It's Quiet - a new dawn

[domalino]

When I say 15, I include those due back from loan.

Even then, impossible. There aren't 4 of them on loan good enough. Maffeo would be an obvious choice, but if we're going after Sanchez and Mbappé then Unal, Celina, Roberts, Zinchenko - all the forwards are ruled out.

Mooy isn't close to being good enough, Moreno needs at least 1 more year, he's barely got his feet on the ground in Spain.

 

[Dax777]

Only sauces I have are ketchup and sweet chilli mate. I also won't be saying told you so.

I actually think we should be concentrating on sorting the defence and goalkeeper which have basically cost us this year.

Attacking wise we are pretty much sorted

Again, folks say this but the facts don't back it up.

Our defense gives up fewer chances than anyone other than the Rags. We are on par or better in every defensive category except for saves per goal scored.

However on offense we creates as much as all the others in the top 6 but convert at a lower rate than all but 1.

Defense is not the problem. Sure its the position that has the most players fans don't like or think are dispensible. You have Ota, Kola, Clichy, Sagna, Zab and Kompany. All 6 with legimate claims for why folks want them out. But they have not underperformed relative to the other teams in the top 6. The Goalkeepers though, have.

So if we are being honest and following the stats, improving saves to goals ratio, and figuring out what to do to improve conversion of chances are the 2 biggest problems this season. The 3rd being hustle. As our 3rd weakest stat is percentage of duels won.We are at about 43% while all the others are at 50% or slightly above.

So if we really care about solving actual problems

Simply put if our goalkeeper had made saves at an average of the other 5 we'll be 2 or 3 points behind Chelsea. But if our conversion was on average similar to the others, we will be 5 points clear.

Make of that what you want.

 

[oldius]

He has already said that he will be taking young players for pre season. Zinchenko is playing in midfield so he is definitely not ruled out. Unal deserves to go on merit and Sancho, Foden and Brahim will probably be there too.

 

[pudge]

We ain't getting a new number one keeper
Bravo is here for the foreseeable

Good luck with that.

 

[Dax777]

Pep on Sanchez rumours: "Now is not the time to talk about it"

That's a very good sign :-)

 

[dickie davies]

Good luck with that.

He's Pep's man

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

Even then, impossible. There aren't 4 of them on loan good enough. Maffeo would be an obvious choice, but if we're going after Sanchez and Mbappé then Unal, Celina, Roberts, Zinchenko - all the forwards are ruled out.

Mooy isn't close to being good enough, Moreno needs at least 1 more year, he's barely got his feet on the ground in Spain.

Mooy could easily be as effective in a squad role as Fernando has been. Manu Garcia and Maffeo are shoe in's I'd assume and I think the rest will be based on what we get in ahead of them alright, but yeah the attackers will face a very, very hard time getting in.

 

[Dax777]

I have no doubt these will be the top priorities, but arguably missed chances cost us the year. They cost us both games against Chelsea, against Spurs, against Boro and Stoke and our first Everton game too.

Meanwhile, we've been much more defensively solid for a while now.

Pep has continually blamed missed chances for our woes, citing even the Steau game, that we won 6-0, as when he first noticed we had issues putting it away.
Getting two, or even one, of Sanchez, Mbappe or Griezmann would be a huge improvement and no doubt come along with a new GK, LB, RB, CB and DM too.

There is a reason why. It has cost us more than our defending or Goalkeeping. Even though its easier to remember when we give up soft goals. Especially when we concede little or no other chances. But people forget the 5 chances we missed before we scored and then gave up a cheap goal that cost us 2 points. Everyone then focuses on the cheap goal conceded. :(

Its like worrying more about plane crashes than car accidents. O e happens once a year, the other every minute. But the once a year event is the one people worry the most about. There is a name for this in psychology.

 

[Dax777]

GK, FB x 2, MF x 2, Attack x 2, so at a minimum that's 7. Then we are looking at some of Roberts, Zinchenko, Celina, Unal, Moreno, Mooy, Manu Garcia and others brought in.

For me only Stones, Delph, Sane, KDB, Sterling, Aleix Garcia, Kolarov, Gundogan, Jesus and Fernandinho are safe from the chop.

We won't recognize the team next year, that's for sure.

Not even Silva? I think Silva is safe.

 

[Dax777]

Even then, impossible. There aren't 4 of them on loan good enough. Maffeo would be an obvious choice, but if we're going after Sanchez and Mbappé then Unal, Celina, Roberts, Zinchenko - all the forwards are ruled out.

Mooy isn't close to being good enough, Moreno needs at least 1 more year, he's barely got his feet on the ground in Spain.

Zichenko might be converted to a Leftback. I have my fingers crossed :-)