Summer reset methinks, cos season is gonna go to **** now, but at least we have the points on the board. CB was priority last summer and now there's not chance of it not being addressed.
Certainly wouldn't complain about Solanke, but I think he'll be massively overpriced now and we'll look elsewhere.
Every cloud has a silver lining. As I said yesterday if it is 6 months Botman will be back by the end of September but it will force the staff to consider CB a priority over the summer.
Has to go 3 at the back now. Schar, Lascelles and Burn with Tino, Hall, Trippier picking up wing back roles. No way a pairing with two of those three clowns is getting a clean sheet any time soon. Forces the hand on buying a CB as well which we’ve needed. They’re going to have to take a chance this summer because we need 5 players, with at least 3 needing to be starters.
Joelinton back at the start of the season and Tonali back after 3 games means it's probably not 5 new players. Although CB is blindingly obvious.
I'd like to see that too. I guess the problem with wingbacks, is when teams play with out and out wingers who pin them back, so you end up with 5 at the back with potential gaps in mdfield. As with any formation, it needs to flex depending on the opposition.
Indeed nothing should be rigid, but i would point out that Howe has played more or less the same rigid 433 for two years!! You could play around with how it works, does Schar step into midfield more perhaps in transition, etc. I think City have really perfected the way it should work but of course they have the players to dictate possession.
Need at least four though. Unless Hall has a miraculous second season. Striker, RW, LB, CB. Then replacements in addition to those, if we sell any key players.
It's all immaterial If the same primitive style of play and attitude toward injuries and rotation exists.
Pope, Dubravka Trippier, Tino Schar, *Lacselles Botman, Burn Targett, Hall Tonali, Miley, Anderson Bruno, Longstaff Joelinton, Willock Miggy, *Murphy Gordon, Barnes Isak, *Wilson 3 players absolute must in my mind CB, RW, CF (Demote Schar and Miggy to back up and a decent option behind Isak who can stay fit) After that I'd be looking at DM, LB, GK (Release Bruno further forward, Target back up Hall in the U21's, then serious competition for Pope) Sounds very much like Kelly is coming in and he can cover the CB and LB positions, has EPL experience and on a free - while not setting my world alight I'd take it. CF, RW and a DM come in after that and I'd be happy with that as a window (and look at GK next year alongside another RW and CB in the 2025 summer window). Must have around £100m to spend in the summer after the new sponsors and CL money comes in right? Prospect Striker £20m, RW £50m, DM £30m seems reasonable?
