Summer Transfer Window

[EFC-Paul]

16 hours ago, StevO said:

We need a striker. If Moshiri is serious I think the summer we will need our Robinho. Not so much an expensive flop, but a player to make the world take notice. That player needs to be a striker though. We need to have someone taking chances on a very regular basis. 

After that it’s just looking for the next player to replace with more quality. 

Timo Werner would be the kind of signing that I think would do that, I said in the January thread he's the type we should be aiming for in summer 

[StevO]

57 minutes ago, EFC-Paul said:

Timo Werner would be the kind of signing that I think would do that, I said in the January thread he's the type we should be aiming for in summer 

As good as he is, I don’t think he would be the kind of statement that would make everyone look. Wouldn’t happen, but a name like Diego Costa (though he would be an amazing signing). 

[markjazzbassist]

18 minutes ago, StevO said:

As good as he is, I don’t think he would be the kind of statement that would make everyone look. Wouldn’t happen, but a name like Diego Costa (though he would be an amazing signing). 

agreed.  i want want someone better than werner.  

[pete0]

Balotelli is on a free. Worth a one year deal. He's class when he's arsed, playing in France might have helped humble him. 

[Matt]

3 minutes ago, pete0 said:

Balotelli is on a free. Worth a one year deal. He's class when he's arsed, playing in France might have helped humble him. 

Fuck no

[markjazzbassist]

no

[EFC-Paul]

1 hour ago, markjazzbassist said:

agreed.  i want want someone better than werner.  

Not many better that are feasible imo he's also very highly regarded 

I get what you and Steve mean though I just can't think of many 

[Bailey]

27 minutes ago, EFC-Paul said:

Not many better that are feasible imo he's also very highly regarded 

I get what you and Steve mean though I just can't think of many 

No I cant think of many either. There almost needs to be Giroud / Morata situation but with guys that score goals.

[EFC-Paul]

Dries Mertens would be a massive coup contract runs out in 2020 I wouldn't be surprised if the big guns come calling in the summer though 

 

[Sibdane]

Only problem with Mertens is he'll be 32 in May. I'm not one to normally worry about age, but that's big risk. His output has dropped slightly since 2016-17 season.

[EFC-Paul]

2 hours ago, sibdane said:

Only problem with Mertens is he'll be 32 in May. I'm not one to normally worry about age, but that's big risk. His output has dropped slightly since 2016-17 season.

I had to check I didn't realise he's that old he only looks young scrap that one then 

Immobile or Icardi would be what I'd love to say but I know we've zero chance of either 

Werner or Lozano for me or like Bailey said take a punt on a player not quite firing for another side but has the ability and may do well elsewhere

[markjazzbassist]

19 minutes ago, EFC-Paul said:

I had to check I didn't realise he's that old he on only looks young scrap that one then 

Immobile or Icardi would be what I'd love to say but I know we've zero chance of either 

Werner or Lozano for me or like Bailey said take a punt on a player not quite firing for another side but has the ability and may do well elsewhere

Immobile or Icardi yeah now we are talking.  a couple sleeper picks would be Maxi Gomez from Celta Vigo, Santi Mina from Valencia.  I'd take Rashford from United as well.

[nyblue23]

I still think Onyekuru will be class if he's ever allowed to play for us. Not to say it wouldn't be nice to have another striker, but if he gets his work permit, but I think we'll find ourselves in a pretty good position next season if we're able to retain Gomes and sign a replacement for Coleman.

[EFC-Paul]

1 hour ago, nyblue23 said:

I still think Onyekuru will be class if he's ever allowed to play for us. Not to say it wouldn't be nice to have another striker, but if he gets his work permit, but I think we'll find ourselves in a pretty good position next season if we're able to retain Gomes and sign a replacement for Coleman.

Slipped my mind tbh he does look a talented lad 

[Palfy]

Everton were watching Argentinean Sala play the other night valued at around 25million it's a big gamble for that sort of money that they come good, we haven't been very successful with the last crop for around that sort of fee namely Niasse Sandro and Tosun, wouldn't we be better off going for proven strikers in the top flight of football than taking gambles on the lower end, after all we've already wasted three seasons of improvement on strikers that haven't made the grade.

[markjazzbassist]

emiliana sala for nantes?  he's scoring at will there.  so is nicholas pepe for lille.  that league doesn't translate well in terms of strikers (thauvin at newcastle) sadly, but in Brands we trust so let's hope so.

[AlbanyNYToffee]

Depth reminder:

GK: Pickford/Stek/JVirginia

RB: Coleman/Kenny/Martina

CB: Keane/Mina/Holgate/Pennington

LB: Digne/Robinson

Holding Mid: Gana/Davies/McCarthy/Beni/Schneiderlin/Besic/JWilliams

Attacking Mid: Gylfi/Vlasic/Dowell

Wingers: Richarlison/Walcott/Bernard/Lookman/Onyekuru

ST: DCL/Tosun/Niasse

 

Jags, Baines, Williams contracts expire

Zouma, Gomes loans end

Useless back from loan - Bolasie, Sandro, Connolly, Garbutt, Mirallas, Tarashaj

 

[Finn balor]

I forgot about Bolasie Jesus how we going to get rid of him?

[Bailey]

Martina on loan too at the moment

[AlbanyNYToffee]

Where do we go from here? The best teams only make 1-2 changes to their starting XI. I'd like to see us do the same assuming you don't consider signing Zouma and AGomes as new signings, who I'd like to see sign permanently. For me we should be focusing on RB and ST this summer. 

Pickford, Keane, Zouma, Digne, AGomes, Gana, Siggy, Richarlison, Lookman go into next year as starters.

Good enough cover given our situation: Mina, Coleman, Kenny, Holgate - defense. Davies, McCarthy, Besic - midfield. Bernard, Onyekuru, Walcott, Vlasic - attacking. DCL, Tosun - striker.

 

Gone via contract expiry: Jags, Baines, AWilliams, Connolly

Get rid: Garbutt, Mirallas, Tarashaj, Martina, Bolasie, Sandro, Schneiderlin, Pennington, Niasse

 

Depth reminder:

GK: Pickford/Stek/JVirginia

RB: NEED STARTER/Coleman/Kenny

CB: Zouma/Keane/Mina/Holgate

LB: Digne/Robinson

Holding Mid: AGomes/Gana/Davies/McCarthy/Besic/Beni/JWilliams

Attacking Mid: Gylfi/Vlasic/Dowell

Wingers: Richarlison/Walcott/Bernard/Lookman/Onyekuru

ST: NEED STARTER/DCL/Tosun

 

 

[DownUnderToff]

40 minutes ago, AlbanyNYToffee said:

Holding Mid: Gana/Davies/McCarthy/Besic/Beni/JWilliams

I'd add a new, starting, holding mid to that.  I'm assuming PSG, or similar, come back in for Gueye and I'd expect Besic to go.  Would love it if one/both of Beni and Williams could step up.

[Btay]

37 minutes ago, DownUnderToff said:

I'd add a new, starting, holding mid to that.  I'm assuming PSG, or similar, come back in for Gueye and I'd expect Besic to go.  Would love it if one/both of Beni and Williams could step up.

Problem is with that list - if Gana goes he is the only one who offered any form of consistency. The two young lads can go on loan, if Jmac is a great opinion off the bench and Davies needs to start delivering consistently or he may need a loan.

I still hope we sign Gomes.

As you say sign a RB and Striker and then let’s see what we can do.

[Bailey]

1 hour ago, AlbanyNYToffee said:

Where do we go from here? The best teams only make 1-2 changes to their starting XI. I'd like to see us do the same assuming you don't consider signing Zouma and AGomes as new signings, who I'd like to see sign permanently. For me we should be focusing on RB and ST this summer. 

Pickford, Keane, Zouma, Digne, AGomes, Gana, Siggy, Richarlison, Lookman go into next year as starters.

Good enough cover given our situation: Mina, Coleman, Kenny, Holgate - defense. Davies, McCarthy, Besic - midfield. Bernard, Onyekuru, Walcott, Vlasic - attacking. DCL, Tosun - striker.

 

Gone via contract expiry: Jags, Baines, AWilliams, Connolly

Get rid: Garbutt, Mirallas, Tarashaj, Martina, Bolasie, Sandro, Schneiderlin, Pennington, Niasse

 

Depth reminder:

GK: Pickford/Stek/JVirginia

RB: NEED STARTER/Coleman/Kenny

CB: Keane/Mina/Holgate

LB: Digne/Robinson

Holding Mid: Gana/Davies/McCarthy/Besic/Beni/JWilliams

Attacking Mid: Gylfi/Vlasic/Dowell

Wingers: Richarlison/Walcott/Bernard/Lookman/Onyekuru

ST: NEED STARTER/DCL/Tosun

 

 

Its a bit scary when you look at the list as to how many are genuine top 10 premier league players, let alone top 6.

I would go:

Pickford, Digne, Gylfi, Richarlison, Bernard.

Gana is there or thereabouts, Keane, Lookman and Walcott would be good bench options.

Davies is very much open for debate, as is Mina, Coleman and Kenny.

 

[Btay]

2 hours ago, Bailey said:

Its a bit scary when you look at the list as to how many are genuine top 10 premier league players, let alone top 6.

I would go:

Pickford, Digne, Gylfi, Richarlison, Bernard.

Gana is there or thereabouts, Keane, Lookman and Walcott would be good bench options.

Davies is very much open for debate, as is Mina, Coleman and Kenny.

 

Kenny isn’t a bad young prospect for a top team. Coleman is a serious weak link unfortunately 

[nogs]

Where the fuck do you start... 

From where I'm sat we're a big standard midtable squad. As Bailey says, we can't even put out a first XI of genuine top 10 Premiership players. It's the kind of squad which, if things started to slide, you could easily see us getting dragged into a relegation battle. 

I'd be gutted if we only make one or two signings in the summer. But I also understand another summer of huge upheaval would be dangerous, and besides, there doesn't seem to be any more cash forthcoming. I think Brands first job will be clearing all the crap on loan, trying to recoup what he can for the likes of Schneiderlin and Bolasie and getting them off the wage bill. 

I think we have to focus on the spine of the team. Kenny deserves a chance at RB and can at least do a job until Jan or summer 2020. We're overloaded with wingers/forwards without having a main striker, especially if Vlasic gets rehabilitated and we finally sort Onyekuru's visa. So I'd be looking:

CB: Pass on Zouma and go all out for a real leader in there, potential captain material. I don't like Keane and Mina could yet prove another huge mistake, but I think with a proper organiser and Holgate/one of the U23 CBs who are getting good reviews as back up we'd see an improvement. 

CM: I'd take up the Gomes option as I do think he's a very good footballer, just been inconsistent. I like him but I'd take the PSG money for Gana if it's still there, then reinvest it into more of an all rounder, someone physical and mobile who can still pass. Ideally I'd sign a third CM as I think we're really weak there but I doubt there'd be money for that. 

CF: Well that's the easiest one, we just need a proper goalscorer. I still think DCL is good enough as back up, but I'd sell Tosun and reinvest in a cheaper, younger prospect. 

If money was an issue I'd consider selling Walcott to fund the above. I also think the elephant in the room is Sigurdsson, he's too much of a luxury player for our needs right now and doesn't seem to fit any system other than the old fashioned 4-4-2 Iceland play (OK he did well at Swansea too but they built a team around letting him play). If we could get £30m+ for him from Germany or somewhere I'd consider selling. But that's maybe one for a future transfer window. Realistically, I don't see the full turn around of this squad to be complete until August 2020.

[Bailey]

5 hours ago, nogs said:

Where the fuck do you start... 

From where I'm sat we're a big standard midtable squad. As Bailey says, we can't even put out a first XI of genuine top 10 Premiership players. It's the kind of squad which, if things started to slide, you could easily see us getting dragged into a relegation battle. 

I'd be gutted if we only make one or two signings in the summer. But I also understand another summer of huge upheaval would be dangerous, and besides, there doesn't seem to be any more cash forthcoming. I think Brands first job will be clearing all the crap on loan, trying to recoup what he can for the likes of Schneiderlin and Bolasie and getting them off the wage bill. 

I think we have to focus on the spine of the team. Kenny deserves a chance at RB and can at least do a job until Jan or summer 2020. We're overloaded with wingers/forwards without having a main striker, especially if Vlasic gets rehabilitated and we finally sort Onyekuru's visa. So I'd be looking:

CB: Pass on Zouma and go all out for a real leader in there, potential captain material. I don't like Keane and Mina could yet prove another huge mistake, but I think with a proper organiser and Holgate/one of the U23 CBs who are getting good reviews as back up we'd see an improvement. 

CM: I'd take up the Gomes option as I do think he's a very good footballer, just been inconsistent. I like him but I'd take the PSG money for Gana if it's still there, then reinvest it into more of an all rounder, someone physical and mobile who can still pass. Ideally I'd sign a third CM as I think we're really weak there but I doubt there'd be money for that. 

CF: Well that's the easiest one, we just need a proper goalscorer. I still think DCL is good enough as back up, but I'd sell Tosun and reinvest in a cheaper, younger prospect. 

If money was an issue I'd consider selling Walcott to fund the above. I also think the elephant in the room is Sigurdsson, he's too much of a luxury player for our needs right now and doesn't seem to fit any system other than the old fashioned 4-4-2 Iceland play (OK he did well at Swansea too but they built a team around letting him play). If we could get £30m+ for him from Germany or somewhere I'd consider selling. But that's maybe one for a future transfer window. Realistically, I don't see the full turn around of this squad to be complete until August 2020.

I agree about Siggy but I bet he is on a massive wage so that rules out most clubs and there is no way any manager will want to let him go because of that he is capable of. 

[Bailey]

Thinking about this more, are we actually just at the level we should be and our expectation of being closer to the top 6 or being the best of the rest an ambition rather than a reality? 

West Ham, Leicester and Wolves both have a similar amount of quality in their side (in respect of top 6 players), Bournemouth are a couple of players away but are fading. Watford are punching above their weight but they are also dropping down compared to how well they started. 

Dont get me wrong, performances still havent been good enough but all of these sides are really up and down (bar Wolves). On top of that, and as Silva pointed out, how many of them are bringing on 19, 20, 21 year olds off the bench to make a difference? 

[nogs]

23 minutes ago, Bailey said:

Thinking about this more, are we actually just at the level we should be and our expectation of being closer to the top 6 or being the best of the rest an ambition rather than a reality? 

At the moment, it's absolutely ambition rather than reality. We've lost ground on where we were 5 years ago. 

[Btay]

1 hour ago, nogs said:

At the moment, it's absolutely ambition rather than reality. We've lost ground on where we were 5 years ago. 

A number of factors have caused that though. We are on our 5th manager in that time ( including unsworth ).

Our problems were never going to be fixed this season, probably not next as well but we need to make small steps before big leaps.

13 games to play. 5 points off 7th. Hypothetically if we finished 7th - would people here consider that as an improvement.

[pete0]

29 minutes ago, Btay said:

13 games to play. 5 points off 7th. Hypothetically if we finished 7th - would people here consider that as an improvement.

I'd consider it the bare minimum. We were 14 points off 6th last year and brought in a new manager to get us in the mix of it, yet as it stands the gap is still 14 points. 

Alladyce got us 1.42 points per game so over a season you'd expect him to get 54 points. Factor in that was with Keane playing through injury next to an aging Jags, Rooney in midfield, DCL on the left wing, and both Coleman and Baines coming back from injuries plus nursing Bolasie back into the side. 

Effectively 7 out of 11 starters are better than last year be it physically or that they've been replaced. No idea how many more points you'd expect but the target should be pretty north of 54 to call it an improvement. 

Pickford = Pickford 

Coleman (coming back from injury) < Coleman 

Keane (playing with injections) < Keane 

Jagielka < Zouma

Baines < Digne

Walcott = Walcott 

Rooney < Gomes

Gana = Gana

DCL/Bolasie < Richarlison/Bernard 

Sigurdssen = Sigurdssen 

Tosun (lacked prem experience)  < Tosun/DCL/Richarlison