Summer Transfer Wish List

[Hercules]

We need the very minimum of 3 players. Anyone who would argue against that is beyond me.

 

[bceej]

And yes you can, that's what a squad is for. In fact even in a lean 22 man squad that's exactly enough for 1 cover player for each of your main starting 11 players.

At the moment though, assuming Poch only wanted to have a squad of 22 players we have:

GK: LLoris | Vorm
RB: Walker | Trippier
RCB: Toby | ?
LCB: Jan | Wimmer
LB: Rose | Davies
DM: Dier | ?
CM: Dembele | Bentaleb
AM: Lamela | Chadli / Clinton
AM: Alli | Mason
AM: Erikssen | Son
ST: Kane | ?

Then you have Carroll (CM), Onomah (AM), Winks (CM) and Pritchard (AM), although Onomah and Winks technically can be outside the 22 man squad.

For me though that's 3 clear positions in the 22 man squad we need to fill. Also we have two players for one role in Chadli and Clinton. However i think it would be worth holding on to both or replacing one of them with an upgraded player if possible.

Assuming we hang on Pritchard this season then that would take the squad up to 24 players in total plus Onomah and Winks.

I think this is a good way to look at it.

I genuinely think that Carter-Vickers will be in contention for that fourth CB spot, so to me there is no need to look elsewhere for a centre back.

In terms of the DM role there are a couple of players that would fit our overall strategy - how much we can splash out is another matter. Ruben Neves from Porto would be the player - he would be an excellent alternative to Dier. With @WindyCOYS analysis of Dier, I think it is fair to say that Neves is a comparable player in how rounded he is. In line with the youth policy, Riechedly Bazoer would seemingly fit the bill. Alternatively, if we are looking for experience, Nicolas N'Koulou on a free would not be a bad call at all - as he is versatile and highly experienced for his age. I know he is a centre back primarily, but definitely has the ability to play defensive midfielder as Pochettino requires steady and thoughtful use of the ball, as well as a breaker up of play.

The striker has been touted to be Michy Batshuayi. It looks like Marseille are planning for his departure as he has been omitted from the match day starting line up recently. Sebastian Haller seems to be the back up option. In my opinion we should look for another striker, perhaps one who is more versatile and more of an agility player. Lorenzo Insigne would be a perfect signing here. Champions League experience, eye for goal, eye for assists. Ousmane Dembele cannot be overlooked, and would arguably (despite huge international interest) be a more attainable option for us. Alexandre Lacazette would provide an great skill set too, as well as the experience of regularly playing as a striker.

One thing that I feel we should look into is the agile, aggressive dribbling drive of an Eden Hazard-like goalscoring playmaker. Sofiane Boufal, Yunus Malli, and Hakim Ziyech would all fall into this bracket and I think it is an area we slightly lack in.

I think we will sign a maximum of four players this summer. Defensive midfield is really up for debate, Batshuayi looks fairly certain, one more striker wing-forward would be great, and then a versatile goalscoring attacking midfielder in behind would round us off nicely.

 

[OPModric]

It's already doing so (bar 4-5 clubs, EL and CL are the same quality).

A stable summer, players a year more experienced, a pre-season without disruption and we'll be awesome next year.

Especially with Chelsea/United/City in their cycles of disruption and decline.

Are you aware that we got knocked out of the domestic cups rather early and that our eleven with backup players got slaughtered by Dortmund? And to add to that we have been pretty lucky with injuries this season.

 

[Japhet]

Bentaleb was playing in front of a defence consisting Chiriches at RB and Fazio at CB, while our AMs hadn't sussed pressing from the front yet. IMO that's had a far far great impact on our defending than Dier vs Bentaleb.

You can blame the players around him all you like but it's not their fault that he was frequently out of position, not reading the play, failing to track runners, mark at set pieces or win tackles. Dier does all of those things at a much higher level. I think Bentaleb's fine next to a defensive midfielder but definitely not instead of.

 

[Nigel Spinal]

We need the very minimum of 3 players. Anyone who would argue against that is beyond me.

Because teams with big turnovers of players are falling apart, whereas stable clubs like us, Leicester and Arsenal, who signed 4 first team players between us last year, are thriving.

The unit, rather than the individual, is very much in the ascendancy. The bad old moneyball days are thankfully behind us.

 

[ParklaneDazza]

Probably going to be shot down in flames here, but how about...... wait for it Agbonlahor!! Yes I know.... I know he's overweight and has been especially poor this year, but he is quick, English and can play wide as well as central. not exactly prolific but does have an eye for goal.
I think if anybody could motivate him to become the player he should have been it's Poch. I think I would take both him and Grealish surround them with our immensely talented team and see what could be achieved.

 

[Japhet]

Probably going to be shot down in flames here, but how about...... wait for it Agbonlahor!! Yes I know.... I know he's overweight and has been especially poor this year, but he is quick, English and can play wide as well as central. not exactly prolific but does have an eye for goal.
I think if anybody could motivate him to become the player he should have been it's Poch. I think I would take both him and Grealish surround them with our immensely talented team and see what could be achieved.

Have you got a tin hat mate? Think you might need it.

 

[Shadydan]

Probably going to be shot down in flames here, but how about...... wait for it Agbonlahor!! Yes I know.... I know he's overweight and has been especially poor this year, but he is quick, English and can play wide as well as central. not exactly prolific but does have an eye for goal.
I think if anybody could motivate him to become the player he should have been it's Poch. I think I would take both him and Grealish surround them with our immensely talented team and see what could be achieved.

 

[bubble07]

We need better cover for our front 6 positions. When it becomes so obvious who the front 6 will be then competition needs to be better

We have fairly serious competition in defense from Trippier Wimmer and Davies but that's it

Only serious completion for the attacking positions is Son

 

[james82mckay]

Probably going to be shot down in flames here, but how about...... wait for it Agbonlahor!! Yes I know.... I know he's overweight and has been especially poor this year, but he is quick, English and can play wide as well as central. not exactly prolific but does have an eye for goal.
I think if anybody could motivate him to become the player he should have been it's Poch. I think I would take both him and Grealish surround them with our immensely talented team and see what could be achieved.

For about two games a season he looks like a world beater, the rest of the time he looks god awful, I guess if poch could turn those two games into 20 he would be a useful squad player!

 

[gazzeh]

Bentaleb was playing in front of a defence consisting Chiriches at RB and Fazio at CB, while our AMs hadn't sussed pressing from the front yet. IMO that's had a far far great impact on our defending than Dier vs Bentaleb.

Completely different season.

When Bentaleb has played this year, in front of Alderweirald and Vertonghen (vs Man Utd for instance) He's looked sub par.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Liverpool might pay more wages, but their draw isn't the same anymore as some might think.

IMO we're the most exciting team in the league. Huge prospects and possibilities. Liverpool will be a force again, but think we're in a much better position right now to attract the better players (considering they haven't grown up supporting Liverpool)

And that's all contingent on them winning the Europa League which is a massive ask

I'm sorry, but this just isn't the reality. Liverpool are still a bigger name than us, with bigger revenues than us and bigger wage budget than us and with CL football and Klopp very few players would choose us over them, even on even wages, which isn't the reality as they will also be offering higher wages, especially with CL.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Well the good reason might be that Gignac was Ligue 1's 2nd highest goal scorer the season before Batshuayisigned and Batshuayi was 18 and untested at any top level.

So if i was the manager i would have done the same as Bielsa - kept with my number 1 striker who had a load of experience and is one the leagues top scorers and play my new, young signing in the odd starting appearance and 20 or so sub games across the season - bringing him slowly into the team.

This is Bielsa we are talking about. He is no respecter of reputation. You either work his system or you are out. He is also a staunch proponent of the use of young fresh legs and young bendable brains. If Bielsa didn't think that Gignac was a better fit for his system he would have Batshuayi in there before you could say Poch Robinson.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Completely different season.

When Bentaleb has played this year, in front of Alderweirald and Vertonghen (vs Man Utd for instance) He's looked sub par.

One game. Jesus. Lets ignore the excellent whole season he had with rooky Dier/Chiriches/Vertonghen and an ill disciplined front four containing Townsend and Chadli for much of it.

 

[danielneeds]

This is Bielsa we are talking about. He is no respecter of reputation. You either work his system or you are out. He is also a staunch proponent of the use of young fresh legs and young bendable brains. If Bielsa didn't think that Gignac was a better fit for his system he would have Batshuayi in there before you could say Poch Robinson.

Still doesn't prove he didn't rate Batshuayi very highly though. He may have just thought, I've got this kid, I'm gonna work on him, use him from the bench and in a year or two he'll be ready to be mighty starting No 9.

 

[Spurvert]

I'm sorry, but this just isn't the reality. Liverpool are still a bigger name than us, with bigger revenues than us and bigger wage budget than us and with CL football and Klopp very few players would choose us over them, even on even wages, which isn't the reality as they will also be offering higher wages, especially with CL.

No need to apologise. I didn't dispute any of the above. I just think we're a more exciting prospect who could certainly attract players over Liverpool. Also don't think they will have CL football next season. I guess it depends what is important to those players

 

[Tyler24durden]

I know O.Dembele has a good reputation and has talent but for me, he's greedy, doesn't play the pass to people in better positions and doesn't come across as being a clever player more instinctive.

Personally I'm not that impressed with how he plays and would be looking elsewhere for the money being talked about.

 

[yankspurs]

It's already doing so (bar 4-5 clubs, EL and CL are the same quality).

A stable summer, players a year more experienced, a pre-season without disruption and we'll be awesome next year.

Especially with Chelsea/United/City in their cycles of disruption and decline.

That squad is not doing so at all. We dont have enough quality in depth. The first team can compete. We need quality in depth though to really have a go in the competitions. We dont have that with the team we have now.

We need a backup DM, a decent backup for Dembele and 2 backup strikers. I'd have a quality AM option on the back burner for later in the window if it looks like we need it also.

We dont need to overhaul the first team but we do with the squad. I dont see Mason or Carroll cutting it in Champions League. Especially after they got ripped to shreds by Dortmund. Bentaleb could also go, as far as I am concerned. Could be a quality player but his head has gotten way too big for his own good and was poor in every game he played this season. Sell 2 of those 3. Chadli, we all know about. He scores goals but thats about it. Could improve upon him, but I think we'll do that with Pritchard and N'Jie so sell him. That's 3 guys out right there then we sell Fazio and Yedlin. 5 out, 4 or 5 in. Loan Winks, and maybe Onomah.

 

[Kilkenny Cat]

Bentaleb isn't cover for Dier. We need a defensive minded CM. Not sure how CCV is cover for Toby having played precisely zero minutes at the top level.

I made the same point re CCV/Toby a few pages back but didn't find many takers for it. Glad someone agrees.

As we've seen with Onomah, Pochettino makes a point of intergrating youngsters VERY slowly and methodically. I don't see why it would be different with CCV - even more so given the importance of the position he plays in.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Still doesn't prove he didn't rate Batshuayi very highly though. He may have just thought, I've got this kid, I'm gonna work on him, use him from the bench and in a year or two he'll be ready to be mighty starting No 9.

I didn't say he didn't rate Batshuayi, but he definitely didn't think he was a better fit for his system. He continued to pick Gignac over Batshuayi even after he'd had a public falling out with Gignac and Batshauyi's goals per minute ratio was probably better than Gignac's that season.