Dodgyknees Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 I'm a little bit excited about our squad. Think we have the strongest squad and team we have had since MON's first season. Gollini Bacuna - Elphick - Chester - Amavi Jedinak Tshibola - Westwood Grealish - McCormack Gestede Add to that: Bunn, Baker, Okore, Veretout, Gardner, Green, Traore, Cissokho, Hepburn-Murphy. Of course: Lescott, Hutton, Richards, Kozak, Steer, Bennett Possibly: Bamford, Diawara. That's not a bad core for a squad, is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 10 minutes ago, DK82 said: I'm a little bit excited about our squad. Think we have the strongest squad and team we have had since MON's first season. Gollini Bacuna - Elphick - Chester - Amavi Jedinak Tshibola - Westwood Grealish - McCormack Gestede Add to that: Bunn, Baker, Okore, Veretout, Gardner, Green, Traore, Cissokho, Hepburn-Murphy. Of course: Lescott, Hutton, Richards, Kozak, Steer, Bennett Possibly: Bamford, Diawara. That's not a bad core for a squad, is it? No Ayew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gharperr Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 16 minutes ago, DK82 said: I'm a little bit excited about our squad. Think we have the strongest squad and team we have had since MON's first season. think youre massively over valuing our squad tbh. Unless im reading wrong. (apologises if so) quality between championship and PL appears to be night and day. Weve got a very strong championship squad....we will still get bitched about in prem.... Let alone stronger than the teams that finished 6th under MON and the GH team.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phumfeinz Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Well last season I'd watch streams usually. It's going to be a lot harder to see the team this year though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted August 15, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted August 15, 2016 Don't know. I'll reserve judgement until I've seen half a season of them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 I think it's looking like a good squad for the championship if the additions that we hope for come off. Still a lower half PL squad at best, nowhere near MON's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 58 minutes ago, gharperr said: think youre massively over valuing our squad tbh. Unless im reading wrong. (apologises if so) quality between championship and PL appears to be night and day. Weve got a very strong championship squad....we will still get bitched about in prem.... Let alone stronger than the teams that finished 6th under MON and the GH team.. I mean for this season. But actually, I don't think we would get bitched at all. @Dante_Lockhart I took a phone call and hit sent - I did mean to add him! My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pez1974 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 I starting to feel quite good about the squad. The new spine of the team appears to have real solidity - something we lacked massively last season after we lost Vlaar/Delph/Benteke (I know they had injuries, but it gave the others in the squad something to work around). The leadership qualities of the new group is huge - we all love Tommy, and the apparent signing of Jedinak will help too. I'm almost at the point where losing one of 2 of the first team to injury/suspension doesn't terrify me - as long as it isn't from the same position! To be fair to the good Dr and RDM, this is a lot of change in a short period of time. However, we had a lot of turnover last season, and that didn't work out so well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgl Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 (edited) 5 hours ago, mjmooney said: Don't know. I'll reserve judgement until I've seen half a season of them. Basically this. its easy to get excited with lots of comings and goings (although I'm delighted some of last years deadwood is gone). I was excited after last years window and that was a screw up of epic proportions Edited August 15, 2016 by Sgl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TB Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 The biggest screw-up last year (IMO) was allowing the 'manager' to bring in some players he'd like, while at the same time buying players from abroad that he obviously didn't like or wanted in his squad, and thus he didn't want to integrate them into his first eleven. Oh, I know that at the time they were announced, he claimed that he wanted them all and had been aware of them for years... But he was very busy washing his hands afterwards. Then, having a squad with an obvious 'us and them' / English vs French divide, the club decides to go for a French manager. Regardless of Garde's ability, I believe a manager of any other nationality would have had a better chance of making the squad gel. Another big screw-up. Black as a manager? That's not a screw-up. That's just nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGC Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 GK Gollini (Bunn) RB Richards (Hutton, Bacuna) RCB Elphick (Okore, Toner) LCB Chester (Baker, Lescott, for now) LB Amavi (Cissokho) RCDM Westwood (Gardner, Lyden) LCDM Jedinak (Tishibola) RAM Ayew (Adama) CAM/CF McCormack (Veretout) LAM Grealish (Green) ST Gestede (RHM, Kozak) Would really like another striker as I still don't trust Rudy to lead the line, but on the whole that team should get us play offs at least! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 I think we are beginning to get a team together but a squad for promotion no GK Gollini - Bunn check RB/WB New Signing - Lyden - Bacuna CB Elphick - Chester - Baker LB/WB Amavi - Bennet - Cissokho DM Jedinak CM Tishibola RW Adama LW New Signing RAM Ayew CAM McCormack - Veretout LAM Grealish ST New Signing - Gestede That's a 1st 11 plus a bench With so many games and the Sa-We-Sa..... frequency, we will have to rest players at some point, Injuries & suspensions will leave us short. Imagine at some point having to play Bacuna/Hutton at RB, only 1 of Baker Chester Elphick available, Cissokho LB, Westwood in midfield and Gestede up front with one of Ayew McGoal & Grealish. Cue the kids along side players reverting to type because we dont have enough leaders on the pitch. We need another 4 players RB CM LW ST just to complete a team to challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrusr Posted August 16, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted August 16, 2016 Squad: Goalkeepers: Gollini, Steer, Bunn Right Backs: New Right Back, Hutton, Bacuna Centre Backs: Elphick, Chester, Baker, Okore, Toner Left Backs: Amavi, Cissokho Central Midfielders: Jedinak (TBC), Tshibola, Westwood, Gardner, Bacuna, Lyden Attacking Midfielders/Wingers/Forwards: Grealish, Ayew, Bacuna, Green, McCormack, New Attacking Midfielder Strikers: New Striker, Gestede, McCormack, Ayew, Hepburn-Murphy Pbviously you will see players in different positions but that's more of "they can play there/that role" and shows the strength in depth more. Players in: Jedinak, new RB (De Laet), New Attacking Midfielder (Morrison if even considered or this Diawara though I understand he plays deeper/defensive), New Striker (Bamford?) Players Out: Lescott, Richards, Veretout (as appears wants to), Bennett (nearly did anyway), Gabby, Kozak. All seem to not be in RDM's plans except maybe Richards but not sure why.... Plus maybe looking at some youth players to fill any gaps after that I think we are set for the season or certainly until January! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 On 8/15/2016 at 15:14, mjmooney said: Don't know. I'll reserve judgement until I've seen half a season of them. Me too. Or maybe even a full season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Well, Im going to assume Jedinak is coming and say I like the new spine although we need something that isn't Gestede up top to complete it imo. Also fair play to the new team for doing more in under 10 weeks to address the issues in the squad than I feel Lerner did in about 4 years. Gollini ?????? - Elphick - Chester - ?????? Tshibola - (Jedinak) ?????? - McCormack - ?????? ?????? On top of that for a first 11 I think Amavi when fit will be great at left back, Ayew and Grealish for the inside right and inside left look more than capable at this level. I hate all our right back options if I'm honest and I have little faith in Rudy (Although I'm impressed he has at least upped his workrate in the last 2 games). I like that Ayew/McCormack/Grealish could all play in 2 or 3 of those 3 positions behind the striker. If and when Jedinak signs I think a Striker and a Right Back are the next priorities. As far as the second string is concerned what I'd like and what I think we'll end up with are two completely different things unfortunately. As back-up Goalkeepers Bunn and Steer hopefully wont be needed too much if Gollini settles in. But here we go, Right Back - see what Id like in my heart of hearts is to never have to watch, discuss or think about Micah Richards, Hutton or Bacuna ever again but I guess all 3 leaving in one window and buying 2 right backs is dreaming. Not that they couldn't "do a job at this level" (even if, in Richards' case it would be for the opposition) but we all know they are all not very good at football. At Centre Back i've always have had a liking for Baker. He may lack ability at the highest level but not bravery or commitment and we'll need that at times this season, No one wants to see Lescott stay and after the Luton game I finally realised Okore just doesn't have the required intelligence. Richards is not a CB is he. Anyway Lescott/Okore/Richards out and a new CB in would be lovely. At Left Back Cissokho is painful to watch in the oppositions half. Bennett's run in the first team coincided with us letting in hat fulls including the 8-0 at Chelsea. Dont think any of us would be too fussed if either or both of them left or oddly if they hung around in this 46 game marathon. As long as we keep Amavi. In Midfield Westwood's always been divisive but perfectly happy with him as a squad player, Gardner on the other hand I think it's time to move on from hoping he comes good and let him go and prove it somewhere else. Assuming Jedinak comes I think we're still pretty weak in the middle of the park. If Veretout was interested then maybe, but if his heart aint in it then sack him off. So ideally sell Veretout and Gardner, buy Jedinak AND another CM and make Westwood and Tshibola battle it out for a seat on the bench. Right Wing Im happy with Traore, Left Wing we could really do with some back - up for Jack (especially if Gabby really is done here) Inside Centre/No 10 Well the Morrison rumours don't seem to be going away and I for one would love to give him a chance here. Striker - Leaving the utter shambolic chaotic mess that is the Villa strikeforce. What the hell exactly is going on with Kozak? Does anyone think he'll play again? I hope so on a human level after the awful injuries but he cant really be counted amongst the things we want to rely on this year. Gabby is surely off, leaving us by default with Gestede, who is not very good. No real problem with him being an option. If there are 5/6 teams as bad as Rotherham in this league he might get into double figures eh? but also don't forget almost definitely off to the ACN come January. Anyway if we don't get rid of ALL the full backs (Amavi excluded) I reckon we're looking a bit like this after the first 11. Steer Hutton - ?????? - Baker - Cissokho Westwood - ?????? Traore - ?????? - ?????? Gestede Subs/3rd choice Bunn, Bacuna, Toner, Bennett, Lyden, Green, H-Murphy. OUT: Richards / Lescott / Okore / Gardner / Veretout / Agbonlahor / Kozak IN: DR / DC / MC / AMC / AML / ST (+ Jedinak) That would leave us with a 25 man squad supplemented by the likes of Lyden, Toner, RHM and Green 2 weeks, and usually the busy 2, to sort this out. And a few loans maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSV Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 In short.. we still need a few more players. An all round central midfielder. Jedinak of course. If Westwood goes.. another DM as well. We need a striker and winger. A RB and we should be okay. If Okore is out of the picture.. possibly another CB> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 (edited) For the 1st 11 (4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1) we still need RB - LW - CF Bench Bunn Lyden Baker Bennet CM/AM R/LW Gestede For A good Squad we need to add further CB DM L/RW CF We should sell (if possible) Hutton Bacuna (50/50) Richards Okore Lescott Cissokho or Bennet Westwood Gardner Kozak (if not given a chance) & Flabby. RDM & Dr X have the most difficult job (turning this around) from all 92 clubs (except maybe Hull) Edited August 17, 2016 by Grasshopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Should be good enough to stay in the division and build for next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Thomas Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 1 minute ago, Kingman said: Should be good enough to stay in the division and build for next season. Contain yourself man. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 9 minutes ago, Gary Thomas said: Contain yourself man. I Expect nothing and I'm still disappointed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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