We have already brought in a keeper, a goal scoring midfielder, a right midfielder/winger (and a dead ball specialist at last), and 2 strikers (albeit with little or no top flight experience). Where next? For me, we still need: An established left back (to let Phil go back to right back); or a right back (and keep Phil at L Back); A Left midfielder/winger; a central defender (or 2 if Turner and Bramble are injured and Ferdinand sold); and an experienced striker to partner Gyan. If we can grab Danny Welbeck for another season loan, then its a bonus. I'm not going to name names as its pointless, just positions we need still need strengthening? IMO of course.
Spot on Cest they are exactly the positions we need filled and if we know the areas then you can bet Bruce knows these areas should be adressed so I am looking forward to see who he brings in.I feel we missed a trick when O'Hara went to Wolves he could of solved our left hand side.
I have a feeling we are going to see the best of Ferdinand this season, but still think we need a central defender. I would like to see a left fullback come in so Bardsley can be freed to play on the right. Perhaps a forward player on loan whilst Campbell is injured. And finally an out and out left winger who can beat his man and put in crosses, but these are few and far between.
Aye would agree with all that, for me the one position we have to get right is a partner for Gyan. Now, Wickham may turn out to be a revelation and bag hatfulls, he may also take time to make the step up, same for Dong, so we need an established striker top partner Gyan. Defence could do with a bit of strengthening as well and i'm sure Brucie is working on that one as we speak, maybe in the next couple of weeks we might see the Man Utd trio sign for us and i'd be very happy with that. We'd have a very, very good squad if that comes off.
For me we don't need much. I feel we will play Sess left mid, so we need a left footed left back, my pick is Warnock. I still feel we could do with a graceful and classy centre back, my choice is Roger Johnson (as i feel Samba is beyond us with Arsenal's interest, sadly). We need another 2 strikers, i think we will get DJ Campbell and Welbeck, and they'll do me just fine. If we were to go for another midfielder, i'd say they need to be attack minded, and the best buy would be Kranjkaer, who can play right , left and centre. If we signed Ned again as well, we'd be strong across the park, and have strength in depth. To buy all of these players wuld cost around £20million in my eyes, assuming Ned and Wellers are loans.
I'm with you Cest, with both Ned and Mensah gone replacements are needed there just to satnd still but I think the offer for Oshea and Brown shows that Bruce is aware of that one. The N'zog chase answers the left but Like BB I am quite excited about Sess, its up front we need that extra body because relying on Dong and Wickham is the gamble we had with Bent going and could be a gamble to far.
We need a full back and a centre half. I am guessing Oshea will with the bill here. Anther centre back ideally A left sided midfielder. Another striker. I guess it depends on how long Frazer is going to be out for. Welbeck could certainly fill the LW role and then cover up front if we get injuries. (I see our main pair being Gyan and Sess up there). I think if Welbeck is an option even if on loan we should spend big on a classy centre half like Samba, someone who is strong but also good on the ball. If we just signed: Oshea, Welbeck and Samba I would be happy. I would love a big signing as well like Defoe but I think that might be asking too much. IMO we were good enough for top 6 last year but the injuries stopped us. If we can put together a squad as good as last year and minimise injuries we have a chance of 7th or 8th next year.
I think we still need 4 players LB LW CB CF I would be happy with Warnock / Riise Kranjcar O`Shea Welbeck
Since signing wickham I've completely gone off the idea of bringing welbeck back on loan. We need to develop OUR young English striker not someone elses. Id favour a move for a more experienced big man who won't expect to start every game. I know some people dont rate John Carew very highly but I think wickham could learn a helluva lot from him. Before being frozen out at villa last year got double figures in the league 3 years in a row and he's FREE. I think this could help wickham and I could see bruce picking his moments with him, say starting 20odd with Carew starting other games with Wickham.coming off the bench. Bothroyd and Kanoute would also fit this role for me and id be happy with any of the 3 with Carew my first choice. I want us to bring in a central defender, Roger Johnson or Jonny Evans fit the bill. If we couldn't land one of these id be quite happy to look at bringing Matthew Upson in on a free providing his wage demands are 'economical'. Id even take woodgate or gabbifon on free for cover if the clock is running low and we haven't brought a cb in. Left backs are tricky and hard to come by, if hoolahoop was still at villa id definitely want us to go for warnock, but I have a feeling mcleish won't want to lose anymore after young and downing. worst case scenario is we have rico, bardo and anton to fight it out for the left back spot. Spurs are desperate for money and id love us to go in with a low bid for hutton to test the waters, make a final offer of £5m take it or leave it 'arry.
I agree Parker but he is surely only going to be good for 20X90min max and I think Welbeck would offer an affordable and lets face it at times brilliant way of doing it. Lots of Cameos of the bench or off after 60 mins for Dong to try his luck. If he is as good as hyped we don't want to shred his legs like torres or owen. Lets use a Man U player as a buffer to protect our future star?
Bothroyd or Kanoute i'd be happy with, but personally i think Carew is finiched. Great player in his prime mind.
I'd love to see Carew come to help develope Wickham but wasn't he on silly money=£60,000 springs to mind.Roger Johnson and Krancaer would be very good signings IMO
Carew is just one injury away from the end of his career and with our injury record in the last 2 years, he would be a disaster witing to happen. Welbeck offers pace, movement and a fluid attacking force and I'd also much rather see someone like Rodallega signed as the experienced striker to partner Gyan. Thing is, I cant see Wigan allowing N'Zogbia (wherever he may end up) AND Rodallega leave the club this summer.
Rodellega may be one for next year i feel, i like him a lot, he's mobile and in defenders faces, he finishes well too, just doesn't get a huge amount of chances at Wigan. Welbeck and Campbell, as i initially stated, and if we can't get Welbeck, Bothroyd or Kanoute. That'll dee.
Fair assessment, although I feel Sess maybe used in the hole. It will be interesting to see what role Richardson plays next year, if any. However all the players we have signed are young. My feeling is that we need to add some steel and nous especially at the back. That is where the two united defenders may provide to be invaluable. Would love to see a bid for Johnny Evans too!
I think Sess position will be dependant on how quick Whickham settles in, it's good that we have that option with Sess, who i maintain is the key to our season.
IMO we need a full back - O'Shea centre half - ??? (Bassong?) centre mid - Gibson winger - ??? (Kranjcar?) striker - Welbeck (loan) bring those 5 in and think we can improve on last season would have a quality team and some serious strength in depth of... ----------------------- Westwood ---------------------- --- O'Shea ------ Bramble ----- Bassong -- Richardson -- Sessegnon -- Gardner ----------- Cattermole --- Kranjcar -------------- Gyan ---------------- Welbeck ----------- subs: Turner, Bardsley, Mignolet, Larsson, Gibson, Wickham, Ji and not forgetting Gordon, Ferdinand, Elmohamady, Malbranque, Meyler, Colback and Campbell.
much as i think all the signings we've made will be good for us either straight away or a bit later in thecases of whickham and dong. let's not get too carried away with larsson and gardner, they were backbone players in a side that went down last time out
I have a feeling Bruce may decide we are now well covered in midfield and probably intends to play Sess on the left. He has always said we need 4 strikers and if campbell was fit we would have 4 . However he is not and we have two untried so I am convinced we will see one more but probably Wellbeck on loan again. At the back we need at least 2. One full back and one Centre back. I hope there are more so we have strength in depth but I am not convinced. Unless players are happy to be bench warmers where are we going to fit Sess, Larson, Gardner, Meyler, Colbeck, Catts and possibly Gibson and then ideally one more (NZog)
