If we can be buy 5 in January, given the sheer volume of new signings and the fact Saudi will be in no mood to waste time, it’ll be 8+ first team ready players in the Summer, not even joking. GK: upgrade needed, with Dubs and Woodman as backup. RB: Arguably now the one position that needs no help. CB: Still inconsistent here. I suspect it’ll be two major signings here, Botman if they can get him, Carlos if they can’t and then Coady, Soyuncu or someone of that level. LB: Needs two players. One could be Targett but I think we’ll aim higher for Shaw. Maybe both. CDM: Bruno will be first choice and I think Shelvey will be kept. CM: We need two players here to either upgrade or compete with Willock and Joelinton. Kessie, Kamara, players like that seem about the level. RM: Fraser will stay but we need a big attacking player here; Carrasco, Lemar, that sort. LM: ASM first choice, but the RM we bring in should be capable on either side. CF: half the budget here. Huge statement needed to grab the worlds attention, would go all out for Isak, Nunez, one of those types. That’s about 9 in the end. Stick with 4-3-3. Ideally it’d be: Henderson Trippier Coady Botman Shaw Kamara Bruno Kessie Chiesa Izak ASM Subs: Dubravka, Manquillo, Burn, Willock, Joelinton, Wilson, Fraser. Sorted.
With the 'home-grown rule' there is emergency keeway. The likes of Wilson, Tripps, Burn, Targett (if we buy him) would all fit the criteria. As would potential signings such ss Lingard. I think you only need to have 2 who have been through your own youth development system.
GK Henderson, Dubravka, Woodman RB Trippier, Devyne Rensch LB Owen Wijndal, Targett CB Botman, Carlos, Schar, Burn CM Bruno, Willock, Gravenberch, Bellingham, Joelinton RM Dembele, Fraser LM Max, Damsgaard CF Adeyemi, Schick, Wilson Then let maybe a Longstaff and Dummett hang about for quotas or whatever.
I don't see Joelinton being dropped or willock entirely. From next season nufc moves into a new realm in which 80% of the team will be chopped and changed each week.
Wouldn't be my first choice of keeper to come in but is he better than Darlow? Yes! Does he have the potential to be better than Dubz? Probably.
Dubs is more proven. He's been back on form after a bad injury. If you're replacing Dubs then it's got to be better than Henderson who's done nothing. Fans ask for loyalty and give none to players that have been performing well here.
Must admit I like Henderson. He played a massive part in keeping Sheff U in the top 10. Ramsdale replaced him, who I think is a good keeper but he couldn't match his level. I reckon he might be a bit special. The only thing I'd like to see more of is his kicking and ability to play out. Carlos, Botman, Trippier and Wijndal are going to want someone who can play. What about Onana at Ajax. Out of contract in the summer.
And dubs hasn't more than once? No problem in nets here... A better back up required. Only last week boro stuck 8 pens past that useless dosser Henderson... Special? Special my arse
Dubs is decent and solid keeper. However if we are being brutally honest, his time here has been very up and down. He's been poor this season overall. He has improved and part of that is Eddie sorting the defence out. Some of that has simply been Dubs cutting out the stupid errors which he can't blame anybody else for. I like him and I think he is worth retaining. But like every other player associated with this football club, he best ready himself to enter the world of competition for places. If he's not up for it, then this is not the club for him. There is no room for sentiment. Dubs isn't world class and these owners are going to be looking to improve every department. We may not get a world class goalkeeper but we need someone to compete with Dubs and drive his level up so we don't get the calamities of this season. He had one stellar season (he was excellent that year) but otherwise he has been hit and miss, and dropped a good few clangers. We can't be dropping someone like Woodman after one mistake behind a ****ty defence, and then defending Dubs when he fails to perform behind the same defence. I just look at things without emotion. I do like him though and there are worse keepers out there.
