This is serious, before you think I am taking the proverbial. We need proven people with a mix of youth thrown in. Green Furlong Onouha Scottish bloke Yun (or bloke on loan at Hudders) Phillips Henry Leadbitter Osman(Capt) Ritchie Bamford (4-5-1) No mercenaries and an enjoyable, competitive, season can be had by all in the championship
I wonder if we will keep hold on Phillips WBA wanted him in the January window If you talking about Ritchie from Bournemouth I think he will be playing the premier next year....maybe Bamford too. I think we should play Alex McCarthy next season
Shoot me down but I think Barton will still be with us next season albeit on much lower wages, can anyone seriously see him getting another Premier League gig? Like the idea of Bamford,he scored a couple of lovely goals for Boro at the weekend, looks like he's bulked up a bit compared to last season....
I think we need to be extra careful with the balance. Truth of the matter is that experience often gets you out of the Championship. Fulham went for the majority Youth approach and have done well to stabilise in the league when it looked like they were tumbling in the wrong direction. (4-2-3-1 formation - Home and Away) McCarthy New signing/Furlong, Onouha, Caulker, Robinson Faurlin/New signing, Henry/New signing Phillips/New signing, New signing, New signing New signing Squad Summary McCarthy is the GK, that's a certainty. Onouha and Caulker to be retained as CB's and both of them to be taught how to defend properly as a partnership over Pre season. If Dunne can give us another year, so be it. Jack Robinson to come in at Left Back, and I'd sign an experienced Right Back to compete with Furlong. Midfield is where it gets tricky. I'd keep Karl Henry around for a season as he's more than capable of mixing it at that level. Can Ale Faurlin rediscover his form? Definitely worth a try. It's imperative we sign a CM who's comfortable in possession. Matty Phillips can stay if he proves he can play both ways on the football pitch (You have to defend as well Matty!) and he only ever plays on the right. We need to sign 2/3 new wingers to compete for positions. Up top we're resigned to losing Austin, Zamora can't handle the Championship schedule unfortunately and we've no-one else. I'd allow Grego-Cox the opportunity to be our 3rd choice forward to phase his way in to the set up. 2 new signings needed.
Before we choose our team, I think we should wait till we see what league we are in. Not sure some of those lads would want to play in the Conference.
Whatever happens I would love to see us to build a squad round 22 players. Two players for every position on the pitch. I am tired of seeing great players played out of position. It is criminal we have had only one good forward for the last two seasons. Why 3 centre backs over 35 is not good and cover for left or right back. I think what Stan said is spot on with the back four. But I think we will keep Caulker as well. I don't think would have impressed anyone else to have wanted to buy him. Bamford might be playing Premier league football next year so i would not put money on him coming to us.
Nobody who wants to go upward on their career wont come even near to us. We have to build our team from hasbeens and nobodies......
We need a strong named manager that will convince good players to stay. SWP will probably still be with us so need to factor him into our line up!
Correct, can't see Barton staying in PL, however, I've grown tired of him getting sent off and if the truth be known, he ain't going to change. It's in his D&A. He was obviously born a knobhead and has succeeded in making a career out of it. If fact, I'm told he's up for a Lifetime Achievement Award for services rendered.
It took me a while to figure out what he meant, I thought he was talking about a column he writes or something lol! With regards to the rest, I think we should just get behind the current team and support them to the bitter end, we still have a good shout at staying up!
Given that there will be no money for squad building, I'm thinking our manager next season will be lower league, currently unemployed or new to the role, anyone looking for a break. Which makes the first name on the teamsheet sickeningly inevitable: J. Barton (Player-Manager).
I wouldn't mind that, but, as Ancelotti looks like getting the push at the end of the season, Paul Clement could be looking for a job too.
Clement is, apparently, keen on Sunderland whatever division they are in. I only said the Barton thing to put a jinx on it. If it actually happens I'll be hibernating until something like normal service is resumed, which will be after he is sacked for flicking the 4th official with a wet towel.
