What positions need strengthening still ?

[1966efc]

G K & striker.

 

[blue62]

Top class GK and a central defender of Stones' calibre.

 

[yakublue]

GK and Striker. Would still like a creative central mid in the Arteta mould.

 

[Scolari]

Of the current first XI, who is top 4 quality and will be for the next 2-3 seasons:

GK: Howard - No
RB: Coleman - Yes
RCB: Stones - Yes
LCB: Jagielka - No
LB: Baines - Yes
DMC: Barry - No
MC: McCarthy - Yes
AMC: Barkley - Yes
AMR: Deulofeu - Yes
AML: Kone - No
STK: Lukaku - Yes

Quality long term replacements for Howard, Jagielka, Barry and Kone would make that a quality side Going forward IMO.

I think Mori and Cleverley may be able to step up to fill 2 of those spots (or at least be given the opportunity to show they can) which would leave a Goalkeeper and a left wing/forward as the priorities.

Always thought a playmaker was what we needed in the AML role, but the impact Kone has had has changed my mind a bit. The movement and work rate of Kone is stretching the opposition and creating space for the others, which makes me think we need a player with these attributes to replace him.

 

[Zaschrona]

The thing is though if we sign a right back that would impede Holgate,Kenny, Pennington and Browning.

Mattioni who knows but i think we need to go down the Galloway route and get these guys experience at RB.

And so I think Mattioni could be an ideal player for us - have him for a season or two as a sure decent replacement, but if possible we should give chances in the first place to our young players. Hopefully a similar situation like with Oviedo/Galloway this year.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Goalkeeper is of course the big one

 

[Pat's Van]

Goalkeeper is of course the big one

How big though Michael ? eh ?

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

How big though Michael ? eh ?

Intergalactic, planetary

 

[Pat's Van]

Intergalactic, planetary

you trying to sabotage this thread?

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

you trying to sabotage this thread?

Yup, and I won't sleep until I get there!

 

[toffeeblue9]

I always work on the basis that you need at least two players for each position - three if you play with one striker

I would bet good money that we see the following players leave either in January or at the end of the season:

Howard
Hibbert
Osman
Pienaar
McGeady
Oviedo

That would leave you with the following as proper first team options:

GK: Robles
RB: Coleman
LB: Baines, Garbutt
CB: Stones, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Galloway
CM: Barry, McCarthy, Gibson, Besic
AM: Barkley, Cleverley, Naismith
RM: Deulofeu, Lennon
LM: Mirallas
ST: Lukaku, Kone


Granted, a couple of those players can pay in more than one position, but assuming I'm right about the players who will end up leaving (and 4 of those 6 are out of contract), that leaves you with goalkeeper, right back, left mid and striker as the priority areas.

 

[Nymzee]

Osman & Hibbert to retire at the end of the season and somehow end up staying in a coaching capacity for sure. Howard to the states. McGeady to some backwater Prem team (Norwich).

 

[paulbefc]

I'm not really up for spending as much as it would probably take to get Yarmolenko while we have Deulofeu and Mirallas at the club and Kone playing really well. If we were to let Mirallas go in January, Yarmolenko could be a good replacement for him, but I don't think we're in desperate need of another forward. Mirallas, Deulofeu, Kone, Lennon, Barkley, Naismith, Pienaar, McGeady plus Yarmolenko seems like a bit much for our wage budget.

 

[Nymzee]

Shouts for Yarmalenko are a bit wild these days. Only place for him is left or centre now; not sure he's ever played down the middle, and putting him on the left deprives him of his brilliance at cutting inside.

 

[toffeeblue9]

Shouts for Yarmalenko are a bit wild these days. Only place for him is left or centre now; not sure he's ever played down the middle, and putting him on the left deprives him of his brilliance at cutting inside.

I tend to agree. Yarmolenko has played most of his career on the right. We have Deulofeu who is magnificent and Lennon who is a really good option as cover there. On the left we have Mirallas (if he stays) and what strikes me as what we could do with is a replacement for Pienaar on that side - someone who is more of a playmaker than a winger and can encourage Baines to get on the overlap. I'd struggle to think of an example here but I'm far from convinced that Yarmolenko would be the answer (as undeniably good as he appears to be)

I think we could afford to lose 6 players in the summer and bring in 4 and end up being stronger for it, as long as they are players in the right positions.