The Squad planning thread

[Delphinho]

I like this apart from swapping both forward options for Delap. He will end up a becoming a star in this league. £20m buy back is a steal. No reason why he can’t push for Haalands position.

We sold him for £20m, no chance it’s only £20m. He spent years here with far less chances than what he deserved, and now he’s finally getting regular gametime. Really can’t see him coming back to sit on the bench again, and only recieve 5-10 Poznan minutes in the games we’re already up by 3

 

[skillman]

delap can play wide tbf, Hull used him there alot to decent effect. Hes a handy runner with the ball

As can the Sporting bloke apparently.

 

[Blue Bogey]

I like this apart from swapping both forward options for Delap. He will end up a becoming a star in this league. £20m buy back is a steal. No reason why he can’t push for Haalands position.

Yep, I don’t know where everyone is getting this £20m buy back price from. £20m is the total price Ipswich pay us if bonuses reached.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

We went from Mahrez and Sterling to Savinho, Doku and Grealish who of which have only scored 1 goal this season, it’s December!!! Haha you have to laugh.

I do think there's a bit of be careful what you wish for on Mahrez. People spent the whole time he was here asking for pacy wingers! If I could have muted the phrase pacy wingers I would have done. Well we have pacy wingers now!

 

[Gumzy97]

Haaland 12 goals in the prem
All of our wingers combined 1 goal

We just don’t have threat in attack on the wings like we used to

 

[John Wayne]

We have so many players that are out of contract between summers 2025 and 2027 that it is frightening. For all of the good work done by Txiki in the past, poor signings and squad management more recently has left Hugo Viana with a tremendous job on his hands. You could look at it the other way though, and say Viana has an opportunity to stamp his mark on the team for years to come.

I feel that this summer will see the departures of De Bruyne, Walker, McAtee, Carson, Ortega, Gundogan and Bernardo. There are question marks around Stones and Nunes, but I think that both will stay. Ederson could well go but if he does then I think Ortega stays. Not counting the youngsters, that leaves us with (age in August 2025 in brackets):

Ederson (32)

Lewis (20)
Ake (30)
Stones (31)
Gvardiol (23)
Dias (28)
Akanji (30)

Nunes (27)
Rodri (29)
Kovacic (31)
Foden (25)

Bobb (22)
Doku (23)
Savinho (21)
Grealish (29)

Haaland (25)

There's 16 players in that list and no outfield player is older than 31. The age issue can largely be resolved in January and the summer, but we will need at least seven players in to bolster and replenish the squad by the time next season kicks off. You also have the likes of Wright and O'Reilly getting more minutes too.

Based on the above, I think we will sign one player in January. I don't know who that will be but Ederson at Atalanta is looking like a serious consideration. Ricci and Zubimendi are also supposedly on the radar. That would leave us needing the following in summer 2025:

A second striker
A number 8
A left-back (Gvardiol to move centrally)
A right-back
A goalkeeper (plus a youth keeper graduating to third choice)

We probably need to be looking at ages 24-26 primarily.

I don't think that the overhaul is as big as people suggest but we absolutely need to get it right. The return of Rodri eliminates many problems but we will need to be careful how he is managed.

Other priorities include long-term deals for Haaland, Rodri, Foden and Dias.

 

[Benarbia’s Backheel]

If we don’t sign two athletic players who can’t play at 6 in January then we deserve whatever happens in the second half of the season.
Yes, sign Zubamendi but if he gets injured in his second game then we are just as screwed. And even if he doesn’t get injured he’s going to need to play every single game which he can’t.

 

[John Wayne]

If we don’t sign two athletic players who can’t play at 6 in January then we deserve whatever happens in the second half of the season.
Yes, sign Zubamendi but if he gets injured in his second game then we are just as screwed. And even if he doesn’t get injured he’s going to need to play every single game which he can’t.

I take it you meant 'can' in your first sentence ;).

But you're right. I suspect we'll only get one, as outlined in my post above yours. If we did get two, one would have to be versatile enough to play a more advanced role as well.

 

[RayCTID]

And if the two athetic players aren't available in January then what? We are screwed anyway regardless of new signings, and the new signings still need time to get fully to speed. With the overall squad morale not at it greatest it is a big ask to expect them to be the missing ingredient. First and foremost need to get the current players back to sharpness if at all possible before adding to the squad.

 

[Blue Bogey]

Haaland 12 goals in the prem
All of our wingers combined 1 goal

We just don’t have threat in attack on the wings like we used to

TBF Doku has never been a great goalscorer from the wing. He just had dribbling skills without end product. I was surprised we went for him but we did and he is showing what he had and has not improved his goal scoring rate.