I am one of those who arent desperate for a signing, but agree that waiting til summer is ideal because the current squad is capable and improvements will be available in summer for better value deals. My question is what would be the ins (realistically) and outs this summer (assuming Ashley gives you a generous 5mil). Current first team squad (including a few youngsters who look to have made the step up - or will have by next season). GKs: Harper, Krul, Forster RBs: Simpson, Perch CBs: Colo, Williamson, Saylor, Campbell, Kadar LBs: Enrique, Ferguson Wingers: Barton, Jonas, Raylor, LuaLua CMs: Tiote, Smith, Nolan, Guthrie, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Vuckic, Donaldson Strikers: Carroll, Ranger, Best, Shola, Xisco, Lover Decide who the best GK is, probs Harper for now, then loan out Forster/Krul to a CCC/SPL side depending on who is decided as less developed. I'd let Campbell's contract run out and if Kadar looks the real deal then promote him, if not then get a CB on loan for a year, and loan him out until he's ready. Promote Ferguson as Enrique's deputy as we wont get a better player who knows they'll be cover. Purchase a winger who is comfortable on either wing (who is not SWP), and use Ferguson and Ben Arfa on the wings if needed due to injuries, ask Smith to take significant pay cut, if he refuses then sell and buy cheap replacement as Tiote cover or promote Donaldson. Sell Xisco if he isnt sold this month and fails to prove himself before the new season. Use Ranger more.
Good ideas. The only worries I would have about your plan of action is that maybe there is too much confidence in youth players and that there is no mention of purchasing another striker and selling any of the current ones, unless you count Xisco.
Realistically (taking note of the **** budget ashley will give us) this is what I would do. GKs: Harper, Krul, Forster - Keepers are decent, don't need to sell or buy any. I'd loan Krul or Forster out and the other can stay as harpers cover. RBs: Simpson, Perch - I'd sell Perch and buy a decent right back to give Simmo competition. CBs: Colo, Williamson, Saylor, Campbell, Kadar - Sol won't re-sign but I wouldn't want him anyway. Other than Sol keep the lot and don't get anyone new in. LBs: Enrique, Ferguson - Keep these. Another addition would be nice (because I think Ferguson is better on the wing than he is at LB) but not esential. Wingers: Barton, Jonas, Raylor, LuaLua - Loan out LuaLua. Get another winger as a bit of decent competition. CMs: Tiote, Smith, Nolan, Guthrie, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Vuckic, Donaldson - Sell Guthrie, loan out Donaldson. Move Vuckic closer to the first team. Don't buy anyone. Strikers: Carroll, Ranger, Best, Shola, Xisco, Lover - Loan out Ranger, Give Xisco a chance or sell, Maybe sell Lovenkrands if we aren't going to play him. I'd say sell Shola but I can't imagine us without him. Give Best the rest of the season in the first team and if he hits double figures keep, if not review the situation. Buy a pacey striker who can shoot and possibly buy another for cover depending on who we sell.
I think we have to be confident in the youth because we will not get a huge budget and we all seem keen to get rid of Smith, Xisco, Perch etc, who will not bring in much money for replacements. If we were to sign three players I'd like a winger, striker and maybe a genuinely versatile defender who can cover the whole back four. I have a feeling 2011 will be Ranger and Kadar's breakthrough year and the likes of Ferguson wont have to play too many games.
Spot on Smudger! Personally I'll sell : Perch- 500k-1m.. Championship team is best for him. Smith- 750k-1.2m.. Not good enough any more at EPL level. Xisco- Don't know.. Sell or Loan with view to perm to a Spanish team(hope they still rate him because I currently don't) Ranger... LOAN to a TOP Championship team or even Blackpool(if they stay up). Sol.. contract expired.. free agent at 36 = Middle east holidays & 500k per week in the sunshine! just ask Nicky Butt... Vuckic.. loan to a TOP Championship team. Donaldson.. loan to the SPL/CC.. surely good enough for most average SPL & CC teams? Buy: Quality striker. 6m-12m Cheap versatile winger. 2m-4m? Cheap versatile defender. 1m-3m? That's about it IMO
Bored and thought I'd bump this off the last page (apologies to Smudger) but look how different our team looks now.(was literally days before the sale of you know who). Mad how far we've come in less than a year. Old guard gone, New French heroes, the mighty Demba, 3rd in the league & a new stadium
I think 2 strikers, Maiga and one other, hopefully a defender too, BBC gossip mentioned Ridgewell again today.
Jesus, haven't times changed!? Who'd have thought Raylor would be a revelation at LB? Who'd have thought Tiote would often play second fiddle to a new signing in Cabaye? Who'd have thought we'd not miss HBA that much after all?
Yeah Smudger has Raylor at RW which is what he was bought for, now seems to be first choice LB and now we have Beauty & the Beast in the heart of our midfield.
I don't know about Rhodes, didn't clarky say "2m wouldn't buy his boots"? Do we want to pay over that amount for CC striker? Surely if we did buy two strikers, it would mean the end to any hopes Shola or Lover have of playing again? Best and Ba are miles better than either, and I assume the next two strikers we buy will be expected to produce the same as Leon and Demba have been so far.
This. Maiga, De Jong and Ridgewell would do me fine. If MA is feeling very generous, and we get all '10 million' from the stadium sponsor, then possibly Hoilett and/or Pieters
