Looking at the squad - who else do we need?

[brasil_spur]

Okay, i know the end of season is still a couple of months off, but now that Ramos has had a while to settle in i think that it is easy enough to see the positions that are weak spots in the team and where we will need to make some purchases over the summer.

I think personally that having 25 players in the squad makes sense, so that's two for every position with another 3 players added on.

Here's who i think we should keep and which positions we need to fill:

1st GK - Need to fill
2nd GK - Need to fill

1st RB - Hutton
2nd RB - Gunter

1st CB - Woodgate
2nd CB - Dawson

1st CB - Need to fill
2nd CB - King / Kaboul

1st LB - Bale
2nd LB - Need to fill

1st RM - Lennon
2nd RM - Need to fill

1st CM - Jenas
2nd CM - Boateng

1st CM - Need to fill
2nd CM - Huddlestone

1st LM - Malbranque
2nd LM - Gilberto

1st ST - Berbatov
2nd ST - Need to fill

1st ST - Keane
2nd ST - Bent

3 extras: Zokora, Taarabt, O'Hara

So to round up, i reckon we need to get in:

2 x GK
1 x 1st CB (if King can keep fit for a whole season then this is not needed)
1 x 2nd LB (possibly Ekotto or Lee if they can stay fit)
1 x 2nd RM
1 x 1st CM
1 x 2nd ST

Thoughts?

 

[PYiddy]

gilberto is a left back

 

[van_Pommel]

To challenge the top 4

---------------------:shrug:--------------------
----------------------------------------------
-Hutton------Woody-------King-------Bale----
----------------------------------------------
-Lennon----Jenas/Huddle----:shrug:------:shrug:-
----------------------------------------------
--------------Berba--------Keane-------------

We need a GK, CM, LM for the 1st team.

For back-up we need 1 striker and 1 winger(preferably who can play on either wing), assuming we dont lose too many of our squad players.

 

[PYiddy]

1 or 2 goalies
1 centreback who is better than dawson and kaboul
2 midfielders (at least)
1 back up striker (if berba stays. if he goes, a back-up and a first choice striker)

so goalie, and 2 midfielders (and maybe 1 striker) to strengthen first 11,
goalie, centreback and striker to strengthen the squad.


But it also depends on who departs.

 

[PYiddy]

To challenge the top 4

---------------------:shrug:--------------------
----------------------------------------------
-Hutton------Woody-------King-------Bale----
----------------------------------------------
-Lennon----Jenas/Huddle----:shrug:------:shrug:-
----------------------------------------------
--------------Berba--------Keane-------------

We need a GK, CM, LM for the 1st team.

For back-up we need 1 striker and 1 winger(preferably who can play on either wing), assuming we dont lose too many of our squad players.

snap!!!!

 

[nicdic]

Yeah, what van_pommel said, but we should be after the best striker available, not someone happy to not play. Competition should push Keane, Berba and Bent even more.

 

[yanno]

Steed will compete with Lennon at RM next season, imo.

So, we need:

1 x GK (2 if both Robbo & Cerny leave)
1 x CB
1 x CM
1 x LM
1 x striker - Bent can only really play with Berba, not with Keane. So, if we sign a player like Diego Milito, he could play with both Berba and Keano, so three strikers (plus Taarabt as an ACM) might be enough.

 

[brasil_spur]

gilberto is a left back

he's a bit of both, as is Bale, so it's a tricky one to call, i think in the prem (as with Bundesliga) he will mostly play as LM

 

[diegooners]

I'd replace Lennon as he cant kick a football and it's really starting to piss me off. I'd bring in another forward because I reckon that unfortunately Bent will leave, realistically Fred as Benzema and people of that ilk are out of our leage. I would get rid of Daws because he won't be happy to be backup and he's not good enough for Champions Leage/potential title contention in a few years. We need a left winger for the longterm so not Gilberto. If Bale is going to play left mid then we need a quality left back. Obviously we need atleast 2 new goalies. My prefered first choice would be Amelia.

 

[PYiddy]

I'd replace Lennon as he cant kick a football and it's really starting to piss me off. I'd bring in another forward because I reckon that unfortunately Bent will leave, realistically Fred as Benzema and people of that ilk are out of our leage. I would get rid of Daws because he won't be happy to be backup and he's not good enough for Champions Leage/potential title contention in a few years. We need a left winger for the longterm so not Gilberto. If Bale is going to play left mid then we need a quality left back. Obviously we need atleast 2 new goalies. My prefered first choice would be Amelia.

completly and whole-heartedly disagree with this. Aaron has added so much to his game this season. He is so much more hard-working and aggresive than he was. He may be little, but he aint no light-weight. He pressures players, tackles, tracks back and gets proper stuck in now. it kills me when he up-ends some big lump, when they look up and realise it was "Little" lennon!!

True his crossing is still not up to speed, but he far from pisses me off. In fact i think he has come of age and improved immensly

 

[StockSpur]

gilberto is a left back

he didnt look like a left back on Sunday!

Or last Thursday come to that matter..

 

[nedley]

Capel-LW
Diego-AMC
Poulsen-DM
Jarque-CB
Amelia-GK

........And another forward who offers something a little different for good measure!

lovely jubbly!

 

[sparx100]

To challenge the top 4

---------------------:shrug:--------------------
----------------------------------------------
-Hutton------Woody-------King-------Bale----
----------------------------------------------
-Lennon----Jenas/Huddle----:shrug:------:shrug:-
----------------------------------------------
--------------Berba--------Keane-------------

We need a GK, CM, LM for the 1st team.

For back-up we need 1 striker and 1 winger(preferably who can play on either wing), assuming we dont lose too many of our squad players.

Completely agree

 

[AW?]

I'd really like us to try and poach Bentley from Blackburn. Lennons crossing has improved a little, but Bentley is already class in that area. I prefer Lennon just behind the strikers anyway and against certain rightbacks he causes serious mayhem when he's playing left. We definitely need more cover on the right. Yes Steed can play there so they say but Bentley has an abundance of different skills.

I know there's more important areas that need strengthening like a good holding mid, but i think we put too much pressure on little Lennon.

When you think about it we really do need more cover on that left because Bale is such a sicknote. So, a new versatile lefty, a defensive midfielder, a new keeper and Bentley because i think he's class (even if he was a gooner).

Job done.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

In my opinion we need 2 CM's, a left winger and a keeper as priority. An experienced centre back and another striker would be nice, but I can live without especially if we can keep Wooders fit and Ledders can play at least half the games.

I envision something along the lines of:

..........................Boruc................

Hutton.....Woodgate....King(Dawson).......Bale

Lennon..Lucho(Jenas)...Poulsen...Capel

.................Berbatov..Keane.........

 

[diegooners]

You are right in saying that his defensive game has improved. And Ramos will like this. But the main attribute a good winger needs is crossing ability, otherwise there is no end product. And a winger who can't cross, and beats men far more frequently than he did two years ago, is a worrying problem. I would sell Lennon for anything over 12 million.... But none of the big four except maybe liverpool would buy him. Jesus Navas would be perfect but that is probably unrealistic.

 

[General Levy]

To challenge the top 4

---------------------:shrug:--------------------
----------------------------------------------
-Hutton------Woody-------King-------Bale----
----------------------------------------------
-Lennon----Jenas/Huddle----:shrug:------:shrug:-
----------------------------------------------
--------------Berba--------Keane-------------

We need a GK, CM, LM for the 1st team.

For back-up we need 1 striker and 1 winger(preferably who can play on either wing), assuming we dont lose too many of our squad players.

LOL @ "Huddle" being a player to challenge the Top 4.

 

[Jonboy]

Nedley I agree those players you listed are quality and with them we would challenge then top 4 for sure.

 

[SpursManChris]

What about making a move for Alonso from Liverpool? Is it just me or is he not getting consistent games with the ludicrous number of midfielders they have?
He's Spanish, Ramos is Spanish...
Attraction of a move to us should be no trouble.

 

[Booney]

How about a cheeky bid for Farfan once we've sent PSV crashing out of UEFA? He looked rather special at the Lane and well suited for the pace and physicality og the English game. Looks like he can double up as a wide player or striker which are both areas where we could do with more strength in depth.