How many players do we need?

[Zippity]

Within reason...

First off, I think we need a new RB who can go straight into the first team. Manquillo is shit and, frankly, most of the time Yedlin is just a faster version of him. We need decent cover for Dummett at LB. CBs we are pretty well off for and the same goes for, certainly, our first and second choice 'keepers.

Midfield?? Eeesh....basically we need, imo, to replace Hayden, Diame, Shelvey and Ki. I think we need one very good defensive mid-type to replace Hayden and give Longstaff freedom to push up and maybe a similar level forward thinking/creative mid to provide competition for Longstaff (no idea how long it will take him to fully recover?). Then we need another 2 just to make sure we have decent cover. Dunno...maybe we'll keep Ki?

Forwards? Need to get shot of Joselu and Muto. Can we really rely on Perez to begin the season the way he's ended it? I think we need a striker who could go straight in to the first team and some decent cover. On the wing we definitely need a player who can cross the ball and get past a man more consistently accurately than Ritchie.

Lot of wheeling and dealing to be done. Luckily we've tied our manager down early.

No, wait...

[waalsendmick]

We will keep....

Dubravka
Woodman

Yedlin
Manquillo
Dummett
Lascelles
Schar
Fernandez
Lejuenne

Ritchie
Ki
Longstaff
Shelvey (possibly)
Atsu (oh dear)

Perez
Muto (oh dear)
Gayle (Joselu replacement)

We will NEED another keeper
Hopefully Rondon joins..

Full backs...
Central midfielder
Wingers
Another striker.

Nee the wonder Rafa is struggling to sort it all out with Fat Man and Nob in.

[ghostrider]

I don't think we need a major overhaul as it stands, but that will depend on who actually decides to want out or is surplus to requirements.

The question is, is Hyden definitely going. Is Shelvey wanting out or surplus? Diame?
Is Rondon getting signed or are we keeping Gayle?
Is Muto going to be given a real chance to bed right in?

Ki also appears to be bedding in very well.
Longstaff to come back.
Yedlin. Is he being kept?
Manquillo?

We seem to be enriched with centre backs, including stand in CB's.

I think we have the nucleus of a pretty decent squad on the whole that can certainly do much better in terms of progression, quality wise, because the workrate is near on tuned up.

Assuming we do lose a few players and the one's most think we will lose, then I'd say we could do with like for like replacements for the leavers plus 3 extra quality players.

Assuming we lose Rondon, then we require a similar player but with a bit more pace.
We could do with a solid right back.
I'd love to see us gain a midfield maestro.


Just keep nibbling away on the build whilst keeping the harmony, because if this squad can stand tight under the strain of conflict within the club and the backbiting, then imagine how much they can move on with a bit more harmony throughout.

Naturally this all depends on Rafa being at the helm.
If Rafa isn't at the helm then who knows what a new manager will have in his mind.


One thing's for sure. It needs to be sorted out now, not later, because we need to know if we're adding and losing in order to ensure we are starting the new season with something solid to work from...and no excuses for failure to do so, from either side of the in house fence.

[Jammy89]

Good sum up Zip.

Midfield is where our biggish issue is at the minute. As we have so much replacement.

Agreed we need a striker that can come straight in but those cost money and we all know how Fatso likes to spend . . . so a loan on last day of the window would be my prediction.

[Scott Kirkland]

Considering we were meant to be getting in two purples for every position we need half a team because we need quality on the bench to come on and change a game Atsu and Joselu are next to useless. Atsu can pass or crossnand Joselu needs 20 shots a game to score. Our best midfielder is a center back Schar. Our best striker won't be here next season.

[TANYA_]

We all know what we need but the problem is marrying it up with what the ambitious manager wants and needs along with the scrooge of an owner wants. Dont get me wrong, Rafa deserves a decent kitty to spend any way he deems fit. At the same time, the owner can dictate he wants a sell on value. If we all had our own business we would want to turn a profit and not spend big money on products that dont have a resale value or are close to perishable.
In the case of football, there needs to be a balanced view.

we need to let Darlow and Elliott leave , promote Woodman to second fiddle and get a new young kid.
a new left back and right back are needed, Yedlin and Dummett are decent cover at best.
We need an entire new midfield, the ones we seem to have are either leaving or want to leave.
We have no wingers, and i mean that in the old way. Not a single player in our side can cross a ball or beat a man for that matter.
Imagine ANY of our so called wide players compared to a Waddle or Gillespie. You get the point.
Im still not convinced on Rondon, i really dont get what he is supposed to be!
I have never been stuck on a big lump who can hold onto a ball and pass to a couple of fast lads but that seems to be how Rafa wants it.
Perez has always been my favourite player, i know he gets some shlt but he needs confidence.

In my eyes we need

RB
LB
RW
LW
CM
CM
ST

[toonfalifekevbrown]

6 players for a start
But we've been here before under this clown of an owner
He is happy just to be in the premier League
Left back starter
Right back starter
2 midfielders starters
1 striker starter
1 winger starter

[usedtobeshearer]

6 players for a start
But we've been here before under this clown of an owner
He is happy just to be in the premier League
Left back starter
Right back starter
2 midfielders starters
1 striker starter
1 winger starter

Pretty much this! It's quite an overhaul and that's only if we keep Perez, Hayden and Shelvey.