Summer transfer, gossip, speculation and the usual butter ollocks thread

[SoccerHQ]

Outside of the usual suspects in 6th or 7th, the rest of the league is much of a muchness, so a solid midtable position shouldn't be asking for too much.  We need a lot more pace in the side, and obviously a front three worthy of the name.

We've finished 19 points off 10th place. Everton in 12th also got 15 more point than us and we took 4 off them.

We'd have to sign incredibly well to have a small chance of top 10 next season particularly as we'll likely lose our best player.

I'd be happy just being 10 points clear of relegation.

I think our first signing of this summer will be Axel Tuanzabe anyway. Just seems an obvious move now with us staying up.

Yep, we beat Everton, Palace, Burnley, Brighton, Newcastle, Arsenal. There is a gap from us to them to varying degrees but it's not huge. We have a year of PL experience and we will be less naive from the manager through whoever remains at the club. Experience and savvy can be acquired but it's mostly earned. We will have more of that going into next season. What we don't need is more average 10-15m players. We need 4 or 5 very good players of the Douglas Luiz standard and price if we can find them.

Hopefully we can learn how to hang onto a lead, extra 10 points and mid 40s is what I'd settle for next season so well clear of relegation.

This end of season reminds me a bit of 12/13.

We looked dead and buried by the start of March and then went on a really good run playing decent attacking football. Had a spine of Guzan-Vlaar-Delph and front 3 of Weimann-Benteke-Gabby which is a much better front 3 than what we have now.

That summer we signed Okore, Luna, Bacuna, Helenius, Tonev and Kozak.

Please please please let's not make the same mistake again. It's easy to forget in the euphoria we didn't come close to getting 40 points. Next season is going to be another massive slog unless we sign well.

[simboy]

A positive goal difference would be what I’d settle for.

[paul_e]

I think the most important thing to remember now we're done is that in the last 10 games we conceded 11 goals, with 7 coming in the 3 games against top 4 sides. That defensive stability will go a long way to earning us the points to not need to worry about the bottom of the table.


Add a couple of players to help win the ball back higher up the pitch and take advantage of the counter-attack and adding 10-15 points to our total isn't anything like as big a job as some think. There are very few games where we haven't been in it with a few minutes to go so we haven't been far off all year.

[UK Redsox]

A positive goal difference would be what I’d settle for.

A positive goal difference would mean being pretty close to a European place

[simboy]

A positive goal difference would be what I’d settle for.

A positive goal difference would mean being pretty close to a European place

Still say that should be the aim.

[Steve67]

I don't think we want or need Tuanzebe.  No better than what we already have in Konsa. 

[N'ZMAV]

it's all about 2 strikers - how we've stayed up this season with a dog shit forward line is beyond me.

[Risso]

Really hope Man City don't buy back Luiz.  Whether Jack stays or not, he should be the fulcrum of our midfield next season.  He does appear to have everything in his game, and since the restart he's been our best player by a wide margin.

[hilts_coolerking]

I think we need 3 new midfielders to improve the supply to our strikers, and we need two top class strikers to put the chances away.  I don't think we should really be looking to give AEG and Trezeguet, or Samatta and Keinan many PL starts next season.

[simboy]

it's all about 2 strikers - how we've stayed up this season with a dog shit forward line is beyond me.

Ironic that we scored more than Bournemouth and Watford really then? We have had a shocking defence.

[Steve67]

I think we need 3 new midfielders to improve the supply to our strikers, and we need two top class strikers to put the chances away.  I don't think we should really be looking to give AEG and Trezeguet, or Samatta and Keinan many PL starts next season.

It's a good point Hilts and we also have to be mindful of the five subs rule as this looks set to stay in place.  At the current time, we really only have Davis and Nakamba, Engels, Hause and Elmo with any clue as to what is required of them.  Players like Henri, Taylor, Jota et al don't add a single thing, so we have to make sure that we develop the kids and sign uplifts for those named.  Also, to be fair, the Nakamba's of this world also haven't set it alight and may need a bit more time to grow into being a Premier Division player. 

[Mister E]

2 strikers, 2 MF and a replacement LB to put pressure on Targett. New reserve keeper also required.
I'd move out: Nyland, Kalinic, Lansbury, Jota, Samatta, Taylor. I'm assuming Grealish goes.
I'd be putting Trez, Nakamba and AEG on notice that much improvement is required or they'll also need to be moved on.

I'd also be looking at the backroom staff to ascertain how the improvements in the mini-league were achieved compared to pre-lockdown, because I want more reassurance that our fitness and our tactics, set-pieces need to improve,.

[ez]

I'm looking forward to seeing how ambitious we are with new signings.

[cdbearsfan]

Have we not fucking signed anyone yet? This transfer window is a disgrace. 😡

[SoccerHQ]

Have we not fucking signed anyone yet? This transfer window is a disgrace. 😡

It's not open until midnight. (wink).

Don't worry Suso is on the blower to Club Brugge's reserve team so we'll sign one soon enough.