Your starting point, ie this is what's contracted already: GK - n/a D - Rosenior, McShane, Chester, Hobbs, Cooper, Dudgeon, (Dawson under offer) DM (the two sitters) - McKenna, Evans, Olofinjana, Cairney AM - Koren, Stewart, Ghilas, Devitt ST - McLean, Fryatt, Simpson
Mainly look at those who are free transfers and loans again for me. Back up defensively - Parnaby was not a bad shout, but anyone who can play along the back four, Paul Robinson from Bolton but he is mainly left sided. Stephen Kelly and Steinsson are frees. Box to Box Midfielder - Paul Green is on a free. Akos Buszacky is also available, not directly playing this role but can play anyway in midfield really. Wingers - Brady and King both leaving so need replacing. Jerome Thomas, Andros Townsend and Michael Kightly all out of contract, unless Thomas has extended. Strikers - Francois Zoko at Carlisle (My second side), has continued to show his potential, i believe we have extended his contract unofficially with a release clause. Gary Madine continues scoring. Sidibe is out of contract, and a big lad with pedigree. I think the Goalkeeping situation shall be sorted with Mannone or that trialist. I think we need two wingers, and two strikers but to be honest i don't know many more free's/loans, im sure Nicky does.
So I say, if we're going to stick with this formation: 2 GK - Mannone and the Serbian guy? (plus a youngster who we'd be comfortable with putting on the bench if needed) Defence is fine, unless we manage to offload McShane, in which case we need somebody else to cover right back and offer height in the middle in case Hobbs gets injured. DM is fine. We could do with offloading Olofinjana and bringing in a dominating hard man, but how much chance have we got of doing that? (Cairney would benefit from that addition) AM we need Ghilas out and 2 bringing in to cover what's left, probably 3 but if we sign 2 and a striker there's McLean as well with Simpson moving forward in the striker pecking order. ST - Some big lump (who can play) that the others can work off and that will make crossing the ball a threat to the opposition. Probably Cullen given another contract as well so that we can offload Simpson to a southern club.
All you need is a keeper as Mannone is only on loan. A creative midfielder to help Koren and a couple of strikers. If you get that you could be well with in a chance of really pushing for promotion. Your lack of cutting edge up front is going to cost you.
Some of them might be existing players getting contract extensions, but before next season we need to sign at least what I said because those players I gave in my first post are the only ones we have contracted for next season.
Gretar Steinsson would be ok, but he's good enough to play in the PL, so would he drop down or would he be a target for a new PL side? We do need a striker, perhaps somebody like Gary Madine or Bradley Wright Phillips. Or, as a loan signing, Marcello Trotta at Fulham got 8 in 8 at Wycombe earlier this season, he looks a real talent. Jo Inge Berget is the latest Norweigan sensation (if that means anything to anyone), he plays in the same role as Koren and probably wouldn't cost a lot (he plays for Molde IF, they aren't a great side). He's a real playmaker. Mannone I think will come and Jakupovic as backup would be ideal. I'm wondering if we can get King permanently, he's really impressed me this year.
Agreed on the strikers but thats been known by Hull City fans all season. We have 7/8 players of the deadwood variety who will be gone anyway as there contracts end. We dont need much just a little more depth. But ive not given up hope on this season YET.!!! Playoffs are still very much on. We had a good start Got sloppy and paid the price for it. end of.
My wish list would be: GK x 2 Mannone and A N Other Defender A Gerrard (Possible replacement for Chester?) Midfield one sitting CM who can fulfil the McKenna and Evans role (2 players doing the same job stifles our attack) Winger in the Jerome Thomas/Whittingham/Kebe/Macanuff type Striker (s) We need 2 at least to have 4/5 (good) options a player the ilk of Jon Parkin (Skilfull, big, clever) would be useful (but not Parkin unless he lost weight) Lafferty from Rangers? Or Rodriguez from Burnley? I do think Barmby needs to be more flexible with his formation, and perhaps have a workable alternative that the players picked for a 4-2-3-1 formation can switch to after 15 minutes once we've established that it isn't working. Next season I think this division is going to be MUCH harder to get promotion from, looks like some really decent sides coming up from L1 (could very well emulate Norwich and Southampton) with teams like Wolves and QPR contenders for relegation means that it's going to be as difficult as ever to get one of the 3 promo slots. For the above reason, it's criminal we did nothing to strengthen in January when we were in the mix, March has highlighted our profligacy in front of goal, and our lack of strength in depth to cover injuries/suspensions to key players.
Joe Cole, Anthony Gerrard, Michael Owen. Make Mannone and King a perm and sign a backup keeper if Basso is screwed
We need a big man up front, somebody who can shove, push, win balls in the air and give decent service to the wide players. Doubt we will keep Brady or King so we'll need a wide player as well. New goalkeeper of course. My team would be: New Keeper Rosie Chester Hobbs Dawson New Signing Evans Mckenna Stewart Koren New Signing
Maybe your wage bill is too high and is probaly the reason why you havent been able to sign a striker. Because if i remember correctly you stupidly gave long bumper contracts to useless players like Kilbane and McShane. If you manage to get rid of them some wages would be freed up. If you have trouble getting rid of McShane you could always have him put down
Kilbane's contract is up at the end of this season, so he'll be gone, along with Harper, Adebola, Atkinson, Basso and Garcia. We'll also lose the loanees Gulacsi, Brady, Mannone and King, though we're trying to sign Mannone and we might well try and sign one of the Man United lads. On top of those, there's McShane, Simpson, Olofinjana and Ghilas who are into their final year and will be moved on if possible, I think Mclean will probably be added to that list too. We could easily see a dozen players gone in the summer.
Yeah that will be alot of the wage bill and maybe your owner will be prepared then to back Barmby in the market. You might lose 1 or 2 of your best players but you will get a decent fee. You may need to go a little more attacking in games, you will probaly ship a few more goals but you will score more for it. Josh King did well for you yesterday and if Man U will sell you should try and sign him
I think Koren might go but Chester should stay. Koren could be a huge miss as we saw yesterday. He either creates or scores about three quarters of our goals. Everyone says the 'strikers' are the problem but if we play 4-2-3-1 obviously there can only be one striker and I rate Fryatt. So I think we'll see Mannone and Jakupovic as well as some defensive cover (a versatile defender who can play left, centre or right back) possibly Alan Tate and if we have to (which I think we will) a replacement for Koren. Then a big lad to bring on for Fryatt when plan A's not working. Like a better Adebola. I'd like us to get both Brady and King, I think Brady would be available for a similar price to the other United lads, maybe a bit more (£500K'ish) but they may be more keen to hang on to King. I wonder wether Daws will still be first choice LB next season? I thought he played really well in several previous games but has a torrid time defending against pacey wingers (as we saw yesterday). If he's not, will it be Dudge. I like Dudgeon but he seems to be better in midfield than at left-back. Anyway, I would be happy with this ... Mannone Rosenior Chester Hobbs Dudgeon McKenna Evans King [New] ? Stewart Fryatt Bench: [New] Jakupovic [New] Tate Cairney Brady [New] ?
why would you be happy with that. Its exactly what we have now, no goal threat. Plus you have the lottery of replacing one of our 2 goal scorers.
