Realistically who do you think we're going to get? If we got King and Brady we could work on getting more goals next season. I believe King, Stewart and Brady all have the ability to score at this level. That's the difference between this season and 07/08, we had goals throughout the team back then. I'd be happy because we'd have kept our strong defense well as adding to the attack. I don't think we're too far off this season. We need a big striker on the bench to give us a plan B, if we had that, we would have picked up a lot more points this season. As Mclean, Cullen, Simpson etc never seem to offer anything different. Providing Koren's replacement was as good as him it would be a good team.
Gks: Mannone, Jakupovic LB: Dudgeon, Dawson CB: Chester, Hobbs, Gerrard, Cooper RB: Rosenior, Parnaby/some loanee backup like Jenkinson Wings: Brady, Stewart, Hammill, King. CMs: McKenna, Evans, Cairney, Koren, Ambrose ST: Simpson, Fryatt, Madine. Notes: Surely Chester or Hobbs will be suspended/injured eventually, so a quality backup like Gerrard is necessary - this season has just been a stroke of luck in terms of the two being available for every single game. I realise I've only named three strikers there but I would use Stewart/King there too. Cullen is also available if absolutely necessary. This squad is based on if we were to use a 4-4-2, which is hugely unlikely I know. I've already taken into account what OLM has said about the likely departures but this is what I'd like to see, not what I expect - especially (and I've just realised this) that we'd probably have to fork out at least £10m for Gerrard, Brady, King, Hammill, Ambrose and Madine. My main worry from OLM's comments is that we'll have no players left whatsoever come August
Not sure Madine would move clubs as it's looking very likely Sheffield Wednesday will be a Championship club next season. The number of Yorkshire clubs in the Championship next season, could also go very much against us in our ambitions for promotion. potentially we could have Barnsley, Doncaster, Huddersfield, Leeds, Sheff Utd and Sheff Weds. 6 teams, a quarter of the league from Yorkshire, derbies are traditionally very tough games to win.
That 'potentially' would mean Charlton, who are 9 points clear, not going up. So I think we can rule that one out. Certainly one of Sheff Utd, Sheff Wed and Huddersfield will come up though, possibly 2. Although there's still a good chance Donny will drop, being 5 points off safety. So there's a fairly decent thechance re'll be 4 Yorkshire clubs in the Championship next season, the same as this season. Plus, even if it was 6 I don't think it'd be a bad thing. I'd like the Sheffield clubs to come up as they're always good away days and it'd be interesting to see how Rhodes does in the Championship if Huddersfield came up. I'd also like Leeds to go down again though
I said potentially, not reality! I think we'll see 2, 1 auto 1 through the play offs. Probably both Sheff clubs to add to Barnsley, Donny, Leeds which would be 5.
Is it back to 7 subs next season? Unsure if I read that the other day... I'd like us to push for De Laet as he is out of contract - I've a feeling though that he sees himself as a Premier League player. The lure of the Man United lads might be key on that. I think the formation will stay regardless of whether we keep Koren or not. We probably need a striker who has a little more in his locker than Fryatt, but I think we might be better suited with a 2nd striker who can drop off and take the place of Koren in the 'hole.' Someone like what Barmby used to do. Barmby will have his targets though - barring Adebola we haven't really signed a has-been for a while now but we need some experience to go alongside the youthful players we already have.
How do some on here feel about the potential sales of chester/rosenior? mainly the former... should we go out and say not for sale, only for him to end up frustrated and force his way out a la bullard... or should we concede that there's no stopping it and say, we'll sell him but for this much (£5mill, for example)... we were expecting 5 mill for turner and chester is a far better purchase for that price so I don't think it's too much to ask. I guess it all depends on the player's stance.
omg...SO MUCH HISSY FITTING BY SOME. imo,, I DONT SEE ANY OF THE PLAYERS THAT nb WANTS TO KEEP LEAVING. nb SAID AS MUCH THE OTHER NIGHT AND THE OWNERS BACK HIM ON THAT. oF THE OTHERS I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP oLI FOR HIS EXPERIENCE AND PERSONNA AROUND THE PLACE. bUT WITH THE PLAYERS WHO'S CONTRACT ENDS ANYWAY PLUS HOPEFULLY THE LIKES OF gHILAS AND mCsHANE AND sIMPSON WHO WILL ALSO BE GONE THAT FREES UP ALOT OF MONEY FOR NB TO BRING IN BETTER - YOUNGER AND MORE TALENTED PLAYERS. i WILL BE SURPRISED IF mCLEAN GOES. As for the nonsense on chester and Koren ? just dont see it. but all this is for another day. oooppsss....cap lock
what is with this Chester will be sold crap and he wants to go eh ? you had to be at the meeting last thursday night to understand things better. will people please get a grip.
It will be important in the summer that one of our first buys is a marquee player (for want of a better description). The Allams need to send out a statement that we mean business and this type of signing would restore the faith of our better players that we are ambitious and therefore worth sticking with. A good signing early on also helps to attract better targets later in the window.
Who we bring in will depend on who we can ship out, I don't think we should be expecting millions spent anyway
We for starters City could get Messrs Gerrard - Butterfield - McCleary for nothing(FREE transfers) in the summer and they would be 3 quality signings. Vito and Henderson would cost money but should be within Citys means. Assuming that King and Brady stay another season that would be good business to start with. Am sure Nick has his targets already sorted.
Considering who are out of contract and who we are looking to potentially move on I think we could see a decent amount of movement. Mannone + 1 Centre Back Brady + King Centre Mid Striker
I'm not trying to single you out, but I'm going to have to ask you to explain that for me, because I just don't understand how anybody can be holding that view still. I'll take you through my thinking first and that way you can just point out where we're differing. We have a Plan A that hasn't been working for the last 15 months, it'll be 18 months by the time the transfer window opens. When we sign someone if they're not on the pitch they're not solving the problem. If we sign someone for the bench we're basically saying "this hasn't worked for over a year, so just defend against us as you were and it'll be easy for you, then we'll give you a game for 20 minutes at the end". If we sign someone to start we're going to give them a game from the kick off. If it's in the current formation it gives us someone who's suitable for the role. If it's in a 442 it allows us to start with the new man and Fryatt and then bring McLean on with his pace against tired defenders who've been made to work by the different options we've got on the pitch.
