Core For Next Season

Yeah, I'm not sure who's out there so was really just identifying a profile I think we should be after.

Re: Bachmann I agree he was good enough in 2020/21 but he's regressed significantly since then. His distribution last time in the Championship was a real positive but now it's appalling. I don't really understand what the cause of that is as I can't remember seeing it in a keeper before to the extent the coach hooks them from taking their own goal kicks. And there's still the obvious weakness of his constant standing on/behind his line and inability to dominate his box and make the ball his from crosses etc. Unless it's all a mentality issue he can get to grips with over the summer break I can't see him improving.

 

Some of the existing squad is still suitable for effective squad depth and I'll mark them accordingly. For next Season, assuming Pedro leaves this is who I would keep from the current squad:

Goalkeepers:
Hamer (Depth)

CB:
Porteous
Hoedt
Cathcart (Depth, still good at this level)
Sierralta (Depth)

RB:
Ferreira
Ngakia or Gaspar (Depth)

LB:
Morris (Depth)

CM:
Louza
Koné
Choudhury (Activate purchase clause)
Asprilla
Kayembe or Dele-Bashiru (Depth)

LW:
Sema

RW:
N/A

ST:
Davis (Only if can get massively reduced price, max £4-5m and we play 2 striker system)

Sell:
Ngakia or Gaspar
WTE
Kabasele
Kayembe or Dele-Bashiru
Gosling (Contract terminated)
Quina (Would offer contract termination)
Pussetto (Would offer contract termination)
Fletcher (Would offer contract termination)
Bayo

Loan out:
Okoye
Pollock
Hungbo
Kalu

Assuming Wilder stays, we'll need:
1x Goalkeeper
1x LB
2x CB (1x Minimum)
1x CM
1x LW
2x RW
2x ST

 

I would fully get behind having Loris Karius. I think there's a great goalkeeper there, similar to Gomes' maligned time at Spurs. Still has more time on his side vs Gomes too.

 

£6m apparently. Hard working but an awful footballer. Hope we don't sign him

 

Best pure ball winning player in the division, grafts and just as importantly looks to have a good attitude which we sorely, sorely need. Agree fully very limited going forward, but having Louza and Koné next to him on paper makes it worth it for me as he has a good pass tempo if they show for it and can control it well enough. £6m is steep but acceptable.

 

I'd keep him if we could negotiate another loan but there's got to be cheaper options out there on a permanent than him who can also contribute in the attacking phase.

 

One of our PotS, think if we get some creativity around him it'll work, but I can't see us affording £6m, it'll probably be another loan player

The difference is Gomes had a reputation for being a really good keeper on his day, but with a howler in him, whereas Karius is synonymous with 2 howlers in one game (not exactly his fault I might add!) and has played one game in 2 years, it would be a considerably riskier move. Would be well over a deal like Heaton, do United still fancy Bachmann? Would be well up for a swapsie!

 

I remember Foster had a great kick on him when he first rejoined us, but his kicking really regressed the longer he was here, what on earth do these guys get up to in training?

 

I think there could cheaper, more balacned options. Problem is we also need to be mindful of the homegrown quota and Choudhury also fulfils that criteria.

 

The real core for next season is obviously Bachmann, Cathcart, Kabasele, Cleverley and Sema. They will all get new contracts. Everyone else is available for transfer.

I wish I was joking.

 

There's still The Red Lion

 

I can't see JP being here next year. I hope for his sake he leaves and gets some high quality coaching in the EPL as I think the lack of consistent , high quality coaching maybe one of the reasons why Sarr hasn't filled his potential.

 

Karius was pretty good in that one game mind. He's also still just 29 and as such could still become more mature and less error prone in time.

 

Agreed, youth is the way forward with some seasoned pros coming in to guide and assist ie Watson, Hall, Almunia types.

 

I'd guess JP would be £27-35mil, and Sarr anything from £10-20mil, with us most likely receiving about £40-45mil for them both.

If AC Milan really are serious about JP that should be £28-30mil absolute minimum for him alone based on what they've paid recently for similar players (e.g. de Ketalaere).

Sarr is more difficult to predict as a fair bit will depend on how confident a buying club might be that they can get more out of him again, but I can't envisage that being any less than £10mil absolute minimum, even on his current form with 1 year left on his deal.

 

Not sure about the best but is definitely his biggest strength. To be at the top in The Championship though I still feel you need more than that. For £6m (not that we would pay that) I would want more than being good at one thing

 

If we got £35m for Pedro I would say that's excellent business and for his sake I hope he gets a big move like Milan. As for the rest, Sarr will obviously go but would like to keep Porteous, Kone, Louza, Sema and Asprilla. The rest I'm very meh about

 

I can't believe for a second we will get £35m for Pedro given his record over the last 3 seasons. Very talented but with little end product and currently not "tearing up" the Championship for a mid table champ side. I'd be surprised if we get more than £25m.

 

I think Sarr will go for about £15m, he's been ***** recently but he's got a decent enough track record, but I think we're overestimating JP's value to other clubs, even though he'll go on to have a better career, I'd be surprised if we got much more for him than Sarr

 

Sadly I agree, as much as I like him. I think with the financial **** we'll be in, nothing less than prime Deeney/Ighalo/Abdi level is good enough for £6m!

 

Did Gomes come straight from Tottenham or from someone else in between? It's a market we're not making good enough use out of at the moment, OK, we signed two players from Tottenham last season who ended up being busts, but who was the last player we got from Arsenal? I make it Bellerin or Park Chu-Young on loan 9 seasons ago (barring U23s)

 

Almunia ?

 

Walcott?

 

I think most would agree that in terms of defence & midfield those group of players is what we will be building around annd it is pretty much what we've been putting out every game this season anyway which is a positive in terms of the rebuild. Should let us focus on properly rebuilding the attack

 

Cliff Holton?

 

Welbeck, isn’t it?

 

Well I don't know about the rest of you but I'm salivating at the prospect of a Bayo, Fletcher and Assombolonga (when we take up the option) front three being served up chances on a plate by Hungbo and Quina.

 

Motherf*ckers act like they forgot about Rey

 

It’s a shame.

 

I think you and I are the only ones who remember that album.

 

Who to? QPR over 50's?

 

Almunia was before those two

 

I think peak value we could’ve got for Pedro was what Newcastle were offering, he’s not done much since to increase that and if anything I think he’s probably negatively affected that since. I get that he might flourish more surrounded by better players, but equally good players can still flourish in average and poor teams, otherwise no player would ever stand out in any team that wasn’t full of good players. Plenty of players have had significantly better stats in championship teams and not gone for more, or much more than £30m in recent years. He’s elevated in our minds because he’s the best player in a distinctly average bunch, which is always the way it is with players from your own team.