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Squad & tactics (2024/25)


LoveItIfWeBeatU

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Lascelles Lejeune has been proven to work before.

 

Aye. Weren't they our defensive pairing that closed out our first season back in the prem? Forgot that.

 

We were perfectly fine with a back 4 that had Dummett and Manquillo as fullbacks too. The issue became the following season when peak Diame and Shelvey were not upgraded like Rafa wanted and those levels of ability were instantly dropped down, coupled with injuries. Rafa then went to a back 5 because he had been blessed with riches in CBs and needed to stop the team leaking goals and not scoring.

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Lascelles Lejeune has been proven to work before.

 

Aye. Weren't they our defensive pairing that closed out our first season back in the prem? Forgot that.

 

We were perfectly fine with a back 4 that had Dummett and Manquillo as fullbacks too. The issue became the following season when peak Diame and Shelvey were not upgraded like Rafa wanted and those levels of ability were instantly dropped down, coupled with injuries. Rafa then went to a back 5 because he had been blessed with riches in CBs and needed to stop the team leaking goals and not scoring.

 

Didn't Lejeune get injured, though. We didn't have anybody else who could play the left side of a two.

 

Not arguing your point, btw, just refreshing my memory.

 

 

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A jubilant Bruce was celebrating also tying down Christian Atsu for a further 3 years. "It's important we keep the core of this squad together."

 

Is that a wind up? Honestly hard to tell with this club any more.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Shields Gazette claim that both Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie have agreed contract extensions to remain at SJP past their current 2021 end date.

 

nufc.com: -

 

As was reported back in February, Friday saw United confirm that both Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie had signed revised and extended deals at SJP.

 

28 year-old Shelvey and 30 year-old Ritchie were both already under contract at SJP until 2021.

 

There's no positive update however on the Matty Longstaff situation, who has at least one contract offer on the table from a European club.

 

Speaking on Friday, Steve Bruce confirmed that 31 year-old Federico Fernandez does have one year option on his current deal.

 

Senior squad expirations:

2020: Carroll, Colback, Darlow, Elliot, Fernandez, M.Longstaff, Manquillo

2021: Aarons, Atsu, Clark, Gayle, Hayden, Lazaar, Murphy, Saivet, Schar, Woodman, Yedlin

2022: Dummett, Lejeune, S.Longstaff, Muto

2023: Krafth, Ritchie, Shelvey

2024: Almiron, Lascelles

2025: Dubravka, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Butcher

Who will still be here in a few years time when we’re winning every trophy known to man?

 

ASM, Almiron and the Longstaff brothers perhaps? Is Dubravka good enough?

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The need for home grown players will ensure some will stick around for years to come who are young enough and good enough. All comes down to the vision of the club going forward on the medium and long term do we buy "ready developed" players off the shelf so to speak and spend more. Do we nurture young talent and have a large scale recruitment of 16-19 year olds who can step up?. Do we do a bit of both?

 

Some managers don't seem capable of bringing up new and emerging talents which depending on how realistic a budget we were to have may not be an issue.

 

Also as we are working with the bare bones in terms of talent its all going to be a long haul thing regardless what we do as you need to ensure some harmony with the current squad and have to start having some success to attract a certain calibre of player (thinking medium term here were some players will not move unless you have European football).

 

I have spent so many years thinking well he will do as he is "good enough" that I don't know what it will be like to try and say no we want better, that matra means anyone in our squad is upgrade worthy but again comes down to the speed in which we can/should change.

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Guest reefatoon

wonder what we can do with Joelinton? send him on loan, sell him for the 8million he is actually worth or keep him to clean the boots and help pat down the turf?

 

Will be interesting to see what some of these players are actually like, when everything around them is professionally ran and a quality manager is in place.

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Who would you definitely keep from the current lot then?

 

ASM, Almiron, Dubravka, Lascelles, Schar, Lejuene and Matty Longstaff would be the ones I'd hope to keep if we are looking at overhauling the squad

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wonder what we can do with Joelinton? send him on loan, sell him for the 8million he is actually worth or keep him to clean the boots and help pat down the turf?

 

Will be interesting to see what some of these players are actually like, when everything around them is professionally ran and a quality manager is in place.

 

bringing in a striker that throughout his career has never been prolific while he is young and a good manager can get more out of him would you really want him in the side week in week out when we could and should get better in?

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Who would you definitely keep from the current lot then?

 

ASM, Almiron, Dubravka, Lascelles, Schar, Lejuene and Matty Longstaff would be the ones I'd hope to keep if we are looking at overhauling the squad

 

I think you have to be realistic on what can be done in a couple of transfer windows as not all the players we have are really "saleable assets" so it becomes a squad cohesion and squad number issue as well as a phasing out and replacing exercise.

 

It also depends on budget while we may think they are coming in to spend a mint they might not be and say the budget is 70/100 million a window that in todays market is spent badly can get you shite that everton/Fulham etc have gotten or it could get you 1/2/3 max good players.

 

The need of a top manager who knows how to build a squad effectively from scratch is the best way forward.

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Who would you definitely keep from the current lot then?

 

ASM, Almiron, Dubravka, Lascelles, Schar, Lejuene and Matty Longstaff would be the ones I'd hope to keep if we are looking at overhauling the squad

 

I think you have to be realistic on what can be done in a couple of transfer windows as not all the players we have are really "saleable assets" so it becomes a squad cohesion and squad number issue as well as a phasing out and replacing exercise.

 

It also depends on budget while we may think they are coming in to spend a mint they might not be and say the budget is 70/100 million a window that in todays market is spent badly can get you shite that everton/Fulham etc have gotten or it could get you 1/2/3 max good players.

 

The need of a top manager who knows how to build a squad effectively from scratch is the best way forward.

 

Totally agree, a top manager is needed if there is going to be significant recruitment. Might take us 3/4 windows to get challenging for European spots but definitely need a top manager with a concrete plan. Benitez would be ideal.

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We need a new RB, LB, DM, CM, 10, LW, RW and CF  :lol:

 

Pretty much an upgrade in every area bar CB

 

Unfortunately we wont be spending 300/400 million in one transfer window and it wouldnt be the wisest approach anyway. One or two strikers/number 10 upgrade right and left backs and see how it goes from there. Again all guess work based on the rate of rebuild and who we bring in management wise and any restrictions such as player sales, freeing of squad numbers, which players are allowed a second chance etc.

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Can see 2 or 3 big/quality signings in the summer. Desperate for a striker, potentially 2 strikers. Need a solid defensive midfielder that's an upgrade on Hayden and is decent enough on the ball to aid in our transition. We've got no quality out wide if ASM gets injured, it's not Miggy's position and he's our only other real decent attacker. Full backs are a necessity too. Would take Willems back as a LB but we need a RB.

 

A few good players in those positions and I think we've got a canny side on our hands. Especially under a proper manager. Though, its going to take 3 or 4 transfer windows to get the upgrades we need.

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