SuffolkVillan

Why is it so many moan we never buy any "gems" like Benrahma but even we we see a talent, albeit an older talent at a low price most posters on here say "no thanks". For less than £2m he looks a bargain.

My thoughts exactly

I agree, my thoughts give us 4 new starters and strengthens the bench. £100m + gives us Buendia, New LCM, Tammy, an experienced PL midfielder and an experienced CB. On top of that Benrahama if money is ok gives rotation up front. I wouldnt call any of those proposed additions "understudies".

Totally agree with this. If we buy Benrahama he will be Jacks understudy which I am fine with if we can afford to have a £25m player on the bench? I want Buendia on the right and as you say a really strong left footed midfielder who can perform with set piece delivery. Key purchase will be a goal scoring CF( preference Tammy as well known to club and players and always gave it everything...better the devil you know).We also need competition for Targett and an experienced RCB alongside Mings for Konza to learn from and challenge. I would keep RB as it is. Understudy to McGinn would also be good so I can see the idea of McCarthey. I would estimate £130m to achieve these objectives as a net spend after recovering some cash from a few surplus sales. likely squad: Heaton, Reina (loan) Nyland Guilbert, Elmo Sokratis, Konza Mings, Hause Targett, Hickey/Robinson Mcginn, McCarthy Luiz, Nakamba New LCM, Hourihane Buendia, Trez Tammy, Wesley Grealish, Benrahma

My realistic target for striker wouid be Josh King of Bournmouth

Sounds just about right to me....£150m should do it

I would add an upgrade on Targett a CB to challenge Konza or vice versa and another more creative squad player assuming Jack stays, maybe Eze

I think Arteta will put out his preferred FA Cup team as they need to re-discover recent form v man city and get themselves up for Chelsea. Dress rehearsal. Ars 3-1 Watford. I think Bournemouth can beat Everton 1-0 so I think we will need a draw as a minimum.

Perfect analysis

You wont be able to do it.......will you!

Yeah, thought we played like a well drilled top team, ie foul where you have to, obstruct where you have to. Looks like they have finally learnt something. Just prey we can finish the job on Sunday.

Great stat comparing Trez to Pepe, yet as much as I love his effort and I'm happy he got 5 goals Trez infuriates the hell out of me and I cannot see him improving. Pepe was very overpriced but when I watch him play I cant help thinking one day he is really going to click.....just hope its not the next game.

Ha Ha spot on! I'm just learning Fifa to try and give the kids a game!

Follow the "Moneyball" system. You cant replace Jack with another Jack so you spend funds on 2 or 3 quality players that make the whole team more cohesive resulting in overall team improvement. Suggestions: assuming sale of Jack and trez only combined £60m GK Heaton, Steer, Nyland RB Guilbert, Elmo RCB Konza, Engels LCB Mings, Hause if Mings goes for 25m buy replacement at 6m keep rest for prem return poss Matt Clarke at Derby. LB Targett, Taylor CM Luiz (new contract to keep) McGinn, Nakamba, Hourihane RM El Ghazi, jed wallace millwall 4m age 26 CM Eberechi Eze QPR £10-15m age 22, Ovi Ejaria Reading £3m age 22 LM Nicklas Eliasson Bristol city £4m age 24 FW Wesley, Samatta, Davis plus appearances rom youth prospects during the season. four in with combined spend £36m from £60m in leaves 24m towards pot when promoted and all four additions young enough to be worth a lot more in a years time so will either be good enough for prem or will be easily sold.

I'm generally in agreement with you here but I hope they don't spend too much to get promotion, firstly as it shouldn't need fortunes and secondly when we do get back( assuming we are relegated) a shed load of cash from Grealish would help buy some real quality next time round. I hope we can keep Luiz, Mings and McGinn, who along with Heaton can form the nucleus of a good side.

Putting my Villa bias to one side I thought Souness was spot-on with thoughts on Jack. For the last 6 or so games he has not been the driving force we need and he does sometimes stand with his hands on his hips as if to say " I cant be bothered with this!" His closing down is lame and I don't see him urging his team mates to do better. I love Jack and he is our best player currently but I do think a move has been agreed and he is playing it safe. The huge amount of cash we receive for him needs to be used wisely next season, indeed, if we are in the Chanpionship I hope they only spend enough to get promotion and save as much as possible to buy 3 quality players when we get back up.

My thinking also. To the wire

With magic hat on I see wins against Arsenal Palace and West Ham. In the real world our only winnable points are Arsenal (1) Palace (3) and West Ham (1) will probably need to win on last day to stay up and put West Ham down. With our luck it will be us going down.

It is called "Moneyball" also a movie about it same name.

DS has tried different formations with different players enough times this season for us to conclude the following: players are just very poor coaching equally poor player motivation non existent. On a positive note, there is enough of a core to perform ok in championship but very good recruitment now required to produce a promotion winning team.

2-1 is hardly destroying us, Prat!

I agree we need to get rid of our wingers. Your option looks sound but we could also consider: Reina Elmo Hause Mings Taylor McGinn Luis Nakamba Grealish Samatta Davis Reina in as Nyland looks very shaky, too many fumbled catches Taylor as he is a better defender than Targett but just for this game v Adama Hopefully we can improve our ball retention with 4 in midfield and have front two making moves across the line being fed by Jack. 2 sitting mids can also enable Mcginn to get forward in support.

Agreed, but with much improved finances compared to where we were 12 months ago the rebuild will be easier. Sometimes rebuilds need to be done more than once to give a club the right foundation to grow sustainably.

That would be the worst of all worlds for me. I think JT is much more part of the problem than he is the solution.

Time will tell, I like JM but I do think he is limited and PL teams have easily worked him out. Obviously we hold different views. Dougie Luiz on the other hand is growing into a decent PL player.