Summer Transfer Thread and Gustavo Cisneros Type Rumours.

[SoccerHQ]

Ollie is great but I still think he lacks a bit of confidence one v one sometimes...hesitates a little and can remember chances going begging v likes of Everton and West Brom when he just had the keeper to beat.

He showed post January he's very good making runs to meet crosses so we have to improve our general crossing and he could get another 4-5 goals that way when you consider VAR robbed him of a couple.

It's more that player to bring off the bench after 60 minutes that quickly gets the pace of the game and is a scoring threat. We did only gain 5 points from losing positions after all last season so it is an issue if we want to keep moving up the table as can't rely on the starting 11 for every single game.

Guess short term plan with what we're signing is AEG and Traore to be impact subs on the hour and perhaps one of the regular CMs aswell if we're signing another, McGinn would be fantastic to throw on for last 25 minutes if we're leading a game 1-0 for example. Given how tired he can get from 70 minutes onwards we need to get out of this mindset of thinking he has to play every minute of every game, it's o.k to rest him from time to time.

Potential bench for next season:

Steer/keeper
Hause
new fullback
Sanson/Mcginn/Carney
El Ghazi
Traore
new CF

[paul_e]

Ollie is great but I still think he lacks a bit of confidence one v one sometimes...hesitates a little and can remember chances going begging v likes of Everton and West Brom when he just had the keeper to beat.

He showed post January he's very good making runs to meet crosses so we have to improve our general crossing and he could get another 4-5 goals that way when you consider VAR robbed him of a couple.

It's more that player to bring off the bench after 60 minutes that quickly gets the pace of the game and is a scoring threat. We did only gain 5 points from losing positions after all last season so it is an issue if we want to keep moving up the table as can't rely on the starting 11 for every single game.

Guess short term plan with what we're signing is AEG and Traore to be impact subs on the hour and perhaps one of the regular CMs aswell if we're signing another, McGinn would be fantastic to throw on for last 25 minutes if we're leading a game 1-0 for example. Given how tired he can get from 70 minutes onwards we need to get out of this mindset of thinking he has to play every minute of every game, it's o.k to rest him from time to time.

Potential bench for next season:

Steer/keeper
Hause
new fullback
Sanson/Mcginn/Carney
El Ghazi
Traore
new CF

Isn't the 9 subs a permanent change? the concussion subs are so I can't imagine the extra spots on the bench aren't staying.

On that basis my bench would be keeper, 2 defenders, 3midfielders/wingers, 1 striker and 2 youngsters.

[SoccerHQ]

No idea Paul, I think it only came in this season because likes of Pep and Klopp were moaning every week about the fixtures so it was a concession for them not getting 5 subs.

Yeah if it stays then you can get likes of Carney, Kesler and perhaps even Louie Barry regularly involved on matchday that way.

[Hockley Lion]

Imagine if we keep Jack and sign JWP. The goals from free kicks alone would get us top 7.

If you just consider how many games Jack missed last season, how many extra points would that have got us? He missed 13 games. Even being conservative that’s worth an extra 8-10 points which puts us in Europa League territory. And that’s before you add in the signing we have made, the ones we hope to make and the improvements of the current squad. Of course the sides above us and around us won’t stand still, but what I hope this does is make us that much more certain (in the positive sense of course) and less volatile or inconsistent as a team week in week out.

Imagine if we keep Jack and sign JWP. The goals from free kicks alone would get us top 7.

If you just consider how many games Jack missed last season, how many extra points would that have got us? He missed 13 games. Even being conservative that’s worth an extra 8-10 points which puts us in Europa League territory. And that’s before you add in the signing we have made, the ones we hope to make and the improvements of the current squad. Of course the sides above us and around us won’t stand still, but what I hope this does is make us that much more certain (in the positive sense of course) and less volatile or inconsistent as a team week in week out.

Spreading the skill, creativity and danger in attack more evenly. There's been too much reliance on Jack's extraordinary ability so far and it's knackered him, but this kind of progress will help to liberate Jack. From what I've read JWP is a decent holding midfielder as well so has real versatility. I'm really liking the way this seems to be coming together. What with Buendia as well it's looking great! Hope it happens, hope there's more to come!

Utv.

[Des Little]

Sounds like JWP isn’t in the 26...let’s go Villa

[paul_e]

No idea Paul, I think it only came in this season because likes of Pep and Klopp were moaning every week about the fixtures so it was a concession for them not getting 5 subs.

Yeah if it stays then you can get likes of Carney, Kesler and perhaps even Louie Barry regularly involved on matchday that way.

I've had a look and can't see anything to suggest that it was temporary. It was announced at the same time as the 'up to 2 additional subs for concussions' change came in and that one will be permanent so I assume they're part of the same package. I may be wrong but I like 9 on the bench but only being able to use 3. Personally I'd like them to stipulate that 2 of them have to be development (U23) players but I can see teams complaining if they did that.

[Drummond]

Sorry to go back again, but any time Mellberg at Right Back is mentioned I just think of our way of getting out of defence... ball to Mellberg and... Hoof...

[nigel]

I’m pretty sure Mellburg played right back for Sweden, when they had a bit of a golden spell.
Very quick for a big chap.

[paul_e]

Mellberg could play right back, he read the game well from there and did his job in defence without any problems, the issue was that he added nothing in the opposition half. Even then that was a huge limitation for a full back.

[robbo1874]

It seems the buendia deal is just waiting for Wednesday to be officially announced and the Ward Prowse one not as far advanced, so obviously scope for it to be derailed. I like the look of JWP though. Similar to Hourihane with his set piece delivery, but with added bite when we’d be up against it. Captain too so obviously a leader. If these two deals come off I’d be happy even if we didn’t sign another player. Anything else happening would be a bonus I think.

[mr underhill]

A few stories circulating that Kodjia may be going to Sheffield United. He was so good for us in his first season.

[johnc]

Not quite in the same bracket as Carew, who only 28 when he joined us. But Mandzukic is a 'name' throughout Europe. Realistically he's now at an age where he couldn't be demanding to start every game and might help bring the younger players on.

For a player with those sort of miles on the clock it depends if they're simply after one last pay day. Or whether -like Terry - they're fired up by the challenge or have designs on a future coaching role.

At the opposite end of the spectrum a player like Eddie Nketiah could be one to work and grow with. Give Arsenal fans another chance to hate us. At £20 million it's nearly good value in a mad market.

Mandzukic would be fantastic

[sickbeggar]

We need cover in defence because any injury to our back 4 and we're threadbare. I'd like a keeper in because Martinez was one of our main contributors to the improvement last season. Shouldn't be too hard to get an experienced old hand in. And of course cover up front for Watkins. I'd need to know he's fully recovered before trusting on Wesley next season, and even then the jury is still out

[paul_e]

No need for a keeper, Steer is good enough to be backup and Sinisalo has just had a very good season on loan in Scotland and should be considered as 3rd choice for now. In defence the only gap is at left back. We have a couple of decent young players there now in Seb Revan and Ben Chrisene but neither would be ready to start a run of games if Targett was out and whilst Hause is good as cover in a game I wouldn't want him starting either. If Engels or Guilbert are sold then they'd need to be replaced.

[itbrvilla]

Whilst it's great to have such a young team with a lot of growth potential, I can't but feel we need an experienced head in the middle of the park. Each of our MFs are good in their own way but it is still a major problem for us.