
Chelsea are also covered having paid £72.1 million (Dh341m), a record transfer fee for a goalkeeper, to bring in Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao.
Have Chelsea overpaid for their new No 1? Almost certainly. But it was decisive, fast negotiating and means they have not been caught short in a crucial area going into a season.
Chelsea are looking to bounce back to the top four this season after last season’s fifth-place finish under Antonio Conte.
You have to go back to 200102 for the last time that they had two successive campaigns outside the top four.
Given there does not appear to be any obvious reason to expect any of Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur to fall away, Chelsea are going to have to improve on last season’s 70 points haul to get back in the Uefa Champions League places for 2019/20.
By matching, if not improving, on their goalkeeper, that is certainly a step in the right direction for Maurizio Sarri as he prepares for his opening Premier League game at Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Mourinho’s mind games
The start of the season is usually a time for optimism. Belief. Everyone starting from scratch and a chance at a fresh beginning.
You could forgive Manchester United fans for hardly having a spring in their step heading to Old Trafford on Friday for the opening game with Leicester City.
That is because of the downbeat comments, and overall behaviour, of Jose Mourinho.
Asked on Sunday what he had hoped for from the transfer window, he had told reporters: “My CEO knows what I want and I still have a few days to wait and see what happens.”
As the window slammed shut on Thursday there was no immediate evidence of United business, even a last-gasp transaction.
Mourinho had made his thoughts clear on Sunday on his reaction would be to that scenario playing out.
“If we don’t make our team better it will be a difficult
season for us,” he added. Sure, United probably could have with more cover defensively, but this is a side with an already strong rearguard.
Scoring goals was the problem last season. The 28 they conceded in 38 games was only one less than Manchester City, the problem was their city rivals netted 36 more and that explains the 19-point gap.
United have the talent, with Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez, Marcus Rashford and World Cup winner Paul Pogba to score goals.
Mourinho knows that while standing still, in terms of bringing new talent in, makes it harder to push City, this is still nowhere the crisis he is painting.
This feels like a mind game to take the pressure off. Mourinho is a fierce competitor and will expect United to fight City hard, even if he did not get exactly what he wanted.
Spurs stick with same hand
Since the 2003 summer transfer window was first brought
in, every Premier League club has done at least one bit of business during that period.
Leeds United in 2003 had actually been the closest to not making a move, with just the loan signing of Jody Morris saving them from a completely empty summer.
Tottenham Hotspur appear to have ended that record, with the window closing on Thursday with not one acquisition or sale happening since the end of the season.
It means Mauricio Pochettino goes into the new campaign on Saturday, which starts at Newcastle United, with the same personnel that guided them to third last season.
On paper it is a risk as all their rivals have made at least one significant signing and have looked to evolve their team.
There does need to be some perspective to this in it is still a great squad that Pochettino has at his disposal.
They have finished in the top four the past three seasons, and challenged for the title in the first two of those years.
Last year saw a dip as their final tally of 77 points was nine less then in 2016/17.
Tottenham would argue some of that was down to playing their home games at Wembley Stadium, something they do not have to repeat this season as they return to their new home at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the site of their former ground White Hart Lane.
There will be enormous pressure on the usual suspects, namely Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen to step up and lead by example, but that is no different to other seasons.
Tottenham might ideally have wanted more depth but they still have a strong first 11.