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

[Mister E]

If you discount the Mings and Buendia situation due a second, most clubs have 5-6 players of their 25 out injured at any one time, I would still argue that squad isn't quite as strong as its being made out. Much of the defensive flexibility is dependent on 3 very high level central defenders being able to function across an ever changing formation. One gets injured, we would be struggling. Konsa or Cash especially lands us in sticky plaster time. We are still a forward player light too.

In my view, EU may well stick with what he has for the time being - across the front, he has Watkins, Zianolo, Diaby, Traore, Dhuran and Bailey, all of whom have some versatility - and there is a lack of obvious incomers (that may change if a deal was struck with Abraham earlier, who is now injured. He might be a January incomer)
With McGinn and Ramsey as wide / attacking midfielders and Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans, Donk and Tim as box-to-box / defensive midfielders, this seems sufficient.
He still has Kellyman, Wilson and O'Reilly as youth wild cards.
Torres and Carlos can cover left CB, and Konsa and Chambers cover the right CB role. Digne, Moreno and Revan cover left back.
So, right FB (and possibly cover for McGinn) would be the obvious place to strengthen right now.

[Villafirst]

Still need another defender and forward - we have potentially 50 plus games to play. Too many outgoings at the moment.

[Beard82]

Cash was in midfield, it was 442.

That’s how I saw it for the first 70 odd minutes at least

[AV84]

Cash was in midfield, it was 442.

That’s how I saw it for the first 70 odd minutes at least

His post match interview basically confirms where he was playing.

[Dante Lavelli]

Cash was in midfield, it was 442.

That’s how I saw it for the first 70 odd minutes at least

His post match interview basically confirms where he was playing.

We love Emery. The owners must too. Training these players so they can play multiple positions means he’s getting value out of every penny spent.

[john2710]

We need another centre half, maybe on loan. Perhaps someone who could also cover right back. I don't think Emery sees Chambers at centre back.

[dave.woodhall]

He could sell the entire squad then pick a team of programme sellers, turnstile operatives and messageboard malcontents and he'd be right. He's Unsi Emery and none of us are.

[danno]

We need another centre half, maybe on loan. Perhaps someone who could also cover right back. I don't think Emery sees Chambers at centre back.

Genuine question, if he doesn’t see him as a centre back, what does he see him as? You think he sees him as a right back? Or a defensive midfielder?

[olaftab]

We were 442 all game.

I must have been watching a different game, as in the one I watched we definitely had three centre halves and two wingbacks.

You are being influenced by the personnel on the pitch rather than actual formation. Konsa  did the RB stuff and Cash attacked Burnley on their left from a midfield position.

[ChicagoLion]

We were 442 all game.

I must have been watching a different game, as in the one I watched we definitely had three centre halves and two wingbacks.

You are being influenced by the personnel on the pitch rather than actual formation. Konsa  did the RB stuff and Cash attacked Burnley on their left from a midfield position.

This is happening a lot, UE usually structures the team around a 4 4 2.
But flexes the positioning subject to the game plan and the situation.

[OCD]

Well, a box midfield.

[not3bad]

This might be a squeaky bum time as the window ends. Emery says we must be ready for action if the right deal(s) to improve the squad come up and of course this is true. At the same time I hear Liverpool are going to make a tilt at taking Luiz off our hands. If they got him in the week before they played us they'd really fuck us over.

Got to trust NSWE to hold firm.

[paul_e]

Well, a box midfield.

That's part of the flexing though, and only happens completely when McGinn if picked on the right.

To put it as simply as possible we defend as a 442 and transition to a 325 in attack. 1 of the reasons we usually build slowly is get everyone into that shape and see how the opposition cover it. Then we move the pieces until a gap appears  it's how most of the top sides are playing over the last 2-3 seasons, the differences are in how you get there.

[Clampy]

This might be a squeaky bum time as the window ends. Emery says we must be ready for action if the right deal(s) to improve the squad come up and of course this is true. At the same time I hear Liverpool are going to make a tilt at taking Luiz off our hands. If they got him in the week before they played us they'd really fuck us over.

Got to trust NSWE to hold firm.

Most likely just idle gossip to make the final few days of the transfer window more interesting, it happens every year.

[AV84]

If Liverpool think they're going to lose Salah after our window closes you never know who they'd be in for this week. But if they were willing to pay ridiculous for Caicedo then they can offer the same for any of ours.