Well, that was fun! Squad looks good after such a show of determined ambition. Assuming Colback is banished to reserve duties we have this awesome 25: GK: Elliott, Darlow, Woodman LB: Dummett, Haidara RB: Yedlin, Manquillo, Gamez CB: Lejuene, Clark, Lascelles, Mbemba LW: Atsu, Aarons RW: Ritchie, Murphy CM: Shelvey, Merino, Hayden, Saivet AM: Perez, Diame S: Gayle, Mitrovic, Joselu. So, we look ok in central defence...
Some windows are still open so I imagine we will lose Saivet and possibly Haidara. Though Rafa may fight to keep these two little diamonds now. I have to say that squad has championship written all over it.
Let's wait and see. I personally think we're seriously light up top and at left back. The other areas are pretty well covered - CM for the season will be Hayden and either Merino or Shelvey. Both wings have some pace and flair in Ritchie and Atsu with Murphy to cover (I'm assuming Aarons will be crocked most of the season), and I feel a lot more confident having Woodman as 3rd choice keeper than Alnwick like a few years back. Looking at that squad I can say we will most likely stay up, with around 25 goals from our forwards combined, 5 or 6 from Perez and a few very important contributions each from our wingers and our CBs. It'll be a nail-biter but we can do it.
hahahaha what a pile of ****. Seeing as we've lost Anita, Gouffran and D.Murphy, are squad actually looks WORSE than it did in the championship. You've gotta blame fatty 100% for this, no way are Swansea a bigger club than us, yet they can attract Tammy Abraham, Bony and Ranato Sanchez, while we make do with Sunderland and Stoke cast offs.
Merino and Woodman qualify for U21 status and don't need to be reg'd which would leave space for both Colback and Lazaar to get a squad number if Rafa doesn't try and force them out by registering Sterry instead.
oops scrap that, gave up last night and didnt even see Lazaar did infact leave. Small mercies and all that...
On a positive note there's no burning desire to splash out on a new shirt with the new signing's name on it.
Strongest starting 11 on paper at least then is: Elliot Yedlin Lejeune Clark Dummett Hayden Merino Ritchie Shelvey Atsu Joselu With a bit of luck with injuries and if Joselu can prove to be an inspired signing we might just have enough to scrape 17th.
If Benitez goes, and we get a Pardew-esque replacement, we won't have a chance with this shower of ****e!
How do you think we compare with our last relegation team? 2017-18-----------------2015-16------------------------Better or worse this year? Elliot----------------------Elliot----------------------------Same Yedlin--------------------Janmaat-----------------------Similar (Though I prefer Yedlin) Clark/ Mbemba---------Williamson/ Mbemba------ Better Lejuenes/ Lascelles--Coloccini/Lascelles---------Better Dummett----------------Dummett----------------------Same Shelvey/ Merino--------Shelvey/ Anita----------------Better Hayden-------------------Colback-----------------------Better Perez---------------------Wijnaldum--------------------Worse Ritchie--------------------Sissoko-----------------------Better Atsu/ Murphy------------Townsend/Gouffran--------Similar Mitro/ Gayle/ Joselu----Cisse/Mitro/Riviere---------Better I'm just going to pretend that the league has got no tougher...
The other thing this time around is fewer egos and what looks like a better squad spirit Wijnaldum was probably only better in about 4 games
If you remember the effort of players like Colccoini, Janmaat and Sissoko throughout that season we are better off now to be honest. Would love to still have Townsend though. There's a big hole in the squad at number 10 though and Rafa needs to find a solution to this as it's unlikely Diame and Perez will be good enough. Left back we can muddle through and the rest of the squad is okay.
I think we will be in a relegation battle but we have a chance of staying up. All we've done is not managed to buy well enough to ensure we could stay out of it. To be fair to get to a West Brom kinda level was a big step
Agreed - No 10 role should either be sorted by playing Gayle off Joselu/Mitro or Murphy - can't see the point in paying £12m to have him sitting on the bench Or play Murphy wide and move Ritchie inside
