Stay or go?

[LeeB]

He reminds me of the rabbit caught in headlights analogy. Looks terrified all the time.

Like a Bluenose caught in a trophy room.

Ragraphobia.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

We can't trust Wesley and Davis to get more than about 10-12 between them, so we need to get the best striker we can possibly afford, and another possibly a promising youngster or maybe a veteran who will chip in a few or come off the bench.

How many of that 10-12 are you expecting Davis to get?

He might get the odd one from a goalmouth scramble or a deflection...

[SoccerHQ]

Would try and swop Taylor for a decent up and coming LB from championship.

Lansbury is an obvious one but probably won't be any takers even with just 12 months left on his deal.

Jota might get an offer from Spain.

Would keep AEM around for another 12 months.

His goal run at end of season probably increased Trez fee so thanks for playing huge part in keeping us up but we simply need better out wide than what we've had this season.

Would loan out Davis aswell until January.

All that will probably mean 7-8 new signings. 3-4 to go into first 11 and other half more long term projects. Hopefully all our outfield signings won't be project players which is where it went wrong last summer.

[eamonn]

Sarkic has gone to Wolves? Blimey, is he highly rated or has he been punished for doing something wrong ?

[Toronto Villa]

With the state of Covid impacted finances outside of the PL, it’s not going to be easy shifting some of our players who are of that level. We might be stuck with them if we decide not to accept less than their current value. And that will likely include some form of salary absorption. Players like Taylor, Lansbury or Jota will be on decent PL wages I imagine.

[ROBBO]

Engels has been on the outer, good in the air but very slow. It really comes down to what Jack decides doesn't it?

[algy]

Keepers

Keep - Heaton, Steer, Nyland
Sell - Kalinic

Right backs
Keep - Guilbert, Elmohamady
Sell - Bree

Left Backs
Keep - Targett, Taylor

Central defenders
Keep - Konsa, Engels, Mings, Hause

Central midfielders
Keep - Luiz, McGinn, Hourihane, Nakamba
Sell - Lansbury

Wingers
Keep - Grealish, El Ghazi, Trezeguet
Sell - Jota

Forwards
Keep - Wesley, Samatta, Davis
Sell - Hogan

-
Those sales leave us with a squad size of 21, so 4 incoming players. I'd go 1x forward, 1x winger/attacking midfielder, 1x defensive midfielder, 1x central defender.

That'd hopefully seem like minimal player churn to everyone involved, with the only players moving bring ones who are barely/not playing. Concentrate on bringing in quality rather than quantity - I'd hope most/all of those were in the £20m+ bracket, and at least one in the £30m+ bracket

Only sell Grealish if the money being offered is ridiculous. For me, £150m wouldn't be enough. As has been said elsewhere, he's not only our best player, he's also our most recognisable. I'd assume the owners want to build a 'global brand' or somesuch, in which case he's worth his weight in gold to us. The price should reflect that.

[PaulTheVillan]

GK: Heaton, Steer, Nyland, Kalinic

RB: Guilbert, Elmohamady, Bree

LB: Targett, Taylor

CB: Konsa, Engels, Mings, Hause

MF: Luiz, McGinn, Hourihane, Lansbury, Nakamba

AM: Grealish, El Ghazi, Trezeguet, Jota

FW: Wesley, Samatta, Davis, Hogan




When you look at that it's a miracle we survived

[RamboandBruno]

What would you do?

Current Squad:

1 Tom Heaton (G) keep
12 Jed Steer (G) keep
25 Orjan Haskjold Nyland (G) sell
28 Lovre Kalinic (G) sell
29 Pepe Reina (G) keep if happy to come back
31 Matija Sarkic (G) gone
3 Neil Taylor (D) sell (done ok but need better alternative to Targett)
15 Ezri Konsa (D) keep
18 Matt Targett (D) keep (needs to improve defensively but quality going forwards)
22 Bjorn Engels (D) sell (doesn’t want to be here seemingly-too slow)
24 Frederic Guilbert (D) keep
27 Ahmed Elmohamady (D) keep (old warhorse deserves another year)
30 Kortney Hause (D) keep (understudy)
34 Dominic Revan (D) keep
40 Tyrone Mings (D) keep
61 Myles Sohna (D) Keep
NA Jake Doyle-Hayes (M) gone?
4 Danny Drinkwater (M) gone
6 Douglas Luiz (M) keep
7 John McGinn (M) keep
8 Henri Lansbury (M) sell
10 Jack Grealish (M) keep if possible
11 Marvelous Nakamba (M) keep (understudy)
14 Conor Hourihane (M) keep
17 Trezeguet (M) hmm not good enough but scored vital goes-keep on off chance he can improve
21 Anwar El Ghazi (M) keep understudy
23 Jota (M) sell, skilful but far too lightweight
41 Jacob Ramsey (M) keep
57 Jaden Philogene-Bidace (M) Keep
59 Kaine Hayden (M) keep
60 Carney Chukwuemeka (M) keep
NA Louie Barry (F) keep
9 Wesley (F) keep
20 Mbwana Samatta (F) sell
36 Indiana Vassilev (F) keep
39 Keinan Davis (F) keep (understudy)
51 Cameron Archer (F) keep
58 Aaron Pressley (F) Keep

Doubt there will be six or 7 coming in this summer. Lots revolves around grealish, as much as I’d love him to stay, the situation needs to be sorted out one way or another ASAP, so the club can plan. Need experienced and quality CDM to compete with Mings and Konsa, experienced LB, tough tackling quality CM at least one winger and at least one forward.

[johnny from donny]

1 Tom Heaton (G) stay
12 Jed Steer (G) stay
25 Orjan Haskjold Nyland (G) stay unless there's a great prospect we can develop
28 Lovre Kalinic (G) go
29 Pepe Reina (G) gone
31 Matija Sarkic (G) gone
3 Neil Taylor (D) stay
15 Ezri Konsa (D) stay
18 Matt Targett (D) stay
22 Bjorn Engels (D) go
24 Frederic Guilbert (D)stay
27 Ahmed Elmohamady (D)stay
30 Kortney Hause (D) stay
34 Dominic Revan (D)
40 Tyrone Mings (D) stay
61 Myles Sohna (D)
NA Jake Doyle-Hayes (M)gone
4 Danny Drinkwater (M) gone
6 Douglas Luiz (M) stay (I'd offer Man City a bit of cash to remove the buy back option)
7 John McGinn (M) stay
8 Henri Lansbury (M) go
10 Jack Grealish (M) stay
11 Marvelous Nakamba (M) stay
14 Conor Hourihane (M) stay
17 Trezeguet (M) stay
21 Anwar El Ghazi (M) go
23 Jota (M) go
41 Jacob Ramsey (M)
57 Jaden Philogene-Bidace (M)
59 Kaine Hayden (M)
60 Carney Chukwuemeka (M)
NA Louie Barry (F) stay
9 Wesley (F) stay
20 Mbwana Samatta (F) stay
36 Indiana Vassilev (F)
39 Keinan Davis (F) loan out
51 Cameron Archer (F)
58 Aaron Pressley (F)

I don't know enough about the younger players which is why I haven't commented on them.  Some should be loaned out to get experience, although we need to be careful which teams we deal with (playing style, how much time they will get on the pitch etc.) Davis really needs to go out and get some shooting practice and confidence and ,unfortunately, we can't afford to keep a non scoring centre forward in the team if we want to progress.
A decent bid for Trez would change my mind on him (there's been gossip about interest from Turkey) We should get a profit on Anwar I reckon but a lot of the others we should just take what we can.

[ChicagoLion]

We have some advocating 30 stay which leaves little room for new recruits if it’s a 25 man squad.
AEG Samatta Elmo Lansbury Taylor Hourihane Nyland should go to make room for new recruits, 4 of which need to be first team starters.

[postal]

We shouldn't loan out Davis unless we get another forward in, as Wesley isnt fit yet.
And if Wesley was fit I'd be tempted to cut the loses and get rid. For a forward who couldnt head it's poor beyond belief. It might be a confidence issue.

While there are players who we need to get shot off, we need to be careful of a cut-price cull.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

And if Wesley was fit I'd be tempted to cut the loses and get rid. For a forward who couldnt head it's poor beyond belief. It might be a confidence issue.

It was well documented when we bought him he couldn't head a ball. Stop lumping the ball up to him might go a long way to improve his contribution. Some decent service would be even better.

[postal]

And if Wesley was fit I'd be tempted to cut the loses and get rid. For a forward who couldnt head it's poor beyond belief. It might be a confidence issue.

It was well documented when we bought him he couldn't head a ball. Stop lumping the ball up to him might go a long way to improve his contribution. Some decent service would be even better.

Which shows up:
A panic buy
Didnt excel in his other skills (which are?) Can't shoot....
Couldn't learn, or be trained to head it.

Davies can do all of these, other than frigging score

So thats why I'd cut my loses. Christ, its better to put AEG as a central forward, who at least has pace and gets into the box

[SoccerHQ]

And if Wesley was fit I'd be tempted to cut the loses and get rid. For a forward who couldnt head it's poor beyond belief. It might be a confidence issue.

It was well documented when we bought him he couldn't head a ball. Stop lumping the ball up to him might go a long way to improve his contribution. Some decent service would be even better.

He had one of the assist kings in the league playing directly behind him.

With Wes it's all about movement for me. The amount of time we'd get a decent cross in and he'd be lumbering around on the edge of the box for some reason was incredible. Like Davis I just don't think at this point he has the nous of the runs a forward has to make at times so I'd rather we got in a forward who does.

Samatta in his early games did but no idea what sort of schedule he had during lockdown as he's looked way of it since restart.