The reality of no European football

[iddebu52]

Oh nice....we can all watch levy go karting on a Thursday night instead of European footy!

 

[Trix]

Frankly if it hits Levy where it hurts then I’m not too fussed. We need a fire sale and it’s not like we’d be wisely spending 200m every summer even if we had CL revenue anyway.

You think it'll go down that way? More likely means fewer incomings and less painful rebuild imo.

 

[A Bit Much]

Unthinkable in middle of the year to finish as low as 8th.

The warning signs were there all season TBH. I always thought we were in either a false position or somehow scraping our way to fourth. The second other teams pressed on we were stuffed. 8th is a very accurate position based on our performances and results.

 

[Trix]

It’s also hard to attract players without any Europe but next year we have to go full strength in all cups no excuses we could potentially walk the league cup, we should also take Semi’s of the FA Cup or nothing.

So using even less players then.

 

[Locotoro]

We will have our fire sale and then complain at the end of the season that our squad needs depth

 

[Spursmatty87]

I know a lot of fans didn't want the conference league but it does now throw up some new problems.

If you've been frustrated in the past with our "sell before we buy" narrative it's now just increased tenfold.

Before we even think about incomings or promoting youth we will have a first team squad of 34 players when they all return from loan.

There is so much to do and without a head coach and DOF this currently looks like an impossible task without having a fire sale.

This is what we need wherever we finished.

 

[Trix]

This is the case wherever we finished.

Nope it's worse

 

[Yiddo100]

I know a lot of fans didn't want the conference league but it does now throw up some new problems.

If you've been frustrated in the past with our "sell before we buy" narrative it's now just increased tenfold.

Before we even think about incomings or promoting youth we will have a first team squad of 34 players when they all return from loan.

There is so much to do and without a head coach and DOF this currently looks like an impossible task without having a fire sale.

We’ll look back in hindsight after this summer but hopefully If we can’t bring anyone in until there’s space maybe it will actually force them to accept realistic fees and be ruthless with the players that have been needed out for a couple years.
I think this summer getting players out is maybe more important than in.

 

[sparx100]

I know a lot of fans didn't want the conference league but it does now throw up some new problems.

If you've been frustrated in the past with our "sell before we buy" narrative it's now just increased tenfold.

Before we even think about incomings or promoting youth we will have a first team squad of 34 players when they all return from loan.

There is so much to do and without a head coach and DOF this currently looks like an impossible task without having a fire sale.

Massively bloated squad which has not been managed well with contracts given to those who perhaps are not at the appropriate standard and some just poorly scouted.

We need a DoF and Manager in very quickly to address some of this. It is not getting fully resolved in the summer, but we need to make a start, the sooner the better.

The worrying thing is that even when I think about 34 in the squad, I would guess there is probably only a dozen who warrant retaining. Massive overhaul required.

Key for me is that Levy needs to recognise this and accept the football sides decisions without being a massive **** holding out for an extra 200k for a player.

Without outgoings there cannot be incoming players so strategy and decisions need to be made bloody quickly.

 

[A Bit Much]

It's not about the money it generates, it's about the potential game time. More games means more injuries, and rotation(well it should do) and that justifies a bigger squad. I think we are at least 10 players too many right now and that's before incomings or promoting youth.

I guess your point is going to be felt when some of our numptys on loan show up again at pre season. Last thing we need is waiting weeks on end for a signing because levy is waiting to get money out of someone for ndombele...

 

[ButchCassidy]

You think it'll go down that way? More likely means fewer incomings and less painful rebuild imo.

The painful part was always going to be how long it takes to get there.

 

[Karol]

It’s also hard to attract players without any Europe but next year we have to go full strength in all cups no excuses we could potentially walk the league cup, we should also take Semi’s of the FA Cup or nothing.

Sounds like we won't be prioritizing the League and FA Cup at all

 

[danielneeds]

I thought we were cancelling some contracts to start this squad cull off?

 

[JCRD]

This is what is needed. A restart. A coach who has time to cut the shit. A coach who can spend time on the training pitch with the non shit. So that we become good and not shit.

Ultimately this is not what any of us wanted in the bigger picture scenario but ultimately three years of shite decision making has culminated in this. Without European football and the longer it goes on, our brand and the perception of the club gets weaker - that impacts on value i.e. impact on Levy.

 

[Young Nasty Man]

It’s this odd feeling of satisfaction knowing that I can say “now you’re screwed levy; you reap what you sew with this squad and lack of DoF and HC”. The problem is I’m still a fan and we suffer the most from this.

 

[Nebby]

We will sign a new keeper, at least one centre back and hopefully a creative midfielder. And while I don’t foresee a fire sale as such, we won’t be asking silly money for those going out as there’s not that much cash swilling around European football. Lots more going out on loan too.

 

[SpainSpur85]

We might need to hire Will Still at this point. We need about 15 outs and half a dozen ins, maybe more! That's a proper FM transfer window

 

[agrdavidsfan]

So using even less players then.

Unfortunately, that is the position we are in and where poor management has left us although there has been ITK that some contracts will be torn up.

we still have

Lo Celso (who I would keep)
Ndombele (huge problem)
Reguillon (would also give another chance)
Rodon (should be able to shift if we are fair with value)
Spence (loan again)
Perisic (will be given a free transfer)
Lloris (see above)
Sanchez (surely be a taker at 15 mil)
Parrot (let go)
Sessegeon (someone would take on a loan to buy I think)
Gil (probably will have to be sacrificed if this Solomon stuff is true he’s done well at Sevilla should be easy to shift)
Winks (Luton or somebody surely)
Tanganga
Danjuma goes back
Davies (depends on if he would leave)

players who we could sacrifice without wearing ourselves too much
Dier
Hojbjerg
Emerson (I would keep but we may have to sell)
Romero

All players will probably have to have their wages subsidized all depends on how much levy is willing to move.

new manager may only need 4 Centre backs instead of 5 depending on the formation we play

leaves us really with the following
Forster/New GK
Emerson/Porro
Romero/New CB)
New Cb/New CB
Udogie/Reguillon

Hojbjerg/Skipp (door holder)
Bissouma/Bentacur (box to box)
New Midfielder/Lo Celso (creativity)

Kuluveski/Solomon
Son/New attacker

Kane/Richarlison

that’s six new signings probably not do able but it can be done.

Leaves us with a squad around the 25 mark needed and that’s including loaning out your Sarrs etc and keeping some we wouldn’t ideally want too.

club has to be ruthless it’s as simple as that and fill the homegrown slots with youth Skipp stays by default for that others we just say you either rot in the reserves not near the first team or you move on.

could be a relatively easy fix as well

Raya (30)
Zaha (Free)
Solomon (Free)
Maddison (50)
Ndicka (Free)
Laporte (40)
Kulu (30)
Porro (30)

Thats 180 million in a dream world

We could recoup that over the next few windows
Emerson is a 25 mil easy player
Dier 20
Sess 15
Tanganga 15
Ndombele - 20
Lo Celso (20)
Gil (20)
Sanchez (15)

I actually don’t think it’s that bad unless we aren’t ruthless if you can be smart there is potential there to do it in these windows as there’s some amazing players available for cheap you could even get Asensio in

 

[yido_number1]

Honestly Trix it might be exacerbated but we were always reaching this point with all the loan players coming back.

We've got a full squad out on loan needing to be disposed of and levy wouldn't have gone and signed players without sorting this.

To be honest as others have said a coach can get more time on the training pitch and it will give levy more time to look at the mess he created.

 

[Dave1882]

Good, we need to root out the deadwood once and for all. No European football forces a total reset. I’m not upset at this prospect