Is the squad too small?

[Aberblue]

I don't think anyone would disagree about Kone, Niasse or Cleverley.

But losing Oviedo and Deulofeu without, so far, replacing them, leaves us short in those areas. If Bolassie wasn't injured then Deulofeu going to Italy wouldn't matter, but he's out for the rest of the season, so what happens if Mirallas is out for five or six weeks, or Baines for that matter ?

It's plainly good, personally for them, that Oviedo and Deulofeu have been allowed to move on, either permanently or temporarily, but it might not be good for the club.

You could say Lookman is a replacement for Deulofeu.

 

[orly]

The players we've binned were fringe at best, but useful in an emergency

I'm still hoping we get another signing in today

Sandbag replacements in the event of riverbanks bursting ?

 

[gonetomorrow]

You could say Lookman is a replacement for Deulofeu.

Lookman is a replacement for Deulofeu.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Maybe I'm being pedantic, but they're not seniors though.
We have :-

Seniors
--------

Baines, Leighton John
Barkley, Ross
Barry, Gareth
Besic, Muhamed
Bolasie, Yannick
Coleman, Seamus
Funes Mori, Jose Ramiro
Gueye, Idrissa Gana
Kone, Arouna
Lennon, Aaron
Lukaku, Romelu Menama
McCarthy, James
Mirallas Y Castillo, Kevin Antonio Joel Gislain
Pennington, Matthew
Robles Blazquez, Joel
Stekelenburg, Maarten
Valencia Lastra, Enner Remberto
Williams, Ashley Errol
Schneiderlin, Morgan

That's 19, and


U21's likely to play
------------------

Davies
Holgate
Calvert-Lewin
Lookman

There are a few other U21's on the fringe, but, ignoring them, that's 23 players, not 26.

To be fair, I probably counted Mirallas three times.

 

[Raino85]

First, Yes.

We need forward cover, that simple and we haven't. Not sure who is too blame though.

Who would you realisticly get in as forward cover then?

 

[ianefc]

Who would you realisticly get in as forward cover then?

No one is going to answer that.

Stock answer will be - That's Steve Walsh' job

 

[Blue Cheese]

Who would you realisticly get in as forward cover then?

I don't know I'm not employed as a world scout mate, that's what Walsh and his boys are for, to find talent.

Ok, let's hijkack Dembele from Celtic.

 

[Blue Cheese]

No one is going to answer that.

Stock answer will be - That's Steve Walsh' job

Is that not true though?

 

[ToffeeTim]

Probably.

Very much so if we qualify for Europe.

Hopefully can cope to may.

 

[ianefc]

Sandbag replacements in the event of riverbanks bursting ?

Isn't that the point? No one near Lukaku's standard is going to sit on our bench. Anything too far from Lukaku's standard ain't worth signing.

If you need proof of that, take a look at the reaction to the Valencia deal.

 

[ianefc]

Is that not true though?

Could it not be true that no one near the standard we want is available?

 

[Blue Cheese]

Could it not be true that no one near the standard we want is available?

Oh come on mate, it is what Walsh and his scouts are employed to do, that my friend is what is known as a fact. As for naming someone, I honestly don't have a clue, I don't know every player in world football.( yes the full world who apparently can't spring one player decent enough for us)

 

[Bally8]

Yeah very much so.

Everyone man and his dog screaming out for 5 players in December we now have 2 senior players in and people think that's ok because we've won a few games.

We will dip again before May just await the shouts of "Should have got more in Jan".

I wanted minimum 3 it's not been met, for me it's again below par.

 

[ianefc]

Oh come on mate, it is what Walsh and his scouts are employed to do, that my friend is what is known as a fact. As for naming someone, I honestly don't have a clue, I don't know every player in world football.( yes the full world who apparently can't spring one player decent enough for us)

Mate the PL is elite league football. If it were easy to improve squads at this time of year why aren't all clubs doing it?

For example that Jansen (or whatever his name is) for Spurs has been a flop, of Kane gets injured Spurs much like us with Lukaku are screwed.

Why haven't they signed?

 

[EFCPaul]

Yes for me.

One or two injuries would cripple whatever outside chance we have getting into the top 6. Our lack of buys to me shows Koeman doesn't believe we can climb any higher this season anyway and is content to just clear out the trash and plan for the summer instead. Not the worst idea in the world when you think about it but as a supporter you crave the excitement of new buys.