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Canary Ascent

The (Almost) Final 25

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OK then, what do we think?

I am genuinely encouraged by our squad - whether I am overly optimistic only time will tell:

GK:

Ruddy

**Another**

DEFENCE:

Drury

Tierney

Martin

**Another**

Barnett

De Laet

Whitbread

Ward

MIDFIELD:

Surman

Pilkington

Bennett

Crofts

Fox

B. Johnson

Hoolahan

**Another/Lansbury??**

Lappin

ATTACK:

Holt

Morrison

Vaughan

Jackson

Martin

YOUNGSTERS (outside of the 25):

Rudd

Francomb

K. Smith

Adeyemi

Dawkin

SURPLUS (IMO):

Hughes

S. Smith

O. Johnson

Tudor Jones

McNamee

I have left 3 spaces for additional players, I know the maths suggests we only have one space remaining, but Lambert has confirmed we are looking at a further defender. The rumours suggest we have bid for Lansbury (remember Lambert is "always looking" to improve the squad) and I still feel we need some serious competition for Ruddy and we all know about the 2nd/3rd round of Forster rumours.

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Every interview I have read over past couple of days Lambert has said maybe 1 more signing, but he won''t sign for sake of it. He says he is happy with the squad he has and may bring in1 more before deadline day, if any at all. I think 2 and definately 3 more signings are out of the question.

I expect 1 DC and that to be it for what he saying.

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Not so sure Merv, I guess the DC is a given but I think PL has admitted he''s having difficulty getting this one. The Lansbury rumour could be an old one but I suspect the way things are developing for him at Arsenal (left out of their tour, no squad number and rumoured to be used as a make-weight in Arsenal''s Cahill bid) may persuade Lambert to move. I also think we would be a little naive going into a Premiership season with only one keeper with first team experience. Admittedly we could use the Emergency Loan system if we need to.

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And also...how many times does PL totally surprise us? Do we ever know what he is planning. What he tells the press and what he does are usually two very different things...

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It''s Cody isn''t it!!! Bl00dy Cody after all the threads on here...

For the record, I''d see if he wants an extension to his contract and then loan him to a club further up the footballing ladder League 1 or Championship if any clubs are interested.

If he doesn''t want to sign we sell him. Simples...

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Ideally I''d say we need 3 goalies, so if Steer isn''t up to it yet, loan him out and bring in an experienced goalkeeper as back up or competition.

McNamee, OTJ and Hughes seem definite surplus players. S.Smith is unlikely to get a game and Oli Johnson has too many players ahead of him in the queue. Wilbraham is another player I have big doubts whether he can step up to Premiership level, so I''d add him to the surplus list.

Lappin may be kept for his versatility on the left, but I can''t see him playing many games if any unfortunately.

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Lambert has never confirmed it is a defender, he has jsut said someone at the back. I am beginning to wonder if it is a keeper.

I think that is a glaring hole for us, as much as a striker in form is needed a goalkeeper who can keep you in games is needed. For the team they win as many points as the strikers.

There are a number with prem. experience still on the free agent list.

Yes a defender would be good but even if we looked at a centre half in jan I think that would be fair. Lambert mentioned the four at the back, yes right back may also be an area we are short of cover. But if he wants one player at the back for me it has to be keeper.

I think that after our Germany trip, he will know seriously if it is one player he needs or a few more. In the meantime he should still keep tabs on Lansbury. Again if Arsenal are talking then we should be in that conversation with a serious intent to sign him.

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It looks like there are 3 places up for grabs.

I really cannot see how we can go into a Premier League season without an experienced back up keeper. By experienced I mean someone who has at least a hundred league games under their belt and has played to a decent standard. It''s the insurance policy if Ruddy got an injury - otherwise it''s asking a hell of a lot from a young keeper. Rudd and Steer are both great prospects - I would loan one out for the first half of the season and the other out for the second.

I would also be happier with another Centre back in the 25 - as anyone who has studied world cup squads of 23 will recognise 4 centre backs is the absolute minimum and teams usually have someone else who can play there in an emergency. At the moment I see De Laet as the spare utility defender and think we need one more.

As for the other place - well take your pick. I would be happy to see Lansbury back but he is young enough (just) not to take up a 25 spot. If no one else arrives I would include Cody as a wild card!

Of course if that is it re signings we end up looking at the apparently discarded and rejected - as well as Cody I would include S Smith and Hughes above the others - one as an extra defender, the other as general cover on the right hand side, Hopefully though we will see a couple more new faces.

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Grif, I agree with swjf50 on Wilbraham. He''d fall into the surplus category, just not sure he would offer enough in the Prem.

I think this may be the case for Lappin too but as a poster has stated above, he stays for his flexibility down the left side and central if needed.

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[quote user="swjf50"] McNamee, OTJ and Hughes seem definite surplus players.  [/quote]

Disagree. I think there''s a good chance McNamee will be kept here (unless he would prefer to move on for a better chance of playing every week).

 

I''m not sure if reluctance is the right word for it but Lambert hasn''t shown the same "reluctance" to use McNamee that he has with OTJ and Hughes.


Also, it''s important to remember that McNamee, unlike OTJ and Hughes, is a Lambert signing.

 

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It seems like McNamee, Tudor-Jones, Oli Johnson, McDonald, Hughes & Stephen Smith are out of contention based solely on team selections so far.

Of course, they could be injured, but of that list I can only see McNamee interesting Lambert, and Wilbraham looks unlikely after being left out completely today.

Assuming none of the above are included in the squad, and Drury/Whitbread are only injured (rather than not wanted), we''ve got 4 spaces in the squad by my maths.

A goalkeeper, at least one defender, and a midfielder would round it off nicely.

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As it now stands it looks like we have 23 in the Squad plus the under-21s. Will be interesting to see if any of the doubtfuls take the two remaing spaces.

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[quote user="Joanna Grey"]As it now stands it looks like we have 23 in the Squad plus the under-21s. Will be interesting to see if any of the doubtfuls take the two remaing spaces.[/quote]

I thought I''d read in the 25 player squad ruling that if a club has eligible players on their books come August 31st they "MUST" be named in it.

Unless we cancel some contracts ,we may not have a choice but to name a couple?.   If I were to choose, I''d go for McNamee and S.Smith - I just can''t see Drury''s recent injury record making him a reliable back up for Tierney.

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