Goalkeeper - Definitely need to strengthen as the game v Blackpool showed when Kelv was out, also Kelv is 36 this summer & though keepers last longer than outfield players I'd suggest getting Ben Foster if Birmingham don't go up, as they won't sell to WBA. Release Forecast giving the following:- Ben Foster, Kelvin Davis, Bart Bialkowski Right Back - Again strengthening required, Butterfield isn't Prem quality and should be released and suggest a bid for Nathan Clyne from Palace giving us:- Nathan Clyne, Fraser Richardson Centre Back - We've been lucky that Jos & Jose have largely stayed clear of injury as only Martin can cover. Suggest we replace Jaidi with Scott Dann if Blackburn go down giving us:- Scott Dann, Jos Hooiveld, Jose Fonte, Aaron Martin & Dan Seaborne Left Back - Arguably the only area that doesn't need strengthening only because we won't have limitless money as I don't think Harding is Prem quality, but we do have Shaw emerging as back up to:- Dan Fox, Dan Harding & Luke Shaw Right Midfield - Apart from Lallana I think the wide areas of midfield are our weakest area. Suggest getting Phillips in with Puncheon going the other way if Blackpool aren't promoted. Hoillett would be good if Blackburn go down, but not sure if he'd come to us. Think Steve de Ridder isn't up to Prem and think we should also go for Peter Whittingham who could play right or give us an option left if Lallana is injured / rested or played in the whole giving us: Matt Phillips, Peter Whittingham & Richard Chaplow Centre Midfield - Injuries have again been kind to us with Jack, Spider & Hammond available for most of the season. I'm not sure Hammond is Prem quality though he's been a good Championship player, but he could at least back up 1st choice. Suggest getting Jacob Butterfield from Barnsley or Noble from West Ham if they don't make it to the Prem giving us:- Jack Cork, Morgan Schneiderlin, Jacob Butterfield / Mark Noble & Dean Hammond Left Midfield - As mentioned above, Peter Whittingham can cover Adam but suggest Commons from Celtic maybe a good additional option giving:- Adam Lallana, Kris Commons & Whittingham covering left & right Centre Forward - Much reliance on Rickie again this season and we need a quality player on top of Chun, Sharp & Guly. Suggest Hooper or if not Rodriguez. We should sell / release Connolly, Barnard & Forte giving:- Rickie Lambert, Gary Hooper (or Jay Rodriguez), Billy Sharp, Tadanari Lee & Guly Ambitious to get 8 in ? (we will lose at least 10!) Will it unsettle the balance of the side / squad ? I think the core of the side will remain whilst adding much needed prem quality and squad strength. What do you think ?
I would absolutely love Hoilett, I think he is real quality, but I can imagine someone like Liverpool going in for him. But maybe with Cortese's propaganda/hypnotising video he apparently shows to players to seal the deal, we could get anyone in...
My understanding is that Hoilett is out of contract this summer. So whilst I too would love him, I wouldn't give us one single chance of getting him. The amount of PL who will surely already be in for, because of the lack of transfer fee, will surely be ridiculous. They wont even need to start him too often, if they didn't want to, and it would still be a great investment.
4/5 max! A GK A RB A CB A RM A ST That is all! Hammond, Cork and Schneiderlin are all good enough for the Prwm!
A lot of Championship names chucked in there, some of them there's no chance of them joining us. Not a whole lot of PL experience all round either. As Fran says, the only thing I am sure of is that we will sign a player that no one has ever heard of.
I rate Phillips but not Clyne, so I'm once again gonna chuck John Brayford's name in there for RB. Worked for Norwich and Swansea
Hoilett's going abroad, lots of European clubs are interested in him, and non-English clubs have been allowed to talk to him since the new year. A deal could have already been done for all we know.
If we look at the 3 promoted teams from last year, they all took different approaches to the transfer policy for the Prem. Norwich signed young players from the football league with no Prem experience, Swansea went foreign with a number of their signings, and have used the loan system well. QPR bought in a few with PL experience and some "name" players. I think our approach will be most like Swansea's, much more value in buying in players from abroad. I think we should be targeting getting players with pace on both flanks and at FB. Another CB and a back up keeper who can push Kelvin to be the starter and potentially another ST.
I don't think there is any chance of signing players such as Hoilett and Foster but I think players such as Davis should be given their chance, particularly due to his strength in the dressing room and importance this season. We will only lose players that are on the fringes of our squad or out on loan. Jaidi and Connolly may be kept for their Premier League experience but may not play.
Good luck in the Premier League next year lads, I've been over a few times this year to St Marys and it was a great atmosphere. I'm sure i'll be over a few times next year too, I hope you survive next year and I think you will. Good luck for 36 games next year
I would expect the starting 11 to look like this come the 18th August: ------------------Davis---------------------- -New RB----Fonte/Hooiveld----New CB----Fox- -New Winger--Cork/Morgan--New CM---Lallana- ------------Lambert----Sharp/New CF--------
We won't get 8 new players. We will get 3 or 4 with replacements for punch, r j, barney, Harding. The players we have purchased for the past two years have had the prem in mind.
I'm not having a go at you, but I'm not keen on people comparing our situation to Norwich's and Swansea's. Just because they have done it, does not mean that if we follow suit, the results will be the same. Should Charlton fans now be expecting Chris Powell to follow in ours and Norwich's footsteps, and get them promoted again next season? Congratulations to Norwich and Swansea for what they have achieved this season. But it doesn't mean that we should neccessarily start thinking that we'll also be alright with our current squad, plus one or two small, but key, signings. We're not Norwich or Swansea, and it's only one year's worth of data that any comparison can be made against. I recall Reading and Ipswich both having great first season's too... I'm not for one second suggesting that we should follow in QPR's footsteps, but I do personally think we'll need more than just a couple of big name Championship players.
i would look to the championship for most of our new players gk - perhaps schmeichel? rumoured to be getting courtois from chelsea on loan. don't necessarily need to strengthen here rb - i'd like clyne but he is apparently of to man utd. i would maybe look at rosenior from hull cb - chester from hull again, tomkins from whu, mariappa from watford. one of these rm - snodgrass perhaps? if brum stay down burke? maybe even mcleary from forest. sean murray from watford also seems promising. cm - butterfield from barnsley is a possibility although he's been injured for a while now. Maybe Gael Bigirimana from cov. st - rodriguez from burnley. jordan rhodes? hooper from celtic?
