10 in a row Squad

Plenty of decent players becoming free agents deals to be had

 

Will be interesting, sure certain players we'd be interested in will get loads of attention.

 

Last time Lennon was in charge our scouting wasn’t half bad, yeah there was the banguras and rasmussens....but there was also Van dijk, wanyama and Forster originally. I’d expect Lenny to be back using scouts he believes in and trusts. This will be his first proper window in which he’s able to do what he wants personnel wise. Think we can’t expect every signing to work, just have to hope the odd 3 or 4 that do work are that special we forget the * ones! I’d of thought any player that’s come in last season had already been in the works without Lennys major input

 

GoalKeeper
Frimpong, Ajer, Julien, Taylor
Brown, McGregor
Forrest, Christie, Johnston
Edouard

Bain
Elhamed, CentreBack, Bitton, LeftBack
Soro, Ntcham
Shved* Rogic, LeftWing
Griffiths
​

GoalKeeper - Forster
CentreBack - Someone to replace Jozo and can fight for the position with Julien and Ajer.
LeftBack - Hickey? Melling? It's perhaps a position that could do with two new Left backs, but considering I don't imagine a revamp happening, then Boli out and keep Taylor. Hickey as the back up, or Melling as the first choice and make Taylor backup.
LeftWing - Ely back would be awesome, injuries aside, but doubtful due to the cost of the deal, another loan would be fine. If not, then Fischer has been mentioned again from Copenhagen and is the sort I would chase after. A few years ago may have cost us a pretty penny, but today he would be a lot cheaper than Ely.
* Shved I like the look of and I am happy to have. However if he is not deemed up to speed (for * sake that can NOT be an excuse after the entire world of football has all been out of action for 2 months) then he needs moved on and perhaps another brought in.


Klimala, Dembele, Henderson, Welsh, Robertson should all be constantly around the squad.
That gives us 27, more than enough for the season.


If the talk of Ntcham is to leave, Turnbull is the obvious choice to chase. It is a risk but the profit from selling Ntcham in relation to the cost of Turnbull during this window is acceptable for now.

 

We’ve built up a huge financial gap over the Huns in the last several years, and despite the inevitable impact that Coronavirus is going to have on transfer business, we must push the boat out to secure the 10.

Priority positions as things stand:

GK - ideally Forster or someone of his calibre.
CB - Jozo gone. Ajer could potentially go. Either way, I think we need a CB who can compete with Ajer if he stays.
LB - Neither Boli or Taylor have made the position their own. Could still come good but it’s a position that we could definitely improve.
LM - Elyounoussi or Fischer would be great. Definitely need someone in that role who is a clear starter.

 

Looking at the squad we need a decent amount of players.

So first team players

Gordon *Leaving
Jullien *Starter
Taylor *Maybe not good enough for UCL
Hendry *Not good enough
Bitton *Experienced back up
Brown *Use in bigger games needs rest hopefully this break gives him a season longer
Griffiths *Good Back up to keep around
Bayo and Klimala *One should be loaned out so put together due to that.
Soro *Could be a good back up to keep around
Christie *Starter
Rogic *May be sold
Johnston * We could need to play him more than we should is he ready
Shved *Needs Game time here or elsewhere on loan
Ntcham *As in Rogic May be sold
Edouard * We have to keep
Bolingoli * I would give 1 more season
Connell *If Rogic or Ntcham are sold could be a chance for him
Bain *Decent Back up
Frimpong *Should start most games
Elhamed *Decent Experienced Back Up
Ajer * We may have to sell if rumours are true he wants to go
McGregor *Starter
Forrest *Starter
Henderson *Give him this season in our first team
Ralston *Don't think he'll make it here loan him to another team
Hazard * After Gordon goes he's 3rd choice

Some Youths
Afolabi *I would loan to a lower league team St Mirren are a possible team
Benyu * Get rid never good enough
O'Connor * I would keep around the team could be useful squad member
Coffey and Robertson * I would keep one in the squad other loaned out maybe to the Championship
Oko Flex *I would loan out to an attacking team in the Championship
Deas *I would keep him or Welsh around for squad numbers other loaned out
McInroy *A team like St Johnstone I would loan him out too
Welsh * See Deas
Atchison *Loan out again
Karamoko *I would keep around he's good enough for us could be one of our 5 subs every game or most
Burt *Struggled with him could be good as a squad player but would get more game time on loan

So let's say worse case we are to lose

Gordon
Hendry
Ntcham or Rogic
Ajer
Benyu

And Loan out

Bayo or Klimala
Shved
Ralston
Afolabi
Coffey or Robertson
Oko Flex
Deas or Welsh
McInroy
Atchison
Burt

That would leave us

Jullien
Taylor
Bitton
Brown
Griffiths
Bayo or Klimala
Soro
Christie
Rogic or Ntcham
Johnston
Edouard
Boli
Connell
Bain
Frimpong
Elhamed
McGregor
Forrest
Henderson
Hazard
O'Connor
Karamoko

I would do our best to keep Ajer Rogic and Ntcham

In a 4 3 3
New Gk
Frimpong, Jullien, Ajer? , Taylor
Ntcham*, McGregor, Christie
Forrest, Edouard, Johnston?

In a 3 5 2 or 3 4 2 1
New GK
Ajer?, Jullien, New LCB
Frimpong, Ntcham, McGregor, Taylor
***************Christie
Forrest*********************
Edouard
​

Squad players
Goalkeepers

Bain
Hazard

Centre Backs
Bitton
Elhamed
O'Connor
Deas or Welsh
New CB

Full Backs
Boli
Elhamed
O'Connor
Connell

Central Midfeilders

Bitton
Brown
Soro
Rogic or Ntcham
Connell
Henderson
Coffey or Robertson

Wingers
Boli
Connell?
Karamoko
New Winger

Strikers
Griffiths
Bayo or Klimala
Back Up

​

Either way I think we need

A right sided Centre Back (if Ajer leaves)
A left Sided centre back
A Left Winger/Wing Back (depending on formation)
A Central Midfielder (If Ntcham or Rogic leave)
A Target Man (Give us something different up top)

In my 3-5-2 I would give Forrest and Christie/McGregor the freedom to drift wide and let Edouard stay central.

 

Griff backup ?!?

We were cruising with him and Edouard together...

We need to get straight back on it with that partnership.

 

Big CJ?

 

Elhamed back up you're on the drugs if fit he's starting simple as that brings us so much solid good in the tackle reads the game well is a class act you're deluded with that list above

 

Even if we sell both rogic and ntcham, getting another central midfielder in we’d still have too many players in that position. Brown, mcgregor and Christie can lock those positions down. Then replacements we have soro and button for browns spot. Connell, Henderson, Coffey, Robertson for mcgregor and Christie. And dembele/shved can play in that number 10 spot too. We have a target man already in the team with Bayo so don’t think we need to waste money on another target man who won’t play much as we don’t play that kinda way anyway. Good money on a left winger and CB definitely

 

Some back up team Gogz mate

 

I do think 1 of Rogic or Ntcham will go due to game time. Really if you look at us playing in Europe (UCL Hopefully) a few injuries and we are screwed in most positions. After Jullien and Ajer (guarenteed starters) we have nothing, Elhamed and Bitton aren't natural Centre Backs. Full Backs we don't even have a starting Left Back good enough. Central Mid is ok Brown, Christie and McGregor would start all European games so 1 of Ntcham or Rogic plus Bitton should be good enough.
Wingers we need a Left Winger or Mikey to push on.
Strikers could be an issue, Edouard or Leigh get injured and we're forced to use Bayo or Klimala I prefer klimala

 

Elhamed > Frimpong

 

Agree with a lot of what you’re saying but el hamed decent back up, el hamed fit one of the first names on the team sheet, missed him badly through injury

 

Who would you take out, Frimpong?

 

If we play a 3 5 2 Frimpong isn't starting before forrest and El Hamed is a much more solid option frimpong will get games not starting as much though if el hamed is fully fit.

 

Elhamed will play RCB in 3-5-2..

Forrest and Frimpong will be the RWB, Frimpong could even be tried as LWB.

 

I agree it will be solid with El Hamed Julien Ajer but can't see Lennon dropping Forrest

 

We have good options on the right, same can't be said for the left, it's needs strengthening.

 

I can’t see us buying really anyone in this window except maybe Forster if we get a decent price. We should have more than enough to win the 10 even if the Zombies do splash out again, which they probably will.

It depends if we want to have another good go in Europe and try for the CL proper. Don’t think I can take another Cluj, AEK etc. Always the same after these games about the board taking a gamble on them and not signing anyone to make the difference. Difference is last summer we signed Julien but didn’t play him in the games.

So if we are signing someone, hopefully it’s soon and we can try and bed them in for the qualifiers. But maybe this year we have a good enough squad to qualify already and there’s no need to take the gamble. That’s what Lawell will think anyway. Time will tell.