Deuce Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Some people just love being miserable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decky Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Gayle. Edit: So that post is gone then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altamullan Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Defence: would get rid of Selz, bring Krul back and ok with keepers. Central Defenders: would like to see Mbabu back and feature at some point, plus add one top class player (perhaps in autumn of career). If so sell Hanley or Mbemba. Full backs: Gamez away and Lazaar. Keep the rest, hopefully Haidara can demonstrate worth/get more game time. Add a combative left back. Midfield: 5 to go. Colback, de Jong, Saivet, Guoffran, and Diame (sick of seeing the ball bouncing off the t***) and looks like he's lost his fitness/legs. Aarons to feature (third season in a row I've hoped for this). Need a Knockaert, a Cairney and somebody else who can actually play left and/or cover for no.10/AM. Forwards: Perez, Rivière and either Mitrovic or Murphy away for some dosh. Two strikers in (one CL standard but towards end of career; one potential shining star). Major investment in creative no.10. Make this the biggest expenditure. Please. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 A lot of spending to do to turn this squad into a decent Premier team. Most of them struggle to rise above the championship level sides. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mighty__mag Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 I'm pretty confident that Gayle will score goals in the Premiership, I'd be happy to go into next season with him still first choice striker. Mitrovic will likely leave, Murphy will stay and play out his contract as 3rd choice/target man option off the bench. I'd like us to buy a promising youngster to back up Gayle, someone in a similiar mould as a player who'll be content enough to sit on the bench initially but who Rafa thinks can develop and ultimately take the spot from Gayle. Positions that I think we absolutely must buy players for this summer are left-back, central midfield, attacking midfielder and winger (two wingers if we don't sign Atsu permanently, I reckon we will though). Anything else would be gravy but if we could go into next season with... Krul Yedlin Lacelles Clark New LB Shelvey New CM Ritchie New #10 New Winger Gayle ... as our first choice eleven then I think that would be decent enough. Five big signings (those four and the aforementioned young striker) and maybe another option at CB if Mbemba leaves isn't an outrageous expectation IMO, especially when we'll be getting the likes of Gouffran, Mitrovic, Mbemba and maybe Anita off the wage bill. We'd have the likes of Hayden, Diame, Atsu and Perez as depth. If there's anything left over then buy a top quality CB. Defense does look weak on paper but I feel like Rafa will set us up well and we'll be tough to break down even if the players at the back aren't exactly world beaters. You look at the team you have above though and although yes Yedlin Clark and Lascelles are safe at this level (but still have mistakes in them at this level) I cant imagine against top strikers/teams that need one chance to score any of the current lads are a safe bet in the top league. Mbemba will be off, so that only leaves Hanley who will be back up to the other CB. I dont think we have any player good enough to partner Shelvey at CM in the premiership. I think we need a midfield player as good as or better than Shelvey, that wont be easy to find, and with good defensive knowledge like a Kante type. Then because Benitez will not chage the system, a proper goalscoring number 10, think that will be impossible to find without breaking the bank. We should just do what we have been good at and flush out all the lads that are unlikely to feature and make some profit to fund the rebuild that will be needed. On the Gayle bit, I imagine we will be under pressure in tons of games isolating Gayle even more and although he can score I think he will find it miles tougher against much better tighter back fours. It would take me back to Papiss who when he had a Ba next to him did great, but up top on his own was atrocious. It's so far off yet and you never know whats around the corner with this club. The not backing Rafa in January (will he be backed in the summer?) Will he walk? Also will we be able to get whats needed player wise? Not many a player will switch to newly promoted sides without massive convincing. And if we are struggling come Jan if the new signings have done a Townsend and requested release clauses it could be a nightmare all over again. I trust Benitez but im not sure i trust this club will give him what will be needed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colos Short and Curlies Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 For a #10 I'd have a look at Sigurdsson should Swansea drop Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 I'd be looking at Long at Southampton personally, not a great player but he would fit what Rafa likes. Hard working, pacey, never gives up, works the channels and gets goals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 He's 30 years old and scored 3 PL goals this season. I'm sure we could get better Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 I like Long too but he's no better than Gayle really and a fair bit older. I do agree we need a striker of that ilk for Rafa's system but it has to be someone with more quality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 I don't mean to start every week, just someone to give us something extra. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
toondids Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 I like Long as well but I think like Joeyt says we can do better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Long is distinctly average but just happens to have had a few of his occasional very good games against us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Long is distinctly average but just happens to have had a few of his occasional very good games against us. Yep he works hard but has only scored double figures once in the Premier League (by scoring 10 one season). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Long against Coloccini Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deuce Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 For a #10 I'd have a look at Sigurdsson should Swansea drop $$$$ But yeah. He'd be perfect in Rafa's system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 I don't mean to start every week, just someone to give us something extra. Yeah but he doesn't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Long is someone who I feel would be a great addition to our squad if we went up. Very much a Rafa player. I've always liked him, not great of course by any stretch, but a handful and a threat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 If we could pick Long up for a few million then it'd be a decent squad-filling signing. Gayle is the only striker at the club who will be capable next season, so we'll need at least one addition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 We need to spend a fuckload like. It's a bit scary how few of this squad are good enough for anything more than relegation scrapping in the PL. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 At least two if one of them's Shane Long, like. We need a player with real top level goalscoring quality up there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 At least two if one of them's Shane Long, like. We need a player with real top level goalscoring quality up there. Two would be fine. Gayle, someone mint, Long, Murphy (for eg) - that'd be good, especially given that he only ever plays one striker. Mitro can go and I still think there's a good chance he will, in spite of recent speculation suggesting the opposite. Spread the rest of the budget across the rest of the squad. A good centre-mid and a good winger are obviously essential. CM > LW > CF1 > CB > CF2 ... that's the priority I'd put it in. Any other addition across the park would just be a nice bonus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Someone in the Ba mold is what we should be looking for. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Someone in the Ba mold is what we should be looking for. 100%. Someone with pace who can play effectively in isolation and fill his quota with half chances. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mighty__mag Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 A thing to take note of if anyone thinks Gayle will be ok in the pem up top alone. This level of football and the fact hes scoring a few means nothing. The likes of Chris wood,Tammy Abraham and Glen Murray, even Cameron Jerome all players who can no doubt put the ball away at this level but in the top league I dont see it working out the same. I certainly would be concerned if Gayle is our favoured option to start most if not every game when available. I dont think although he's been very good this season it counts for much going forward. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Tammy Abraham will be playing PL football next season, like. He's going to be one hell of a player. Perfect for Rafa too in the long term, actually. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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