Current state of the squad

[Red Dog in a Forest]

Based on how we’ve set up these last two games, I’d say we need a:

Forward - yes, I know Wood is the new Harry Kane, but a delay in Awoniyi’s return puts us hugely at risk.
RWF - Nuno mentioned post-match that CHO and Elanga both prefer playing on the left. We look light there also.

After that? I think it comes down to can we stick to adding genuine quality and / or potential without impacting the soon to be smaller squad.

Or, a relative bargain / future planning, as we have a lot of players out of contract next season.

Can these additional players wait until the summer? Based on today…probably.

• G - we need a no.1, although giving it to Murillo (to pass it out instead) has improved Turner.
• CB - it seems Nino is incoming. Cheap also at £6m. McKenna off, Felipe to retire (?), Omo on loan?
• LB - presuming Tavares (and possibly Aurier) leaves, we have Aina and Toffolo there. 2 RB’s, 2 LB’s and Aina as cover for both.
• DM - to replace Kouyate? Rodriguez or Maia, both around £15m.
• AM - eventual back-up to MGW. I’d never thought about this position, but it makes sense.
• RWF - another one. If we carry on playing the same formation.
• FWD - it depends on how Wood ages.

All in all, it now looks far more important who we shift out, rather than get in.

 

[Est.1865]

There’s clearly a pool of around 10 players we could purge from the squad.

Then I’d add :

GK
CB
LB
RW/FWD

 

[youreds1986]

GK

CB ( assuming Nino is incoming this is sorted)

LB if we can find a genuine top drawer one, if not keep powder dry

RW/CF - preferably one player to play both positions. Ideally someone young with potential to develop.

Ship out McKenna, Worrall, Kouyate, Taveres, Santos, Vlach.

I'd keep Origi (not my money) as cover and he looked better.

Other than that, work with what we have. This is a good squad

 

[Est.1865]

GK

CB ( assuming Nino is incoming this is sorted)

LB if we can find a genuine top drawer one, if not keep powder dry

RW/CF - preferably one player to play both positions. Ideally someone young with potential to develop.

Ship out McKenna, Worrall, Kouyate, Taveres, Santos, Vlach.

I'd keep Origi (not my money) as cover and he looked better.

Other than that, work with what we have. This is a good squad

I think Worrall could now stay as cover, guess it depends what offer we get.

Aurier could be off to Saudi I reckon. Omabamidele and Aquilera out on loan ?

 

[Malwood]

I think Worrall could now stay as cover, guess it depends what offer we get.

Aurier could be off to Saudi I reckon. Omabamidele and Aquilera out on loan ?

Oma won't be going anywhere while both Niakhate and Boly are at Afcon.

 

[Col Steve Austin]

There’s clearly a pool of around 10 players we could purge from the squad.

Then I’d add :

GK
CB
LB
RW/FWD

Exactly this. First XI keeper, LB and CB; RW who can also cover striker in case Taiwo and Wood are out.

 

[Malwood]

I'd upgrade Origi and bin him out, and try (but probably fail) to get a proper keeper. I'd also keep Montiel - I'd sign him next year as a Serge replacement.

Kouyate, Serge and Tavares and Mckenna are all off in the summer, so if we save some money by moving them now so much the better.

I'm not sure about Aina. He just doesn't look much like a full-back to me. Too dozy to defend properly, but a skilful talented player going forward.

 

[Malwood]

Exactly this. First XI keeper, LB and CB; RW who can also cover striker in case Taiwo and Wood are out.

I don't see the need for a LB. Plenty of cover there. I also think we've already bought our next CB.

But if Nino is a £20m player we can get for £6m, then obviously sign him regardless of need or not.

 

[Col Steve Austin]

I'm not sure about Aina. He just doesn't look much like a full-back to me. Too dozy to defend properly, but a skilful talented player going forward.

I don't see the need for a LB. Plenty of cover there.

Sorry Malwood, I don't understand. If you don't think Aina is a full back (and I agree entirely with your assessment), then surely we need a new LB as we can't rely on Toffolo alone?

 

[Ste]

I think Worrall could now stay as cover, guess it depends what offer we get.

Aurier could be off to Saudi I reckon. Omabamidele and Aquilera out on loan ?

Forgot about Aguilera, he looked pretty talented when he played - could be a MGW backup? Maybe see how he plays in the cup.

Assume Santos is going back, otherwise he's a MGW backup too.

 

[Ste]

Sorry Malwood, I don't understand. If you don't think Aina is a full back (and I agree entirely with your assessment), then surely we need a new LB as we can't rely on Toffolo alone?

Richards?

 

[apondaway]

Oma won't be going anywhere while both Niakhate and Boly are at Afcon.

Would love to see the kid get a little run

 

[Red Ray's Redlist]

Goalkeeper.

 

[tomw94]

Keeper, a good forward/winger & maybe a fullback is all that is needed.
Awoniyi is injury prone, then outside of the remaining core 4 of starters we just have Origi as an attacking option, so we are very light on the attacking front.

 

[Malwood]

Sorry Malwood, I don't understand. If you don't think Aina is a full back (and I agree entirely with your assessment), then surely we need a new LB as we can't rely on Toffolo alone?

We have 4/5 wingback & fullbacks depending if Tavares stays and Serge leaves. I'm assuming that we'll play some games this season with a back three. So if Toff is injured and we're playing a back 4 we'd have Williams or Aina as back-up on the left.

For next year we'll either sign Aina permie or look to replace. I was thinking that the Summer is the time to do that, not Jan.

 

[Est.1865]

Discussion going on in the transfer thread -

if we sign someone January 1st can we play them straight away ? Do we have to drop someone else out of the 25 man squad/ de- register them to keep the cap at 25 ?

 

[Monkman]

I'd definitely be extending the ones in bold, the ones in italics too unless we can find better.

Nah, don't need Kouyate or Aurier next season.

 

[Monkman]

Yes. I also think that, other than keeper and striker, it's hard to assess the state of the squad as they seem to have been playing with the handbrake on until now. Look at today's match, none of us saw that coming from Wood... even Montiel looked decent. The rest of the season is going to be very interesting.

That was obviously Wood's best performance but he's been decent all season, Everton aside (and he was hardly the only one that day).

 

[Monkman]

Striker and keeper obvious wants along with that. If we're aiming to keep a smaller squad a forward who can play all across the front line might be a better option...

(I half wonder if that might be Dennis!)

It would be quite interesting to see a front 4 of
Wood
Dennis MGW Elanga

Might get more out of Dennis in that system.

 

[Monkman]

I'm not sure about Aina. He just doesn't look much like a full-back to me. Too dozy to defend properly, but a skilful talented player going forward.

I think we're all forgetting how well Aina defended in the earlier part of the season. He's great one-on-one against wingers. Just maybe not so good in the air when the play is on the far side.

 

[Gyros Peter]

It would be quite interesting to see a front 4 of
Wood
Dennis MGW Elanga

Might get more out of Dennis in that system.

While I dare say it would be more interesting on paper than in reality, I wouldn't be against Nuno working with him for the second half of the season, given we've already shelled out on him and can play in the spots we need cover/options in.

Can't really ignore his Watford returns, and maybe a new coach could do better with him.

 

[Statto]

Nah, don't need Kouyate or Aurier next season.

They were in italics so it would be a case of getting rid if we could get an improvement, also based on their ages as they'd be mid-30s by the end of next season.

Thinking of options for either in the squad at the moment
RB - Williams, Aina, Montiel - One of these isn't ours and the other is out of contract. Plenty of argument about whether the one left there is a) good enough b) a wing back or a full back. If we keep Aina and Montiel or get in similar/improvement we don't need Aurier.
CM - Yates, Sangare, Mangala, Dominguez, Danilo I think are all ours and all competing for 2 or 3 positions depending on the shape we play. All of those are ours I think so Kouyate would be playing the experienced back up role (and he can also play CB). If we can get younger experienced cover then we don't need Kouyate. But we do need to keep cover in for injuries.

Let's not also forget that these two (as was Lingard last season) are experienced PL performers over several seasons and that helps even if the plan is to bring in players from France, Spain, Germany, Italy top flights and the odd one from Brazil. Plus the language factor would help - if we didn't have Scarpa, Felipe, Danilo at the club how much harder would it be for Murillo, even with the likes of Boly who speak the same language.

 

[Monkman]

CM - Yates, Sangare, Mangala, Dominguez, Danilo I think are all ours and all competing for 2 or 3 positions depending on the shape we play. All of those are ours I think so Kouyate would be playing the experienced back up role (and he can also play CB). If we can get younger experienced cover then we don't need Kouyate. But we do need to keep cover in for injuries.

Those 5 you listed represent cover for injuries. We know the squad is too big, so you can't just have infinite cover. We also have plenty of cover at CB. If we still need Kouyate next year then something has gone wrong with recruitment.

 

[Est.1865]

It would be quite interesting to see a front 4 of
Wood
Dennis MGW Elanga

Might get more out of Dennis in that system.

The major issue with Dennis for me was that he is an absolute liability in defense. He appears to spin on his own planet. Not sure his footballing ‘discipline’ is what Nuno would want.

 

[Est.1865]

Nah, don't need Kouyate or Aurier next season.

Saudi moves in January for both, hopefully from my perspective anyway. They can head off there post AFCON for me.