Squad 2023 - 2024

Or maybe it’s further evidence that our media ‘team’ is actually a collection of semi-literate interns?

 

They've just been told they have to pay for their own professional photos.

 

Yes, we were cruising at Villa Park when he came on for his debut and he spent the next 20-30 minutes cacking his pants and we nearly ended up f**king it. I think that was his only appearance for us.

 

He had a fairly successful career at Cluj in the Romanian league in the end.

 

We look a lot more healthy with the team balance with these signings. Just need an LB as a critical position and preferably an ST and a CB

 

Bachmann

Ferreira/Andrews Porteous Sierralta Morris

Kone Asprilla Louza

Martins Wesley Chakvetadze

As of right now, I would still say we’re a GK, LB and DM away from having a solid starting 11.

Unfortunately it appears that we’re stuck with Bachmann. Add a LB and DM though and all of sudden I’m a little bit more hopeful.

 

We got promoted before with Bachmann in goal tbf. Maybe having a (hopefully) more solid style of play will help him.

 

That's a horrendously weak midfield.

 

Whatever happens I hope we finally sort out our disgraceful shirt numbers. Look at the #1-20:
1 Bachmann
2 Ngakia
3
4
5
6 Louza
7
8
9
10
11 Kone
12 Sema
13 Ferreira
14
15
16
17
18 Asprilla
19 Bayo
20

Far too many gaps. Plus the likes of Porteous, Kone and Hoedt all have weird numbers that don’t suit their position.

 

Hoedt is now wearing 4 thankfully. Think Healey is taking 14?

 

Couldn't agree more. I'm a squad number geek and the lack of 1-11 assigned is dreadful. Hoedt getting 4 is an improvement, but Porteous not taking 5 is disappointing. Furious.

 

I'm going to include players it looks like we're getting, even if they're not yet announced, in the list below, and have broken it down to their positions on the field.

Goalkeepers
Bachmann, Hamer - Need another keeper for sure, as neither of these fill me with confidence, certainly not as a sweeper keeper.

Left back
Lewis, Morris - I feel Lewis does upgrade our options here, and Morris has proved to be capable. We have Sema as an emergency cover too, so I feel this area is ok.

Right back
Ferreira, Andrews, Ngakia - Probably our stronger area on the pitch. I'm really impressed with Andrews and Ferreira has some good qualities too. Ngakia is there for cover, but if we're being ruthless, I don't think we need him and he should go.

Centre back
Hoet, Porteous, Sierralta, Pollock - With letting WTE, Cathcart and Kabs go, we've left ourselves very short in this area, especially if VI want to deploy a three or use Sierralta as a number 6. At least one, if not 2 more players required for this position.

Defensive midfield
Livermore - We desperately need better than him for this position. One more DMF needed.

Central midfield
Kone, Kayembe, Louza - Although I'd like a little more muscle in this area. Not sure we'd be getting it though, but I'd go for a physical CMF.

Advanced midfield
Asprilla, Chakvetadze - I feel we have good options here, Ince can also fill in this position too.

Left Wing
Martins, Sema, Baah - We're ok in this position. Don't think there is a need for Baah and I would expect him to leave.

Right wing
Ince, Kalu - Shame Blake left us, as I think he could have been useful to us, however, I think we've probably got enough for this position.

Central striker
Wesley, Adeyemo, Hurtado - Definitely need another viable target man around the place. Akor Adams would be ideal.

Secondary striker
Bayo, Healey - My gut feeling is these guys won't score too many. Can't see us bringing in another player for this position, so we'll probably have to make do.

So, in summary, even if we do sign Lewis, Chakvetadze and Wesley we still need a keeper, at least 1 CB, DMF, CMF and a central striker. At least four more players in addition to the three I mentioned.

 

Goalkeeper isn't going to happen I think. Almost no rumblings I think at any point during the off Season there and we've already binned off Okoye in one form or another. Wesley, Bayo and Healey will be supplemented by the youth strikers; we won't spend money trying to source anymore because the money isn't there. CB, CDM, CM should be the priority areas. If we can stretch for a GK and another ST it would be nice but not essential.

 

Wasn't Ferreira playing LB on Saturday?

 

Probably trying him out to see if he can play in that position and gives him minutes. Andrews looks like is a starter to me, which would block Ferreira's path.

 

I want to say he may have played there against Borehamwood Wood but I'm not certain.

 

Everything about Ferreira just screams Kiko clone

 

Borehamwood Wood!! Is that Edward Woodward’s favourite team?

 

Could he play RM ahead Andrews if we play 4 at the back ?

 

I posted elsewhere yesterday that Kabasele had been until yesterday our second most productive goalscorer of players currently on our books.

So with his departure, this is how it now looks..

11 Sema

5 Louza

2 Porteous. Sierralta

1 Asprilla. Hoedt. Dele-B. Ferreira

I know obviously we will start the new season with several new forward players and by this time next year that list will look totally different.

But it does highlight the concerns of those who think goals could be a big problem this year. Stuart Pearce said something interesting yesterday on the radio, namely that every goal scored is usually worth a point over a season. Fingers crossed the new signings fire, and that several existing members of the squad will step up too on front of goal.

 

This has been a long held concern for me. I just can't see where the goals are coming from this season. I don't see anymore than 35 goals to be honest, which is why I believe we're going to struggle. Even if you add Bayo, Healey and Wesley (if we do sign him) into the mix, they probably won't score more than 20 between them. Ince and Martins will probably chip in, but I cannot see anyone getting double figures. The goal output from Pedro, Sarr and Davis will be badly missed. We under scored last season, but they contributed 28 of the 56 goals we scored last season (50%). I don't see Bayo, Healey and Wesley filling that gap at all. We need a lot more firepower. It all depends on what the owner really expects this season? A play off push or survival. For me it looks like survival, but I would think he'd measure VI by a playoff push. You can't win games without scoring goals. I'm hope they find at least one clinical poacher type who has a good track record of taking chances.

 

Fair points, but I also think it’s crucial to have a strong hold-up forward to glue the attack together. This player doesn’t have to score loads of goals, just a reasonable share. I have no idea if Wesley would be that player.

 

I can’t disagree with this .That’s also my biggest concern . Assuming we make some of the signings we are expecting we may well be competitive but not entirely sure where the goals are gonna come from . We may well concede more as well with the high press .

There are some somewhat unknown quantities i. there such as Healey, Martin’s ,Kone , who may surprise us , but yes I worry we will struggle to put the ball in the back of the net .

 

Flaws in the squad are very obvious and doesn't take a genius to work it out, I think we can all see it and have done since last season but oddly the club can't or won't. Although probably constrained by having **** all money.

Hopefully we're all wrong (as most of us usually are on here) and somehow Manga and co have developed a squad that will surprise us.

 

For me, unless anything drastically changes, Gino is just not willing to invest anymore, even by using the club's own money. Everything is going towards the debt (I assume) and virtually nothing towards the playing squad. The past 4 years has shown he's not the shrewd operator I once thought he was. I've taken a 180 turn on him and his ownership model now. He appears to be just strangling the club, whilst Udinese continue to increase an already bloated squad which will probably do well next season. We're being stripped down to the bone. It's not working anymore, and I feel by the time the window closes fans will be demanding he goes, with even more conviction than last season.

This is the window to put things right. A good clear out was needed, and to be fair that is happening, but we also need to invest in quality as well as strong characters. The Championship is not a Micky Mouse league anymore.

Maybe this window is a sign that he's preparing to sell-up. That would explain why he's not investing and why players (even the crap ones) are being switched to Udinese?

 

We are just getting the squad cost down to something that get close to break even at champ level. It was always going to look threadbare in places and the quality of the first XI was always going to be well below last year. Agree we could do with a few streetwise champ players to beef up what looks like a very lightweight team for a manager who wants us to fight for every ball.

 

I don't think it's a case of not being willing to invest, or wanting to sell up ,there just isn't much money ,as we all know. We have been told they are clearing the debt ,which appears to be the case. This is the sensible and right thing to do , rather than continuing to build up unsustainable debt. I don't have a problem with this personally. In the mean time I hope we will be bringing in some Manga type signings that will be fairly cheap but enable the squad to evolve into one that can make a serious challenge for promotion within a few years. I say hope because I have no idea how likely this is to happen.