Total squad overhaul - questions to be resolved

[lillywhites61]

Even if we want to add depth to our wings we would be mad to think about letting Lennon go anyway! As others have pointed out he has a lot of experience in this league and is a quality player a lot of other teams would give their right arm for

 

[faymantaray]

Anyone who thinks we would get £15m for Lennon should lay off the weed and football manager.

Not.Going.To.Happen

Mate if we sell him to Liverpool we could get 25 million

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

I can't see us buying both draxler or lamela and Bernard. Lamela would be my first choice, bernard second, and then draxler.

 

[passenger58]

My two cents:

I'm quite happy with the squad as it is now. I definitely don't want us to be as busy in the transfer market as the OP suggests as it'll mean unsettling the squad dynamic and will mean we end up starting slowly as everyone gets used to each other. We've done that too many times before and it would waste all the hard work that's been done bringing players in early this summer.

I would spend on one CB to replace Caulker. Perhaps a second if it doesn't break the bank.

Then I would consider bringing in a player as part of the (eventual?) Bale deal. Ideally Modric as we're crying out for a player like that, but would settle for Coentrao to play LB.

As for outgoings, I'd look to shift Hudds and perhaps Livermore. That's about it. I think the rest of the squad can all contribute this season in their own way.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Slightly off-topic but....

I don't think we've been linked with buying any UK players. Anyone concerned that our team will be full of foreigners?

Or does this not bother people too much anymore? I remember the days of Arsenal either fielding no British players or only 1. We seemed to make a big deal out of it, we could be left with Walker being our only British player in the starting line up.

We don't know if all those guys on the OP outgoing list will leave but just say they do, that's 7 British players leaving and none coming in.

Do people still care about this as long as we satisfy the "homegrown" rules in the squad?

The only team in football that could equal the sheer amount of scumbags that the England team has is France. Judging from the deplorable individuals involved in the international setup for England, I would actually prefer most of our team to be foreign.

 

[passenger58]

If people think we can shift that many players less than a fortnight till the season starts, without it negatively affecting things on the pitch they don't know football.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

The only team in football that could equal the sheer amount of scumbags that the England team has is France. Judging from the deplorable individuals involved in the international setup for England, I would actually prefer most of our team to be foreign.

I don't disagree with this at all. I just remember the days of us priding ourselves on having young English talent like Carrick, Lennon, Robbo, Defoe, Jenas etc etc

But now most people (myself included) don't seem to care. English players for the main part are over-priced and overrated. So I guess that Wenger had the right idea all along.

 

[Sweech]

Draxler is for sure not happening. He is steadfast in staying with Schalke for at least one more year.

Both Real Madrid and United met his release clause, but he turned them both down. I can't really see what we offer over those two.

 

[OmarsComing]

Both Real Madrid and United met his release clause, but he turned them both down. I can't really see what we offer over those two.

Source?

 

[chinaman]

All 3 heavyweight ITKs today said Bale isn't going.

 

[the watson]

£133m on incomings? Have I stumbled onto bluemoon?

 

[Seth]

My two cents:

I'm quite happy with the squad as it is now. I definitely don't want us to be as busy in the transfer market as the OP suggests as it'll mean unsettling the squad dynamic and will mean we end up starting slowly as everyone gets used to each other. We've done that too many times before and it would waste all the hard work that's been done bringing players in early this summer.

I would spend on one CB to replace Caulker. Perhaps a second if it doesn't break the bank.

Then I would consider bringing in a player as part of the (eventual?) Bale deal. Ideally Modric as we're crying out for a player like that, but would settle for Coentrao to play LB.

As for outgoings, I'd look to shift Hudds and perhaps Livermore. That's about it. I think the rest of the squad can all contribute this season in their own way.

Agree that too many changes can be detrimental, but as well as a CB, we need an upgrade on BAE (great bloke, not a great player) and a young and hungry striker to replace Adontgiveatoss. Also cant see Parker being happy with a back up role. Better to have change than unhappy players

Apart from there being no way hed come back, not sure if Modric would fit into AVB's powerful, high tempo system. And who would you have him replace? Agree we need guile, but I think Holtby and, from what I've seen, Chadli can provide that. One more would be nice, but a younger player who wouldnt demand a starting spot would fit the bill better imo

 

[Sweech]

Source?

Sorry if this doesn't work well I'm on my phone.

http://my.sports.yahoo.com/news/draxler-lost-sleep-over-real-madrid-manchester-city-113000679.htm

And it was City not United.

 

[OmarsComing]

unless they brainwash me, I will never join Borrussia Dortmund

Lucky Schalke's biggest rivals are not Bayern Munich!

 

[sim0n]

Draxler is basically the German Bale, but with a new contract and Schalke have CL footie...

 

[minimike]

Bale hasn't left yet, many ITKs have indicated that he will still stay...

 

[JayB]

Those who have touched on how major changes would upset the harmony in the team I think are absolutely right. A major reason we were able to get 72 points last year was that the belief amongst the players carried us through to the death of matches where we rescued lord knows how many points. If we lose our talisman I think that dynamic will be upset regardless of what else happens with the squad, however.

So a massive overhaul isn't necessarily what I want to happen, just what I think may happen based on the ITK referenced at the beginning of the OP. We've already spent 50m so far this window, is it really so far fetched to think that we might spend another 80 if we have a world record fee come in on top of whatever else we might make from other sales?

It'll be interesting to see what happens with Bale and the other potential outgoings this week as if we don't have a resolution soon I think we will have left it too late to get the business done that we need in order to keep challenging for CL places and beyond, assuming that some substantial sales do eventually take place. But that'd never happen with Spurs, would it?

 

[Lufti]

Sorry if this doesn't work well I'm on my phone.

http://my.sports.yahoo.com/news/draxler-lost-sleep-over-real-madrid-manchester-city-113000679.htm

And it was City not United.

The attacking midfielder had a difficult time deciding whether he was ready to move abroad, while he has ruled out joining Borussia Dortmund
Julian Draxler admits snubbing interest from Real Madrid and Manchester City in favour of staying atSchalke caused him sleepless nights.

The Germany international reportedly received offers worth up to €60 million [£51.8m] over a five-year period earlier this summer, but Draxler eventually opted to stay at his current club as he felt the time was not right to move abroad yet.

"I had sleepless nights about it. I was on holiday in Egypt with my girlfriend and sat alone on the balcony thinking about what to do," Draxler told Bild when questioned about Madrid and City's offers.

"It was not an easy decision. You never know whether you will ever get such an offer again. In the end, I followed my heart and decided to remain at Schalke."

The 19-year-old then went on to discuss a potential transfer to Borussia Dortmund and again stressed that he would never leave Schalke for their arch-rivals.

"Unless they brainwash me, I will never join Dortmund."

Draxler has a contract with Schalke until June 2018, but has a €45.5 million [£39.3m] release clause.

Wish Bale would follow his example. Love Draxler, top quality. He stills plays football with his school mates once a week too. Legend, grounded, and a true Schalke!

 

[myhartlane]

As a few others have indicated, I'm actually very concerned that we are ripping the very heart and soul our of a carefully nurtured squad.

Last season, we were pretty close to our goal and personally I think that keeping our key players and improving in a few areas (strikers in particular), players like Sandro, Kaboul and Adebayor regaining fitness and form I think we would have been a real force in the coming season.

My concern is the time that it all takes to bed down a completely overhauled team. What happens if we fall short next season and we have a squad full of overpaid, dissatisfied, mercenaries with declining value? We could really be in trouble.

 

[alfiemacdaddy]

Some of the reshaping of the squad depends on AVB's preferred tactic for next season. If he sticks with 4-2-3-1 it will have a different personnel requirement than if we switch to 4-3-3...Lots of people seem to be assuming were going to switch to 433 but haven't seen much evidence of that in the pre-season matches. That being said i haven't seen much of them...!