robbo_11 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 (edited) Just reading the last few comments and it is turning into who would you keep which is slim pickings. Some of the players you would most likely want to stay will be in demand and without European football I can see us having to sell at least one 'purple'. We would be moving to one game a week which might mean an uptick in performances due to preparation time, but you're setting yourself up for a good season and 'bad' season mentality. Just for the numbers, the below is our PL stats over last three seasons (10 games to go in 25/26). Tonali, Gordon and Livramento are the ones I could see bids coming in for. Willock will be sold due to contract situation. Trippier, Schar, Krafth, Ruddy and Gillespie all out of contract so you would think we clear the decks. From a fan perspective we might be heading into next season with the following players expected to be in the first XI: Hall, Botman, Thiaw and Bruno G. I just can't see that being realistic. If anything Ross Wilson is going to have his work cut out for him - we can't be slow in the summer window and he is going to have to trade. I'm sure there was talk from the ownership about targetting 8th and above so that will be an intersting dynamic to see what the window brings. Edited March 1 by robbo_11 Re formatted Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Think next season, core of first XI from current squad. GK Livramento Hall Thiaw Botman LCM Tonali Bruno RW Gordon CF Squad players to keep. Pope (as a clear number 2) One of Burn or Schar (not both, we need a younger CB in the group closer to Botman & Thiaw's age) One of Elanga or Murphy Ramsey Miley Joelinton Barnes Wissa (ideally sold if we can get a chunk of our money back, but get feeling we'll sell Woltemade and he'll stick around). So first choice GK, CM, RW & CF needed. Depth needed at full-back & centre-back & up front. I reckon one or two of Tino, Tonali & Gordon will go, so replacements closer to their quality than what we bought last summer will be critical.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 If Tonali does indeed leave, I'd be more than happy to give a Miley, Bruno, Ramsey midfield a go. Lots of ability there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbo Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 4 minutes ago, The Prophet said: If Tonali does indeed leave, I'd be more than happy to give a Miley, Bruno, Ramsey midfield a go. Lots of ability there. That sounds phenomenally midtable to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinitely Content Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 5 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said: Think next season, core of first XI from current squad. GK Livramento Hall Thiaw Botman LCM Tonali Bruno RW Gordon CF Squad players to keep. Pope (as a clear number 2) One of Burn or Schar (not both, we need a younger CB in the group closer to Botman & Thiaw's age) One of Elanga or Murphy Ramsey Miley Joelinton Barnes Wissa (ideally sold if we can get a chunk of our money back, but get feeling we'll sell Woltemade and he'll stick around). So first choice GK, CM, RW & CF needed. Depth needed at full-back & centre-back & up front. I reckon one or two of Tino, Tonali & Gordon will go, so replacements closer to their quality than what we bought last summer will be critical.. Can't shake the feeling that Thiaw/Botman just isn't quite good enough yet, especially when compared with the levels Schar and Burn reached for us. One could argue Thiaw and Botman are individually or technically better, but as a pairing and factoring in the intangibles such as mentality, consistency, leadership, I don't think either of them are even close to Schar or Burn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 2 minutes ago, Infinitely Content said: Can't shake the feeling that Thiaw/Botman just isn't quite good enough yet, especially when compared with the levels Schar and Burn reached for us. One could argue Thiaw and Botman are individually or technically better, but as a pairing and factoring in the intangibles such as mentality, consistency, leadership, I don't think either of them are even close to Schar or Burn. Ideally the new centre-back is someone who'd push these two. It's why I think one of Burn or Schar will have to move on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
r0cafella Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 9 minutes ago, Kimbo said: That sounds phenomenally midtable to me. It's a midfield which lacks pace and will get ruined in transition imo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 There aren't too many PL midfield bursting with pace mind. It's all about how we set them up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbo Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 I think for a club competing for top 6 Ramsey and Miley (currently) shouldn’t be more than rotation options. I’m not really sure what the clubs ambitions are though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycap Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 (edited) How do you think rafa would've set us up with the squad we'd have now? Ramsdale Tino thiaw schar/botman hall Tonali joelinton Barnes bruno gordon Woltemade Don't think he rated Murphy when he was here. Edited March 4 by andycap Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanj Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 He signed Murphy but the lad was very very raw then and sent him on a loan or two, no? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mofo Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 Without sounding dramatic.. Only players I wouldn’t let leave in the summer are Bruno, Miley, Hall, Burn ( ) and potentially Gordon (I think he’s massively underrated by our fans), Obviously like to keep Tonali, Tino and Thaiw but f the right offer come in I'd take it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novocastrian Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 The one thing I naively thought after the PIF takeover was that we’d never need to sell our best players. This summer could be brutal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycap Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 10 minutes ago, Novocastrian said: The one thing I naively thought after the PIF takeover was that we’d never need to sell our best players. This summer could be brutal. We don't really, but if a player wants to leave what can you do? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycap Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 On 04/03/2026 at 20:07, Kanj said: He signed Murphy but the lad was very very raw then and sent him on a loan or two, no? 12 million though to then send him on loan. 😂 Crackers money in them days as Ashley barely spent under rafa. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycap Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 Just wish we went 4-2-3-1 with Ramsey in behind woltemade. I think it would work well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smal Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 (edited) stumbled across something fairly interesting re our CBs and "high defensive actions" (a metric which records tackles, interceptions or clearances in the opposition half). Burn ranks 88th percentile in the league vs other PL defenders (including full backs who generally score higher in this metric), so very highly. 1.21 actions per 90. Schar 73rd percentile. Also high. 0.87 per 90. Botman 23rd percentile. 0.3 per 90. Thiaw 6th percentile. 0.18 per 90. Botman and Thiaw are our two best individual CBs imo, but neither of them are at all aggressive or proactive. It might not be a good partnership for us unless something changes with their games. Edited March 10 by Smal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guillaume Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 If we'd have had the upgraded front 3 we all hoped for last season, we'd have won comfortably tonight. Barnes Osula Elanga is a big step back on Gordon Isak Murphy, and we all hoped Murphy would be replaced with an upgrade. Fingers crossed it gets sorted in the summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 Some of Barca's last ditch defending was frustratingly good mind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
r0cafella Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 8 hours ago, Smal said: stumbled across something fairly interesting re our CBs and "high defensive actions" (a metric which records tackles, interceptions or clearances in the opposition half). Burn ranks 88th percentile in the league vs other PL defenders (including full backs who generally score higher in this metric), so very highly. 1.21 actions per 90. Schar 73rd percentile. Also high. 0.87 per 90. Botman 23rd percentile. 0.3 per 90. Thiaw 6th percentile. 0.18 per 90. Botman and Thiaw are our two best individual CBs imo, but neither of them are at all aggressive or proactive. It might not be a good partnership for us unless something changes with their games. You can't really ask for both of your centre Half's to be so aggressive tbh. Especially against sides who for the most part play single striker systems. So I think it's more tactical than anything else. Burn is the one who goes man to man and Thiaw with his pace covers the space left. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
On the Grid Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 2 hours ago, The Prophet said: Some of Barca's last ditch defending was frustratingly good mind. It was in the league game also to be fair Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 They were quite well organised to cut off our common passing moves TBH, it's just we overwhelmed them with superhuman effort and movement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54 Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 11 hours ago, Guillaume said: If we'd have had the upgraded front 3 we all hoped for last season, we'd have won comfortably tonight. Barnes Osula Elanga is a big step back on Gordon Isak Murphy, and we all hoped Murphy would be replaced with an upgrade. Fingers crossed it gets sorted in the summer. Osula and Elanga arn't as good as last Isak and Murphy last year, but I would argue that this season Barnes has been better than Gordon last, in fact I would argue that Barnes was better than Gordon last season too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 With Ramsey coming into his own and performing really well of late, and how good Miley has been when he's on the pitch, when everyone is fit, what would people say is our starting midfield three? Bruno - Tonali - Joelinton still? Ramsey - Bruno - Joelinton? Bruno - Tonali - Ramsey? I don't think Miley gets into the three just yet, but i'd have no qualms when he does play. I think you need to play Joelinton personally, he's the battering ram that keeps everything together, Bruno is Bruno, so its between Tonali and Ramsey, and i'm undecided about which way i'd go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nucasol Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 1 minute ago, 54 said: With Ramsey coming into his own and performing really well of late, and how good Miley has been when he's on the pitch, when everyone is fit, what would people say is our starting midfield three? Bruno - Tonali - Joelinton still? Ramsey - Bruno - Joelinton? Bruno - Tonali - Ramsey? I don't think Miley gets into the three just yet, but i'd have no qualms when he does play. I think you need to play Joelinton personally, he's the battering ram that keeps everything together, Bruno is Bruno, so its between Tonali and Ramsey, and i'm undecided about which way i'd go. Need to find a way of accommodating Ramsey. However that might come naturally in the summer if Sandro is away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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