19 Feb 2020 17:49:51
How many players do you all think we need if we get prem ps there all good reads on this site waiting for sat.
19 Feb 2020 19:16:24
Wigan
Prior to thinking about buying any new players I think we will have spent all our budget on those 'loans-to-buys' that we signed at the beginning of the season (Harrison £10m, Costa £15m and Meslier £4) . That's £30m right there. I think I read the Augustin may be a loan-to-buy at £22m too. can't see us spending out any more than that if I am honest, although I would love it, love it, love it if we could buy White.
Even if we did go that crazy and splash out on all those players I still think we would be lacking a PL standard goalkeeper, a PL standard centre back, a PL standard attacking midfielder and a PL standard centre forward.
19 Feb 2020 20:19:27
We'll need a dozen new players.
19 Feb 2020 22:04:34
George - if you reckon we need 12 new players, it would seem you feel most of our current squad are not good enough for the Prem, so it would be interesting to know which of our player you feel would cut it at that level.
19 Feb 2020 22:37:34
Clueless Players of ours who will cut it are Meslier, Ayling (so long as we retain Bub) , Dallasy (again so long as we retain Bub) , Phillips, Shackleton, Klich, Pablo (but only rarely) , Harrison (presuming we get him) . The rest won't cut it sufficiently regularly and should be sold when acceptable offers come in.
19 Feb 2020 23:15:11
You can tell messier will cut it after only one game? I remember everyone saying this about Clarke including myself and look how that’s turning out 🥵.
19 Feb 2020 23:49:10
We won’t do too badly with what we have
Obviously need to get there first. 13 more cup finals
One game at a time .
Buying a whole new team failed in the case of QPR and Fulham. Not looking great for Villa at times
We’ve players lined up to sign full deals in the summer
Evolution beats revolution
Leave MB to decide where to strengthen
Dem Blades have done ok with just a couple of additions
With JKA already in, we’ve a premiership player ready to go
White’s position is where we need to shop wisely as I suspect BHA will want him for whichever division they’re in next year.
20 Feb 2020 02:07:31
Taddy Tad or taddy premature with Meslier I admit but I did like what I saw at the Emirates. He can be my number 1 any time.
20 Feb 2020 08:38:39
Blunts have done very well with just a few investments, as Woody rightly points out. We would do the same. Creative midfielder, CB on top of White, and cover for Kal would see us reet. The former gulf between the Top champ clubs, and mid PL is not what it was.
20 Feb 2020 12:42:11
Other Woody
Totally agree that Biesla has done brilliantly in improving a whole host of the original squad, way beyond what I ever thought they could achieve. This is after the many years of being witness to manager after manager turn up at Elland Road and spout the drivel about "big club, deserves promotion ". Here is one bloke that kept his mouth shut and actually got on with making football players better at playing football (shock horror) and not once went to the media saying he needs 72 new players to improve competition for places
However, I do think Biesla will need a few improvements in personal to compete at the next level on a regular, consistent basis.
Mind you I am not thinking of a new 12 like some on here, and I don't see that any of the current squad should be sold as (like Sheffield United last year) they deserve a crack at the big time, even if it's from the bench.
20 Feb 2020 15:48:48
George - I'd agree with the ones you've mentioned, but think that, as Other Woody says, evolution seems to be the way to go. So, if we do manage to get promotion, I feel there are others who should be given time (at least up to the January window) to prove themselves worthy, or unworthy of sticking with. Obviously Nuno at Wolves didn't fancy Baz or Costa enough not to splurge the cash on upgrades, but with further Bielsafication they may be able do a good enough job for a season of consolidation at least.
We all know the demands of the Prem are a little different to the Championship, so I'd also like to see Alioski given a chance - after all he generally does very well for North Macedonia, usually against superior opposition. Neither Forshaw nor Tyro are starters anyway, but when on the pitch are of a high enough standard, so could perhaps be given a chance to show whether they can stay injury free for the first half of the season.
Obviously, if a decent offer came in for any of the above, and excellent replacements had been lined up, I'd be Ok with thanking them for their services and wishing them well etc. As I've indicated before, I'd quite like to see Berardi offered some kind of role in the coaching staff (if he's interested) , as he's very popular with the other players and seems to be a positive influence.
As Other Woody also says, JKA would likely be Prem-ready, and while we haven't seen Poveda yet, he was certainly bought with possible promotion in mind, and he seems to have been highly rated at City.
It's the old chestnuts of Coops (and AN Other) at CB and BamBam that need addressing most. If some reports are to believed, White may actually prefer to stick with us if we are promoted, but quite how much sway that would have on Brighton is debatable. We may not be able to compete with others who are apparently interested in him.
Though of course the Haaland situation showed money doesn't always do all the talking (no way Dortmund offered RB Salzburg the most) . Sadly Coops doesn't seem to be good enough to be a Prem starter, so would be happy to see him move on to pastures new. While BamBam said at the beginning of the season that he welcomed the opportunity to be the main man up front, he just doesn't seem to have the mental aptitude to be number 9.
When it's seemingly all on him, the pressure appears to affect his finishing. As someone said a few days ago, with previous clubs he seems to done better out wide, as a secondary forward. Unless he can address this mental block, he needs to move on.
20 Feb 2020 22:31:56
If size of squad were not an issue, then I'd be happy for both BamBam and Coops to stay, Coops as a more or less non-playing club captain, given his apparent popularity with the squad, and BamBam as a back-up striker. However, if we do gain promotion and therefore Bielsa stays, presumably he'll want a similarly small squad, and we would definitely need better at CB, and first/ second choice striker.
20 Feb 2020 23:15:44
I don't think Harrison is a loan to buy and the last figure quoted was £8m.