Having signed Rodwell and I believe vergini where are we in your opinion. I have been pessimistic re these alledged new signings but finally we've pulled of a feel good signing. So the question, are we a better team than last year at the moment, a fit fletcher for borini, and the Rodwell signing, unsure of the jones and Gomez but I think the first team is good enough. The squad, what do you think, I still think we are woefully short, how many more will we realistically be looking for
GK - Mannone, Pantilimon -- No more needed RB - Jones, Vergini -- No more needed CB - Brown, O'Shea, Roberge, Vergini, Rodwell (if needed) -- No more needed LB - van Aanholt, Roberge (?) -- Probably one more needed, ideally someone who could also play rb DM - Bridcutt, Catts, Rodwell -- No more needed CM - Rodwell, Larsson, Giacc, Gomez -- 1 more needed W - Johnson, Giacc, Mavrias, Larsson (If needed) -- 2 more needed (including someone like Borini) ST - Wickham, Fletcher, Altidore -- No more needed (provided we sign Borini mainly as a winger) So that would be 4 I think we need
That's my thought especially with common injuries to brown, Rodwell, fletcher, cats, O'Shea. Like your squad poets 11 however lot of square pegs in round holes on injuries, aka Larson n colback as full backs to name two
How would you start the season as things stand? I'd go Mannone Jones-JOS-Brown-Aanholt Catts Seb-Rodwell Johnson - Giacc Wickham
With what we've got I'd go Mannone JoS-------------Brown Jones----------------------------------Aanholt Catts Gómez -----Rodwell Johnson-----------------Giaccherini Wickham
If Vergini is coming Gus wants... a left back, a centre back, a centre mid, a winger and a winger/forward. See the Poyet's vision for the season thread. I imagine at least two of them will be loans.
Problem is the rest of the squad. Subs Fletcher (fw) Altidore (fw) Larsson (cm) Bridcutt (cm) Mavrias (wg) Roberge (cb) Pantilimon (gk) Rest of the squad Diakite (cb) N'Diaye (cm) Cabral (cm) Watmore (wg) Graham (fw) No fullback cover, no midfield game changers, no real depth anywhere apart from upfront, lots of the central midfielders aren't good enough. We've got adequate cover for the one striker spot and the goalkeeper. lots of surplus to shift out. Still loads of work to be done.
We need to sign Borini. Thats a big problem area. Giacc can play either wing but at the moment if he and Johnson get injured Larsson or Mavrias are our only options on the flanks. Once Borini is signed we need a LB and a Centre back simple as that really. We might need a couple more come Jan but I think we might see the likes of Ba and Madron in the squad, both look capable to me. Another midfielder would also be very welcome but we have players who can fill in if necessary. Starters for me (if we sign Borini) Mannone JoS-------------Brown Jones----------------------------------Aanholt Catts -----Rodwell Johnson---Giaccherini---Borini Wickham When you look at the above, if you were another teams manager you would be targeting the centre backs pace as a weakness.
Can't see us playing two holding midfielders, Poyet (he's spoke a lot about it) builds his whole system around a single holding midfielder where the wing backs push up and the two centre backs step forward to form a back three with the holding midfielder. Going from a 433 to 343. It looks genius and now he has a team to implement it properly. Can't wait to see it practised and polished. please log in to view this image
