Here we go again, DW rules out fire sale. So if we are going to overhaul this waning squad, is he relying on 1/2 big sales to pay for this overhaul? Or is he suggesting that we don’t need to sell to afford the overhaul. This is, of course, pure bullshit.
I mean not necessarily BS (although I likely agree), although he does talk about choosing to "sell to invest" as being different to having to "sell to survive". I think that's an important distinction. We're not going to take £1m for Aarons because otherwise we can't pay the utilities bills. It's more that our overhaul will be more limited if we don't sell. Pukki, Dowell, Byram, Hayden, Cantwell, Hugill, Sinani, Marquinhos all departing over the course of this season is probably an easy £120k+ off the wage bill, and I can't believe Onel and Kenny are earning as much on their new deals as they were on their last ones. Spend half of that on bringing in 2-3 free agents and we can re-tool somewhat, without breaking the bank. We also don't know what contributions might come from the Attanasio's. Their tenure with the Brewers suggests they'll put some in each year to enable smart acquisitions/talent retention but are unlikely to pump £50m in for a rebuild. If we want £5m for a central midfielder, for example, they might decide it's prudent to put £5m into the club rather than sell Aarons for £5m less than we'd like because we need the money. They also know as well as anyone that the more seasons we spend in the Championship, the harder promotion becomes, and the bigger the gap between the leagues becomes. This summer is probably a wise time to put some money in, whilst we're still getting parachute payments and can support a higher wage bill.
That seems about right DH, especially as our low level purchases like Pukki and Buendia have done better than their high cost counterparts. Barnes on a free, perhaps someone like Mavididi on loan, a Skipp-like DM loan and we've added to the squad without excessive expense. Even without departures, that would leave room to bring in a reasonably priced CB and an up and coming striker. The salary savings you mention are more likely to be well over £200k/wk (£10.4m), which added to what is still left in the budget gives the club some room to recruit further. If there are departures, the scope increases even more.
Going to be interesting to see what the template is going forwards. Do we build a squad to suit Wagner, or a playing style to suit our personnel? The 4-2-3-1 wasn't exactly functional towards the end of the season, and doesn't really suit our personnel? -All our remaining fullbacks (McCallum, Giannoulis, Mumba, less so Aarons) are better suited to a wing back role than full back. Do we overhaul the position? Giannoulis for one looks likely to want a move, or switch to a wing back system? -Hanley and Gibson definitely have mistakes in them, but both are likely to play a significant amount next season. Omobamidele, Tomkinson, and any new CB are likely (hopefully) to be younger/inexperienced and benefit from a senior partner. Potentially a back 3 suits us better? Hanley/Gibson mentor a young 'un, and that player can hopefully cover for their slip ups? Or do we look for a DM who can drop between the CBs in game? Moving into midfield, we lack a genuine DM (or two) and it feels like all our other midfielders would be better off playing alongside one. Can we identify the right player here, or do we cover for defensive deficiency by playing two semi-responsible mids in a 3? Attacking midfield is almost a blank slate. Rashica presumably leaves, so we have Onel, Placheta, Rowe, Springett. That's the attacking midfielders of a relegation candidate, never mind a team seeking promotion. Do we want to play with wingers? It's kind of all we have. In some ways I think the need to rebuild this area is well timed. We don't have Pukki any more, nor Cantwell and Dowell who could (kind of) find him. Hopefully we can build around Sargent and give him the kind of service he (and Idah, Barnes) can thrive off.
Interesting questions, DH. The 4-2-3-1 failed towards the end of season because of injuries. The only fit 'responsible' midfielder we had was Sørensen and he had to play at CB to cover for double injuries there. A shift to 3 at at the back would be more defensive given that the FBs already play like WBs in Wagner's system, with the "responsible" CM (usually McLean) dropping back into the back line to work the ball out of defence. Sara has also talked about his defensive duties when the ball is lost and he has been improving there, so Wagner may want a ball playing DM as another deep playmaker option. Up front we have Tzolis as well as Hernandez, Placheta, Rowe, Springett but we still need another option there, perhaps with the ability to play as a number 10 as well. Barnes has been playing as a SS/AM behind the main striker at Burnley, so that could be his role if he comes, though he can play out wide as well. The question then is whether Wagner wants another striker option as well.
Wagner was asked that question in his Pink'Un interview about the summer rebuild (https://www.pinkun.com/news/23518049.norwich-city-david-wagner-canaries-transfer-strategy/). He likes a back four. He is aware that Mumba operated more as a wing back at Plymouth, commenting that he expects Bali to adapt to the requirements of playing FB in the rebuilt side.
Even with a back four, in Wagner's system the FBs operate more like WBs, as they did under Farke, except that one midfielder (eg. McLean) drops back to support the two CBs and progress the ball to either the other midfielder or out to a FB on the flank. We've failed to make this work since Kenny, Hanley and Gibson were all injured and shoehorned players took their places trying to make it work. Hopefully this is what the club is trying to sort out in the summer.
The fact that Mumba operated successfully as a wing-back at Plymouth doesn't show that he can't operate equally successfully as an orthodox full back. We had exactly this ill-founded debate over Godfrey after his loan spell at Shrewsbury, where he was played successfully as a midfielder. Farke was criticised for insisting that his best position was at CB (and despite his having been seen, from the very beginning, when he was first recruited, as a prospect at CB).
Watching Rangers v Celtic. Attacking midfielder called Cantwell scores a cracker. Might be worth a punt
I’m glad he’s started to score again and wish him all the best there. Obviously things were not right here off the pitch and that affected his selection. He hadn’t scored a goal in 18montha of English football before he moved
I had a similar thought when reading about how Barnes played for Burnley this year. His experience could be crucial in backing up Sargent and Idah and organising the attack.
I like Idah but Inthink the best thing for him and potentially us n the future is for him to go out on loan to be regular starter somewhere. He wouldn’t be that here if Barnes came in and with Sargent ahead of him. For his development I think he needs a loan, and he could probably get one to a lower Champ side
A certain Carlton Morris had scored a hatful of goals for Luton Town to help in the team achieving play-offs.
Wagner's latest comments on the squad: “If I can say this nobody should underestimate us for the future. We have a core of players who I know we can 100pc trust, and who has exactly this willingness, this desire to push forward. But we don't have enough. And the core which we have, and the ideas we have, make me so confident and so excited for the future. We are not the most physical team. Not the team with the biggest height, not the team with the most speed. Everyone can see this. We have a lot of topics we have to make sure that we can address in this transfer window, and after the pre-season as well.” https://www.pinkun.com/news/23519040.norwich-city-david-wagner-talent-canaries-camp/ The current squad list reveals the gaps to be filled: GK: Gunn Krul Barden RB: Aarons Mumba LB: Giannoulis McCallum CB: Hanley Gibson Omobamidele DM: Sørensen (Gibbs) CM: Sara McLean Núñez Gibbs WR: Rowe, Springett AM: (Sara) (Gibbs) WL: Hernandez Tzolis Placheta [TS] ST: Sargent, Idah If we are to use a 4-2-3-1 core formation, the biggest gap is at AM. Sara, Núñez and Gibbs have all been tried there, but none have totally convinced. If Barnes joins, he could fill that as well as the striker need, but is one option enough? The next priorities are DM, WR and CB, which would take the squad to 25 players. Barnes would add physicality and height and quality DM and CB additions could do the same. Speed could come with the WR replacement for Dowell, who was never quick. Beyond that, it's hard to predict unless players leave.
Please please please buy a DM ffs ? We loan one every season & the only one that fitted in was Skipp , then he went back to Spurs & we were back to square 1. A centre back too
Cantwell 4 goals and 4 assists at Rangers. Do he leave on a free transfer? I thought we received about £1.5m for him?
