Ages, casualties, and squad progression

[KelseyGrammer-Beast-SuitsBlue]

Moyes has been here nearly nine years. In that time we have seen a great deal of squad development. That is no misnomer, he has moved players on when necessary. That he has been allowed to keep who he wants in recent years means that certain players are slowly coming to the end of their playing shelf lives.
It might not be this summer, but possibly the summer after, who is looking at being let go, and who do we bring replacements in for now to then step up to face the task long term?

No one likes treating players as pieces of meat that eventually become not fit for purpose, but that is the difficult business of football and why the manager gets paid so well.
Not looking for replacements, but what are the areas we need to look at? I will start, I think Distin can go now while we can still recoup a bit of his price before he is beyond a recovery transition.

 

[tadpole]

I reckon Vaughan or Anichebe would be allowed to go if a decent offer comes along.

 

[Nordecke]

I reckon Vaughan or Anichebe would be allowed to go if a decent offer comes along.

Has'nt shown much... at this rate he wont be worth much in a few years.. best to cash in now...

I'm cold hearted I know..

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

was watchin' hibbo at 1/2 time,he was actually practising hoofin' it the whole time, he could've at least slammed 1 in for a laugh.




must be superstitious

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

I reckon Vaughan or Anichebe would be allowed to go if a decent offer comes along.

vic plus cash to the galaxy for landon


you heard it here first.

 

[KelseyGrammer-Beast-SuitsBlue]

I can see the sense in that. But, it is easier to keep young players on smaller wages to sit on the bench in case than it is to keep full internationals sat doing nothing.
This is a thread aimed specificaly at where the squad progression is going, does Howard need competition? Is Neville done for at RB and will a bespoke midfield reducer be bought? Yak is a Nigerian 27 (ask Moyes), Saha nearly 32, Cahill is no spring chicken and takes longer to come back from injury, and of those a step down in age like Arteta, Pienaar, Osman, where are the replacements?

Can we afford to let players retire on the books or do we have to sell eventually to recoup a bit so as to try to invest?

 

[Nordecke]

I can see the sense in that. But, it is easier to keep young players on smaller wages to sit on the bench in case than it is to keep full internationals sat doing nothing.
This is a thread aimed specificaly at where the squad progression is going, does Howard need competition? Is Neville done for at RB and will a bespoke midfield reducer be bought? Yak is a Nigerian 27 (ask Moyes), Saha nearly 32, Cahill is no spring chicken and takes longer to come back from injury, and of those a step down in age like Arteta, Pienaar, Osman, where are the replacements?

Can we afford to let players retire on the books or do we have to sell eventually to recoup a bit so as to try to invest?

Saha is getting up there in age, but he is producing goals.. Cahill has to be a keeper IMO.. Yaks is still young really, and I like him... Neville is struggling at RB and he seems to be the weak link in those respected names..

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

prob with goalkeeping backup is if they are younger they get bored waiting around and that's why they are continually moving on, nash is happy enough to be back-up and tbh although lots will say he's gash, he's not been called upon, our best reserve keeper is probably jags.

 

[KelseyGrammer-Beast-SuitsBlue]

prob with goalkeeping backup is if they are younger they get bored waiting around and that's why they are continually moving on, nash is happy enough to be back-up and tbh although lots will say he's gash, he's not been called upon, our best reserve keeper is probably jags.

Good one, it is probably Ruddy who is having a barnstorming season in Scotland. I hear where you are coming from though. Jagielka could be international reserve if need be, it would allow wasters like Walcott to go and do nothing again.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

Good one, it is probably Ruddy who is having a barnstorming season in Scotland. I hear where you are coming from though. Jagielka could be international reserve if need be, it would allow wasters like Walcott to go and do nothing again.

that wasn't his doing though in all fairness, absolute waste of a place, now that he's been lacking game time at arsenal as well he's gone kack, all this not rushing him hasn't worked, he showed he was good enough so should've been chucked in like rooney, his run at analfield showed that he's got it, things like that aren't one offs, yet now it seems he's stagnated.

 

[evilwebby]

Each year we ask ourselves the same question, but I have faith that our manager has a long term plan so this will not be an issue. Players get older, they peak and then they move on. We worry that our heroes will one day get a little too old - it's only human nature. But we will have new heroes to cheer on, and we will never forget the service that our old ones have given us. When Pip, Cahill & Arteta all finally either hang up their boots are are moved on, we may be taking a temporary little step back, but we'll take two steps forward in time, as new young players are signed, they mature, become top players, and then the cycle repeats itself. Nothing to worry about.

 

[KelseyGrammer-Beast-SuitsBlue]

Each year we ask ourselves the same question, but I have faith that our manager has a long term plan so this will not be an issue. Players get older, they peak and then they move on. We worry that our heroes will one day get a little too old - it's only human nature. But we will have new heroes to cheer on, and we will never forget the service that our old ones have given us. When Pip, Cahill & Arteta all finally either hang up their boots are are moved on, we may be taking a temporary little step back, but we'll take two steps forward in time, as new young players are signed, they mature, become top players, and then the cycle repeats itself. Nothing to worry about.

My concern is, have we done so well recently that finding gems so readily will be difficult, but also that when the time comes, other clubs will note who we are in for and step in to challenge. Let us not forget that for a while in prem terms other sides didn't pay us any notice, we were a bottom half side evading relegation, now we are definitely not that. Possibly imagine the Redknapp and Sheff Utd right back issue times a thousand.
Maybe Baxter is the key. Maybe Rodwell fulfills his ambition, but who next, no clubs bring an entire eleven through in one go, but how much pressure is on us to bring more than average through to maintain our top half calibre.
Pardon my worrying, I dont see us picking the Pienaars, Artetas, and Cahills up so cheap in future. Great while it hapened, but so many lightning strikes are an anomaly.

 

[moyes_bringin_it_back]

prob with goalkeeping backup is if they are younger they get bored waiting around and that's why they are continually moving on, nash is happy enough to be back-up and tbh although lots will say he's gash, he's not been called upon, our best reserve keeper is probably jags.

Mucha's coming in and Nash is probably going to retire.

 

[KelseyGrammer-Beast-SuitsBlue]

It is less than one tenth of the concern knowing GK is backed up properly. The amazingness of this season has robbed us of a backline then a midfield when the backline is recovered. It always seems like robbing Peter to pay
Paul and viceversa.

 

[moyes_bringin_it_back]

My concern is, have we done so well recently that finding gems so readily will be difficult, but also that when the time comes, other clubs will note who we are in for and step in to challenge. Let us not forget that for a while in prem terms other sides didn't pay us any notice, we were a bottom half side evading relegation, now we are definitely not that. Possibly imagine the Redknapp and Sheff Utd right back issue times a thousand.
Maybe Baxter is the key. Maybe Rodwell fulfills his ambition, but who next, no clubs bring an entire eleven through in one go, but how much pressure is on us to bring more than average through to maintain our top half calibre.
Pardon my worrying, I dont see us picking the Pienaars, Artetas, and Cahills up so cheap in future. Great while it hapened, but so many lightning strikes are an anomaly.

Then its all about possibly getting players with not long left on their contracts or that are unsettled.

The market isn't what it once was I think its far more suited for us to be operating in actually.