Who would you bring in/ let go? For me id let these players go as I think they are not good enough to help us progress into a solid Premiership Club: Rudd (Steer is better), Garrido, Tierney, Barnett, Ayala, Surman, E.Bennett, Fox, Tettey, K.Smith, Adeyemi, Vaughan, Martin and im afraid to say Holt (though maybe id keep him for his leadership qualities) In: RVW, Van Ginkel, Redmond, C.Davies, Biglia, Andreas Cornelius/Hooper/Kone/Le Fondre/Helenius and a LB. By no means to I think these are the exact players we should get (minus RVW and MVG who I think would work so well together) but I think this is the calibur of player we need to look at if we are to progress. All hypothetical I know, we have to survive first!
I like Kone and Maloney from Wigan last night they looked top draw to me and their left back Espinoza did a decent job.
out - Chris hughton in seriousness, to survive next season, i think we need a big big ovehaul of the squad. we just don't have the players who can change a game like some of the teams around us. probably see about 10 leave, from memory there are 2 or 3 out of contract, so 7 or 8 more.
I can also see double figures exiting ths summer IF we stay up. I'd imagine that we will try to sign Garrido on a permanent deal, Davis and Redmond to come in as CH is a fan plus we will get Hooper in and swap Holt out to Celtic in a deal that will suit all parties. We need at least one forward and a creative central midfielder just to give us some options going forward.
I wouldnt like to see too many more above 8 leave including those out of contract. I agree that Maloney for Wigan looks a real talent and very creative so I wouldnt mind him here. On top of that I think we need another striker above the level we currently have (not including RVW in that) someone who is physical but has pace (ideas welcome). I'd like another improvement to CB someone who could start with Bassong so Turner could be a good back up. I'd like Garrido to sign permanently but also replace Tierney with some improved competition. CM is a vital piece of the jigsaw and I would like to bring in a quality player (I feel this is where we need to spend our big fee for 1 player) someone like Biglia who is reported to be available this summer. I would also be interested in Mbokani his team mate who is a striker again meant to be available this summer. I dont know much about Sporting Lisbon but if they are in severe financial trouble could we cherry pick any other players from them? Anyone know their team well? A pacey winger would be good competition for Pilks and Snodgrass. This list has spiralled out of control since I started typing it!! basically its going to be a busy summer.
Your OUTS are pretty good IMO bedford and make complete sense, but I also wonder if Wes is actually up to it either going forward - does he change a game in the way that he could in the Championship or last year even in the Prem. Sad to say but Holt is an asset to be moved along now and has not been the positive influence of earlier campaigns. Re: the INS really cannot say at this point because it will change depending upon who goes down and if it was us then all of the above becomes boll*cks as we will get cherry picked and the OUTS might be our starting X1.
If we sign Garrido as our main LB i will F**KING screw! HE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!!!! Cisse might cost us a bit much im afraid. I really think we should be looking to get Van Ginkel, Biglia, Redmond, Davies, another Striker and a LB who is better than bloody Garrido. Probably cost a bunch though: MVG- £4m? Biglia- £8m Redmond- £4m Davies- £3m Striker- £5m+ LB- £3-4m Near £30m which is doable if we get some money in for some of the deadwood.
Ruddy Whits Davis Bassong Garrido Johnson Biglia Snody V. Ginkel Redmond RVW That would be a good team
We have to clear out some first. My list would include: Bunn, Camp, Barnett, Fox, Butterfield, Surman, Tierney, Francombe, Martin, Adeyemi, Smith and Holt. It sounds harsh but most of these aren't even on the bench some times. I think its time for Rudd and Steer to be given the nod as back up keepers. Without being sure about Smith and Adeyemi's part in the squad, I'll assume they weren't part of the 25. So incoming: certainly 8 plus RVW. I would imagine Hooper is a done deal. Certainly Maloney but I guess several would be after him. I am a fan of Tarabt. I know he isn't everyone's cup of tea and people say you only get one in four out of him but he can do things and one in four could be 9 wins over a season. Le Fondre is a puzzle. Why didn't he start games? Is it this "doesn't do enough outside the box" argument? His record of goals for minutes on the pitch is good. The lad Gayle at Posh has had some good reviews but is he another Cody and only prolific lower down and non league. If Brighton don't make it up, will Poyet go and will CMS become available? And Bridcutt would be on people's radar. NOT ROGER JOHNSON!!!!! I really don't know if there are any good centre backs out there that are worth the money people will want so we may have to look abroad. And a class midfielder who will stroll through the game and do the business. Anybody think of one available? And I think the Murphy's need to be fast tracked. If you are old enough you are good enough. And if you are good enough you are old enough.
Minus Garrido thats a class team! Kyle Naughton anyone? Has proved he can play LB at Spurs... could be around £5-6m though?
Spoken to some Reading fans I know about Le Fondre and they said that he's not good enough to start, he's got a good eye for goal and will work hard but is far better against a tired defence. I can't say I've seen that much of Reading this year but this is what I've heard.
If we get Van Ginkel, Id keep Wes as a mentor/back up in that position. I think with better players around him Wes could do a job. As it happens, at the moment the players around Wes (aside from Snoddy) are showing very little attacking capability which leads to the opposition just crowding Wes out. He is getting far too much stick this season as a player who gets very little support when he has the ball so he has to turn and gets bundled off it by giant defenders!
bedford that's not down to Wes' ability, more hughtons tactics in the second half. wes was very good in the first half of the season
minus Johnson, a defensive midfielder is still very necessary but one who can kick the fecking ball would be better, just a few yards to his creative colleagues
Biglia with Johnson would make a great DM partnership! Esp if we Redmond, V.Ginkel and Snoddy in front of them!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's been reported Liverpool have all but agreed to sign Biglia for £4.5m. I'm gutted because that price is well within our price range, and we've little chance of appearing more attractive than Liverpool, unless they can't promise him a lot of first team action.
Wanyama has been linked with Southampton. I know we havnt got their money but we could compete for him surely. He wouldnt be much more than £6m
i think that's old news now. Looks like he wanted to go to Inter but Lazio have bid around 8m for him. Either way he's expressed a desire to play in serie A next year.