Shades of David Moyes.I know very little about him so my opinion shouldn’t be taken seriously but I don’t think he’s good enough defensively to play for a relegation threatened side
Shades of David Moyes.I know very little about him so my opinion shouldn’t be taken seriously but I don’t think he’s good enough defensively to play for a relegation threatened side
But not slavishly sticking to two XIs. Even the very best teams have a trusted core who are turned to more than most. They don’t only replace positions like for like.
Man City have spent most of the last 4 seasons with only a single striker on the books. They’ve only got one of each fullback too. Pep - with all the games that city will play next season - wants a first team squad of 20.every premier league club has two players capable of starting for each position. All of them.
He does. Won me money a few timesLoves a yellow Jobe

“)Only really commenting on the u21 stuff. Stansfield did a proper team job tonight imo. Barry hasnt really stood out all and when he came on the other night he seemed lost. But aye, opinions and all that. Probably best neither linked to us.I prefer him much much more to stansfield if I'm being honest, but hey that's what the forums for
Wouldn’t say holes as such, but certainly key positions that we need to fill - and some where the talent gap is more pronounced. My only niggle here is that the strongest links we’ve seen thus far don’t address those bigger talent gap areas. Just nervous excitement though. Seems like we’re taking care of ‘less critical’ spots first. As I said earlier that’s either very bad (as we’re confused about our needs) or very good (as we’re going a lot further than we expected). Defo voting for the latterOf course. I reckon if you go onto the Sunderland website and take a look at the squad there’s a lot of holes now loanee’s are gone.
Maybe not the thread for it but this is why the Tuchel appointment makes zero sense to me. There is a clear pathway, identity, good young players, I'm sure the coaches are briefed on a way to play and then we get to first team it's a German who is very much his own guy with his own ideas. I think it's nonsense that he's this untouchable elite coach and there aren't English coaches out there. MadnessDont think he is far off. Was very good tonight. Holds it up, links play, strong. Movement could be better in the box, but he has only played league 1 recently. Didnt look at all out of place in the u21 side. And they are a supremely talented bunch.
Hope we get the Fench galacticos in the final. We will smash them out of sight
Had a couple of malts. So much to love about our u21s
Watch this space. May not get to lead England at the world cup.Maybe not the thread for it but this is why the Tuchel appointment makes zero sense to me. There is a clear pathway, identity, good young players, I'm sure the coaches are briefed on a way to play and then we get to first team it's a German who is very much his own guy with his own ideas. I think it's nonsense that he's this untouchable elite coach and there aren't English coaches out there. Madness
Watch this space. May not get to lead England at the world cup.
Was listening to the Sunderland echo I think and they were saying how speakman and RLB want a small squad so everyone feels they can get in the team and there’s a path for the u21s (quite like that thought) so it would be interesting what the number is they want. Of your list I count 8 that I don’t feel have a place in the squad now which leaves 15 (including alese and Huggins who aren’t reliable).GK: Patterson, Moore, Blondy
RB: Hume, Huggins*
LB: Cirkin, Alese*, Huggins*
CB: O’nien, Ballard, Seelt*, Hjelde, Alese*
CM: Enzo, Neil, Rigg, Browne, Aleksic, Jones
LW: Mundle
RW: Roberts, Poveda* (“injured“)
ST: Mayenda, Isidor, Abdullahi*
- (*) - players who have been injured most of their time here
I’ve put players who are versatile and who I reckon could still do a good job in the PL in their secondary positions. which is why you see Huggins and Alese in multiple places
Caveat is, those two are bad with injuries
I think this glaringly shows how much work needs doing, not counting the ones loaned out who need to be shifted
I can see Moore, Blondy, Poveda, Aleksic, Jones, Browne, Poveda, Seelt, Hjelde all leaving either sold or out on loan from that.Was listening to the Sunderland echo I think and they were saying how speakman and RLB want a small squad so everyone feels they can get in the team and there’s a path for the u21s (quite like that thought) so it would be interest what the number is they want. Of your list I count 8 that I don’t feel have a place in the squad now which leaves 15 (including alese and Huggins who aren’t reliable).
I think we’ll bring 10 in overall and have around 25 in the squad at most. No idea mind, didn’t think we’d be linked with a £15m goalkeeper that’s for sure.
Having a smaller squad is good for so many reasons. Pathway, connection, involvement as you highlight (plus in our particular case we have to remember that RLB tends to stick with his XI and there aren’t tonnes of minutes from the bench). It also enables you to concentrate your money into that smaller squad, ultimately giving you access to better players. Of course you look like a twat if you run out of right backs at some point, but even then a single game with a makeshift selection is unlikely to outweigh 37 games of a better quality squad. It’s all a hostage to fortune though. And fans rarely criticise clubs for having money sat in the stands - whereas the opposite is considered a clear failure.Was listening to the Sunderland echo I think and they were saying how speakman and RLB want a small squad so everyone feels they can get in the team and there’s a path for the u21s (quite like that thought) so it would be interest what the number is they want. Of your list I count 8 that I don’t feel have a place in the squad now which leaves 15 (including alese and Huggins who aren’t reliable).
I think we’ll bring 10 in overall and have around 25 in the squad at most. No idea mind, didn’t think we’d be linked with a £15m goalkeeper that’s for sure.
That was my 8 other than Moore who was my 3rd choice, my current starters from last season would of been:I can see Moore, Blondy, Poveda, Aleksic, Jones, Browne, Poveda, Seelt, Hjelde all leaving either sold or out on loan from that.
Then I’d focus on upgrading what we can in the starting XI with those Lauriente, Bulka type players. Then whoever stays in the XI, maybe get someone younger who costs less but has high potential to be their depth.
The ones who fell out of the XI (IMO would be O9, Rigg, Mundle, Roberts, Patterson, Isidor, Cirkin (Maybe) would become very solid options form the bench to complete and rotate
He's class and I'd love him here, but im sure I read they wanted £40m for him.
Trying to get some money together for Isak![]()

The problem is for me, with the current squad. The depth to our current XI aren’t good enough for PL football. If we can upgrade 5/6 of our XI those players that were good for us can become that depth and rotation in turn making us strongerHaving a smaller squad is good for so many reasons. Pathway, connection, involvement as you highlight (plus in our particular case we have to remember that RLB tends to stick with his XI and there aren’t tonnes of minutes from the bench). It also enables you to concentrate your money into that smaller squad, ultimately giving you access to better players. Of course you look like a twat if you run out of right backs at some point, but even then a single game with a makeshift selection is unlikely to outweigh 37 games of a better quality squad. It’s all a hostage to fortune though. And fans rarely criticise clubs for having money sat in the stands - whereas the opposite is considered a clear failure.
I don’t know if I agree. I think if we see value and see potential total profit we will pay.
Look at the Jobe deal, we know how much players are worth.
Elliott playing week in week out could be a rapidly appreciating asset.
Not as good as they'll think he is and hardly played since injuryBurnley signing Quilindschy Hartman. Thoughts? Their fans seem very happy. Dutch international left back and only 23