Hugo Viana to be new Director of Football (Official Announcement p17)

youngbob said:
Don't really think the squad needs a huge upgrade. Just a few tweaks.

Goalkeepers: Ederson's good to stay, Ortega will go so probably need to replace him.

Defenders: Walker will stay but step down and Lewis will move into midfield so a new RB is due. Or we move Akanji to RB full-time and buy a new CB. Happy with everyone else.

Midfielders: Not sure a "Rodri back-up" exists in the form we want, we just need someone like Kovacic but with more defensive discipline. Speaking of, Kovacic is fine to stay. De Bruyne will take a step back, Foden will remain first option. Gundogan will go. Bernardo will stay but take a step back. New DM/CM and creative CAM needed imo.

Wingers: Bobb, Savinho, Doku, and Grealish is enough to be going on with. Nunes too if he fancies staying out on the left. Sneaky suspicion Grealish might leave for a fresh start after all these injuries, the burglary, new child, etc. So perhaps we'll be in the market there.

Forwards: Haaland is incredible, he's good to stay. Need another number 9 to back him up a bit.

So, a back-up GK if Ortega leaves, a RB (or CB), a DM/CM hybrid type, a creative CAM, and a striker. Five players. Shouldn't be too hard to line up the targets Pep wants and give it a go.
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I think youre being very generous to too many players there.
I see too many of the players you mention to stay as decidedly average .
Some have youth on their side but with huge question marks over them.
Some absolutely do not have youth and need moving on. And i dont buy that we need the older players to lead because they just arent leaders.

I think your last line is the crux. Is pep staying or is he going? Because a one year extension is use nor ornament. Players like stability and wont fancy not knowing what manager is coning in if pep is only hanging about for a year. May as well be a new broom, much as it pains me
 
I think he has his work cut out as I can see the likes of KDB, Gundo, Walker and Stones having a diminishing impact and influence on the field so he really needs a succession plan for these 4. I also think we need a back up for Rodri, a mobile left back and a back up striker to give us different options. In hindsight letting Alvarez leave with no replacement was a bad mistake, even though it was a brilliant deal in a business sense.
 
This fella needs to hit the ground running.

He's got a huge job on his hands. A bit of a rebuild if you ask me.

We need minimum 5 or 6 stellar players. Not bargain basement players that have been knocking around the prem for a few years.

Gk -
Ederson..Ortega

DEF -
Stones..Ake..Akanji..Dias..Gvardiol..

MID -
KDB..Nunes..Rodri..

ATT - Bobb..Haaland..Foden..Grealish..Sav..Doku..Bernie..


Looks like we need a minimum of a proper RB.

Another DM that can rotate with Rodri.

2 more creative energetic Midfielders to play every week with KDB coming in sporadically.

And another out and out striker!

Sprinkle that woth some of the youth and that should see us right for a few seasons.

And we are.desperate for some raw pace. I've never seen us look look so slow recently.

Hopefully this guy pulls some rabbits out of the hat for us.
 
Squad needs a refresh and I think we need to invest in some proven players. We've done well recruiting young talent and getting more experienced players in to supplement things but it feels like there's a real lack of pace and physicality in our side and we need to have a really good summer to address things.

Defensively we need a RB and to let Walker move on. Rico can still develop but we need someone more proven in their mid-late 20s.

Midfield Gundo is past it, De Bruyne is probably done too based on his injury record. Rodri is going to take a while to get back up to the player of old and we're going to need to manage him carefully. Our other options are Nunes (26), Bernardo (30), McAtee (22), Foden (24), Kovacic (30). So we need 3-4 players and ideally two that are proven and two who are younger.

Doku (22), Savinho (20), Grealish (29), Bobb (21) are good options out wide, with Foden/Bernardo/McAtee/Nunes also as options and Echeverri arriving.

Haaland as our only striker is also an issue, we need to sign someone as cover.

Rodri is a huge loss and it exposes our flaws. But Pep can find a tactical system that misses him least and we can still challenge. But there's a big job this summer.
 
supercity88 said:
Squad needs a refresh and I think we need to invest in some proven players. We've done well recruiting young talent and getting more experienced players in to supplement things but it feels like there's a real lack of pace and physicality in our side and we need to have a really good summer to address things.

Defensively we need a RB and to let Walker move on. Rico can still develop but we need someone more proven in their mid-late 20s.

Midfield Gundo is past it, De Bruyne is probably done too based on his injury record. Rodri is going to take a while to get back up to the player of old and we're going to need to manage him carefully. Our other options are Nunes (26), Bernardo (30), McAtee (22), Foden (24), Kovacic (30). So we need 3-4 players and ideally two that are proven and two who are younger.

Doku (22), Savinho (20), Grealish (29), Bobb (21) are good options out wide, with Foden/Bernardo/McAtee/Nunes also as options and Echeverri arriving.

Haaland as our only striker is also an issue, we need to sign someone as cover.

Rodri is a huge loss and it exposes our flaws. But Pep can find a tactical system that misses him least and we can still challenge. But there's a big job this summer.
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Gvardiol is the best cover for Rodri for me, has all tools to do the job and can go back to left back when Rodri is back. Ake in at leftback till Jan and sign someone like Gutierrez in Jan. or araujo from sporting, he did pretty good v savio last night! Gundogan legs have gone, move him to coaching role. Play more of Bernie oreilly or grealish In the middle. Get savio on the weights and bobb is back in January. All easily sortable for a decent second half of the season.
 
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