2023 Summer transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[AV84]

I presume that Zaniolo and Diaby can play the number 10 role, as well as further forward or out wide, but letting Coutinho go does leave us a bit short overall with Luiz, Kamara, McGinn, Ramsey, Dendonker (who Emery made some interesting comments about), Tielemans as mainstay midfield players and then big Tim to cover if he doesn't go back out on loan again.  With some many games to play, we may need another midfielder in too.  Coutinho, Davis, Archer and Bidace going, leaves us with an experienced but lightish squad of only around 21 players if we don't count the likes of Tim and some of the kids.

What did he say about Dendonker and when did he say it?

[ozzjim]

It's all in the Bham mail. Basically he's never found a consistent level and Emery wants him to find it because he thinks he will be useful. Over a 50-60 game season, giving Kamara and Doug some games off is vital, so Dendonker is.

[AV84]

It's all in the Bham mail. Basically he's never found a consistent level and Emery wants him to find it because he thinks he will be useful. Over a 50-60 game season, giving Kamara and Doug some games off is vital, so Dendonker is.

Thanks. I know Donk was off for a bit during preseason, but I'm sure someone said the club socials posted a thing welcoming him back towards the end of preseason. But I don't think we've seen him since in any of the pictures or videos. I wonder is he training with the kids or something?

[paul_e]

There is though. There's 4 spaces, 2 u21s, Mings and Buendia.

That's only in the premier league, in Europe there's 1. Also just because players are technically U21 if they're going to be a consistent part of the squad we have to count them. Marschall is ready to be a 3rd choice keeper, that's he's still only doesn't mean we can sign a new keeper, keep Olsen and push Marschall further away from the squad.

As I've said, I see Coutinho going out as us opening a space for someone a little more versatile and who can cover 2-3 positions (including up front) and I agree with everyone that we should be bringing in a right back but after that it's selling people or leaving first team squad members out of the european squad.

[eamonn]

Are we playing 50, 60 or 70 games this season?! They've all been suggested in the last page. I don't think its possible for us to reach 70, is it?

[Dante Lavelli]

The last two windows suggest Emery likes a lean squad. 

It makes sense too (from his perspective) because if he has X more players then his “mr detail” workload increases.  I feel he is more confident making Konsa a RB for 10 games than having an extra body but no time to hone them tactically.     

[ozzjim]

The last two windows suggest Emery likes a lean squad. 

It makes sense too (from his perspective) because if he has X more players then his “mr detail” workload increases.  I feel he is more confident making Konsa a RB for 10 games than having an extra body but no time to hone them tactically.     

Which is fine if for those ten games you're confident in the centre of defence being solid, but with realistically 3 fit centre halves and Chambers, are we. It might all be OK. Certainly through till Jan, but I don't believe for a second that Emery is 100% happy with the squad as it is.

[Dante Lavelli]

The last two windows suggest Emery likes a lean squad. 

It makes sense too (from his perspective) because if he has X more players then his “mr detail” workload increases.  I feel he is more confident making Konsa a RB for 10 games than having an extra body but no time to hone them tactically.     

Which is fine if for those ten games you're confident in the centre of defence being solid, but with realistically 3 fit centre halves and Chambers, are we. It might all be OK. Certainly through till Jan, but I don't believe for a second that Emery is 100% happy with the squad as it is.

It’s four isn’t it?  Konsa, Chambers, Carlos and Pau.  Plus Feeney/Donk and Kamara as emergency reserve.

[Risso]

Are we playing 50, 60 or 70 games this season?! They've all been suggested in the last page. I don't think its possible for us to reach 70, is it?

League - 38 games
Europe - 15 games if you get to the final
League Cup - 6 games if you reach the final
FA Cup - 6 games if you reach the final

Total games possible, 65 games.
The minimum now is 48. So somewhere between those two numbers. 50+ is certainly very likely.

[algy]

Selling the kids for FFP, moving Coutinho on to remove his wages, potentially moving Digne on for his wages to be cleared off, surely this is leading towards us going hard for a couple of Emery's key targets. Maybe a Foyth who he knows, Fati as a forward option, maybe a couple of loans. There's clearly a strategy at play. We might not see it in full until the next couple of windows, but somethings afoot because we're putting ourselves in a strong place with FFP, but walking a tightrope with the squad depth.

Are we? For me we have the strongest squad I can remember right now:

GK: Martinez, Olsen*, Marschall^
RB: Cash, Chambers*
LB: Moreno, Digne
CB: Pau, Carlos, Konsa, Mings!
DM: Kamara, Donk
CM: Luiz, Tielemans, McGinn
AM: Ramsey, Coutinho, Buendia!
W: Bailey, Bertie*
10: Diaby, Zaniolo
St: Watkins, Duran^

That's a 25 man squad. Yes there are a few of potential weak links (*), a couple of injuries (!) and a couple of U21s(^) who don't need to be registered but that's pretty much a premier league squad.

Getting a right back (and moving Chambers to cover at CB until Mings is fit), and getting someone who can cover Buendia but also be competition for Watkins is about all we could do without starting to see a bomb squad form so aside from those 2 we're pretty much 1out, 1in now in terms of depth. I think it's easy to miss that when we currently have 6-8 players out injured (depending on Emi and whether you count Tim) but the depth is there and will be available in 3-4 weeks time.

I think this is why we're seeing links to people like Coutinho (and previously Digne) going out because we need to create space as much as anything. We already have a bit of a problem in that we can only really name 22 players for Europe (of the 4 home grown in club places we can only fill 1) which means we can only add 1 more  before we are looking at leaving people out of that squad. I think this is also why we've got a few players who can do 2-3 different jobs and Emery has experimented with moving people about at times, to give us a bit more depth without creating problems.

Exactly what I was thinking. Injuries cover up what's a pretty full squad, and one that whatever people think can't grow much for European matches due to a lack of 'homegrown' players.

[stevo_st]

Are we playing 50, 60 or 70 games this season?! They've all been suggested in the last page. I don't think its possible for us to reach 70, is it?

League - 38 games
Europe - 15 games if you get to the final
League Cup - 6 games if you reach the final
FA Cup - 6 games if you reach the final

Total games possible, 65 games.
The minimum now is 48. So somewhere between those two numbers. 50+ is certainly very likely.

Plus internationals which will become more of a problem for us as we raise the quality of the squad

[PaulWinch again]

If we’re selling Coutinho the need for players is even more heightened.

[ian c.]

Ansu Fati is an anagram of Faustian.

Lowering the tone somewhat it's also an anagram of I Fat Anus. Which hopefully, should be join us, isn't prophetic.

[Beard82]

Selling the kids for FFP, moving Coutinho on to remove his wages, potentially moving Digne on for his wages to be cleared off, surely this is leading towards us going hard for a couple of Emery's key targets. Maybe a Foyth who he knows, Fati as a forward option, maybe a couple of loans. There's clearly a strategy at play. We might not see it in full until the next couple of windows, but somethings afoot because we're putting ourselves in a strong place with FFP, but walking a tightrope with the squad depth.

Are we? For me we have the strongest squad I can remember right now:

GK: Martinez, Olsen*, Marschall^
RB: Cash, Chambers*
LB: Moreno, Digne
CB: Pau, Carlos, Konsa, Mings!
DM: Kamara, Donk
CM: Luiz, Tielemans, McGinn
AM: Ramsey, Coutinho, Buendia!
W: Bailey, Bertie*
10: Diaby, Zaniolo
St: Watkins, Duran^

That's a 25 man squad. Yes there are a few of potential weak links (*), a couple of injuries (!) and a couple of U21s(^) who don't need to be registered but that's pretty much a premier league squad.

Getting a right back (and moving Chambers to cover at CB until Mings is fit), and getting someone who can cover Buendia but also be competition for Watkins is about all we could do without starting to see a bomb squad form so aside from those 2 we're pretty much 1out, 1in now in terms of depth. I think it's easy to miss that when we currently have 6-8 players out injured (depending on Emi and whether you count Tim) but the depth is there and will be available in 3-4 weeks time.

I think this is why we're seeing links to people like Coutinho (and previously Digne) going out because we need to create space as much as anything. We already have a bit of a problem in that we can only really name 22 players for Europe (of the 4 home grown in club places we can only fill 1) which means we can only add 1 more  before we are looking at leaving people out of that squad. I think this is also why we've got a few players who can do 2-3 different jobs and Emery has experimented with moving people about at times, to give us a bit more depth without creating problems.

Exactly what I was thinking. Injuries cover up what's a pretty full squad, and one that whatever people think can't grow much for European matches due to a lack of 'homegrown' players.

I think it’s less about the numbers though and more about the quality.  As you say having 5 or so out injured makes the squad look thin but the drop of in a number of positions is huge.  Injuries to Watkins, Martinez potentially could derail a season.  And ithe wingers / second striker could leave us with very few options likewise at right back.   

It’s a strong squad but with the demands that could be placed on it - we could be tight.  I think we’ll see another 1 or 2 in which will probably balance things about right

[Anthenagin]

Ansu Fati is an anagram of Faustian.

Lowering the tone somewhat it's also an anagram of I Fat Anus. Which hopefully, should be join us, isn't prophetic.

Surely I Fat Anus is cover for John McGinn’s arse?!