Squad Requirements for 2013-2014

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

Butterfield could be another if CH feels he''s the one to back up Wes, otherwise this seems about right to me.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="star_manic"]i think there will be a couple of surprise departures as CH finalizes HIS squad. i can see Wes being one of them unfortunately, but his effectiveness has diminished lately, and a stronger version could be on the cards. i doubt Wiemann will come to us, there are several murmurings of higher ranked clubs sniffing around.
[/quote]

 

You really think this? He looked superb before being subbed at Sunderland. I find it quite literally astonishing the amount of fans who still fail to see his importance to us. Fortunately Hughton can and therfore I cannot see Wes going anywhere.

[T 190]

Club spent 37m on staff costs in 11/12 plus another net 10m (up to 14m depending on player/team performance) on transfers post the 31 May year end making net spend for this season about 47m to 50m according to accounts. The TV money goes up by at least 18m next season possibly more depending on overseas rights negotiations plus we have another 10m cash from debt being repaid. Therefore our budget goes up from something like 50m to 80m for next season if we stay up. A 60% increase therefore expect a significant improvement in the squad for next season. Of course all clubs get the extra TV money so we have no relative advantage but will no longer be handicapped by the debt repayments. What it does mean is that the premier league will have more money to spend on players compared to other leagues and therefore I would expect all premier league clubs to be looking to signifigantly improve tthe quality of their squads. RVW is the first example of this trend.

[Phillip J Fry 0]

I always find discussions for next seasons squad interesting. I like to see where people think our weaknesses are compared to my own beliefs.

I think we need a new left midfielder, someone to compete with Pilkington for that position. This is assuming that Hughton decides not to keep Surman around, who I believe could push Pilkington and even start on occasion. It''s important to remember that early on, Surman started games under Hughton. Whether or not this means he has a future at this club is up for debate.

Obviously a central midfielder is another must. Hughton seems to only rate three of our central midfielders at present, Johnson, Howson and Tettey. Ideally, we should be playing one of the more defensive midfielders (Tettey or Johnson) alongside Howson, who will look to break forward and support the attack. Obviously this has not been the case this season, mainly due to Howson''s poor form. Hopefully his impressive showing at the Sunderland game is a sign that he is finally starting to reach the levels we need him to play at. Another central midfielder who is more well rounded and attacking is also needed, so we have four players competing for the deep-lying central midfield role in our 4-2-3-1.

Left back is another area that needs strengthening. At the moment we have no left-backs contracted for next summer. Garrido will probably be signed permanently, and Hughton was apparently interested in Martin Olsson (Blackburn left back) in January. 

Apart from that we look pretty good IMO. The striking department won''t need reinforcements unless we sell Holt or Becchio or chose not to sign Kamara. 

In Summary:

1 Left Midfielder

1 Central midfielder

2 Left backs

Is what we need in the next transfer window. Once we have signed these players, we may see recruitment in other areas.

[Skerritt 0]

I would like a new Left back as although Garrido is good going forward, he doesnt always seem sure as a defender. Would like to keep Garrido as back up though.

[Lavanche 0]

Always hard question when you dont know who is with use next season. So first thing is check what we have.

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Our current squad:

Ruddy, John

Bunn, Mark

Camp, Lee*

Bassong, Sébastien

Turner, Michael

Bennett, Ryan

Garrido, Javier**

Tierney, Marc*

Martin, Russell

Whittaker, Steven

Johnson, Bradley

Howson, Jonathan

Fox, David *

Tettey, Alexander

Bennett, Elliott

Surman, Andrew

Pilkington, Anthony

Hoolahan, Wesley

Snodgrass, Robert

Butterfield, Jacob

Kamara, Kei**

Holt, Grant

Jackson, Simeon*

Becchio, Luciano

(Wolfswinkel)

Loanees out:

Rudd, Declan

Ayala, Daniel

Ward, Elliot*

Barnett, Leon*

Smith, Korey*

Adeyemi, Tom

Martin, Chris*

Vaughan, James*

* Marked players are those who I''m quite certain will leave before next season.

** I''m quite sure we keep both of Kamara and Garrido. Camp most likely wont continue.

That leaves us:

4 strikers: Wolf, Holt, Kamara, Becchio

3 pure wingers: Snoddy, Pilks, Bennett

3 advanced middlefielders: Hoolahan, Surman, Butterfield

4 center middlefielders: Howson, Tettey, Johnson, Adeyemi

3 fullbacks: Whittaker, R.Martin, Garrido (Francomb could be here, but his level is not enought yet at least, so might be loaned or sold)

4 centerbacks: Bennett, Turner, Bassong, Ayala

3 GKs: Ruddy, Bunn, Rudd

24 players combined

9 players most likely leaving

1-4 players from 21 will go on loan again (Rudd, Adeyemi, Butterfield, Ayala can be in those 3)

From players that I think are leaving Vaughan, Martin and Fox have at least contract until 2014, so they might stay if none wants them, but I see them no future in Hughton''s team. Someone might wonder why I think that Korey wont be here next year, but his contract is again running out and he is loanee in League 1 team, so hard to see us renewing him again. Of course I can be utterly wrong.

Then again someone from those who I think are staying might want out because of his role or someone just put the right price for us. So you never know before the summer.

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Another thing is that what formation we will use during the season? My guess would be 4-2-3-1, but 4-4-2 has been the formation Hughton favored in earlier clubs. Putting players that I suggest staying in both formations.

4-2-3-1

-----------------------RvW----------------------

Pilkington-------Hoolahan-------Snoddy

-------------Johnson---------Tettey----------

Garrido----Bassong----Turner----Martin

-----------------------Ruddy----------------------

---------------------Holt---------------------------

Surman----Kamara*/Butter**---Bennett

---------------Adeyemi**----Howson----------

?----------Bennett-----Ayala**---Whittaker

-----------------------Bunn------------------------

Becchio, Rudd as extra

* Those players that are out of position, but can play there if needed

** Not sure if they fit in Hughton''s picture

4-4-2

---------------Holt-----RvW-----------------

Pilkington-------------------------Snoddy

---------------Johnson-Tettey-------------

Garrido---Bassong--Turner---Martin

------------------Ruddy------------------------

--------------Kamara--Becchio------------

Surman----------------------------Bennett

------------Hoolahan*-Howson------------

?--------Bennett----Ayala----Whittaker

---------------------Bunn-----------------------

Butterfield, Adeyemi and Rudd as extra

From formations we can see quite well what we lack and what we have:

First thing is that we do not need another striker.

We are missing one deep middlefielder / box to box type

We are missing another left full back

In my personal opinion depth and quality wise we could use 3 other players. Hoolahan is our only attacking middlefielder and if he gets long term injury we are kind a screwed when it comes to playmaking in the central area. if Butterfield wont step up. So 1 more attacking middlefielder. Surman is fine player and can be asset in certain games if fit, but we could use either upgrade for Pilkington or someone to make him work for his starting place. Ayala and R.Bennet clearly dont enjoy too much of Hughton''s trust and I''m not so sure if Ayala even continues with us, so we need someone to cover our starting duo or upgrade Turner.

So conclusion is quite much same as from others

Quality center middlefielder

Left fullback

Centerback

Left winger

Attacking middlefielder

Cash wise dont know if we can add quality in all of those places, but maybe we can find new freebie or loan to cover Garrido. Central middlefielder will cost us at least 4 million if we want quality, same with winger. If we just want some cover, we probably can find someone under that sum. Centerback will be most likely between 2 and 4 millions.

If we watch players previously rumoured to us in those positions.

CM: Biglia would cost between 5-8 millions and Kayal 3-5 millions (doubt neither will come)

CB: C.Davies 1,5 - 3 million (Quite possible as his contract runs out 2014 and he seems to want to leave)

LB: Martin Olsson 3-5 millions. (could be interesting choise as he could cover 2 of the positions we at the moment need to reinforce.)

Cant remember that any of pure left wingers or attacking middlefielders would have been linked to us, but in these positions you really have to have luck to get quality under 4 millions.

So if we would get Olsson to cover two spots we would need somewhere around 20 millions. Dont know what McNally is planning, but hard to see that happen after we signed RvW ^^ 10-15 million tranfer budget would sound more realistic, so we most likely have to do some joker transfers where we get surprised positively as with Kamara, Whittaker and Garrido.

Also we need to make some room either by loaning or selling, if we want to fit 5 new players in our squad.

[ellis206 0]

[quote user="Skerritt"]I would like a new Left back as although Garrido is good going forward, he doesnt always seem sure as a defender. Would like to keep Garrido as back up though.[/quote]

 

Really???? I find it to be the other way round, doesn''t get forward high enough at times but is generally superb at defending, only remember him having one bad game which was Liverpool at home (who didn''t?)

 

As someone else has mentioned, Scott Sinclair would be a real possibility, he''ll no doubt be on big wages now so a loan deal might be the best option but he''d be my number 1 target in the summer. 

Max Gradel anyone? :)

[Renskay 36]

We should try and sign Manuel Fernandes to improve the midfield.

...He''s amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI1Y6a6LcQI

and he''s coming into the last year of his contract so might be cheap also along with all of Besiktas'' financial problems.

[Joanna Grey 0]

LOL, Fozzy flicks....

[PurpleCanary 5,562]

It is (assuming we stay up) all a matter of how much we have to spend and Hughton''s priorities, but is Holt, even if he decides to look after himself this summer, going to last a full season? That seems unlikely. RVW is plainly not the same kind of striker, while Becchio doens''t seem like a mid-table Premier League player.

If Hughton wants to buy a replacement that could take a sizeable chunk of what the board makes available, unless we can do a loan deal for someone such as Guidetti, assuming he is getting back to full fitness.

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

This discussion will roll on over the rest of the season, but Lavanche has made an excellent study of it in his usual competent and thorough way. There will be some variables (like the current possibility of Van Ginkel), but I particularly like the possibility of Martin Olsson at both LB and LMF. McNally has indicated that there will be more players coming in, but I hope the focus is on quality rather than quantity as City look to improve next season.

[chicken 0]

Lavanche is right but several others have made the same comments on various other threads.

I think it is safe to say that only those that are in the first team or directly on the fringes of it are going to stay - the exception being Jackson.

That really means:

GK: Ruddy, Bunn.

DF: Whitaker, Martin, Bassong, Turner, Garrido.

MF: Snodgrass, Pilkington, Tettey, Joshnson - I''d like to say Howson as well.

AM: Hoolahan.

STR: Holt, Becchio, RVW and Kamara.

That is 17. Leaves 8 places far from certain in my books.

I really don''t see any of the other players as being ''safe'' in terms of who goes. It will be interesting that is for sure.

[Six Pack 93]

[quote user="star_manic"]i think there will be a couple of surprise departures as CH finalizes HIS squad. i can see Wes being one of them unfortunately, but his effectiveness has diminished lately, and a stronger version could be on the cards. i doubt Wiemann will come to us, there are several murmurings of higher ranked clubs sniffing around.[/quote]

Utter BOLLOCKS !!!

You want us to get rid of one of our key players ????

Unfortunately you''re talking out of your rear-end !

[Joanna Grey 0]

"Utter b******s !!!

You want us to get rid of one of our key players ????

Unfortunately you''re talking out of your rear-end ! "

If we were to get someone like Van Ginkel then Wes would not be a key player. He would still have a place on the bench though.