Strengthening in Jan....

[TrianonDave]

Wow, A whole new team I hear you say but that ain't happening, what New tools will Emery need? I have not got a clue in terms of Names but I can say with confidence which areas we need strengthening.
Right back
Centre Half
Attacking Midfielder
Striker
Winger.
If I was Emery, on last nights showing I would start looking now.
Players to ship out.
Mings
Coutinho
Sanson
Nakamba
Bailey
Watkins

We could get 70mill for that lot, they are not doing it on a regular basis.
While the world Cup is on, we need our squad in every day practicing and getting fitter and stronger ready for what will be a relegation dog fight. It's going to go to the wire and we must be prepared to add fighters, sheer grafters and players who have a brain, players who know how to trap a ball, shoot on sight and defend like Lions.
2 league games and 3 points the target, I would be happy with 2 and forget the LC. Emery will have 6 weeks to get them whipped up into some kind of force. It's time for players like Cash, McGinn, Watkins and Bailey to get their act together. As for Mings and Coutinho, it's too late.....its time to let go. On a plus note, we should have at least Kamara back to full fitness and fingers crossed for Carlos!
Last season we were all laughing at Newcastle, no one is laughing now, they are laughing at us and it's not sitting well.

[Exiledvillan]

Cash has been sh1t for a year, he thinks that “positional sense” is a chapter from the Kama Sutra.

Stick him on your list, buy any of the others, and get him or Ollie free.

[TrianonDave]

Agreed but I stated we need a right back, he needs competition for a place. Look at the commitment of Longstaff yesterday, he was everwhere! Cash needs to start worrying about losing his place and not his hair...

[Exiledvillan]

Players at the club deemed capable at right back, all are natural defenders.

Konsa
Chambers
Young
Bednarek
Bogarde U21
Sawinkles U21
Feeney U21
Revan U21

Do we need to buy a RB in Jan? Maybe wait till summer? As Dave eludes to, we need strikers, need a Wideman, and need to ship out all of the players on TDs list between Jan-Summer windows. I’d rather go without a Wideman, than recall Traore.

Over to you, Unai.

[westcountryvillain]

Yesterday we saw what can be done with a team that is well coached, Newcastle don't play scintillating tiki-taki (or however it's spelt) football but they are a unit, they work hard and are getting results. 1 defeat this season to a Liverpool pen at Anfield, Howe has improved players who were written off as well as buying well in the market - we have on the whole done neither of those things.

Coutinho looks a shadow of the player who early on made a big impact, Ings is a deadly finisher and Bailey was apparently brilliant in the Bundesliga, Watkins doesn't look the player he was in the season we finished 11th.

With the exception of Digne we have the same defence that kept 15 clean sheets in a season, but we have low confidence and a losing mentality. The margins are fine in this league and we know that when they click they can play well, so for me Emery has to change the mentality & get the players enjoying their football in the same way that a happy team in a workplace is more productive. Sort out defending set pieces and improve the quality in the final third.

So assuming no injuries, and Unai works his magic:

4-2-3-1

Emi

Cash/Young, Konsa/Carlos, Mings/Chambers, Digne/Augustinsson

Kamara/Dendoncker, Luiz/Sanson

Bailey/?? Buendia/Coutinho/McGinn, Watkins/Ramsey

Ings/Archer

Priorities on signings would be RB as Cash's delivery is poor & young can't play every game, and a winger, maybe go in again for Sarr in January.

[Exiledvillan]

It looks so promising when you put it like that WCV.

Add a striker and we may go on a run.

[Exiledvillan]

It looks so promising when you put it like that WCV.

Add a striker and we may go on a run.

No more than 2 wins on the trot, of course,

[bongosdad]

We need to bring Grealish and Tammy back.

[freer]

You've forgotten Mbappé Lionel Messi plus Milner & you require medical care

[Exiledvillan]

Over the last 2 years, quite possibly 4, we have been sh1te. We were lucky under Smith, a couple of performances where everything just clicked, but we were basically sh1te.

Under the Scouse one? Again, a couple of performances where everything just clicked, but we were basically sh1te, relying on a minute of magic, out of 90.

Two coaches, both out of their depth, and both coaches assisted by Danks and Nanny. I would exclude Cutts, as the keeper department isn’t broken.

I do have my reservations about the new guy, as everyone has to prove themselves, right? But I really hope that Unai brings in a clean sweep, that rids the club of a failing backroom staff, and an embarrassing front line.

It may slow any initial improvement, but we have to eliminate the culture of mediocrity. I truly believe that there are enough games left (a good January allowing) to achieve top 12, which I would consider a successful opening salvo, from the new guy.