hallamblue
Player Valuation: £50m
I agree with this. If we can get some high earners off the books we may get some free agents in, and we may add 1 or 2 players, but anyone expecting a massive splurge on transfers is likely to be disappointed.
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Regardless of whether we need them or not, we're unlikely to bring in two central midfielders when there are more glaringly obvious deficiencies in the squad.
The priorities should be someone to occupy the right attacking option, a right back and an effective centre-forward. Then, it'll likely be one in and one out.
I need an algorithm that will block all posts with stats ,the letter X ,heat maps and graphs in them
Oh and any mention of zone 13 or whatever its called
listen lads, leave the lists of positions and players needed to the experts @Zatara
Müller Rice
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Big company so I would say a hefty tax bill
Not sure how it would help us
With the pandemic and lads WFH I reckon 500 by Valentines Day
All depends on weather Zat is busy or not
Anyone expecting 5-6 first team signings is going to be massively disappointed ,unless as previously stated we get CL
Then Uzzy will run amok
Then Uzzy will run amok
The thing is, whilst we do have a fair number of central midfielders on the payroll, many of them are consistent underperformers who are wildly overpaid. Provided we could bring in better replacements, I suspect most of us would be content to see three of Davies, Delph, Gomes and Sigurdsson depart - look at the rage levels on here whenever one of those is named to start in the middle (not Delph, obviously. If he were named to start, most of us would faint and the club's medical staff would be arrested on suspicion of witchcraft).
The proof of the fact that only Allan and Doucoure are suitable for Prem-level competition is that the very moment we lose one of them, we start to struggle, to the point that we have to alter the way we play and change our shape. When BOTH of them are missing, we lose. This isn't to say that the other positions you mention aren't needed BUT in the ongoing attempt to trim the wage bill (and thereby facilitate the purchase of better players) I bet the club will be looking to shift another big earner out... the only part of the squad where we can still do that is in CM.
I don't disagree, but truth is without 5-6 first team signings we're getting nowhere near CL any time in the near future, and if that's the case then it kind of shoots down the theory that Usmanov is properly involved. He isn't lurking in the background investing in a team that hovers around midtable, if he's involved he wants us to be successful, and if we don't make the moves that would make us successful then you'd have to assume he's not involved.
I think the team would need a new keeper, right back, central midfielder and at least one - probably two - attackers in order to be troubling the top 4. That's without taking into account players we might lose. But no doubt we'll sign a few players, have another middling season, the usual suspects will say you can't expect new players to have an immediate impact, you need to be patient etc, and all of a sudden we're into the last year of James and Allan's contracts, the likes of Digne, Keane and Doucoure are 30 and we're back to square one. Can't wait.
I think another midfielder is absolutely vital, unless Gbamin somehow turns out to be the answer. At the moment the third midfield space is just rotated between a number of underwhelming options, it's a massive weak spot in the team. I agree that we need a wide player and a centre forward but at least we've currently got good players there, that starting midfield spot needs a big upgrade.
A good RW would allow James to play CM with Allan and Doucoure
It certainly would, and that's why pretty much everyone agrees we need a starting standard RW to come in during the summer window.
BUT if we do all that and then one of Allan or Doucoure gets hurt or suspended, the best we can bring in to cover at the moment is Davies, Gomes or Sigurdsson.
It's not either / or. We need a new starting standard RW and a new starting standard CM. The only difference is if the RW comes in, no-one leaves (because Walcott and Bolasie are both out of contract in the summer) and if the CM comes in we can bin off Delph and one of the other three I've mentioned.
In all likelihood Delph will be touted around anyway - Reading were probably contacted by Delph's agent and I bet it was just personal terms that prevented them making an offer. He probably wouldn't accept a cut in wages.
Pat Butcher
Player Valuation: £10m
Fulgini is a must.
Iwobi is a good enough RW for us to do that now if it's what Ancelotti wants. He needs upgrading on for us to be properly successful, but he's certainly good enough to just be a placeholder. He's better there than Gomes or Sigurdsson are in central midfield, put it that way. I don't think it's what we want to do though, we want James getting the ball higher up the pitch, not in a congested midfield.
@Lanolin, I agree it's a weakness - a glaring weakness.
The issue however is if you consider we've already brought in Allen and Doucouré; with the deficiencies elsewhere, it may not be top of the club's list.
Simply, we can't start next season with Coleman, and for all the great work others have done there it limits our offensive capabilities down the right.
Nor we can start next season with Iwobi as our primary option on the right or with only DCL and Richarlison; King may resolve one aspect, but we'll see.
Those two or three areas there should vastly improve how we play and for me the focus should always be on first improving the XI rather than the squad.
While the midfield is a concern, my point is/was that I expect any movement there will be dependent on moving on one of Gylfi or Gomes before we move.
That should be a priority too as your points are completely valid, but as others have said we could have James move there if other places are filled.
So for me, RB and RW > CF > CM in that order. Resolve all of that and we'd be in a much, much better position.
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