Squad For Next Season

I know, I'm getting ahead of myself and I don't mind if some want to moan about that.

The club will have two lists for next season's roster. One for the Premier League and one for a continuation in the Championship. I'd like to consider the Premier League squad, as we have a good chance of being there.

So from this season's squad. Who will be able to step up, who do we let go and what areas do we need to improve in.

For me, the biggest area is the central striker position.

We do need to invest and sign a quality striker. Someone like Ivan Toney, if Brentford don't go up, would be ideal. He's going to set us back at least £20m, but that would serve us right for not getting him this season when we had the chance. Cucho may finally make the squad too, which would be a boost. Bringing Geri back is always a possibility as well.

Although central midfield is very good at Championship level, we do need to replace Doucoure and Capoue.

I think we need another central defender too, alongside Sierralta. WTE and Kabs would be my backup players, but I think time has run its course on Cathcart.

So from this season's list, here's my take on who we keep and who moves on.

Goalkeepers
Foster, Dahlberg, Bachmann - All retained. Don't mind keeping Elliot too, but I doubt he'd settle as a fourth choice. If not, he can go.

Left Back
Masina retained. Lazaar can go. Ashley Young to come in?

Right Back
Kiko and Ngakia keep. Navarro to go

Central Defence
Sierralta, WTE, Kabasele, Wilmot all retained. Cathcart can go. Dawson already gone. One new CB required.

Midfield
Hughes, Chalobah, Cleverley, Dele-Bashiru, Quina all retained. Gosling and Sanchez can stay as back up, but we do need at least one more Premier League midfielder coming in.

Left Wing
Pedro, Sema both retained.

Right Wing
Sarr, Zinckernagel both retained.

Forwards
Deeney, Gray, Success & Perica all to go. Big investment required. Maybe Toney?, Deulofeu to come back?, Cucho Hernandez to finally arrive?

Of the others, Pussetto, Penaranda and Sinclair to go.

 

I agree with most of this. Is your decision on Cathcart based on age or ability? I wouldn’t regard him as 5th best of those listed at the moment.

 

If we go up:

GK: Dahlberg, Bachmann, Elliot/Foster

RB: Ngakia, new signing (Kiko has been incredible, but last season he was exposed in defence and two years on I don't think he'll have got any better)

LB: new signing, Masina (can do a job in the Prem, but ideally I'd want someone better. Lazaar surely won't be anywhere near the Premier League next season)

CB: One or two changes at best. Cathcart might not have the legs for the Prem anymore, Wilmot might be best served playing regularly in the Championship, but Sierralta would be a good option and WTE and Kabasele would be OK

CM: Hughes will be in the Prem next season regardless, and will do well. Chalobah maybe too, he is looking more and more a top player with the armband, though Cleverley looked badly out of his depth last season. Zinckernagel might be a good option, but might be needed out wide so we might need someone new. Quina to come back? TDB loaned out to the Championship?

Wingers: Hopefully Sarr would stay, but if not, Zinckernagel is exciting (not that we've seen much of him out there lol). Sema screams squad option, but JP and/or Cucho could be good. Loan out Hungbo, sell Success

Strikers: JP currently the only one who is anywhere close to being Premier League level, and even then, I'm not fully convinced he'd be ready. New signing would be imperative, fob Deeney off to Brum, sell/loan Gray to someone like Derby, Perica back to Europe somewhere

If we stay in the Championship:

GK: Dahlberg, Bachmann, Elliot/Foster

RB: Kiko (if he doesn't fancy going back home), Ngakia

LB: Masina good at this level, Lazaar a mediocre backup but I doubt we'd be able to get anyone any better

CB: No changes required really, just a matter of keeping a hold of Sierralta

CM: Hughes would surely be gone, Chalobah maybe too? Gosling and Cleverley would stay, maybe Sanchez too, although at their ages you wonder if they'd still have the legs. TDB to be an interesting option, and Phillips to feature more too surely, but maybe one or two signings needed here

Wingers: Sarr would be off, but Sema and Zinckernagel are great options at this level. Hungbo to feature more, maybe JP to play there from time to time, slight chance of Cucho but not likely. Success I imagine would still be in limbo

Strikers: JP could be an incredible player at Championship level next season if he's not taken off our hands, I imagine the others we'll be stuck with

 

In an ideal world we get promoted automatically so we can do our work early\pick off those who have been relegated/not promoted.

So who do we need from Sheff U, Wes Brom, Nuke Castle or hopefully Brentford (Toney?) Muff etc

IMV we need a GK (not convinced with Turner Overdrive) a CB to partner FS.
A left back . A replacement for Doucoure who despite his detractors is 2 players
in one . A CF . And a replacement for Delefeou.

 

We need another centre half. Better left back and right back option.

Additional centre mid.

An exciting winger like GD.

A proper decent forward.

Keeper too if you're looking at how long Foster genuinely can play on for?

Some of the older guys, Wilmot, Gray and Deeney can leave if they dont want to play just league cup games. Lol at the like of Sinclair are still here as it is.

 

Would Toney be as cheap as £20m? I genuinely don’t know. He’s very likely going to smash the championship goal scoring record, so basically he’ll be the best striker to ever come out of the Championship. That said if we paid £18m for Gray and ended up paying £30m for Toney, it would be the bargain of the century by comparison.

Either way, if we go up then we simply have to grasp the nettle again and invest in a decent striker, it simply wouldn’t be an option not to unless were deciding to go the Norwich route.

 

Unfortunately, Deulofeu has signed for Udinese permanently - he won’t be back
https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-deulofeu-departs

 

Disappointing however doesn't really mean much given who owns Udinese

 

To expand on my post above, Watkins sold for £28m plus add ons and Benrahma for £25m + £5m add ons, so Toney will be £35m+, he certainly won’t be £20m anyway.

Does Gino spend £30m+ on championship player? I’d say very probably not.

 

My thoughts too Smudger

 

No point in doing this until we know what league we are in next season.

 

I agree I have asked the mods to put my similar thread "Championship Players" in cold storage until the end of the season.

 

It's Udinese.....so anything is possible.

 

Much depends on Sarr

If he stays then we can continue 433, and build the squad for that

If he goes however we won't have any PL class wingers for a 433 and will need to think again

 

In the event of stepping up, I think we'll be looking to loan as much as possible. Someone like Harvey Elliott seems like a Prem level loan next year so could be a good option as one example

 

Would Zinckernagel not be good enough for the Prem? Settling in nicely here, off the back of absolutely ******* all over the Norwegian league

 

Whether we go up or not it would be useful to dip into the loan market again, we're not going to have an awful lot of money to spend either way I don't think. Have to be careful not to get too reliant on loanees because it's kicking the can down the line to an extent

 

I'd love somebody to disclose the fee. A top top player who has starred at Wembley and is every bit as good as Toney, or a fading player not fully recovered from injury who's still living off the reputation he earned playing for massive clubs in La Liga and the Prem?

 

If we get promotion we should try and get Billy Gilmour on loan from Chelsea.

 

Since my daughter has been dating a Olympiacos fan I've seen a fair few matches this season. His players to look ar are:

Mady Camara of Olympiacos. Sure we've been linked with him before. Not as productive this season with goals or assists but is a real driving force in midfield. Imo a good solid Cleverly replacement and a good age at 24.

Christos Tzolis of PAOK left winger and only 19 years old. 16 goals and 9 assist this season. Naturally two footed and is now in the National setup. He said he's the current wonderkid of Greek football and is far too good to be playing in Greece.

Konstantinos Tsimikas who he said is far better than the guy and Norwich and is supposedly not very happy at Liverpool, he has said clubs are looking at making a move for him in the Summer. I've not seen him play but he's said that he is insanely fast, gets up and down the left side all game. Can play in any of those positions down the left which he had to do on occasions for Olympiacos. Saying that he wouldn't come cheap.

He saying Greek teams like most are desperate for money and could see the first two going for around the €10m.

 

That Christos Tzolis sounds a bit good to me.

 

He looks the real deal in all honesty. Sounds like some of the big boys are sniffing around though.

 

The transfer forms may turn out to be crude forgeries, meaning Geri remains a WFC player.

 

Only if written on HSBC headed paper.

 

As most have said we need4 or 5 first team players so existing can revert to back up.

1 x CB
1 x LB
1 x CM
1 x ST

plus Deolefeu.

Pedro will hopefully become our main striker but he’s too young to put that pressure on him just yet . Maybe season after next .

Not sure Cucho will be the answer just yet , he’s managed just 2 goals in 1400 minutes playing time this season, playing primarily as striker.

 

Lookman on loan if Fulham go down, we go up and Sarr leaves

 

He's on loan from RB Leipzig, which is good in a way because we'd be limited in the loans we can have from English clubs

 

If we don't go up and are in need of players....

GK: @Smudger
LB: @lowerrous
RB: @StuBoy
CB: @NathWFC
CB: @Jumbolina
CM: @wfcmoog
CM: @Relegation Certs
LW: @Dorset-Orn
RW: @hornetboy1
STR: @Chumlax
STR: @onion8837

New coach: @Ghost of Barry Endean
New Medic: @I Blame Bassett
New Catering: @HappyHornet24

 

You realise they're all moog?

 

He's got a very reasonable valuation too. But I think Fulham will survive and some of those loans will become permanent for them.

 

I did like the look of Joe Worrall of Forest against us. Showed good pace against Sarr on more than one occasion. But ruined it with a few sloppy passes.

 

The current squad will finish rock bottom of the PL, without major investment we'll be coming straight back down unfortunately.

Enjoy this season whilst it lasts as next season isn't going to be much fun without a complete squad overhaul.