Who would you keep?

[Zippity]

If we manage to scrape enough points to survive, whether Rafa is still here because Ashley's fucked off or fatso is still here and Rafa's gone then who would you keep, who would you be happy to lose?

Keepers? Obviously Dubravka as Number 1 and Woodman as back up. Elliot and Darlow can go, for me.

Central defenders? I think we're pretty well-off here. Fernandez and Lejeune are my first choice pairing with Schar then Lascelles. Clark can go, I think and, tbh, if we could cash in on Lascelles, I wouldn't be massively disappointed if he went...although I'd be equally happy to see him stay.

Full backs....hmmm. Dummett I'd definitely keep although I'd rather he was back up to a LB who offered more going forward. Don't get me wrong, I like Dummy but he;s no more than solid at LB and surely we can find a solid defender who can go forward too? The rest? Yedlin is a good wing-back option but not a particularly good defender in all honesty. Wanquillo is, well...I don't really need to say any more. Do we have any more? Does Sterry count?

Midfield. ffs. Longstaff I'd keep, obviously. But anyoneone else realistically? Ki is a decent option as back up but that's a ll he should be. Shelvey is way too inconsistent and ideally would be replaced with a creative player who had more to his game than the odd Hollywood pass (Shelvey can do more but we rarely see it. Diame? Shit at EVERYTHING apart from breaking up play. Surely it's not beyond us to find someone who can tackle and do one other thing?? Hayden? Gis a bag of Tudor, man.

Wingers: Ritchie's crossing is increasingly poor and he's got no pace but his workrate can't be ignored. Kenedy won't be here-end of. Murphy? Rafa dropped a bollock there, I'm afraid (if he did, in fact, choose him). Atsu isn't good enough for a mid-table Chimpo team-we should get shot as soon as.Roberts probably needs to go on loan.,

Forwards. Rondon? Great hold up play, great header, leads the line very well-ok, not the best finisher at times but an honest, hard-working player who I'd keep. Everyone else? varying degrees of shite. We haven't seen much of Muto but has he bowled anyone over? Gayle is a Chimpo striker-keep if we go down cos he'll score goals but as the point of this thread is about 'if we stay up' then I'd get shot. Perez' time is up, for me. And a sfor the heap of absolute dogshite that is Joselu???? ffs, do i even need to say?

So...our squad.

ffs (again)

This thread was brought to you by your Footymad Optimism Correspondent.

[waalsendmick]

The ones we would like to keep are the same ones Ashley can cash in on...


I was talking to my two sons about it today. we will be in a worse position if Rafa keeps us up then walks, than we would be if we went down and he walked.


What would be left of that squad, without Rafa there, would not get more than 15 - 20 points all season....

[toptoon]

Keep as first team:
Dubravka, Fernandez, Lejeune, Schar, Ritchie

As back up:
Woodman, Longstaff, Dummett, Yedlin, Rondon, Perez (?), Ki, Muto (?)

That´s it.

[Scott Kirkland]

Ashley would Jizz in his Skidmarked Y-Fronts at the thought of saving all of wages. Only keeping 8 players from this squad. We would be ****ed next season. Do you think Mike will try to sign 10 players on loan.

[ex_pat_magpie]

I agree with all of Zip's retention and culling.

If we do stay up whether it's Rafa or another then drastic changes are needed.

Of course the ever ongoing problem is what are we going to use to replace them with and where will the funds come from.

Fatty will be pocketing all of the surplus funds and there will be virtually nowt to come in from selling the trash. So we are in the usual cleft stick.

[Geordie_Jacko]

I agree with the majority of what you said Zip but I do think you've been a tad harsh on 2 or 3. I think Ki is more than just a backup, I think he has looked every bit a starting prem player this season and that's hard to do in our squad at the moment. I also think Shelvey would thrive with a few better players in the team and would certainly keep him as a first team starter. I think Atsu is a decent backup and he gets way to much stick. His shooting is appalling but apart from that I don't mind the lad (for a backup i mean). I even like Dummet as a starter what's wrong with a solid LB lol? Last but not least I wouldn't keep Diame because of his age but I think you have been unfair about him. He's been one of our better and more consistent performers this season. Sometimes breaking up play the way he does can really disrupt a way a team plays. Everything else said I think was spot on.

[waalsendmick]

Atsu and Diame struggled for ge time in the championship. Atsu could not get picked ahead of Gouffran and colback / Hayden kept Diame out of the team.... here we are 5 transfer windows later, and they are the best we have?????

Dear me!!!!!

[Geordie_Jacko]

Atsu and Diame struggled for ge time in the championship. Atsu could not get picked ahead of Gouffran and colback / Hayden kept Diame out of the team.... here we are 5 transfer windows later, and they are the best we have?????

Dear me!!!!!

Not really we are not much better off but we have Shelvey, Ki and Longstaff who are better than Hayden and Diame and I know he's only on loan but Kennedy is first choice above Atsu. Also Gouffran had an excellent season and it would of been hard to drop him for anyone.

[waalsendmick]

Gouffran was awful.... he scored 6 goals in a side that scored 100 while Armstrong scored 6 or 7 in an awful Barnsley side....

Atsu is nowhere near good enough

[ashingtoon62]

Ashley would Jizz in his Skidmarked Y-Fronts at the thought of saving all of wages. Only keeping 8 players from this squad. We would be ****ed next season. Do you think Mike will try to sign 10 players on loan.

Your giving your identity away,wi the jizz and skids remarks auld Scott....

Ive got this sh!t hot software that the FBI use and there are only three Scott Kirklands worldwide.

One is an Alligator hunter in Mississippi,one lives in Baton Rouge and the other lives in a little village called Trimdon Station..
Now the question is,are you a redkneck or a Mackem?