Earning a position

[Jags]

With the summer coming up, I thought I'd start a thread on how I see squad building over the summer months, and transfer windows after.

I believe a player earns their position in the squad with a mixture of hard work and dedication, as well as obvious talent. One is not enough, hence why I think the likes of Hibbert should be moved on. Also mitigating circumstances should be considered (Pienaar's injuries for example)

Players who I believe have earned a starting berth:

???
Coleman Stones Jags Baines
McCarthy Gibson
??? ??? ???
Lukaku
​

Players who have earned at least squad places:

Robles, Garbutt, Besic, Kone, Osman, Barkley, Lennon (at the right cost), Naismith.

Everyone else I see as dispensable at the right cost. Now don't get me wrong, not everyone else should be sold, but offers for everybody else should be considered. For what it's worth, I'd do the best I could to keep Mirallas, and I would look at keeping McGeady as a squad option, Alcaraz for a further year (I know I know, he's a cost effective 4th choice) and possibly Barry for a further 6 months.

But I really do believe the team above should be the template for our summer action.

 

[Allezfan]

Coleman and Baines have been useless this year.

 

[orly]

Kone has earned a squad place with one goal in two seasons.

Deary me.

 

[ijjysmith]

You appear to have forgot about impending deadline day sale of McCarthy to Arsenal leaving us no time to replace him.

 

[bol-uk]

Kone has earned a squad place with one goal in two seasons.

Deary me.

hE WAS INJURED FOR 90% OF THAT PERIOD AND SINCE HE HAS BEEN PLAYING RECENTLY WE HAVE LOOKED A BIT BETTER.

 

[bol-uk]

SuTpId CapS

 

[kithnou]

hE WAS INJURED FOR 90% OF THAT PERIOD AND SINCE HE HAS BEEN PLAYING RECENTLY WE HAVE LOOKED A BIT BETTER.

Still 1 goal

 

[davek]

Baines is a no for me.

In retrospect, we should have cashed in on him sooner. I'd have both Oviedo and Garbutt in at LB before him.

Besic has to be a starter too depending on who we face / formation required.

 

[orly]

hE WAS INJURED FOR 90% OF THAT PERIOD AND SINCE HE HAS BEEN PLAYING RECENTLY WE HAVE LOOKED A BIT BETTER.

I am definitely calling this a coincidence.
And we did not look better at QPR, we just got the result we desperately needed

 

[Azzurri]

One goal in 18 games for Kone means he's earned a squad place and isn't in the "dispensable" list?

Hmmm.

 

[Jags]

Coleman and Baines have been useless this year.

Have they? Baines has 8 assists mate. Coleman has been relatively solid. Certainly neither has been world class, but both have deserved a first team position in my opinion.

 

[Jags]

Baines is a no for me.

In retrospect, we should have cashed in on him sooner. I'd have both Oviedo and Garbutt in at LB before him.

Besic has to be a starter too depending on who we face / formation required.

For me, Oviedo would be the one to go. Good left back, great guy, gash winger. But Baines is still class, and Garbutt is the future.

 

[orly]

Kone.

 

[Jags]

Kone has earned a squad place with one goal in two seasons.

Deary me.

One goal in 18 games for Kone means he's earned a squad place and isn't in the "dispensable" list?

Hmmm.

Kone has done well I thought, good hold up play, strong, feeds well off of Lukaku, and allows Lukaku to feed off of him. As I say, SQUAD player. What would we get for him? 2/3mil? I'd deffo get anther striker like, but Kone isn't a bad squad filler.

 

[davek]

There's a hell of a rebuilding job needed here. If I were Martinez I would not be entrusting my own tenure with a lot of the players who've misfired this season.

Howard (now a liability)
Distin (enough said)
Baines (very ropey now)
Alcarez (appalling overall)
Barry (doesn't do enough)
Hibbert (not used and limited)
Pienaar (never going to be an option again)
McGeady (*sigh* I wish it had worked out, but....)
Mirallas (chooses when he wants to turn up and play)
Kone (an utter disaster from start to, hopefully, finish)

If any of them left it wouldn't be a disaster; many of them leaving would be a relief.