TO REGRET IT
THE best possible transfer deadline day is a quiet one.
It shows that a club is well prepared and have got the biggest deals done with no need for last-minute panic buys.
That, of course, is a very difficult task – but the best managers, directors of football and chairmen bagged their targets long ago.
Manchester United signed their biggest two, Romelu Lukaku (above) and Nemanja Matic, in time for the first game of the season.
In fairness, Manchester City – despite a late scramble for Alexis Sanchez – got some serious business done early and look much stronger for it.
City threaten to be a very powerful and competitive squad, and Sanchez was always going to be the icing on the cake.
Everton got cracking early too, while Liverpool left it late on some – although taking Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was well worth the wait.
Mo Salah also looks very good – pace and power to burn.
However, it’s crazy that defending champions Chelsea have been in such a mess. Antonio Conte has been pulling his hair out, desperate for reinforcements and yet they missed out on both Lukaku and The Ox to big-four rivals.
Chelsea need strengthening in terms of depth and quality in numbers, yet their window has been chaotic.
It might just undermine their entire season – and their manager.
Arsenal were a mess. Having started encouragingly with the record signing of Alexandre Lacazette (left), it turned into another last-gasp trolley dash to get some out and some in.
Clubs can be creative and get deals done, such as West Brom signing Paris SaintGermain midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak on loan.
He is an elegant player, the holding midfield player Tony Pulis has been looking for.
The Baggies have pounced because PSG needed to clear the decks.
That is why deals often get done so late in the day and is an excuse for clubs to leave it to the final knockings.
Who can resist a lastditch bargain?
But for the bigger clubs, not to have major players in place for pre-season and the start of the campaign reflects poor planning and preparation – and they may well end up paying a heavy price.