Preparing for the Premier League

[Tooj]

Rooney would obviously walk into our side but he's really not what we need like.

 

He'd walk for most of the ninety too.

[Guest chopey]

7 points between 17th and 8th this has been a shite Premier league

[Hanshithispantz]

The league falls apart when we're not in it.

[Deuce]

Stab in the dark re who is going and how much we might get plus which positions we might stregthen. I reckon this gives £62m to add to the war chest (plus removal of wages etc) and a guesstimated expenditure (for purchases, assuming in reality we'll get some loans and maybe a free or two) of £100m; net spend £38m.

 

Rob Elliot

Karl Darlow

Matz Sels  £5m

Tim Krul

Freddie Woodman loan

 

Ciaran Clark

Grant Hanley £3m

Jamaal Lascelles

Chancel Mbemba  £6m

Kevin Mbabu

NEW CB £14m

NEW CB £4m

 

Achraf Lazaar £3m

Paul Dummett

Massadio Haidara

DeAndre Yedlin

Jesus Gamez £2m

Jamie Sterry loan

Vurnon Anita

NEW LB £8m

 

Isaac Hayden

Jack Colback £5M

Matt Ritchie

Jonjo Shelvey

Mohammed Diame £4m

Rolando Aarons  loan

Yoan Guoffran  £2m

Christian Atsu buy £5m

Siem de Jong £9m

Henri Saivet £4M

NEW CM £18

NEW CM £4m

NEW LM £12m

 

Dwight Gayle

Ayoze Perez

Daryl Murphy £3m

Aleksandar Mitrovic £8m

Emmanuel Rivière £3M

Adam Armstrong loan

NEW no10 £20m

NEW striker £15m

 

 

Gouffran's own mam wouldn't even pay 2m in ransom if he were held hostage by Al-Shabab.

[Kanj]

bite your tongue Deucey

[afar]

Wouldn't be surprised if we failed to raise more than 10 million in sales unless we sell one of the players we don't want to sell (outside of the money already agreed for Thauvin), a Shelvey, Gayle, Ritchie, Lascelles type. It's really all about buying this off season. For me the priority is in this order.

 

1. No. 10, need true quality here, Sell Diame, De Jong and Perez ?

2. Winger, Arrons should be back but for how long till his next injury, buy Atsu on cheap to squad fill but need another Ritchie level of quality.

3. CM, need quality here to augment Shelvey and Hayden

4. Striker, could be higher up on priority list, they are probably going to stick with Mitro for at least another season and hope he develops, Murphy will be gone, but need another Gayle type in Rafa's system.

5. Sort out LB, Dummett first choice in the Prem ? What is Lazaar ? Does Haidara have a future?

6. What do you do with Anita and RB situation, I'm OK to roll with Yedlin and Anita next season but if he's not going to give Anita a new contract we will need another RB, unless Mbabu, Gamez and Sterry are expected to back up.

7. CB, Personally I would be ok to roll the current 4, but if one is sold will need to replace.

8. Sort the GK situation out, is Krul no. 1 or is it Elliot, Darlow seems out of favour, can Sels salvage his career with us.

 

[Mole_Toonfan]

Agree with most of the things mentioned, definitely think we need a CB regardless though.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I'd keep Perez as we know he can kind of do it in the PL, and he came into his own towards the end of the season to show his class. I'd keep Goufran and Anita as solid reliable players and look to get rid of Colback, Murphy, Mitrovic, Hanley and the Spanish fella who has hardly played. I know fuck all of Lazaar to comment. I'd keep Yedlin, Dummet and also look to get rid of Sels and Krul. Those we farmed out on loan last season can go as well.

[George Bailey]

Agree with most of the things mentioned, definitely think we need a CB regardless though.

CH is one of the priorities imo. The 4 we have are not good enough, as paired starters together. Add an experienced CH alongside one of the other 3 and that makes us a lot stronger. Two new ones and it's all a lot better, in an ideal world. (maybe realistic over 3 windows)

Hanley is not good enough and undoubtedly is on his way, with a big thanks for his efforts this season.

[Yorkie]

Bin:

GK: Krul, Sels

DEF: Hanley, Lazaar, Haidara

MID: Colback, Gouffran, Sammy, Saivet

ATT: Mitrovic, Riviere

 

 

Contentious 'keeps':

/ Elliot, cos we need three goalies.

/ Gamez, cos we've only got one out-and-out right-back in the squad and I just have a feeling he's a good, experienced part of the dressing room.

/ Anita, cos he's done enough this season to earn a contract imo. We can't be clearing out too many of our Championship winners, it'd be bad for morale.

/ Diame, cos, as above, we need a squad.

/ Aarons, cos he might turn into something.

/ Atsu, cos he looks a decent and cheap player.

/ De Jong, cos who knows - maybe he'd work in Rafa's set up? Might be a useful squad member.

/ Murphy, cos he's alright. Still think he'd be an alright option off the bench and it's not like we're going to recoup any sort of a fee for him.

 

 

Signings, in order of need:

CB - critically important

CM - critically important

LW - slightly less essential, but still needed

CF (1) - slightly less essential, but still needed

CAM - with Perez improving and Diame/De Jong as options, this would be an 'in an ideal world' sort of signing. Hopefully we have the funds and the right targets because an upgrade here would make a positive difference to us.

GK - would be nice to upgrade on Darlow

LB - competition for Dummett

CF (2) - cover

 

 

Squad

 

GK: Darlow, GK1, Smelliot

 

RB: Yedlin, Anita, Gamez

CB: CB1, Clark, Lascelles, Mbemba

LB: Dummett, LB1

 

W: Ritchie, W1, Atsu, Aarons

CM: CM1, Shelvey, Hayden, (Diame), (Anita)

 

CAM: CAM1, Perez, De Jong, (Diame)

 

CF: Gayle, CF1, CF2, Murphy, (Perez), Armstrong

[shintonsghost]

Bin:

GK: Krul, Sels

DEF: Hanley, Lazaar, Haidara

MID: Colback, Gouffran, Sammy, Saivet

ATT: Mitrovic, Riviere

 

 

Contentious 'keeps':

/ Elliot, cos we need three goalies.

/ Gamez, cos we've only got one out-and-out right-back in the squad and I just have a feeling he's a good, experienced part of the dressing room.

/ Anita, cos he's done enough this season to earn a contract imo. We can't be clearing out too many of our Championship winners, it'd be bad for morale.

/ Diame, cos, as above, we need a squad.

/ Aarons, cos he might turn into something.

/ Atsu, cos he looks a decent and cheap player.

/ De Jong, cos who knows - maybe he'd work in Rafa's set up? Might be a useful squad member.

/ Murphy, cos he's alright. Still think he'd be an alright option off the bench and it's not like we're going to recoup any sort of a fee for him.

 

 

Signings, in order of need:

CB - critically important

CM - critically important

LW - slightly less essential, but still needed

CF (1) - slightly less essential, but still needed

CAM - with Perez improving and Diame/De Jong as options, this would be an 'in an ideal world' sort of signing. Hopefully we have the funds and the right targets because an upgrade here would make a positive difference to us.

GK - would be nice to upgrade on Darlow

LB - competition for Dummett

CF (2) - cover

 

 

Squad

 

GK: Darlow, GK1, Smelliot

 

RB: Yedlin, Anita, Gamez

CB: CB1, Clark, Lascelles, Mbemba

LB: Dummett, LB1

 

W: Ritchie, W1, Atsu, Aarons

CM: CM1, Shelvey, Hayden, (Diame), (Anita)

 

CAM: CAM1, Perez, De Jong, (Diame)

 

CF: Gayle, CF1, CF2, Murphy, (Perez), Armstrong

 

 

Murphy 

[Yorkie]

I just don't see the point in totally dismantling the squad that won the league. We've lacked experience in recent seasons, it's one of many reasons why the squads haven't given a fuck en masse. No older heads to keep them right.

 

Plus like I say, he's alright. Peter Lovenkrands scored goals for us when we got promoted last time. Christ even Peter Crouch has nicked a few this year.

[shintonsghost]

I just don't see the point in totally dismantling the squad that won the league. We've lacked experience in recent seasons, it's one of many reasons why the squads haven't given a fuck en masse. No older heads to keep them right.

 

Plus like I say, he's alright. Peter Lovenkrands scored goals for us when we got promoted last time. Christ even Peter Crouch has nicked a few this year.

 

i know he's an option but i only ever see him way down a pecking order, he done a job lets move on and build , only my opinion mate 

[Mole_Toonfan]

Murphy like Hanley was brought in solely to help us get promoted, now that's achieved they'll be sold and that's pretty blatant.

[leffe186]

Add 8 new quality first team players and we'll do more than alright.

 

Not exactly the most daring opinion .

[triggs]

There's 28 players in that squad Yorkie put up, think you're only allowed 25

[joeyt]

5 strikers for next season (6 if you include Perez) seems a bit mental.

 

Armstrong will probably spend another season on loan and Murphy will go if someone pays his wages

[Yorkie]

I've done well there lyke good post yorky

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

No10 most important in my opinion as its critical to Rafa's system and the way he likes to play.

 

no10, cm, cb and lw, most important with ST following closely behind.

[Altamullan]

No10 most important in my opinion as its critical to Rafa's system and the way he likes to play.

 

no10, cm, cb and lw, most important with ST following closely behind.

This. Will be interesting to see how many we go shopping for from the unsuccessful play-off sides (if we ever find out). I've had my heart set on Cairney from Fulham for the CM slot, but spoke to a Fulham supporter yesterday who was adamant he is not much of a tackler. If, and I am not certain, Rafa intends to start Shelvey then we will definitely need someone in the middle who is a competent ball winner (hopefully with high energy, good passing and goalscoring in his locker too). Speculation about Mooy today (26; Man City on loan to Huddersfield). Other than remembering he looked decent, don't recall much about his style of play. Could be play with Shelvey?

[Disco]

He's like a shite version of Shelvey but with squintier eyes and more squat.

[afar]

I understand where people are coming from about the CB position, but it's down on my priority list because we have adequate bodies in there already. No. 10 for me is higher priority because we've lacked this so much this season, CM too when we have lost Hayden or Shelvey has been awful, we've had little production from an attacking perspective from the left hand side of our team. While in all that CB has been pretty good on the whole, didn't we concede the least number of goals ? I think we all agree Clark is more than capable, Mbemba is very young and probably our most talented CB, Lascelles is only a little older and full of potential and outside the end of the season was very solid. Hanley is the only real discussion point for me , he did not live up to expectations but he's also not that old so has time to develop. If we sell one of them then, this all changes to a much higher need but I'm not convinced we will.

[TRon]

No10 most important in my opinion as its critical to Rafa's system and the way he likes to play.

 

no10, cm, cb and lw, most important with ST following closely behind.

This. Will be interesting to see how many we go shopping for from the unsuccessful play-off sides (if we ever find out). I've had my heart set on Cairney from Fulham for the CM slot, but spoke to a Fulham supporter yesterday who was adamant he is not much of a tackler. If, and I am not certain, Rafa intends to start Shelvey then we will definitely need someone in the middle who is a competent ball winner (hopefully with high energy, good passing and goalscoring in his locker too). Speculation about Mooy today (26; Man City on loan to Huddersfield). Other than remembering he looked decent, don't recall much about his style of play. Could be play with Shelvey?

 

That's my concern re Cairney as well. There's already question marks over Shelvey's pace and defensive qualities, I don't think we need another version with the same weaknesses. Midfield is the engine room of the side, I don't want passengers. It's an area I'd happily see us spend big to get a player who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

[Parsley]

Hypothetically speaking, would folk prefer it if we went for Mooy or Cairney? Cairney looks the more accomplished passer from what little I've seen, whereas Mooy is a bit more robust, better tackler etc - perhaps a bit  more well-rounded.

[Minhosa]

Hypothetically speaking, would folk prefer it if we went for Mooy or Cairney? Cairney looks the more accomplished passer from what little I've seen, whereas Mooy is a bit more robust, better tackler etc - perhaps a bit  more well-rounded.

 

Cairney for me.