Looking ahead to the summer

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........simple this one, the aim of any transfer policy is to improve your capability. You do this by plugging any gaps and improving on what you already have.
 

I don't think we need a massive overhaul in the summer or to spend loads to be honest. What I do think though is there is a lot of dead wood at the club not being used that could get replaced with up and coming hungry kids.
E.g Southampton don't have a massive squad but they have 5-7 players of real quality, now when injurys occur they bring in players like reid, taggart, Gallagher, and ward prowse. Were as if we get injurys we bring in players like distin, alcaraz, mcgeady & hibbert.
As I cant see us getting Europa next year we wont need as big a squad to be honest so id like to see us ship out or at least try to lose the following

McGeady
Hibbo (suppose he can stay for another year)
Ossie (suppose he can stay for another year)
Distin
Howard
Alcaraz
Barry (although I cant see this one happening)
Kone
Gibson (unless he proves 2nd half of season he can be fully fit)
Pienaar

So including some of the younger players to fill in (like ward prowse, taggart etc) our squad would look like this

Gk : Joel (1)

RB: Coleman, Browning (2)
LB: Baines, Oviedo, Garbutt (3)
CB: Jags, Stones, Browning, Galloway (4)

Centre Midfield: McCarthy, Besic, Ledson (3)
Attacking Midfield: Barkley, Naismith (2)
Wingers: Mirallas, Lennon (if signed on perm), Henen (3)

Centre Forward : Lukaku, Naismith (2)

That is 18 players although Garbutt, Browning, Ledson, Galloway & Henen have very little or even no first team experience but what else have we got to lose.

There are obvious positions we need to strengthen in that squad also goal, centre mid maybe and definatly a couple of wingers and if players we wanted to keep chose to leave then they would need to be replaced but it wouldn't break the bank if our scouting is good enough.

That's just me playing football manager though and I very much doubt seeing us taking this step forward
 
I think there could be some serious re-building work going on this summer

A snapshot of the likely suspects;

Howard - Rumours of a MLS return and Martinez talking about wanting a keeper in the last transfer window
Hibbert - Barely featured. Has spent much of the last 2 years injured and looks mostly off the pace when involved. Has a year left on his deal though
Distin - Out of contract in the summer, rumours of arguments with Martinez this season. Tried to offload him to West Ham last month. Definitely on his way.
Alcaraz - Out of contract but Martinez seems to like him.
Garbutt - Out of contract, I'm sure we'd love to keep him but who knows?!
Gibson - Barely played in the last 18 months because of injury and fitness issues and logically you'd have to think we must be thinking about his future
Osman - Has an allegedly serious injury. Doubt his future here would be in jeopardy if it wasn't for this
Pienaar - Injured most of the season, we miss his creativity and Martinez might think he can't afford to not plan for life without him
McGeady - Flop. Rumours Celtic were in for him in January and may be back in the summer
Mirallas - One we'd love to keep but he's basically already told us he's doing one in the summer
Lennon - Loan ends
Atsu - ditto

I doubt all of those players will leave, but in the attacking areas of midfield it looks like we need to do some serious work. All of our wide players could conceivably end up leaving and I don't know where the money would be coming from to replace them all.
 
The flumps that have been here for years, signing lucrative contract and bottling every chance to achieve something worthwhile, have got to go.

I think this squad needs gutting.
 

Howard
Hibbert
Garbutt
Distin
Alcaraz

-- Replaced by
New keeper
Backup right back
Partner for stones
Browning/Galloway

Osman
Pienaar
Mirallas
Mcgeady
Lennon
Atsu
Gibson

Replaced by
3 wingers

Kone

Replaced by 2 forwards


Priorities are
Keeper
Centre back
2 wingers
Forward

Would have lots of wages spare.
 
Carlito said:
The flumps that have been here for years, signing lucrative contract and bottling every chance to achieve something worthwhile, have got to go.

I think this squad needs gutting.
Click to expand...
Pretty much this. A few younger, experienced signings and introduce a couple of the fringe players in, such as Garbutt, Browning etc. We'll obviously need a couple of wise heads in there as well, but I wouldn't look further than Baines and Jags from the current squad.
 
Think there will be a lot of chopping and changing done this summer. Probably a bit more chopping than changing at that. Can see Howard leaving and Nyland being brought in. Both Distin and Alcaraz will most likely be out of the exit door. Will need to bring in at least one quality centre back to challenge Stones and (especially) Jagielka. Browning and Galloway can act as cover. With Hibbert looking like he's finished, I'd love to bring in a young and talented back up to Coleman.

Read a lot of rumours about Osman being forced to quit football and Gibson also seems a lost cause because of his injuries. Pienaar is finished and Atsu will no doubt return to Chelsea. Aaron Lennon will probably be brought in on a permanent if he shows enough in the coming months. Aiden mc Geady might also be allowed to leave, as I don't think it really worked out as Martinez envisaged. Biggest gap to fill will most probably be Mirallas. So, will need at least 2 but probably 3 wingers being brought in. Also desperately need a creative door unlocker.

In attack I really hope we'll be able to bring in a decent back up to Lukaku, as Koné is too much of a risk, both ability and fitness wise.
 
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