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Squad & tactics (2024/25)


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2 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

I'm still getting used to it - might take another couple of transfer windows until it feels real. I still expect us to discuss all of these exciting names and then sign Jordan Rhodes on a free.

 

On your point about getting rid of players, I think Murphy has put himself well in the shop window for newly promoted teams. There's probably another £8-10m?

Maybe, but I’d keep Murphy over Almiron who I think is more saleable and will likely be less happy of the two to play a bit part, although he wouldn’t kick up a stink, I just think he’d want first team football more. Long-term, I can see only a handful of players remaining at the club, in 3 years time the whole team and squad will be unrecognisable.

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This is a great site to illustrate different scenarios: https://tactical-board.com/UK/big-football 

 

Anyway, one thing I hope the team can get better on (or get more confidence to do), especially since we have good passers of the ball in Schar and Burn, is to be a little more adventurous when playing out from the back.

 

So many times in a similar scenario as below when opposition team is closing us down when our CBs has the ball, we lump it up (red arrow, either directly, or back pass to Dubs who boots it up) because we don't want to take the risk of losing the ball deep into our own half, while a fairly simple high pass (blue arrow) to one of our full backs is open which would relieve a lot of pressure and give us a better chance of advancing the ball. We never do this atm.

image.thumb.png.ce6e6ba38f068c7495fe0758155d0ed8.png

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I'm hoping we're moving towards a 4-2-3-1 / 4-4-1-1 next season to add a bit more fret, as such here's my latest ideal scenario for the summer:

First XI (4-2-3-1 / 4-4-1-1)

New Goalkeeper

Trippier

New Centre-back

New Centre-back

New Left-back

Guimaraes

Joelinton

New Winger

New Attacking Midfielder

Saint-Maximin

New Striker


Second XI (4-2-3-1 / 4-4-1-1)

Dubravka

Krafth

Schär

Burn

New Left-back (Targett) 

Shelvey

S. Longstaff

Almiron / Murphy

Willock

Fraser

Wilson

 

Spares

Darlow

Dummett

(Anderson)

Wood


Sell / Loan / Release

Gillespie

Woodman  

Manquillo

Fernandez

Clark

Lascelles

Lewis

Murphy / Almiron

Hayden 

Hendrick

M. Longstaff

Ritchie

Gayle

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Ambitious to be looking at seven new first 11 players. In terms of cash spent to bring those in you’d probably be looking at £175m+. I think we all agree a new striker and winger are absolutely key along with a new centre back. I think there’s a decent chance we’ll bring in two strikers over the summer. One, a development project like Ekitike and one with pedigree ready to go 

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Aye, bit of ambition isn't a bad thing though. We'll spend about £200M, I reckon. We were chucking £40M bids around like candy in January.

 

We should be looking to attack the top six next season, if not the top four. We're already 10th after the worst start to a season in our history :lol:.

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I’d also question spending £15m on Targett and then even more on another first XI LB. Also can’t see it with the club currently negotiating with Dummett on a new contract. 

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I could live with Targett as first choice, just pushing my luck a bit with that one. Surprised it's not already wrapped up, and the murmurs about us not being convinced on him are a bit surprising.

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2 minutes ago, Rich said:

Aye, bit of ambition isn't a bad thing though. We'll spend about £200M, I reckon. We were chucking £40M bids around like candy in January.

 

We should be looking to attack the top six next season, if not the top four. We're already 10th after the worst start to a season in our history :lol:.


:lol: That’d be amazing. Just an opinion but I doubt we’ll spend that much; 100m plus player sales is my guess.

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3 minutes ago, Rich said:

I could live with Targett as first choice, just pushing my luck a bit with that one. Surprised it's not already wrapped up, and the murmurs about us not being convinced on him are a bit surprising.

Think we’re just hedging our bets on whether an alternative/better addition becomes available nearer the time, like Lodi. If not, i’m sure we’ll happily pay the £15m!

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12 minutes ago, Rich said:

Aye, bit of ambition isn't a bad thing though. We'll spend about £200M, I reckon. We were chucking £40M bids around like candy in January.

 

We should be looking to attack the top six next season, if not the top four. We're already 10th after the worst start to a season in our history :lol:.


I’d just get Targett and Hickey for 15m each 

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In an ideal world we’d get a top-class (proven) striker, a pacey inverted winger, a powerhouse dm, another cm/cam who can chip in with goals, 2 cbs comfortable on the ball with recovery pace, a good left-back and a goalkeeper who’s good with his feet.

 

:lol: so basically a whole new team bar Trippier, Bruno, ASM and maybe Joelinton. 
 

What I think we’ll get:

Ekitike -30m

Targett- 15m

Hojberg-30m

Lingard- free

Inacio/N’Dicka- 30-35m

B. Johnson- 20m

a keeper(Strakosha?) - 10m

 

Selling: Hayden, Almiron , Gayle, Fede, Clark, Hendrick, Ritchie, Woodman, Darlow for around 25-30m combined.

 

 

 

 

Edited by McCormick

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Yeah 3/4 new first teamers max this summer, 6/7 is just way to big of a leap for one window not just on the money side but it’s just not feasible to integrate that many new players into the first team and expect them to hit the ground running any time soon. 

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They’ve said publicly the only limit on spending will be FPP. The only other limit is the ‘evolution not revolution’ mantra which I interpret as minimising the number of personnel changes in one whack to maintain the squad dynamic. I can see them going big on 4 first team players plus a couple more young’uns for the future/squad (and Target made permanent).

 

Luis Diaz cost £49m including add ons, we’ve paid £40m for Bruno. This is the ball park I believe they’ll be looking to operate in quality/fee wise. Maximum quality injection, minimum personnel chances.

 

Dubs

Trippier

New CB (£30-£40m)

Burn/Schar (Left or right foot required)

Target (£15m)

 

Bruno

New DCM (£40-£50m)

 

New Winger (£40-£50m)

Joelinton

ASM

 

New Striker (£50-£60m)

 

I’m honestly unsure where he sees Joelinton playing next year. Maybe he would drop him deeper along side Bruno and spend on a Paqueta type for ACM instead. The price would remain similar.
 

With the above we’d be looking at a gross spend of £175m-£215m. The spine of the team would be top 4 standard which lays the foundation for the champions league push in X years (next year if you believe Bruno’s agent!)


 

 

 

Edited by BoSelecta

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5 minutes ago, Nine said:

Yeah 3/4 new first teamers max this summer, 6/7 is just way to big of a leap for one window not just on the money side but it’s just not feasible to integrate that many new players into the first team and expect them to hit the ground running any time soon. 

 

It's almost as if January didn't happen...

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Doesn't seem like a popular take but I'd be alright keeping Lewis for at least the bulk of Pre-Season and seeing how he does.

 

I'd like to see what a bit of time with Howe has done for him. I'd not be too fussed if he was straight out the door once the window opens though as it would probably be confirmation Howe just doesn't see anything in him.

 

 

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Just now, Rich said:

 

It's almost as if January didn't happen...

Circumstances entirely different though, we were very desperate at the time and had no choice and the fact those players worked is a credit to Howes judgement but could have just as easily not worked out as well as it did. 
 

And to make the point, we added 4/5 new first teamers in Jan and then to add 6/7 more in the summer would not make the team anymore stable than it is right now.. an almost entire new team in 6 months? Huge ask.

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Disagree, but think you're more likely to be right on numbers than me. Get them in early enough and there's loads of time to bed in, they don't all have to start immediately (as with Bruno).

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I hope we will spend 150M+ this summer, on quality additions over quantity (5 or 6 players better than what we already have).

 

Signings in order of priority:

Striker (guaranteed 15-20 goals) 60M

Defensive Midfielder  35M

Right wing   (Lingard Free)

Centre Back  (35M)

Targett or other (15-25M)

Upcoming striker who can play wings also (30M)

 

Players sales of 25M?

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6 minutes ago, buzza said:

I hope we will spend 150M+ this summer, on quality additions over quantity (5 or 6 players better than what we already have).

 

Signings in order of priority:

Striker (guaranteed 15-20 goals) 60M

Defensive Midfielder  35M

Right wing   (Lingard Free)

Centre Back  (35M)

Targett or other (15-25M)

Upcoming striker who can play wings also (30M)

 

Players sales of 25M?

Lingard is not a RW. He plays centrally or on the left.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just having a look at who is out if contract next summer:

 

Shelvey 

Krafth

Clark 

Fede

Ritchie 

Dummett

Gillespie

 

You'd imagine Clark, Fede and Ritchie will be moved in this summer. Personally wouldn't offer Shelvey a new contract. Krafth it depends on how much depth the defence has this time next year.

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  • 1 month later...

So the 25 man squad is looking

like this:

 

Definites:

 

Pope, Dubravka, Gillespie

 

Trippier, Krafth, Botman, Burn, Schar, Lascelles, Dummett, Lewis, Targett

 

Bruno, Joelinton, Willock, Shelvey, S Longstaff

 

ASM, Fraser, Wilson, Wood, 

 

so I make that 21 definites and then the following:

 

Expected to leave:

Darlow, Clark, Fernandez, Hendrick, Ritchie, Gayle

 

TBCs: Murphy, Almiron, Anderson, Manquillo, M Longstaff 

 

Assuming we sign a RW and a striker, then we can either sign one more player or put in one of the “TBCs” (or two if Anderson is classed as an U21)

 

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