What do we need finish Top-4 next season?

[evilwebby]

OK, so realisticly, the top 4 are going to stay there this season. Our poor form at the start of the season looks like costing us a chance to challenge them, but I suppose every team has a slump in form at some point in the season, and ours was at the start. Whether or not this was because we left our summer signings so late, we can debate, but what I would like to know is do you think we have enough to break back into the top-4 next season?

If we had had a Yakubu and Arteta fit for the whole season, would this have been enough? I actually think the other players have filled in remarkably well and we haven't actually dropped too many points because these two have been injured.

For next season:

Who can we afford to lose (if anyone)?
Which positions do we need to strenghthen?

Offloading Big Vic and keep Jo is the obvious one. I still think we need competition for Hibbert at RB, and lastly I think another real quality midfielder is needed so that we feel that we can go away to most places and still play 4-4-2 without having to pack the midfield, and even allow us to play 4-3-3 in some games.

So for me:

Out

Vic
AVDM
Valente

In

Jo
<Midfield>
<Right Back>
<Winger> - if funds available

 

[Gwladys Nights]

In: Jo, M'Bia, Miguel, Obinna.

Miguel would go cheap I think, but even so we'd still probably need two of the other three to be loans, which isn't out of the question.

 

[AndreiK]

If we just signed Moutinho i would be happy. He is the missing link and would ease the pressure on Mikel

 

[Gwladys Nights]

I know how you feel mate, I actually had a dream last night that we signed Moutinho and he grew a beard. I'd love to see him play for us. But being pragmatic about it a classy destroyer like M'Bia and a pacy winger like Obinna are more urgently needed.

Not that I've ever seen any of the three players in question play more than a match or so. Shouldn't get in the way of some idle speculation.

 

[AndreiK]

I know how you feel mate, I actually had a dream last night that we signed Moutinho and he grew a beard. I'd love to see him play for us. But being pragmatic about it a classy destroyer like M'Bia and a pacy winger like Obinna are more urgently needed. Not that I've ever seen any of the three players in question play more than a match or so. Shouldn't get in the way of some idle speculation.

Wouldn't have M'Bia in a million years. He is a mercenary only interested in money. Not the sort of player we need coming into our squad

 

[kenada_blue]

I think last seson lack of squad depth, African Cup of Nations, and injuries (Cahill, Arteta in particular) played a part in us not beating the RS to 4th spot.

This season a poor transfer window, poor form, and injuries have hit us hard. I dont think squad depth is a big factor now as we've coped well with massive injuries (Cahill and Arteta being injury free for most of the season was a massive plus). And with the advent of youth players like Gosling and Rodwell coming in, depth seems good.

This season I think that the top four teams have also been hit with big injuries and have been the most inconsistant they've ever been. Arsenal had half the squad either sold or injured. Chelsea were in a transistion period, sacking managers, not buying players. The RS are...the RS. Utd seem to be tiring with key players not delivering and weak back up for defenders.

If we had all are players fit and bought players in the summer - we'd be challanging for the top 2 IMO than just the top 4, Villa were doing this for months untill they slipped up.

So for next season....I think its going to be tough. The top 4 will regroup and assess to become stronger. But the big ones will be Citeh who'll buy every player willing to move on and Spurs. We always say Spurs will be good next season and never are, but under Redknapp they've got stability, experience and money which is a big worry.

So for me.....Yes we need places filled but I honestly feel when thinking about it that we need the 1 world class player, preferably a midfielder. I'm talking someone who is just out right class and if we throw all the cash at them will come.

We've players who can play different positions when needed, but that world class player is what we need to step up IMO.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Michael Ball, Victor Obinna, Tom Huddlestone, Steven Hunt and Jo.

 

[kenada_blue]

Michael Ball, Victor Obinna, Tom Huddlestone, Steven Hunt and Jo.

Jo's shiit lid

 

[AndreiK]

Michael Ball, Victor Obinna, Tom Huddlestone, Steven Hunt and Jo.

I would take 1 of them and he cant get a W.P

 

[James LFC]

You need some more creativity in midfield.

And you also need a bit more luck where injuries are concerned, I don't think any other team has had as many players out this season...

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Jo's shiit lid

Is shiit another word for "World class"?

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I would take 1 of them and he cant get a W.P

I wasn't really being serious to be honest. Welcome Mr Bloo.

 

[kenada_blue]

Bring back Beattie I say.

 

[tadpole]

Truth is, we're not far off in terms of quality of our first XI, what we're missing is quality and depth of cover, this was shown up early in the season when our midfielders got injured, then more recently when our strikers got injured. It's a fact of life that we'll have more injury problems next season. Arteta and Yakubu won't be fit at the start of the season, and Moyes has admitted that he can't rely on Saha for more than 20 or 30 games a season tops.

To compete with the grisly 4, we need to strengthen our squad, but there's no way that Moyes can do this and bring in the level of players that we need without at least some extra money.

 

[Welton Toffee]

A miracle?

Or is it Moutinho? One of the two...