Going to go full Zat here but it's an extremely slow day in the office and I'm tired of seeing a thousand threads pop up re: Allardyce. The title poses the question I want to ask the forum - do we really need many changes to the squad next season? Now I know we've been turgid to watch this season but a lot of that has been down to the system and also the poor form & confidence of the squad. Personally I don't want to see many incomings this summer as I think we're unsettled enough, it's a World Cup year and I honestly don't think we're far off. I'll dissect my reasoning below with the ultimate goal of improving but not having to spend like we did last year:
GOALKEEPER (2)
1: Pickford
2: New GK
Lowest priority out there so I don't mind heading into the new season with Joel (if he stays) or Stek. Out of the young lads only Hilton has looked half decent so he can be third. Lots of the academy keepers need binning like Gray, Hewelt etc. They will never make it here.
DEFENCE (9)
CB: RFM
CB: Keane
CB: Holgate
CB: New Starting CB
CB: Possibly Feeney/Gibson if one or neither gets a loan.
LB: New LB
LB: Robinson
RB: Coleman
RB: Kenny
I'd like to see Holgate given a starting chance next to either RFM or a new starting left-sided CB. I mean sure two brand new starters would be good but again that's just even more fresh faces to get to know each others game. I mean it's 100% going to be Baines there next season but would love a new powerful, fast LB and I'd give Robinson a spot as second choice for cups/injuries.
Sell: Jags, Williams, Cuco, Baines, Pennington, Browning, Galloway, Garbutt
MIDFIELD (8)
CDM: Gana
CDM: Baningime
CM: New Starting CM
CM: Sigurdsson
CM: Vlasic
CM: Davies
CAM: Dowell
CAM: Lookman
Tell the defensive mid to purely mop up, pass to a better player & cover both full-backs that will be asked to bomb on whenever possible. 2 centre mids playing around him with high energy but also high quality. I'd start Sig and a new face (Ozyakup?) there who have a bit of freedom in their positioning. Davies, Vlasic etc. to be their understudies. Whilst I would love to sign a world class attacking mid for the hole I do feel we're hitting a transitional period where we can afford to try see just what Dowell and Lookman can do.
Sell: Grant, Mirallas, Bolasie, Klaassen (just don't think he'll ever adapt his game), Schneiderlin (would keep if he can play good consistently), McCarthy is injured so he's no use to us here or sold yet but I'd consider keeping.
FORWARDS (5)
ST: Cenk
ST: Walcott
ST: DCL
ST: Sandro
ST: Henry
Would start Cenk and Walcott together - I know he's looked good out wide but he's more productive centrally to me and this saves us spending a bomb on 2-3 more wingers. DCL and Sandro (if we can't offload) to be their back-up and also Henry who can play wide as well as through the middle. Maybe our version of Jamie Vardy tactics?
Sell: Sorry Oumar but you're gone along with academy flops ike Henen, Sambou etc.
So a first team squad of 24 there with 4-5 new signings needed supplemented by a lot of outgoings if possible. I'd loan out people like Feeney, Gibson, Connolly, Evans, Hornby etc. Maybe see how Williams looks in pre-season but reckon we'll sell him myself. Don't see it as too difficult to do with this dodgy transfer window we have this year.
I think with how bad the PL is and how much worse it'll be with teams like Cardiff and Millwall possibly coming up we can easily finish 7th since we're already 8th. I know this isn't acceptable to some but with a possible new manager I'd sure as Hell take that as a transitional season and then improve in January & next Summer.
I'm going to bed now before anyone tells me to.
GOALKEEPER (2)
1: Pickford
2: New GK
Lowest priority out there so I don't mind heading into the new season with Joel (if he stays) or Stek. Out of the young lads only Hilton has looked half decent so he can be third. Lots of the academy keepers need binning like Gray, Hewelt etc. They will never make it here.
DEFENCE (9)
CB: RFM
CB: Keane
CB: Holgate
CB: New Starting CB
CB: Possibly Feeney/Gibson if one or neither gets a loan.
LB: New LB
LB: Robinson
RB: Coleman
RB: Kenny
I'd like to see Holgate given a starting chance next to either RFM or a new starting left-sided CB. I mean sure two brand new starters would be good but again that's just even more fresh faces to get to know each others game. I mean it's 100% going to be Baines there next season but would love a new powerful, fast LB and I'd give Robinson a spot as second choice for cups/injuries.
Sell: Jags, Williams, Cuco, Baines, Pennington, Browning, Galloway, Garbutt
MIDFIELD (8)
CDM: Gana
CDM: Baningime
CM: New Starting CM
CM: Sigurdsson
CM: Vlasic
CM: Davies
CAM: Dowell
CAM: Lookman
Tell the defensive mid to purely mop up, pass to a better player & cover both full-backs that will be asked to bomb on whenever possible. 2 centre mids playing around him with high energy but also high quality. I'd start Sig and a new face (Ozyakup?) there who have a bit of freedom in their positioning. Davies, Vlasic etc. to be their understudies. Whilst I would love to sign a world class attacking mid for the hole I do feel we're hitting a transitional period where we can afford to try see just what Dowell and Lookman can do.
Sell: Grant, Mirallas, Bolasie, Klaassen (just don't think he'll ever adapt his game), Schneiderlin (would keep if he can play good consistently), McCarthy is injured so he's no use to us here or sold yet but I'd consider keeping.
FORWARDS (5)
ST: Cenk
ST: Walcott
ST: DCL
ST: Sandro
ST: Henry
Would start Cenk and Walcott together - I know he's looked good out wide but he's more productive centrally to me and this saves us spending a bomb on 2-3 more wingers. DCL and Sandro (if we can't offload) to be their back-up and also Henry who can play wide as well as through the middle. Maybe our version of Jamie Vardy tactics?
Sell: Sorry Oumar but you're gone along with academy flops ike Henen, Sambou etc.
So a first team squad of 24 there with 4-5 new signings needed supplemented by a lot of outgoings if possible. I'd loan out people like Feeney, Gibson, Connolly, Evans, Hornby etc. Maybe see how Williams looks in pre-season but reckon we'll sell him myself. Don't see it as too difficult to do with this dodgy transfer window we have this year.
I think with how bad the PL is and how much worse it'll be with teams like Cardiff and Millwall possibly coming up we can easily finish 7th since we're already 8th. I know this isn't acceptable to some but with a possible new manager I'd sure as Hell take that as a transitional season and then improve in January & next Summer.
I'm going to bed now before anyone tells me to.
