I’m convinced we may have already exercised the buy-option for Zambrano. Ecuadorian news sources reported on 6th February that we bought him and he was registered as an under-21 player in the squad list on 11th February for the second half of the season. Loan players can not be considered as under-21s and must be registered as one of the 25 players.
Yeah one of the best things about staying up will be that this will be maybe our most stable squad in consecutive seasons in a while.
Selles has said he wants a much smaller squad. I imagine down to around 26 from 33. All squad sizes below, some bloated with January transfers to cover injuries (including ours). Blackburn 36 Bristol City 29 Burnley 32 Cardiff 34 Coventry 31 Derby 30 Hull City 33 Leeds 24 Luton 32 Middlesborough 32 Millwall 37 Norwich 27 Oxford 32 Portsmouth 36 Plymouth 32 Preston 31 QPR 33 Sheffield United 31 Sheffield Wednesday 30 Stoke 33 Sunderland 30 Swansea 28 Watford 27 West Brom 31
The danger with a smaller squad is the amount of serious injuries that we seem to pick up at the moment. Not just a couple of weeks out type of injuries.
Players to leave from the 33… Drameh ?? Jacob Lincoln Burns Amrabat Sinik Barry Vaughan Burstow Gelhardt Palmer ?? That would leave us with 22…maybe recruit just 4 high quality players
I’d keep Drameh and Jacob, get Barry back on loan for another season, try to sign Gelhardt permanently and loan out Vaughan and Burstow. The other loanees I wouldn’t bother with, release Sinik, Fleming and Amrabat and sell Mehlem, Simons, Palmer and Furlong.
We might have to be slightly higher with Millar, Belloumi, Matazo and Zambrnano not available from the start - so maybe start with 28.
I think Drameh and Jacob are both ok. I just think we are weaker at full back and may want to strengthen.
I’d see if we can loan Lincoln again, he seems like good cover, same with Barry (Who apparently we’ve already said we want to take again, so with him being injured I’m sure we’ll get him back). If Leeds go up they might be willing to sell Gelhardt, which would then see us well covered in the wide areas and take the pressure off the long term injuries with regards to them coming back. A proper striker (a goal scoring one), a proper left back and cover at right back if Drameh goes. Thats all we need really. It’ll also depend on whether we activate Pedro’s extra year and also which league we are in.
I really like the look of Gelhardt and Puerta so I want to see us sign both if possible. I don’t think we can expect Millar, Belloumi or Matazo to come back and be anywhere near the players they were. Maybe we get lucky and one of them does. We need cover in those areas until we know for sure. Outside of the obvious issues at left back and right back, Jones has been solid, but with a lack of standout players this season I think we’ll sell him. Hughes has been good when he’s been on the pitch, but he’s so injury prone it’s starting to feel he can’t be relied on as a consistent starter. Regardless of who we sign in midfield and up top, I’m not sure we step up and compete higher up the table without addressing the defence.
I think some of the concerns about our defensive options are a bit over the top. This is basically the defence that finished 7th last season but with Hughes swapped for Greaves, plus a couple of extra backups. And even this season, our defensive record is top half even without excluding the mental Tim Walter days. It's our goals scored that lets us down.
Footballs not gridiron though Defence is part of scoring goals especially now Im not even saying who to sign or what, but you cant be stagnant in football
1 - a left back 2 - geldhart 3 - a striker 4 - then a versatile full back (and keep Drameh and Jacob until Jan and see how the develop) 5 - young left footed CB (long term replacement for Macca - see Hughes being on the right in the long term if he stays with us - could be Burns) 6 - Barry/Lincoln or A N Other on at least a six month loan to help cover until Millar and Belloumi are back fit 7 - A number two keeper Sell/release - Simons, Mehlem, Abdus, Sinik and Amrabat and Palmer(?). If a LB (or 2) and a LCB come in let Macca move on. Loan - Burstow, Vaughan, Simons (if we think theres still potential), Lo-Tutala and the youngsters. Potentially Jacobs and or Drameh depending on signings. Assuming we sign permanently the players we expect (Puerta, Zambrano)
lincoln is not who we want hes just another non direct player, until belloumi/millar return we need another direct winger lincoln was good defensive cover against sunderland, but the whole game changed when he came on after barrys injury barry could at least stretch them a bit with his pace and a great outlet maybe thats what millar n belloumi will be like post acl
That is true but I also think that having quality fullbacks adds to our attacking potency. Think Robertson and Odubajo compared to Jacob and Coyle.
