Realistic Summer Recruitment

T

Tinpot Club

Star Player
Lots of people advocating clear outs and all sorts of positions we need to strengthen in. Most of which is going to be fanciful thinking compared to the business we actually do this summer. Two important points to bear in mind I think:-

1) We already have a very strong squad. Maybe not the biggest and perhaps slightly unbalanced in certain positions. Not many teams would have coped with all our injuries. There is of course a 25 man squad limit too. Get our injured players fit and we are very competitive.

2) Unless we sell, there won’t be a huge bottomless pit to spend. We’ve announced our first loss in our PL era and supposedly have a training ground to build. I felt our January splurge was more of an advance on this summers budget. Finally there are rules by how much you can increase the wage bill each season.

Personally I can’t see much more than £30m being made available. That pretty much gets you one first XI ready player and one, maybe two younger players to push the more established players.

There are two positions I feel are an absolute necessity to strengthen - midfield and RB. Even with Lerma and Cook as the main duo we need stronger depth and that’s not even mentioning the sacrilege of having an option of playing 3 in the middle.

At RB, Adam Smith is so far ahead of his rivals for his position it’s almost like the Kane situation at Spurs. Therefore recruiting a backup is tricky. This is the ideal position for a (cheaper) younger player to come in.

Sure a new no. 1 GK, a LB or a winger would be nice to have. If we do have the cash available then great. Should Fraser leave, then we would hopefully be able to bring in a quality replacement.

Maybe I’m being a bit conservative on what our budget might be but I think we should be prepared for a frustrating and disappointing window. We might have to use the loan market again.

Finally, I’ll repeat what I said at the start. Our fully fit squad is a very competitive squad. Even with just 1 or 2 key additions there is no reason to fear for next season.
 
Tinpot Club said:
Lots of people advocating clear outs and all sorts of positions we need to strengthen in. Most of which is going to be fanciful thinking compared to the business we actually do this summer. Two important points to bear in mind I think:-

1) We already have a very strong squad. Maybe not the biggest and perhaps slightly unbalanced in certain positions. Not many teams would have coped with all our injuries. There is of course a 25 man squad limit too. Get our injured players fit and we are very competitive.

2) Unless we sell, there won’t be a huge bottomless pit to spend. We’ve announced our first loss in our PL era and supposedly have a training ground to build. I felt our January splurge was more of an advance on this summers budget. Finally there are rules by how much you can increase the wage bill each season.

Personally I can’t see much more than £30m being made available. That pretty much gets you one first XI ready player and one, maybe two younger players to push the more established players.

There are two positions I feel are an absolute necessity to strengthen - midfield and RB. Even with Lerma and Cook as the main duo we need stronger depth and that’s not even mentioning the sacrilege of having an option of playing 3 in the middle.

At RB, Adam Smith is so far ahead of his rivals for his position it’s almost like the Kane situation at Spurs. Therefore recruiting a backup is tricky. This is the ideal position for a (cheaper) younger player to come in.

Sure a new no. 1 GK, a LB or a winger would be nice to have. If we do have the cash available then great. Should Fraser leave, then we would hopefully be able to bring in a quality replacement.

Maybe I’m being a bit conservative on what our budget might be but I think we should be prepared for a frustrating and disappointing window. We might have to use the loan market again.

Finally, I’ll repeat what I said at the start. Our fully fit squad is a very competitive squad. Even with just 1 or 2 key additions there is no reason to fear for next season.
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It's not Eddie's way to sign more than a couple of players. Also there will be players leaving and although a few of them won't command big transfer fees they will free up wages.
 
I'd sell Mings, Begovic, Arter, Mahoney, Hyndman and Brad Jones (if possible). That should bring in about 20-25 mil.
Assuming we then have 50-55 mil to spend I'd get a keeper, CM and LB for 15 mil each, 5-10 mil on a RB/CB. Send Mousset, Ramsdale and Simpson out on loan to the championship if someone wants them.
 
nd9cherry said:
Did we actually fill the 25 man squad rule this season...I believe players under a certain age dont count??
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Yeah U21’s don’t count. Honestly I think most clubs don’t fill the 25 man rule. However, we do have a number of players (Mepham, Solanke and Brooks) who will count towards the total from next season.
 
Tinpot Club said:
Lots of people advocating clear outs and all sorts of positions we need to strengthen in. Most of which is going to be fanciful thinking compared to the business we actually do this summer. Two important points to bear in mind I think:-

1) We already have a very strong squad. Maybe not the biggest and perhaps slightly unbalanced in certain positions. Not many teams would have coped with all our injuries. There is of course a 25 man squad limit too. Get our injured players fit and we are very competitive.

2) Unless we sell, there won’t be a huge bottomless pit to spend. We’ve announced our first loss in our PL era and supposedly have a training ground to build. I felt our January splurge was more of an advance on this summers budget. Finally there are rules by how much you can increase the wage bill each season.

Personally I can’t see much more than £30m being made available. That pretty much gets you one first XI ready player and one, maybe two younger players to push the more established players.

There are two positions I feel are an absolute necessity to strengthen - midfield and RB. Even with Lerma and Cook as the main duo we need stronger depth and that’s not even mentioning the sacrilege of having an option of playing 3 in the middle.

At RB, Adam Smith is so far ahead of his rivals for his position it’s almost like the Kane situation at Spurs. Therefore recruiting a backup is tricky. This is the ideal position for a (cheaper) younger player to come in.

Sure a new no. 1 GK, a LB or a winger would be nice to have. If we do have the cash available then great. Should Fraser leave, then we would hopefully be able to bring in a quality replacement.

Maybe I’m being a bit conservative on what our budget might be but I think we should be prepared for a frustrating and disappointing window. We might have to use the loan market again.

Finally, I’ll repeat what I said at the start. Our fully fit squad is a very competitive squad. Even with just 1 or 2 key additions there is no reason to fear for next season.
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Can Franno still do a job as backup RB? I guess it depends if he can stay match fit. Also if we were to play a back 3 with Fraser as RWB that's another option.

So many variables at the moment without knowing who will stay so it's difficult to know where our priorities will be but CM is an obvious one as you say.

Agree with you and others on here that we already have quality at our core, we just need to get everyone fit and firing on all cylinders. With 1 or 2 quality additions plus some youth players coming through we'll certainly be competitive.
 
We've absolutely no idea what shape Franno will come back from his serious injury in. He might be the same Franno as earlier this season (up there with some of the best football he's played in an AFCB shirt) or he might be a shadow of his former self and a coaching role more fitting. Or most likely, somewhere in-between.

IMHO his main role next season is to stick as close as possible with Mepham and download as much of Franno's head into Mepham's as is possible. That and being in the dressing room and on the bench as much as possible to provide some leadership, clearly that's a skill of his.
 
northstandmark said:
We've absolutely no idea what shape Franno will come back from his serious injury in. He might be the same Franno as earlier this season (up there with some of the best football he's played in an AFCB shirt) or he might be a shadow of his former self and a coaching role more fitting. Or most likely, somewhere in-between.

IMHO his main role next season is to stick as close as possible with Mepham and download as much of Franno's head into Mepham's as is possible. That and being in the dressing room and on the bench as much as possible to provide some leadership, clearly that's a skill of his.
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Too be fair, Franno has been written off ever since he signed as Bradbury's mate.
 
On the Under 21 rule - Any player who has turned 21 by 1st Jan 2019 will be counted as over 21 for next season. Once loanees have returned I get:-

Keepers Begovic, Boruc

Defenders A. Smith, Francis, S. Cook, Mepham, Mings, Aké, Simpson, Daniels, Rico, B. Smith

Midfielders Arter, L. Cook, Lerma, Gosling, Surman, Hyndman

Wingers Ibe, Fraser, Stanislas, Brooks, Mahoney

Strikers Wilson, King, Solanke, Mousset

That’s 27 players. It’s extremely likely Arter, B. Smith and Hyndman will leave. That gives space for just one over 21 new signing. If that’s an elite creative midfielder then that’s perfect.

Possibly one or both of Simpson and Mahoney will be loaned out to free up some space. Even if the finances aren’t as tight as I initially suggested, we don’t have a lot of wiggle room numbers wise.
 
I would be very worried about relying on Lewis Cook as a future pillar of any build....cant really see what the fuss is about....a very quiet and unimposing figure tbh....and that injury is one that many players dont come back from !
 
Well Lewis Cook would be one of my NINE(only) to keep from the squad shown above....but we need to allow him to play not restrain his passing ability
 
danafcb1 said:
I'd sell Mings, Begovic, Arter, Mahoney, Hyndman and Brad Jones (if possible). That should bring in about 20-25 mil.
Assuming we then have 50-55 mil to spend I'd get a keeper, CM and LB for 15 mil each, 5-10 mil on a RB/CB. Send Mousset, Ramsdale and Simpson out on loan to the championship if someone wants them.
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No it's not possible to sell Brad Jones.

You are suggesting sending out players out on loan. It is what we have done to Mahoney. so why get him that experience and then sell him?
 
TrueCherry said:
No it's not possible to sell Brad Jones.

You are suggesting sending out players out on loan. It is what we have done to Mahoney. so why get him that experience and then sell him?
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Didn't think so lol.

Doesn't seem good enough to me, 22 years old and only scored 2 goals in the championship, not exactly looking like a premier league player is he?
 
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