Two Cb's, a FB, a CM and an AM all of which improves the starting 11 needed to give us a chance of staying up. Rodwell, Gomez and either Jones or Matthews and Graham all to go. On loan if we can't flog em to make space in the squad and Cancel Ola's loan. Not going to happen imo and it's looking like it's our year. What does everyone else think is need to keep us up? We can't stay up with the squad as it stands surely? Will Short stump up the millions needed to keep us? Looking bleak imo. I know few would have marked today as 3 points at the start of the season but one thing the game did do is further expose our frailties. Previous season's I'm not given up hope because I've seen enough in the squad to keep us up. We're just to short of quality and we're badly plugged.
Summer might be a bit late mate!!! Assuming you mean the January window, I agree things look dire. Ola is a waste of space as far as I can tell, needs binning off. Ditto Rodwell (although he looked good against Watford, he was back to anonymity against Chelsea). Maybe give him a few more games to see if he can pick his form up but I don't hold out much hope. Gomez and Graham aren't worth their place in the squad, as you say. We'll struggle to offload them though. We've needed a creative midfielder for literally years and year and years now. It's disgusting that this has never been rectified. I genuinely could not even tell you who was the last genuinely decent creative CM / AM we had in the squad. Any ideas? And obviously the biggest problem: the defence. Jones and PVA simply aren't good enough. The fact they're getting games ahead of Yedlin and Matthews implies that they, too, are ****e. So in an ideal world we would get rid of at least 2 of them (keep the other 2 for cover), and get in two BIG improvements. I think we're OK at CB actually. It feels like we're short as Sam is forced to play 3 to cover for the defensive frailties of our full backs. Get decent full backs in, and I think JOS and Kaboul are good enough to see us through this season, with Coates as cover. O'Shea NEEDS replacing in the summer though. In an ideal world he would be replaced in January but there are more worrisome areas of the squad tbh. Oh, and I'd also bring Pickford back and, unless Pants shows some serious improvement, make him number 1.
I'm sure yet again people will disagree, but Sessegnon was a player who made stuff happen, we've not had one since. Defensively we are a ****ing shambles but Sam will be onto that, I've little doubt. LB, CB, RB, CAM, CF for me, and will we **** get them, certainly not of the right quality. I do fear for us this year.
Could a mod change the thread name to January Window please? Ta @marcusblackcat @diddles @Blunham Mackem @grandpops
I think the we're short at CB personally. Three at the back is the only way I see out of this without a complete squad restructure and we're ill equipped for that. Pants was on the deck before the pen was taken.
As I see it there can be no more excuses. Sam chooses the players he wants and not the players the DoF thinks he should have. Short must back him and even then we might be too far gone. If players need to be shown the door to make room then do it. Make or break for me now this.
Couldn’t we pull Giaccherini back from loan? but I agree at least two Defenders in Jan to stand a hope in hell.
Agreed. This is unfinished DA business ffs. Either Short backs him or he doesn`t. Simple as that. I don`t care how. If the decks need to be cleared then clear the decks. Has to be done.
Ellis Short needs to put his hand in his deep pockets if we're to stay up this season. CB: looks like we'll go for Collins FB: let's get some who can actually defend CM: creative midfielder to play in front of M'Vila and Catts CF: guessing we'll go for a big target man - wouldn't be surprised if Sam went for Carroll If we can shore up defence and play with a back 4 we can start to utilise some of our wide players. Likes of Borini, Lens & Johnson have to be sacrificed for the extra defender.
I'd be astonished if we went for Carroll, given his home town club and Big Sam's comments about him. Big Sam has confirmed interest in that Kone so look like he's one of CBs, hope there's another. With a fit back 3 we've looked the best we have all season from the back line to the front. I think it's the way to myself and we should strengthen to that system. 352 all the way for me.
Blatantly obvious that w miss Catts, so we ned to sign someone who can fill the gap when he is suspended or injured, secondly we need full backs and a good center back plus a striker who can take the weight off either Fetcher or De Foe or Borini. Graham will never fill the gap. We must get rid of the no hoper's in January.
We have to. No two ways about it. If it means buying out contracts to free up the spaces then that`s what has to be done.
Agree only Borini is not a forward - no clinical goalscorer - was'nt at Liverpool either - not sure what he brings to the table - honestly think if wre continue with Watmore we will soon reap rewards . If may not be we take a wage bill hit to get rid of some of our waste
I`m beginning to think it might have to come to that. We are paying them far more than they`re worth. They`re not going to take a pay cut to leave and nobody`s going to pay them what we are. It`s pointless arguing who`s fault it was, how or why it happened, the point is it has and it has to be corrected. If it means biting the bullet, buying them out and booting them out then that`s the way it has to be.
