Summer Transfer Wish List

[Shadydan]

Yep undeniably
But longer term it's not looking rosey
Fans holding up banners manager changes every other week
Interfering chairman
Vile club with such pleasant supporters.

He'll be off at the end of the season.

 

[fletch82]

No they don't, but this is the first season in a long time that didn't look worse than what they're going through.

Quite honestly theirs looks like a blip on the radar and so does ours. We historically make the CL and then don't make it again for another several years.

Plus if any of them look at the media they'll think United is going to take Poch and most of our good players, thus stealing our good fortune. Do I think they will? Absolutely not, but those players aren't supporters and followers of the club so they'll have no reason why to not believe what the media is trying to put out there.

I'm sure poch and the club will do a very good job of promoting his project and assure players that he is staying.

 

[fletch82]

He'll be off at the end of the season.

Yep but now only a handful of clubs can afford him so he is now stuck with changing circuses instead of changing clubs

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Not sure I have a summer wish list as such as I'm not sure where we have a massive need. I guess a centre back is Carter-Vickers isn't deemed ready to be an option, but if he is then that's four centre back options made up of two experienced and two young talents. We have two good full backs on each side, 5 good players competing for two midfield slots and at least 6 (depending on how ready Pritchard and Onomah each are considered to be) for our three attacking midfield slots. McGee is by all accounts coming along very nicely to be a third keeper/ challenge to be second.

Then there's the perennial back up striker issue. With Njie back he'll no doubt be an option, but I guess I'd still like to see a specialist come in. Thing is, an outright backup to Kane is still going to be very hard. You either go for the okay player who is content player understudy, clearly not our policy, or an aged striker who can still do a job but is past his prime, also clearly not our policy. Option three is someone young and unproven like Dembele who will be willing to bide their time until they prove themselves, but even then you can't guarantee that he'd be able to lead the line for three months of Kane tore his hamstring.

The answer, sign a versatile player who can lead the line and score goals but will also get plenty of game time in the attacking midfield three. In Son and Chadli we already have this and they're playing second fiddle now anyway to Eriksen, Alli and Lamela so I don't really see the point in signing another player like this.

My point is that, while I'd welcome him or anybody similar if the club identify him as a good prospect long term, someone like Dembele just won't change the situation dramatically from what it is. We'll still be clenching our arses just as tight any time Kane hits the deck. It would give us more opportunity to rest Kane when we play cup games, but that's all. I'd love for us to sign a Kane clone who does the same or a similar job brilliantly, but in a one striker system that's just hugely unlikely. Just ask Wilifred Bony, Loic Remy, and Radamel Falcao. I can't think of a single club who play one up front and have a successful 'alternative' striker who is a specialist centre forward. It's actually a very similar situation to goalkeepers in that the second choice will only ever appear when the first choice is injured or woefully off form.

 

[DanielCHillier]

Not criticising Chadli's work rate but I think it's fair to say he isn't the hardest worker.

I've seen Arnautovic battle back a fair few times this season. If that isn't part of his regular game then fair enough, I don't watch enough of Stoke to have formed much of an opinion.

To get rid of Chadli for Arnautovic would be mad, seems like a transfer for transfers sake. We should only be doing business i
if it's a definite upgrade.

 

[Japhet]

Not sure I have a summer wish list as such as I'm not sure where we have a massive need. I guess a centre back is Carter-Vickers isn't deemed ready to be an option, but if he is then that's four centre back options made up of two experienced and two young talents. We have two good full backs on each side, 5 good players competing for two midfield slots and at least 6 (depending on how ready Pritchard and Onomah each are considered to be) for our three attacking midfield slots. McGee is by all accounts coming along very nicely to be a third keeper/ challenge to be second.

Then there's the perennial back up striker issue. With Njie back he'll no doubt be an option, but I guess I'd still like to see a specialist come in. Thing is, an outright backup to Kane is still going to be very hard. You either go for the okay player who is content player understudy, clearly not our policy, or an aged striker who can still do a job but is past his prime, also clearly not our policy. Option three is someone young and unproven like Dembele who will be willing to bide their time until they prove themselves, but even then you can't guarantee that he'd be able to lead the line for three months of Kane tore his hamstring.

The answer, sign a versatile player who can lead the line and score goals but will also get plenty of game time in the attacking midfield three. In Son and Chadli we already have this and they're playing second fiddle now anyway to Eriksen, Alli and Lamela so I don't really see the point in signing another player like this.

My point is that, while I'd welcome him or anybody similar if the club identify him as a good prospect long term, someone like Dembele just won't change the situation dramatically from what it is. We'll still be clenching our arses just as tight any time Kane hits the deck. It would give us more opportunity to rest Kane when we play cup games, but that's all. I'd love for us to sign a Kane clone who does the same or a similar job brilliantly, but in a one striker system that's just hugely unlikely. Just ask Wilifred Bony, Loic Remy, and Radamel Falcao. I can't think of a single club who play one up front and have a successful 'alternative' striker who is a specialist centre forward. It's actually a very similar situation to goalkeepers in that the second choice will only ever appear when the first choice is injured or woefully off form.

My opinion - we sign cover for Dier, as in a proper defensive midfielder (someone like Granit Xhaka for instance) which then allows Dier to cover CB if needed. A young 'prospect' striker like Dembele and I think we're covered. We won't get a top notch striker (Embolo, Batshuayi) to sit on the bench and Harry won't want to sit there either. I'd like to see some more rotation like we have seen with the fullbacks this season since it keeps them all fresh and raring to go.

 

[dagraham]

Isn't one of the key advantages of qualifying for the CL that you can then attract and afford better players? It's how the big clubs in the modern game have made it so difficult to gate crash the top four and stay there.

I don't expect us to be able to buy players for £50 or £60m, but let's show a bit a ambition here lads. All this talk of players not joining unless they're guaranteed games in nonsense. The current players need competition and other players will be queuing up to join us.

If we qualify for CL we need to consolidate our position. Otherwise we've learned nothing from the Harry era and could easily see the break up of our team if we can't match our best players ambitions.

 

[DanielCHillier]

Our squad at the moment is almost perfect, and it's difficult to see where we can upgrade. The only issues I see are that we are overstocked in the CM position and we may be able to upgrade on Chadli, IF a massively talented option is available this summer.

 

[bubble07]

We need a;

Silva/Ozil calibre player
Sanchez/Hazard/Boufel calibre type player
Young CF (Dembele/Embolo/Barbosa)

 

[Nigel Spinal]

It's pretty disappointing how people are writing off Bentaleb as Dier's cover. He's an exceptional talent with a big future in the game.

 

[fletch82]

It's pretty disappointing how people are writing off Bentaleb as Dier's cover. He's an exceptional talent with a big future in the game.

It's not that at all football opinions are subjective and many of us see different things when watching a certain player.

There just isn't many seeing him being up to the high standards that the players playing ahead of him at the moment are producing.
It does not mean we think he is utter tripe just unlucky that other players in the squad are performing better
I'm sure nobody wants us to weaken the team just to find out if he can make this transformation.

 

[Sweech]

Yep undeniably
But longer term it's not looking rosey
Fans holding up banners manager changes every other week
Interfering chairman
Vile club with such pleasant supporters.

Can't ignore that our club doesn't have a similar history though.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Isn't one of the key advantages of qualifying for the CL that you can then attract and afford better players? It's how the big clubs in the modern game have made it so difficult to gate crash the top four and stay there.

I don't expect us to be able to buy players for £50 or £60m, but let's show a bit a ambition here lads. All this talk of players not joining unless they're guaranteed games in nonsense. The current players need competition and other players will be queuing up to join us.

If we qualify for CL we need to consolidate our position. Otherwise we've learned nothing from the Harry era and could easily see the break up of our team if we can't match our best players ambitions.

My argument isn't that we couldn't afford/ attract a player as good as Kane, my point is that there wouldn't be a point because, as Bony and Remy are proving, lack of game time would render that player well short of his best when he did get to play.

 

[fletch82]

Can't ignore that our club doesn't have a similar history though.

But here and now long term we look fantabulous
I hate saying it but I see shades of the early fergie era at spurs right now.

Feck me that's a scary thing to say out loud

 

[dagraham]

My argument isn't that we couldn't afford/ attract a player as good as Kane, my point is that there wouldn't be a point because, as Bony and Remy are proving, lack of game time would render that player well short of his best when he did get to play.

This can happen, but you just have to use your squad wisely. The art of rotation is a skill and Fergie was a master of it. In Bony's case, I think a lot of the problem is him suffering from the huge gulf between Swansea and City, rather than just being rusty.

 

[glospur]

It's pretty disappointing how people are writing off Bentaleb as Dier's cover. He's an exceptional talent with a big future in the game.

I really like Bentaleb but I don't think he can play the same role to the same quality as Dier and I'm not sure he should, or is being developed as such. I think Bentaleb is a perfect type of player to play alongside a Dier type who will give him a bit more protection to play his riskier passes and allow him to use his box-to-box qualities.

 

[Nigel Spinal]

It's not that at all football opinions are subjective and many of us see different things when watching a certain player.

There just isn't many seeing him being up to the high standards that the players playing ahead of him at the moment are producing.
It does not mean we think he is utter tripe just unlucky that other players in the squad are performing better
I'm sure nobody wants us to weaken the team just to find out if he can make this transformation.

He's been injured all season.

Last year he was a standout player in side. His CM partnership with Mason drove us to 5th last season.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

He's been injured all season.

Last year he was a standout player in side. His CM partnership with Mason drove us to 5th last season.

They got by with them. Mason & Bentaleb was a pairing that left much to be wanted. To take your argument one step further, not having them drove us to 2nd so far.

In the summer, I would look for an immense upgrade on one of Carroll, Bentaleb or Mason.

 

[Nigel Spinal]

I really like Bentaleb but I don't think he can play the same role to the same quality as Dier and I'm not sure he should, or is being developed as such. I think Bentaleb is a perfect type of player to play alongside a Dier type who will give him a bit more protection to play his riskier passes and allow him to use his box-to-box qualities.

Bentaleb is also adept FB. He's very talented defensively. His decision-making could do with some work yes, but then look how Poch has transformed Dembele (who had far more serious faults that Bentaleb) in that area.

 

[Ribble]

It's pretty disappointing how people are writing off Bentaleb as Dier's cover. He's an exceptional talent with a big future in the game.

I think he'd be better moved forward into the Dembele role as his backup than Dier's. He's got good ball skills and likes to push forward, which is not how we've had Dier playing.