What do we need in terms of squad strengthening. Our squad is thin now playing once a week so how would we cope playing twice. I would say at least 6/7 players.: A top striker A top AM A top DM A top winger 2 good full backs Another CB it's a lot to inteGrate at once and many of the first team now would have to be back up players but don't see 2/3 players being enough to cope.
Left back, right back, striker, wide man, Defensive mid, center mid. Plus Borini and Suso back from loans.
No way, we'd flop like Spurs if that happened. We need to steadily build the team with pure quality, not quantity in my opinion.
I don't disagree. I think we do need another striker option. city have 4 and two are injured. A top AM would be great... coutinho is young and looks to need a rest badly after today... no movement at all. A top DM? I dunno.. I'd look for a more dynamic player personally as i fancy henderson could just play that role. A top winger? not sure.. attacker yes rather than alberto or aspas but not sure winger is the right way to go. 2 full backs is without question, johnson is muck for past 6 and enrique is out of it. Another CB? not unless we replace one. In short our team should have mingolet, toure, sahko, gerrard, henderson, sturridge and suarez as locks on the team sheet by right... thats IMO. I'd add coutinho to that when his form returns.. that really just means our full backs and one CM aint doing it.
We'll need at least 2 of those to GET into the top four!! I don't think we need another CB unless one goes....everything else is about right. Not sure how much the players out on loan could fulfill these roles.
you are probably right about that too. The AM for sure and maybe another midfielder to go box to box. suso is one i am hoping will come back and take a much more consistent role in the team albeit from the bench. wisdom is a power player, he could learn to be an RB but he really is a CB and at youth level he was head and shoulders above the rest cos he had a pass too. Robinson is young and i'd look at him when he comes back in terms of positioning in particular. if he;s learned that he can improve cos he;s still young. coady won't... assaidi won't borini certainly won't... but is better than aspas IMO. we are top 4 now... by a point. To get it we need to improve or show more form than our rivals... they are looking like picking up form too. I'd lve the sour puss moses to be vanished from our sights and replaced with an honest to god AM.
Moses has been really disappointing, I wish we'd kept Assaidi tbh and not got him. Thing is, if we did get into the CL, we'd need to add real quality. Not cheap. I think that we're finding out this year that there aren't too many Sturridges or Coutinho's out there. I'd be very intrigued to see how FSG stepped up to fund a CL campaign and maintain a top four finish.
I think Remy would be a good signing cover for Suarez and Sturridge and can also play wide. I'd also love us to sign Cabaye and Luke Shaw if we could get him. Think they'd probably cost 50m combined though
Hmmm cant say I agree with this!!! Top Striker? we have 2 already, cant see another coming just to sit on the bench! Borini or Suso might do if they have developed enough Top AM?, Isn't that ford? He's still improving no way would i drop him although another option maybe useful Top DM, I Agree Lucas is not quite the same player and Gerrard is getting old. Top Winger, Ok this is needed to replace Moses who isn't top quality. 2 full backs? Johnson isnt good? Enrique? kelly? flano? I think we've been unlucky with injuries and would like to see one of these leave before we brought anyone else in. Top CB? Again injuries has meant the CB pairing has been unsettled, also the attacking style that rodgers play's combined with poor form of the DM has made this look worse than it is. I'm actually happy with our CB options just need a settled pairing, but again if we bring anyone in we need to get rid of some first. So I recon first team wise we only need a DM and possibly a winger or FB and we will be competing, every other position would just be squad strengthening which is needed to be competitive in both the CL and PL.
After today's offering we need to restructure at the back and get a quality DM, the score line tells the tale.
I'd actually only have 3 of those in the first 11 and would like to see one or two arrive this month. 2 this month. 4 in the summer.
You really feel that Borini or suso (both out on loan because they can't get in our first team) would be enough to take on Madrid or Milan? Given sturridges injury record surely a player like Remy for instance would be a better option.? Courthino has been great for us but has struggled a bit this season and doesn't look as bright as last year. Again, would he stand the rigours of two games a week or would you rather have someone like Mata in there? Experienced quality fullbacks,especially RB , are an absolute must. I like wisdom and Kelly but still would rather see a stronger presence there. Enrique is ok actually but would flano hold his own in CL? CB may not be a necessity and would like to see what illori can do at some point this season.
I'd say 2 players per window, slowly building ourselves up to be a great team (and squad), as you've probably guessed I'm not one for bringing in too many players at once - especially as we've got a good spirit currently The most important thing is to keep Suarez, his interview today suggested strongly imo that if we get top 4 he'll definitely stay, if not he's gone (if the right offer comes in). So for that to happen we probably need a couple of reinforcements this window. Ideally for me it would be a DM and a versatile FB. Saying that though we've had a few injuries recently and when we're back to full strength we're not bad off.
2 this window and then 3/4 in the summer. I don't feel that is too much of a challenge to integrate that amount of players into the squad. When you look at our bench today,with the exception of Sturridge, there wasn't too much to get excited about. Be nice to see ibe given some game time, maybe in a game we are winning easily. I feel he may be better than sterling eventually.
We shouldn't be bringing in six or seven first teamers as that could have a "spurs effect". Two or three at a time is about right. Bring Wisdom, Robinson, Assaidi, Borini and Suso back to top the numbers up.
Remy would be a great signing, I can't believe how little QPR got him for. When does his loan finish at the Mags?
If we could get Remy then that would give us some great options up front, but i doubt he would want to come sit on our bench! I would stick with Ford over Mata, His form has dropped (due to injury) but Mata is getting old and I think Ford will get alot better with CL experience look at what happened when we gave him game time from not playing at Inter. The rest I would give a chance in the CL, afterall they would have made it there. Not many would have had Biscan, Smicer and traore in their 2005 teams either!
There's too many internet managers on here who think it's all about stats. As you say 2 players per window for integration is probably the ideal. Also, if we do get CL then the emphasis has to be on quality and not quantity.
I wouldn't use spurs as an example of team full of new players struggling to integrate. they are only 2 points behind us, plus they had a manager with questionable tactics to start with. I am all for a raft of new players joining in the summer. i would prefer them this month, i fear some of our younger players could burn themselves out before the season finishes - i hope i am wrong, but these high scoring/high conceding matches must be taking their toll, it looked like a real battle today for example. on the other hand it is also important not disrupt rhythm and team spirit, but i feel our fluidity has been stemmed by injuries (due to a small squad perhaps?), a hope of mine,though it wont happen, would be lfc bringing assaidi and suso back this month.. they are not "new faces" so would integrate faster and would not destabilise the first team, merely provide more options as this campaign draws to a conclusion.
In this window and in summer: First team left forward e.g. Yarmolenko, Mata First team dm/cm - Mvila First team full back - Montoya Young cm - Hughes Young striker And most importantly, a world class defensive coach. I think the defenders are easily good enough, but Br's strength is attacking. I wish we had kept Steve Clarke. If we were to make signings this window I would prefer it to be first team players, no need for young/squad players in January, we need someone who can go straight into the first team and help us with top 4.
