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In a special episode of The Debate on Wednesday night, Craig Bellamy and Andy Townsend reviewed Premier League clubs’ window so far.
With one day of the window remaining, the pair spoke in depth on each Premier League club with Geoff Shreeves, and assessed whether more business needs to be done before 11pm Thursday.
Here, we look at the 14 Premier League teams outside of last season’s top six…
Bellamy: For them to be able to act in the way they have, bringing in 10 players is brilliant. Aaron Mooy was key for me. We know Tom Ince can win you games.
Townsend: For Huddersfield it was about fattening the squad, and they have. It gives you the option to rest players, and to blood some fresh faces in. Some good business so far.
Bellamy: Grzegorz Krychowiak, he’s a star. He was incredible at Sevilla, and was their main player for them. It made sense that he went to PSG.
Townsend: I think it’s a real statement for West Brom, and where they are as a club. They have new owners, a new financial model they are working to. Even though it’s a loan deal, it’s a real big accomplishment.
Townsend: The best part about Watford for me is the manager. Marco Silva looked very good at Hull, it’s whether they want to hang on to him for a few years or chop him again! He’s a very capable manager.
Bellamy: I like Richarlison, and Watford have been as busy as ever. But Silva, I’m really impressed with him. He’s definitely been their best signing.
Townsend: The Virgil van Dijk situation has overshadowed their signings. When he sees big players moving, and if he has to stay, I’d be interested to know what he thinks.
Bellamy: If Saints are going to get rid of him, they should have let him go earlier and done their business. It doesn’t make sense to me. He’s training on his own right now, but that will change. In football, things change very quickly.
Bellamy: Chris Wood, Jon Walters, they’re Sean Dyche sort of players, they’re hard-working and he knows what he’ll get from them. It’s what they’re used to.
Townsend: I think Sean maybe with this window is thinking he wants some tried and trusted boys that he can trust, and knows they can go out and play and will work hard for him.
Bellamy: They started off slow. You know what you’re going to get from Darren Fletcher. Jese Rodriguez is a Mark Hughes type of signing, a player who he looks to get going again after a dip. To be a forward and play for him is very, very good. I still feel like they need some legs in midfield, and I’d be surprised if they don’t do that tomorrow.
Bellamy: They brought in Sandro Ramirez; I’m not sure he’s going to hit the ground running this year, I think he’s one for the future. I think they needed a target man. With Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, they are building for the future too.
Townsend: They bought a lot of good players, brought in a lot of numbers, but do I see them getting into the top four this season? No. But I do respect the fact they refuse to just be on the outside looking in, they are striving for more. I don’t see the point in Ross Barkley staying there. Ronald Koeman has said he is looking at other areas, and Ross needs a change as well. If he gets the chance to go to Spurs or Chelsea, that would give him a fantastic lift.
Bellamy: Renato Sanches still has a lot to do for me. Of course in the Euros, he was a promising young player coming through. He needs game time. You’d play him in a three-man midfield, he’s not a sitting midfielder as he hasn’t got the discipline for that. He doesn’t bomb forward, he just takes up decent positions, and he needs to learn the game. He needs football at this age. If I was Bayern, I’d look at the Swansea situation and say: Yes, he’s going to get games. I do believe they’ll lose Fernando Llorente to Chelsea.
Bellamy: We’ve talked about Mike Ashley now for a while, I liked his interview where he came out and explained. The way the money is now, to compete with that, is very difficult. I don’t think they did their business early enough, and their targets probably ended up being a bit too expensive, and that definitely frustrated Rafa Benitez.
Townsend: I think they’re going to need to have a busy last 24 hours. Whoever they buy, whatever they do, I think they’ll be in the thick of it at the wrong end of the table come May.
Bellamy: Riyad Mahrez you’d want to keep, that’s important. He’s their go-to player. Even watching him this season he’s been good. His attitude has been good. He’s had a great spell at Leicester, and there’s a mutual respect. The fans haven’t got on his back even though he put in a transfer request.
Townsend: Chris Hughton just has to make sure he’s not light on numbers when tough times come, and they will come. They’ll be feeling in a better place than they were, with that point, but they’ll be under no illusions that it’ll be hard.
Bellamy: Asmir Begovic… why wouldn’t you? Jermain Defoe… on a free, another solid buy. Nathan Ake… a good buy.
Townsend: He had Begovic sorted for months, they got their work done early. But they haven’t got off to a good start and will have to pick up pretty sharpish. For any of these teams, they’ll find it difficult.
Bellamy: This three at the back isn’t working, they have to change. They had Sam Allardyce last year and were solid, but at the moment they seem so open. Frank de Boer doesn’t seem comfortable with the back three. It wouldn’t surprise me now if they’ve already called De Boer in and said: ‘We’re playing four at the back, otherwise you’re going!’
Bellamy: Decent window, Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Hernandez. They’re Premier League players who know it’s about, with good pedigree, something just hasn’t seemed right of me there in the last seven months, maybe longer.
Townsend: I think Slaven Bilic needs a bit of continuity with the same team for a while. It’s great bringing new players in, and exciting everybody and keeping them on their toes, but I think they need some consistency with an XI Slaven trusts.
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