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Summer 2021 transfer window

Jabbawolf

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Might be a bit early for this, but I think we really need to have a good vision of where we want to go in the next 2-3 years, and I’m not sure what we thought before this season is still valid.

If we’re going to move to a 4, Coady not really viable as a CH, maybe not Boly too.

Who will provide the creativity behind the forwards?

For the starting XI, I would probably have the following as building blocks -

Rui
Semedo
Jonny
Marcal
Neves
Neto
Podence
Raul

I think the rest needs filling.
 
I'd be monitoring Patricio between now and the end of the season. He's not been close to good enough this season. Far too many goals conceded that should be getting saved and the rest of his game ie kicking, command of area etc are nowhere near good enough to make up for it. It's not an isolated form issue now as it's been going on over half a season
 
Marcal isn't someone to build on, he's a permacroc.

As for the rest, I think with 18 months of lost revenue we've got an issue budget wise. YW thinks our loan to buy options are done deals, if that is the case then that's £56m committed, I can't see there being much left after that. If that's not the case then I wouldn't make Vitinha or RAN permanent, we have more pressing issues to use £38m on. At least one centre half and a box to box midfielder being the two most obvious. I think Traore will be off, but at a lot less than we'd have got a year ago, that's the only significant income i think we'll make.

Ideally
-----------------------Rui----------
-----Semedo----New----New----Jonny
----------------New-----Neves----------
----------------------Raul------------
-------Podence----WJ-------Neto

Some projection on Raul being able to/ wanting to do that role, but if not then it's another hole. Gamble on Boly holding up in a 4 if the budget isn't there for 2 ch's. Podence frustrates me as well, but have to be realistic about how many we can bring in
 
Marcal isn't someone to build on, he's a permacroc.

As for the rest, I think with 18 months of lost revenue we've got an issue budget wise. YW thinks our loan to buy options are done deals, if that is the case then that's £56m committed, I can't see there being much left after that. If that's not the case then I wouldn't make Vitinha or RAN permanent, we have more pressing issues to use £38m on. At least one centre half and a box to box midfielder being the two most obvious. I think Traore will be off, but at a lot less than we'd have got a year ago, that's the only significant income i think we'll make.

Ideally
-----------------------Rui----------
-----Semedo----New----New----Jonny
----------------New-----Neves----------
----------------------Raul------------
-------Podence----WJ-------Neto

Some projection on Raul being able to/ wanting to do that role, but if not then it's another hole. Gamble on Boly holding up in a 4 if the budget isn't there for 2 ch's. Podence frustrates me as well, but have to be realistic about how many we can bring in
If money is tight £38m on RAN and Vitinha would be madness. You don’t put a new bathroom and kitchen in a house where the roof is leaking and there’s strong evidence of subsidence.
 
Might be a bit early for this, but I think we really need to have a good vision of where we want to go in the next 2-3 years, and I’m not sure what we thought before this season is still valid.

If we’re going to move to a 4, Coady not really viable as a CH, maybe not Boly too.

Who will provide the creativity behind the forwards?

For the starting XI, I would probably have the following as building blocks -

Rui
Semedo
Jonny
Marcal
Neves
Neto
Podence
Raul

I think the rest needs filling.

I'd add Silva, RAN, Dendoncker and Vitinha to that as well. Marcal is too much of a crock to stay. Dendoncker can still offer something as a squad player.
 
If we manage to clamber over the line, we're not going to be an attractive proposition for top players who can kick us on again.

I'm much more fearful of losing Neves, Neto and Raul at this stage. Whilst I didn't ultimately have an issue with Jota and Doc going, we've shown that we can be plucked.
 
I’d look to bring in a centre back and attacking midfielder, happy to sell one of the existing centre backs (not Boly), and Donk (as we wouldn’t get anything for moutinho) to help fund it and keep the squad size.
 
I’ll contribute to this thread once we know what division we’ll be in😉
 
I’d look to bring in a centre back and attacking midfielder, happy to sell one of the existing centre backs (not Boly), and Donk (as we wouldn’t get anything for moutinho) to help fund it and keep the squad size.
I don't believe it would happen, but what would we get for Coady from a team with ambitions to play a back 3? (assuming we don't)
 
I didn't see this before I replied to Fred in the Palace Verdict and so...

GK; Rui Patricio, John Ruddy

FB/WB; Ki-Jana Hoever, Nelson Semedo, Marcal, Rayan Ait Nouri, Jonny

CB; Willy Boly, Conor Coady, Max Kilman, Romain Saiss (Donk & Marcal can play here)

Mid; Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Leander Dendoncker (Saiss can play here)

CAM; Morgan Gibbs-White, Vitinha

Wide F; Daniel Podence, Adama Traore, Pedro Neto,

Fwd; Willian Jose, Fabio Silva, Raul Jimenez(inj)

Players who have made the bench/started

Def; Hugo Bueno, Christian Marques, Nigel Lonwijk, Luke Matheson, Lewis Richards

Mid; Luke Cundle, Owen Otasowie*, Taylor Perry, Meritan Shabani,

Fwd; Theo Corbeanu

* A case can be made for Owen to be considered as one of the first XI midfielders now and so we have a “First Team Squad” of 23 plus 9 others that can be considered as live outsiders for the first team so we are hardly at “bare bones” level.

What I will give you though is there must be a question mark over the ability of some of the players listed above. We don’t know if any of the kids are at the required level but we hope at least a few are. We also know that we have reached the stage where the club must seriously look at upgrading some of the first XI.

I’ll say that, for me, we need a keeper that can seriously challenge Rui. John Ruddy keeping a clean sheet against Chorley is no barometer and I’d like to see a young keeper brought in with the view to succeeding Patricio when he is ready ( by "young" mean someone who is in their 20's and has 1st team experience already)

We are pretty well stocked at full/wing back and Jonny can’t get passed fit quick enough! I would like to see a new, experienced (not 18) central defender brought in

Joao Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker are 2 midfielders who, I think, are the easiest to upgrade and we need to sort that position out pdq. We can’t rely on O.O fitting in and playing every game.

The attacking midfield and wide forwards area is pretty well stocked but I’d like to see an experienced central attacking midfielder brought in, one who can do the role that Donk is constantly put in of the “box to box link player”. Won’t be cheap but it needs to happen.

As for the forwards, we are looking pretty good when Raul gets back especially if we sign Willian and if Corbeanu can develop further.

So I think we need a Keeper, CB, CM and a Box to Box type player. We may also benefit from signing someone who cab do the duel CF/WF role
 
i would also love a player like Höjbjerg at spurs doing the dirt work but also contributes going forward
 
GK and CB the priority. CM / CAM a close second.

3 quality players in those positions will make a load of difference
 
GK and CB the priority. CM / CAM a close second.

3 quality players in those positions will make a load of difference
very hard to get a top CB in, all the teams want that
 
I didn't see this before I replied to Fred in the Palace Verdict and so...

GK; Rui Patricio, John Ruddy

FB/WB; Ki-Jana Hoever, Nelson Semedo, Marcal, Rayan Ait Nouri, Jonny

CB; Willy Boly, Conor Coady, Max Kilman, Romain Saiss (Donk & Marcal can play here)

Mid; Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Leander Dendoncker (Saiss can play here)

CAM; Morgan Gibbs-White, Vitinha

Wide F; Daniel Podence, Adama Traore, Pedro Neto,

Fwd; Willian Jose, Fabio Silva, Raul Jimenez(inj)

Players who have made the bench/started

Def; Hugo Bueno, Christian Marques, Nigel Lonwijk, Luke Matheson, Lewis Richards

Mid; Luke Cundle, Owen Otasowie*, Taylor Perry, Meritan Shabani,

Fwd; Theo Corbeanu

* A case can be made for Owen to be considered as one of the first XI midfielders now and so we have a “First Team Squad” of 23 plus 9 others that can be considered as live outsiders for the first team so we are hardly at “bare bones” level.

What I will give you though is there must be a question mark over the ability of some of the players listed above. We don’t know if any of the kids are at the required level but we hope at least a few are. We also know that we have reached the stage where the club must seriously look at upgrading some of the first XI.

I’ll say that, for me, we need a keeper that can seriously challenge Rui. John Ruddy keeping a clean sheet against Chorley is no barometer and I’d like to see a young keeper brought in with the view to succeeding Patricio when he is ready ( by "young" mean someone who is in their 20's and has 1st team experience already)

We are pretty well stocked at full/wing back and Jonny can’t get passed fit quick enough! I would like to see a new, experienced (not 18) central defender brought in

Joao Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker are 2 midfielders who, I think, are the easiest to upgrade and we need to sort that position out pdq. We can’t rely on O.O fitting in and playing every game.

The attacking midfield and wide forwards area is pretty well stocked but I’d like to see an experienced central attacking midfielder brought in, one who can do the role that Donk is constantly put in of the “box to box link player”. Won’t be cheap but it needs to happen.

As for the forwards, we are looking pretty good when Raul gets back especially if we sign Willian and if Corbeanu can develop further.

So I think we need a Keeper, CB, CM and a Box to Box type player. We may also benefit from signing someone who cab do the duel CF/WF role

I agree (I think we all do) . But another factor for me, aside from Nuno, is that I'm far from convinced we'll be able to pull these kinds of first XI signings out the bag in one or two windows.

I've said before, I think our recruitment has been very much a mixed bag while actively in the PL. Our post Championship summer 2018 window was excellent. Since then all we've really added successfully is the two wide forwards and (I guess) Semedo.

Hence us still relying on our Championship centre backs and our very first PL midfield.

Do we have what it takes to spot and then really go for those upgrades/different kind of players we need?
 
Well, a better CB than we currently have
The problem is we don’t really know how good any of the current ones will be in a 4. Boly is probably good enough, Coady probably not, Saiss maybe and I’ve no idea about Kilman. I suspect we’ll go with 5 until we limp over the line and then it will be too late to play 4 and make a proper assessment. I suspect with the right partner Saiss and Kilman would be ok but I’m not convinced that Boly is that man.
 
Marcal isn't someone to build on, he's a permacroc.

As for the rest, I think with 18 months of lost revenue we've got an issue budget wise. YW thinks our loan to buy options are done deals, if that is the case then that's £56m committed, I can't see there being much left after that. If that's not the case then I wouldn't make Vitinha or RAN permanent, we have more pressing issues to use £38m on. At least one centre half and a box to box midfielder being the two most obvious. I think Traore will be off, but at a lot less than we'd have got a year ago, that's the only significant income i think we'll make.

Ideally
-----------------------Rui----------
-----Semedo----New----New----Jonny
----------------New-----Neves----------
----------------------Raul------------
-------Podence----WJ-------Neto

Some projection on Raul being able to/ wanting to do that role, but if not then it's another hole. Gamble on Boly holding up in a 4 if the budget isn't there for 2 ch's. Podence frustrates me as well, but have to be realistic about how many we can bring in
Not sure why we’d have budget issues compared to the rest of the league. We’ve had big sales and a net spend of zero. Our match day revenue is also minuscule compared to the rest as our tickets are relatively cheap and a relatively small capacity. We also have little “corporate packages” where teams make the big bucks.

Add in our small wage bill due to having a small squad and few players over 21, no one on real big money, our increased revenue from two 7ths and the EL, we should come out of this with better a result than probably all of the league. Only really Leicester can equal us or do better due to their sales revenues.

Saying that, if it’s RAN, Vitinha, WJ and little else, we probably shouldn’t be signing all of them. I can’t see that being the case though. But would still be £60m to stand still in the short term.
 
I agree (I think we all do) . But another factor for me, aside from Nuno, is that I'm far from convinced we'll be able to pull these kinds of first XI signings out the bag in one or two windows.

I've said before, I think our recruitment has been very much a mixed bag while actively in the PL. Our post Championship summer 2018 window was excellent. Since then all we've really added successfully is the two wide forwards and (I guess) Semedo.

Hence us still relying on our Championship centre backs and our very first PL midfield.

Do we have what it takes to spot and then really go for those upgrades/different kind of players we need?
Yeah, I agree right back but lets say Fosun have the clout with the Championship losses dropping off the FFP financial list...

We definitely will need a CB, a CM and the Box to Box so 3 signings in the next window. (Get one in before Monday for me on loan with an option if necessary or even possible)

That leaves a GK and Fwd/WA to get the one after (or all in the Summer if we can)
 
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