Preparing for the Premier League

[AyeDubbleYoo]

There is no chance we will spend anything near £100m, is there? Can't see Mike parting with the entire income for the season on players. More likely we'll spend about £50m on enough players to make us competitive.

[Elma]

Yep, nobody with a bad injury record unless Carroll wants to come back

 

A fit Andy Carroll yes, but he's even older than Sturridge and his recent injury record is even worse, I think?

 

Interesting though that our injury record (to date) seems to have significantly improved under Rafa - only really Gayle's hamstring and perennial sick note Aarons have impacted the season. Anita had an impact injury but returned as quickly (if not quicker) than expected and no real significant training ground injuries.

[Elma]

There is no chance we will spend anything near £100m, is there? Can't see Mike parting with the entire income for the season on players. More likely we'll spend about £50m on enough players to make us competitive.

 

Can't disagree with that. 50m should be enough for a solid season.

[Disco]

We'll be linked to the standard soon to be out of contract players (2018 end).

 

Ghoulam

Dani Garcia

Luke Shaw

Kieran Gibbs

Andre Gray

Abel Hernandez

Nat Chalobah

Jack Cork

Leon Goretzka

Martin Hinteregger

Stefan Bell

Vincent Koziello

Diego Rolan

 

What Steve Coppell will be able to do with such names is anyone's guess though.

[sixx]

We won't be signing many players jumping straight into the first XI I'm afraid. I'm not even sure Ashley is willing to spend money on a striker when there's already one with probably 25 goals for this season on the books. We probably won't be signing a top class centre back either - probably a back up if Mbemba leaves though.

 

Rafa has been allowed to sign a left back and a goalkeeper but neither of them have shown to be better than Darlow and Dummett so I highly doubt these will be areas where Rafa is allowed to splash some cash.

 

However we probably/hopefully will spend money on a winger and a central midfielder. Atsu and Gouffran are leaving and Rolando Aarons uses a wheelchair for all I know. Preferably we should be bringing in two wingers. We have seen how vulnerable we are when Shelvey and/or Hayden are out so that's probably the position Rafa will put most emphasis on as Shelvey has been patchy in the Premier league and Hayden has no experience of it.

 

Bottom line is - we have some foundations of a spine for a team and I'm not seeing Rafa or Ashley dismantling that any time soon. And that's okay for me as long as we address the problems of our most vulnerable areas.

[mrmojorisin75]

Sturridge would be great but we couldn't afford to pay his wages if he gets injured. We would need to buy another striker in that case and hope that an injury free Sturridge fires us into the top 10, but no downside if he gets injured.

 

you sign sturridge and keep gayle, simples

 

i love sturridge fwiw, one of my favourite english strikers actually probably my favourite english striker on ability alone but i'm not convinced bringing him to the injury graveyard that is nufc would be a good move personally

[aussiemag]

I don't think Sturridge has the motivation to be the best anymore. On ability he would b brilliant, but I question his mentality and injury record.

[Dinho lad]

Go for Lacezette? - I'm sure Rafa stands of a good chance to persuade him to come.

[triggs]

Since the start of the season I've had a sneaky suspicion Sturridge will join next year. Whether it happens will depend upon whether 28 (just after season starts) will be considered too old for Mike and Lee, and whether NUFC think they can improve/manage his injury record. It's just I think Liverpool will be shifting him on, and he's exactly the sort of player Rafa likes - lots of pace to get in behind, good on the ball, and gets a fair few headers for his size (18% of all goals). If we don't go for him, it will be someone like him from abroad. Can't see Mitrovic still being here. Gayle will be used more sparingly but still has lots to offer.

 

Elsewhere, it's probably worth pointing out that last year we were unlucky to drop on 37 points. SMc had a points average of 0.85 points per game. Rafa had 1.3 points per game (49 points over a season which would have had us in 11th, between Chelsea and Everton). If you exclude the first four (three away and home derby) when he was still trying to organise them, the ratio jumps to 1.86 points per game, a run which included games against Liverpool, Man City and Spurs.

 

The point of this is to flag that the following back five played a considerable part in that - Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Mbemba, Dummett. Now we've swapped Clark for Mbemba but Mbemba is still on the books and we could still field that defence. Yedlin has replaced Jaanmaat. In front, Shelvey was used as a sub more than not, but Colback and Tiote became the preferred two. Again, not a million miles away from where we are now. Shelvey's game has improved under Rafa, Hayden is a solid addition, and Tiote no loss. I'd like to see us sign a beast of holding midfielder with decent distribution though.

 

In front of them it's a little more tricky. We were using Townsend, Sissoko and Wijnaldum, all of whom have gone. I would say we need a replacement in the number 10 role for Wijnaldum. We have Diame in that position but we need an upgrade there. I wouldn't be surprised to see Townsend come back, but we now also have Ritchie who is one of the few players who I have no doubts about in the Prem. Gouffran will probably be let go, but I don't think Sissoko is a huge miss. I don't think we'll retain Atsu so we'll need someone wide left.

 

Up top we were playing Cisse. For me, Gayle is an upgrade there but as per the opening paragraph we need a proven premiership quality striker, maybe two.

 

Where this is going is that we still have 6-7 of a side that did remarkably well under Rafa in the Prem in the last six games, and I don't think we are significantly weaker man for man. The mackems may shout that we were s*** and Rafa relegated us, but we were relegated by SMc and a chronic lack of action from the board. If Rafa had had two more games we'd have been fine. Therefore, to say our current squad would be immediately relegated is miles away from reality. The collective improvement from solid coaching and a decent shape count for more than the individual quality of each player. Look at Burnley? Comfortable this year and with no better a squad than us.

 

In summary, we need a quality centre-half (as Hanley and/or Mbemba will be off), a right-back if Anita is released, a quality left-back as an upgrade on Dummett, a holding midfielder, left winger necessity, right winger "nice-to-have", and at least one striker, two if Mitro goes. Sounds like a lot but will allow us to release 5 or 6 and players like Dummett will drop into the squad as cover.

 

I actually think the current side would just about survive under Rafa - the above is to get us comfortably into mid-table rather than fighting a relegation scrap.

Wijnaldum was utterly shit under Rafa like. Sissoko was the one playing behind the striker towards the end of the season and Wijnaldum was even dropped for a few games iirc

[NG32]

Wijnaldum was gash full stop.

[Ronaldo]

Don't be daft.

[gazza ladra]

Yep, nobody with a bad injury record unless Carroll wants to come back

 

A fit Andy Carroll yes, but he's even older than Sturridge and his recent injury record is even worse, I think?

 

Interesting though that our injury record (to date) seems to have significantly improved under Rafa - only really Gayle's hamstring and perennial sick note Aarons have impacted the season. Anita had an impact injury but returned as quickly (if not quicker) than expected and no real significant training ground injuries.

 

Hayden as well. Are we really that much improved?

[54]

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11689/10793635/how-would-championship-leaders-newcastle-and-brighton-do-in-the-premier-league

[Hanshithispantz]

Surely they should be asking that question about the Bayern Munich-esque - 13th highest scorers in the league - Huddersfield Town, too.

[Hanshithispantz]

"The question marks come from their ability to defend as a unit at that level, especially at full-back as Paul Dummett and DeAndre Yedlin like to get forward."

 

that cunt is paid to talk about football.

[Stifler]

Chamberlain haas apparently said he wants to leave Arsenal. I can't see him being able to go to better club, so would have to take a step down. He's been linked with us recently, anyone think he's a realistic option?

[Dave]

No.

[Stottie]

Nice post Elma. Some of the results Rafa got in the PL might have been against teams with little to play for, but we certainly finished the season strongly enough to stay up comfortably had Rafa been given more games, even with the players you mention.

 

Personally I think Gayle deserves more game time in the PL, even if not as the number one striker. His scoring record at Palace was great if you factor in the limited opportunities he was given, and he'll have improved under Rafa. If results go our way, I'd like to see Diame play alongside Shelvey for a few games this season to see how they work together. We definitely need a new #10 and someone to play on the left. I would also stick Krul straight back in if he's still around.

 

I like Sturridge as a goalscorer, but I think he'd be out of our league, in both wages and who he could play for. He'd have to want to play under Rafa and to revitalize his career to come.

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

"The question marks come from their ability to defend as a unit at that level, especially at full-back as Paul Dummett and DeAndre Yedlin like to get forward."

 

that cunt is paid to talk about football.

Also claims the current team would stay up this season but we would need to strengthen our spine to finish above the relegation places next season hmmm.

[Altamullan]

Must have Cairney and Knockaert, or their type.

[shintonsghost]

 

This thread man 

[Guest neesy111]

This was bumped again far too soon.

[loki679]

This was bumped again created far too soon.

 

 

[Minhosa]

Would like to see us take a punt on Kieran Gibbs who is out of contract soon.

[Altamullan]

This was bumped again far too soon.

 

"... Oh, it makes none. But now you have gone. And you must be looking very old tonight."

 

enough for you?