cambridgeshire canary 6,717 Posted March 13, 2022 (edited) There's an old famous chant of 'You're not fit to wear the shirt' that I think sums a lot of our players right now, so I guess the real question is out of them who do you wish to see stay and who must go? Fair to say we do need a hell of a big clear out of deadwood. As for players I would like to see stay in my own opinion (Ignoring loan players for obvious reasons..) and those I'm unsure of having question marks. Krul, Pukki, Rashica, Tzolis (??), Rowe, Byram, Hanley, Soresen, Giannoulis (??), Gunn (??), Idah, Omobamide Edited March 13, 2022 by cambridgeshire canary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FenwayFrank 2,459 Posted March 13, 2022 1 minute ago, cambridgeshire canary said: There's an old famous chant of 'You're not fit to wear the shirt' that I think sums a lot of our players right now, so I guess the real question is out of them who do you wish to see stay and who must go? Fair to say we do need a hell of a big clear out of deadwood. As for players I would like to see stay in my own opinion (Ignoring loan players for obvious reasons..) and those I'm unsure of having question marks. Krul, Pukki, Rashica, Tzolis (??), Rowe, Byram, Hanley, Soresen, Giannoulis (??), Gunn (??) You’d get rid of Idah and Aarons ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cambridgeshire canary 6,717 Posted March 13, 2022 3 minutes ago, FenwayFrank said: You’d get rid of Idah and Aarons ? No, I forgot to put Idah in beacause I forgot to like the idiot I am. Aarons on the other hand.. He's not staying regardless if I want him to or not is the biggest issue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Pants 4,234 Posted March 13, 2022 Can't see Rashica being here. If someone offers what we paid for him, he'll be off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carn 71 Posted March 13, 2022 I'd keep Omobamidele as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Petriix 2,835 Posted March 13, 2022 I'm struggling to imagine how we could possibly undo the damage done to the squad in the summer. The heart of the team has gone. We need players with character and creativity. Who has stepped up to replace Tettey, Stiepermann and Vrancic? Those were the type of players who brought things together. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheGunnShow 5,940 Posted March 13, 2022 I'd sell Gibson, McLean, Dowell, Hernandez, Hugill, and Cantwell if I were Webber, but I'm not, obviously. If Sinani and Martin are looking well away from what's required in pre-season, then those two as well. We'll lose a fair bit of squad size when the four loanees go back. Wouldn't be too surprised if Aarons and Rashica get offers. Rashica is the one we really need to keep. Would definitely look at fast-tracking Omobamidele, Idah, Sörensen, Rowe, and Tzolis - again, this also depends somewhat on pre-season. Omo seemed to progress rapidly at the back end of last season and through the start of this pre-season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mello Yello 2,293 Posted March 13, 2022 A fish rots from the head....it's not just a clear out of players that's paramount..... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeiranShikari 1,410 Posted March 13, 2022 I think Aarons and Cantwell are going whatever happens. I could also see Giannoulis and Sorensen going. I'd personally be getting rid of some of the key players from the 2 relegations. Krul and Mclean. Then players that are out on loan like Hernandez and Hugil. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeiranShikari 1,410 Posted March 13, 2022 3 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said: Can't see Rashica being here. If someone offers what we paid for him, he'll be off. Seen this view a lot, don't see it myself. He'll be front and center for us next season, massively important player. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellow Green Army 237 Posted March 13, 2022 KEEP= Idah, Rowe, Omobamidele, Byram, Mumba, Giannoulis, Hanley, Krul, Placheta, Tzolis, Rashicha, Sorenson, Gunn, Sargent End Loan= Gilmour, Norman, Kabak Sell= Pukki, Aaron’s (with all our blessings), McClean, Gibson, Zimmerman, Rupp, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monty13 2,234 Posted March 13, 2022 (edited) Teams need to want these players or we end up in a Klose/Drmic/Trybull etc. situation where we push players out on loan getting a small fraction of their wages paid. I don’t understand that personally, especially given our limited funds. IMO this summer needs to be very carefully managed to bring in some true quality additions and make the best out of what we’ve got if there are no takers. This team is still full of players who won the Championship, they just aren’t good enough collectively at this level. We don’t have the money for a complete overhaul that actually improves overall team quality. Edited March 13, 2022 by Monty13 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeiranShikari 1,410 Posted March 13, 2022 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Yellow Green Army said: Sell= Pukki Why though? Won't get anything like the value we'd need to replace the goals. He's not ideal for how Smith is currently playing but he's still our second most dangerious player. Also absolutely 0 chance we'll find a buyer for Gibson. He'll be one of our highest earners for the next 3 years. Edited March 13, 2022 by KeiranShikari Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellow Green Army 237 Posted March 13, 2022 Pukki will go down as one of the top strikers to have played for City. If finances will allow us to keep him in the Championship along with purchasing another goal scorer then great but I can’t see it. Time moves on unfortunately and we need to build again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helsinki canary 242 Posted March 13, 2022 (edited) The question was - who should we keep or sell? Not who will we manage to keep. I am answering the actual question and only mention the first team players Keep: Krul, Gunn, Aarons,Bayram, Omobamidele, Hanley, Giannoulis, Rashica, Pukki, Rowe, Tzolis, Dowell, Idah, Sorrenson Dump: Sargent, Mclean, Rupp, Zimmermann, Placheta, Gibson, All the loanees, Basically means we will need a whole new midfield and front line Edited March 13, 2022 by Helsinki canary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeiranShikari 1,410 Posted March 13, 2022 Signing another goalscorer, now that's optimistic. I think it'll be what we have (Sargent included as a striker). Plus a loanee or a youth player (Dixon-Peters?) if we're going to frequently playy 442. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hertfordyellow 460 Posted March 13, 2022 The squad needs to be treated with a scalpel not a cleaver. Yes we are out of our depth in this league, but all of the squad bar very few have no questions against their name as a top championship player. Why sell Dowell, his stats were excellent at that level. Gibson needs replacing in Prem but is good value in championship. If we sell loads then we have to replace them, while in a position of weakness (recently relegated). I would keep the squad as best we can, get rid of some fringe and buy either a handful of players at higher fees etc ready for next year or spend the money on Godfrey, Maddison style youngster mining. I don’t see the point of gutting the squad when they look capable at the level they’ll be playing at. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,820 Posted March 13, 2022 Quite controversially, I'd keep McLean. Not quite good enough for the Premier League but useful in the Championship. Same for Gibson. I'd overhaul the midfield, with McLean and Sorensen being the only ones to stay. Aarons' sale probably funds the rebuild, with three new midfielders and three attacking players needed. I'm undecided on whether Sargent deserves the time to find a bit of confidence at a lower level but leaning towards getting rid, and the same goes for Placheta who offers precious little. Hopefully McCallum and Mumba can cover for the loss of Aarons and Williams, but they are struggling for game time at QPR and Peterborough right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeiranShikari 1,410 Posted March 13, 2022 2 minutes ago, hertfordyellow said: The squad needs to be treated with a scalpel not a cleaver. This is very true and what I expect will happen. The younger players that have failed this time should absoutely be backed. I'd only be getting rid of those that have played key parts in both relegations, personally. Then sign 3 or 4 better quality players as opposed to 10+ we did last time around. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hank shoots Skyler 2,094 Posted March 13, 2022 Does anyone really care that much? Omobamidele would be a loss. I’d offer some honourable mentions for the usual lot of Krul / Pukki / Aarons / Hanley but beyond that who cares? If Giannoulis and Sorensen leave then I’ll also be pretty annoyed with how we handled them this season (particularly Sorensen) But that’s about it and in truth I wouldn’t lose any sleep over the above sales either... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
canarybubbles 1,915 Posted March 13, 2022 23 minutes ago, Yellow Green Army said: Pukki will go down as one of the top strikers to have played for City. If finances will allow us to keep him in the Championship along with purchasing another goal scorer then great but I can’t see it. Time moves on unfortunately and we need to build again. I don't agree with you. Look at the goal we did score today. A long aimless hoof upfield (thank you, Dean) which Pukki managed to get control of. He then kept the ball, moved wide, saw McLean making the run, and made an excellent pass into the area. It was technical skill and mental coolness personified. What would we have to pay for a player who can do that? OK, you can argue he ought to have equalised right at the end after Krul's intervention, but the ball was at an awkward height to control and he did at least get a shot on target. He's way better than most of the players we have. There are much bigger gaps elsewhere in the squad that need plugging first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sgncfc 1,227 Posted March 13, 2022 Come on people, we've all been here before only two years ago. we all thought we would struggle in the Championship and our morale would be shot to bits. It won't be. Smith will overhaul the squad and we will be competitive again. He will get the chance to build a squad. You know that, really. Webber will apologise and ask for a last chance and get it. We can only "move on" the players we can get offers for and I don't see many of our players being sought after. I wouldn't be surprised to see us negotiate much lower fees for Kabak and Normann so that they stay. Rashica will be awesome in the Champs. Everyone writing off Tzolis, who destroyed the runaway league leaders in the 23s the other day. If he was one of ours without the price tag we'd be tub thumping for him. Get what we can for Cantwell, Hernandez, Hugill and Aarons, don't renew Rupp and whoever else is out of contract get in some new faces. We'll be fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thumbbass 318 Posted March 13, 2022 No mention of Bali Mumba here. He's going to be good for us in the champs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barry Brockes 147 Posted March 13, 2022 Is this the Bali Mumba who can't get into the Peterborough side? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paddycanary 539 Posted March 13, 2022 Krul - Keep Gunn - Keep Aarons - Keep (but perhaps funds are needed) Byram - Keep (but sadly fitness issues) Gibson - Keep (plenty good enough for Champo but...) Hanley - Keep Zimm - Time to part ways Giannoulis - Keep (but would not be surprised to see him leave) Omobamidele - Keep [Note: for me, the defensive personnel is not the primary reason we are so uncompetitive] Rupp - Move him on, too injury prone and time to rebuild Dowell - Perhaps a decent squad player for Champo but not Prem standard, like most of the squad Placheta - Loan or sell Rashica - Keep (hopefully) Tzolis - Keep and have a look (but will probably move on & who'd blame him) Sorensen - Keep PLM - Keep McLean - Sell Rowe - Keep Pukki - Keep (would not be surprised if he chose to leave though; he owes us nothing) Sargent - Keep (but again not Prem standard by any means) Idah - Keep (Sadly, I worry about his ability to stay fit) Loans out: Keep Mumba & perhaps Famewo; Cantwell - Goodbye The rest will most likely be moved on over the next couple of years anyway. From the above list, if Zimm, Aarons, Dimi, Rupp, Placheta, McLean, Tzolis, Pukki and Cantwell were all gone, this would leave: Krul, Gunn, Byram, Hanley, Gibson, Omobamidele, (McCallum?), Dowell, Rashica, Sorensen, PLM, Rowe, Sargent, Idah and a sprinkling of the players out on loan and u23s Before any incoming business, we could field something like this: Krul Byram Hanley Omobamidele AN Other Sorensen PLM Sargent Rowe Rashica Idah Bench: Gunn, Gibson, McCallum, Dowell... Not a bad base to build a top 6 Champo team from, but barely a consistent Prem-standard performer in sight (perhaps Krul, Byram, Hanley & Rashica?) Which brings us back once again to the issue of being unable to fund competitive wages & transfer fees. Deja vu anyone? I believe we will indeed be one of the strongest teams in the division next season & may very well bounce back again (parachute payments etc.) but having been burnt badly once again at this level, one may rightly ponder what is the point? The experience is getting grimmer with each successive capitulation. (of course, that could be temporarily forgotten again IF we start winning games again after the summer!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hertfordyellow 460 Posted March 13, 2022 2 hours ago, Thumbbass said: No mention of Bali Mumba here. He's going to be good for us in the champs. Not starting for Peterborough, who are pretty terrible. Alarm bells are ringing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thumbbass 318 Posted March 13, 2022 25 minutes ago, hertfordyellow said: Not starting for Peterborough, who are pretty terrible. Alarm bells are ringing. I think I'll judge him from what I've seen and I'm confident he is a decent player. I'd hope we would be the attacking side with majority of possession. Not sure Peterborough are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeiranShikari 1,410 Posted March 13, 2022 (edited) Posh likely to be building for league 1 now. If I were them that wouldn't include Norwich youngsters. Much like Norwich shouldn't use loaness from now on. On Mumba I actually see him playing further forward in the long run. Edited March 13, 2022 by KeiranShikari Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Pants 4,234 Posted March 13, 2022 If Smith is to be judged on his own squad then he needs to be given the space to create his own squad and that means getting shot of deadwood or the tried and failed. We need a cleaver to that lot not a scalpel. Failing that we get Farke back and ask him to carry on where he left off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeiranShikari 1,410 Posted March 13, 2022 'Farke's team' and 'Smith's team' is such a nonsense. How many players have we signed in the last 2 years do you think Farke genuinely wanted? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites