Summer 2017 Transfer Speculation
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Comments
If Adrian does go we need a keeper but otherwise I'd be perfectly happy to start next season with the team we have right now. I'd give Calleri another year loan deal, give him and Fletcher some proper playing time.
After the disappointment of Zaza and the ructions of Payet give the team a chance to settle
We need to improve squad wise and this is one of the positions we need to do it in. If we don't improve in the key areas we will probably stand still which could mean another relegation scrap.
the main priority.
If we need a new keeper we're going to have to look beyond the obvious
Garioud
Defoe
Trippier
#IMO
3 or 4 keys players in.
The loanees back to their parent clubs. (I don't want any of them).
Put Valencia , Sahko and Carroll on auto trader.
Cullen, Burke and Oxford promoted to the senior squad.
Give it up, just develop the team we have and look for a mid-table finish.
Also don't get the doom and gloom on the keeper front. I would have thought the club have already done a lot of leg work on that front already. So what if Everton have put in a bid for Pickford? Doesn't mean we can't join the race if we wanted to. True Koeman is a draw but he will be Everton for a maximum of one more season IMO. Lukaku will likely be off this summer. So it'll be tough for them too.
If that's the case you probably need:
GK x2, DC x5, RWB x2, LWB x2, DM x2, MC x2, AM x5, STx3
Based on that, I think we need a RWB & ST to bring the numbers up to scratch, and then you're looking at better quality replacements (GK).
But I think everyone is in agreement with a Striker and RB is first on the list.
I think there are arguments that we could improve in every position, but (as you say) it's about prioritising the right areas.
Position wise, I would probably prioritise in this order:
RB > ST > GK > AM > DM > MC > DC > DL
Probably ST>RB>ST (we need 2 imo)>GK would be my priorities.
MC refers to a Scottish player most likely Snoddy
DC is an American transfer target. Pulisic?
DL is the player in the squad that will eventually come out as gay after they've retired. Im guessing most teams will have one at least.
#simple
........ Fonte....Reid.....Ogbonna
Antonio..............................Masuaku
............ Kouyate.....Obiang
.................... Lanzini
............. Ayew......Carroll
Fernandes Cresswell Byram Nordtveit Fletcher Oxford Fegouli
Recent Acquisitions:
Ayew – Perhaps will not be an every week starter when we have a largely fit squad (and we’ve brought in 2 amazing strikers). For the time he’s been in the team, which isn’t that much, he’s still banged a few goals in which sadly others haven’t
Nordtveit - I believe will work out as a decent squad player
Snodgrass - Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. There’s a player who’d consistently scored and assisted for more than one club before he arrived. He hasn’t done it for us though
Feghouli - has decent pedigree but hasn’t done an awful lot. To be fair he hasn’t had a lot of opportunity either. He was a free and, with a decent pre-season could easily come good and be a dangerous off the bench player or starter if he recaptures Spanish form. If not, at least we’ll make a profit on him
Calleri - Hes still young and there are things to his game that are good. I don’t know if practice sharpens up your finishing but it worked for Lampard Jr. I don’t want to write him off, especially if he’s given a contract, (recent comments suggest he may very well be offered one) but I’d say Fletcher looks more of a forward than him.
Fletcher - If he gets some games in either here or on loan, I believe we’ll see why he was so highly rated at Man Utd. He’s got skill, movement a bit of pace and with those games I’d guess finishing too
Other comments:
I’d be interested to see how Ogbonna gets on in a back three with Reid and Fonte
Arthur Masuaku looks like a decent LB or LWB with plenty of potential and he didn’t cost a lot either like Cresswell which is a bonus.
For me, Nobes isn’t a first teamer when we’ve got Obiang and Kouyate fit. He’s a tackling liability, lacks pace and his control recently has even been questionable (maybe rustiness?) For defensive MF cover I’d rather have Nord. For a most progressive MF change I’d rather have Fernandes. I’ll not make many friends saying it but Noble has heart and pride but I don’t think he can justify a first 11 place anymore and isn’t even on my bench.
Priorities and movement:
I believe we could do with 2 new strikers, not 1. Defoe hopefully one of them because simplistically he’s still fit, motivated to go to the World Cup and he knows where the goal is! A Bats loan to buy would be nice. Or perhaps Perez at Arsenal?
RB/RWB competition for Byram (no suggestions as to who that is though) as although I’d have Antonio at RWB to fit him in team above, he can obviously play elsewhere too. RWB ok but not RB. In that team above, bringing on Byram and shifting Antonio up field (e.g. where Ayew is) is always an option
Try and shift Sakho and (reluctantly) Carroll for reasons plenty of us have already commented on. I doubt we’ll be able to get rid of both however.
If we can get our money back on Snoddy, I’d sell. I think clubs would want him still and I don’t think long term he’s a first teamer for me
Not sure if Randolph will want to be back at 2nd choice but Adrian has kept the clean sheets. He may also be off so I’d imagine we’re looking at perhaps a new keeper coming in whether it’s a first or second choice one.
.....................Adrian
........ Fonte....Reid.....Ogbonna
Antonio..............................Masuaku
............ Kouyate.....Obiang
.................... Lanzini
............. Defoe......Batshuyai
Lanzini
Antonio
Obiang
Reid
Masuaka - Odd one I know but think he's class and we also have Cresswell so LB really isn't a worry
I think that Kouyate and the Ogbonna of the season before this could also be included in this list
Think if we can keep these 7 positions and focus on the others, particularly RWB and Striker
Adrian
Fonte - - - Reid - - - Ogbonna
Byram - - Obiang- Kouyate - - Masuaka
Ayew - - Antonio - - Lanzini
That's probably our best XI (gonna exclude Andy as essential just never fit)
Think the people who we can upgrade over is, in order:
1. Ayew - Get a striker and push Antonio to RW
2. Byram
3. Adrian
4. Fonte - He is 33 and can't go on forever
This squad isn't awful, just full of players that are all at the same level
Need more firepower that a given, we are light with natural strikers and have to accept Carroll and sakho aren't the solution
Lanzini's contract runs to 2020 and Antonio's to 2019.
It would be nice to get them both on new 5 year deals, but it's not until next summer that we will have a decision to make about Antonio, IMO.