MY SQUAD FOR NEXT YEAR: GK: Ruddy, Bunn, Steer FULL BACKS: Martin, Whittaker, Garrido, New LB CENTRE BACKS: Bassong, Turner, R.Bennett, New CB WINGERS: Snodgrass, Pilkington, E.Bennett, New W DEFENSIVE CENTRE MIDS: Johnson, Tettey, New DM ATTACKING CENTRE MIDS: Hoolahan, Howson, New ACM STRIKERS: RVW, Holt, Becchio, New ST Thats a squad of 24 so room for 1 more. Thoughts?
Woops (see edit). How the F I forgot him after his recent goals is beyond me lol. I think its because I put him as a DM but the deleted him to put him in ACM... My bad
Naughty! I really think Howson can kick on given the support from us and the encouragement of the management!
BC - Can't argue with any of your suggestions and if we have any under 21, they don't count towards our 25. NOT saying that any of our Youff team are ready to make the grade, but I'm sure the fact that they won the FA Youth cup will help us to recruit future stars
I think we're all pretty much settled on that wish-list: CB, LB, winger, DM, CAM and ST. 6 signings is probably still quite a lot though. Ideally I'd like the DM, CAM and winger to be of the same quality as RvW, and then I'd settle for a squad-option LB and CB. The striker is more difficult, probably somewhere between RvW and Holt in ability would be good.
I know this may not be popular with some, but I wonder whether we will actually get in another striker this summer. I think there's a good argument not to. Vaughan has been on very good form and could well be ready to make the step up to the Prem- if he had been at Huddersfield permanently this season I'd imagine he'd be the sort of striker we would be looking at. I know that there are rumours that he wasn't happy in Norfolk, but I imagine we will only buy another striker if we sell him. Particularly as we have one very good youth striker (Morris) who I think is the best of the FA youth cup winners at the moment.
Well the players id suggest are: LB: ? CB: C.Davies WINGER: Redmond DM: Biglia/Defour (Biglia first option as Defour might be injury prone?) ACM: v.Ginkel ST: Hooper This would make our squad pretty damn strong for a top 10 push. As long as Hughts gives them a bit more freedom like the last two games.
I can see the logic behind not having another striker, but I really think we'd have held onto Vaughan and sold Jackson last summer if Vaughan had a future at Carrow Road, I don't see it myself. If we're going to play 1 up front, RvW, Holt and Becchio might just be enough, with Morris or Pilks to fill in if we get really desperate. If Hughton has any plans to play with two strikers, I think we'll need another in as I just can't see Vaughan staying. His injury record still isn't brilliant either, so we might not even be able to rely on him as 4th choice.
Well the players id suggest are: LB: ? CB: C.Davies WINGER: Redmond DM: Biglia/Defour (Biglia first option as Defour might be injury prone?) ACM: v.Ginkel ST: Hooper This would make our squad pretty damn strong for a top 10 push. As long as Hughts gives them a bit more freedom like the last two games.
Redmond is a tricky one, as whilst he's talented, I'm not sure if he'd be immediately able to push Pilks. Whoever comes in, there's going to be some tricky decisions for Hughton. I'd like a really good LW to come in, but Pilks has played well in the last two games and almost plays as a support striker at times, reducing the need for two up front. Equally Hoolahan and Johnson would seem almost undroppable this season, but both are going to have their places under threat next season. Hopefully though this'll lead to Hughton feeling he does have options within the squad, and give us greater ability to rest/drop players, and to set up to suit the opposition.
Yeah I kinda just threw Redmond in there cus he is young and talented (and I cant think of any wingers of the quality we need from abroad).
Might be a bit ambitious, but Capel from Sporting Lisbon? He's been linked with bigger teams (Marseille) but first team football; linking up wiv RVW and being in th Premier league shop window could help us...
Is it just me or is it now really odd looking at top European sides and thinking: "Yeah, he might be available and fit in"? Before now I've never looked at sides offering European football and thought "Yeah, but he'd want to play in the PL and we could double his wages anyway". It's surreal.
Think we'll definitely bring in another striker, and possibly two - I feel Holt might well move on. Definitely agree with LB, CB, LW, CAM.......given how much Hughton favours Johnson, I wonder whether he will think Johnson & Tettey sufficient for the CDM roles? Think Steer doesn't take a place in the 25 man squad, so that leaves two slots. Who have we not counted and would therefore need to move on? Surman, Barnett, Ayala, Vaughan, Rudd off the top of my head.
IMO that is exactly what CH is wanting from his so-called "wingers" and attacking midfield, with more interchanging between a forward five when in possession of the ball. It's interesting that van Wolfswinkel has the reputation of being just as capable playing as an attacking midfielder as an out-and-out striker, though apparently now preferring the striker's role. That sort of versatility is what I think CH will be looking for. Just think, we might have our own Luis Suarez come July 1st (without all the attitude and baggage of course)!
I would bet a significant sum that we are not going to sign two strikers. that would be four in six months! Madness and such a significant hole in our budget to actually improve on what we have that it would not be worth it. Unless we sell Vaughan, as i said above I don't see us signing any more. Better to use the money to add significant quality elsewhere and help spread it evenly. We need to keep RvW happy too! I also honestly can't see all these players leaving. It would be unprecedented- that would mean fifteen players gone - more than half the squad! No need to sell Ayala - the fee we would get would never replace him with someone of more potential. I thought he, when not injured, looked better than R Bennett. He is our youngest senior centre half, has masses of potential and costs us very little to wait and see if he can stop getting injured. People seem to think that being sent out on loan is the end of a career at a club, but it isn't now we're in the Prem - it's what we do to keep our players improving and take them off the balance sheet. It also saves us forking out a fortune when they fully mature. I also cannot see us getting rid of Surman - he featured heavily until injury, I can't imagine he will have many suitors and is virtually unique in our squad for what he offers. Sure, if a nice offer comes in, sell, but otherwise no harm in keeping him. Likewise with Fox. I see four more definite signings - winger, left back, central midfielder (possibly defensive) and attacking midfielder. We'll only get in another centre back and/or striker if Ayala and/or Vaughan go.
I think this is all pretty much spot on. CH said the other day "we have a good squad, but will look to strengthen where we need to and can". To me that doesn't imply letting all that many of the current squad go. I agree in particular about Surman. He has exactly the game that I think CH is looking for, i.e. he's not at all your orthodox wide man getting past the full back and putting crosses in. That sort of width will be expected to come from the full backs.
I see no mention of Butterfield but as he's 22 he won't count to the 25 - same as Steer. Has Butterfield a future do we think ?
