A tale of realistic transfer-activity

[doggert]

Fellow Clarets,

After the takeover half of the Championship and 1/8 of Europe has been, and still are, linked with a transfer to Burnley FC. We can all dream, but at the same time we’re all reasonable enough to know that there won’t be massive activity this window or during the upcoming summer. We can’t expect three-four £20m-players to arrive, nor can we expect a similar “shock” as we did last summer with Lennon, Hendrick, Hart and Legdzins. From a side view, you could argue that three of them were barely used and therefore not needed. Despite getting a lot of stick, Hendrick was a versatile and useful servant. Did as best as he could in out of positions and fair play to him for that. It was maybe a mistake to let him go, but that was anyway out of our influence.

Lets have a look at the remaining team and where we actually need reinforcements and place two bodies in every position.
We have three goalies and thats enough.
We have eight defenders. Tarky will leave and that will have to be adressed during the summer, bacause I doubt the club is going to break its wage structure and principles. Gibson was probably ment for that role, but we know how that went. Long and Dunne will work as backups, unless the latter is Tarkys replacement. If so, a Dunne-replacement is needed. Bardsley is 35 and will either leave to get more minutes or retire, a longterm-replacement as RB is needed. Taylor and Pieters will be here after the summer, so we’re fine and covered at LB.

Left wing is earmarked McNeill/Brady, should Dwght leave then a replacement is needed. The central midfield is covered with Cork, Westwood, Stephens and Brownhill (+ Benson). Right wing is something that should be adressed as JBG is the only pure RW. (was covered by Hendrick)

When it comes to strikers we have four in Jay, Vydra, Wood and Barnes. Covered. We can argue as much as we want regarding Wood’s offside-play and Barnes’ 9-out-of-10-misses-at-open-barn-door-shots or his ball-hunting for birds on the rooftops, but we all know they'll be here at the beginning of next season. Only possibility would be if Vydra decides to leave. We can also add Joel Mumbongo to the list as a option. Thats five strikers.

In other words, gentlemen. We are going to be out for a central defentder, a right back and a right wing. We’ve seen that there are talents in our U23-squad and some of those will probably get their chance to play.

We must also keep in mind that who ever arrives is most likely to have wait for his chance, in other words injury or cup. Both Pace and Dyche praise the academy and we’ll see more players coming through the academy (Benson, Mumbongo, Driscoll etc.)

The PL can only register 25 1.st team players. My point is, if we were to change the ones that aren't good enough or could be replaced with better, we're talking about everything apart from Pope, Mee, Taylor and McNeill. And we know that's not going to happen.