That’s football journalism for you…
It’s why if you are tipped to win something before a ball is kicked, don’t expect anything.
And wise man, when always asked about whether a happening is a good or bad thing, always replied with “maybe“
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Nicked this from the squad/favourite line-up thread, so thanks @GermanRed. Even with contracts ending, there are a bunch here I don’t think I’d keep:
Goal
Alisson 2027 - Please, for the love of God, keep.
Mamardashvili - The jury is out. Good shotstopper, but the rest of his game is miles off Ali.
Jaros - Keep as backup.
RightBack
Bradley - Keep as first choice, but we probably need proper cover due to his injury record. He needs to bulk up a bit, too.
Frimpong - Probably keep but only as a squad player. A meh first season.
LeftBack
Kerkez - Keep. I think we persevere because he has shown potential, but I’m not sold yet that he’s peak Robbo levels.
Tsimikas 2027 - Sell. We can upgrade.
CenterBack
van Dijk 2027 - Keep, but he simply can’t play so many games. He looks emotionally and physically exhausted. That means better cover.
Gomez 2027 - Sell. Sorry, but I think it’s time. He’s versatile, but that means little if he’s barely fit enough to play.
Konate - Only keep if we don’t find an upgrade. A poor season from him, all told.
Jacquet - Let’s hope he’s up to PL pace.
Leoni - Same. Felt for the lad.
Central Midfield
Gravenberch - Keep, but I remain convinced that he’s more of a box-to-box player and that he needs a new DM beside/behind him.
Mac Allister - Sell. I think we’d get decent money for him off reputation. A tidy player when he wants to be, but he’s inconsistent and throws far too many tantrums for my liking.
Jones 2027 - A lot of fans want him gone, but I’d extend his contract. We need players who love the club and will fight for it. Curtis is good on the ball, versatile and willing to put a foot in when needed.
Szoboszlai - Future captain. He needs to cut out the whingy crowd antics, though.
Endo 2027 - Sell. He served his purpose. Good fella, now surplus to requirements and needing a younger replacement.
Bajcetic 2027 - With a year left, we might as well try and give him a run in cup games etc. somewhere to see if he’s still up to scratch. Sadly, I doubt we’d get much for him right now given his last two years.
Attacking Midfield
Wirtz - Keep. Obviously. We spent the earth to get him. We need to play to his strengths more - in the pocket with quick wingers to work with.
Elliott 2027 Keep. I’m still a believer. Again, maybe hold off on a new contract.
Wide Attack
Ngumoha - Keep, but we still need another option in his position. Slot has (most of the time) been right to be cautious with his minutes.
Gakpo - Sell. I’d have sold him instead of Nunez. Nine goals in 52 games is a pathetic return to be frank. When he’s low on confidence, he might as well not be on the pitch, such is his lack of output.
Chiesa 2027 - Sell. Good luck to the lad. He needs to rebuild in a slower, less physical league. The talent is there.
Forward
Isak - Keep. He’ll come good. (Please for the love of God, come good)
Ekitike - Keep. Our top scorer, although that’s not saying much given he only hit 17 and was inconsistent. But a solid first season.
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So Salah and Robbo left and you’re selling 6 more players.
How many do we have to bring in to be able to compete from start until end of the season?
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Yep, and I expect I’ll be right on a good few of them. I think Chiesa, Endo and Tsimikas will all go straight off.
I don’t want to put a number on it because we also have young players beyond that list etc. but I’d say we need another centre back, two wingers, a DM and another attacking squad option tbh.
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I’d keep Tsimikas
Endo, Gakpo, Chiesa, Gomez - I’d have no complaints if we sold them.
Jones and Elliot - Keep for homegrown player quota. Unless we find an upgrade over them.
Macca - If we get good money for him, Sure sell him and get a proper DM to play alongside Grav. We need two DM’s though anyway.
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Christian Paulson looks better than Maca currently
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back down one this week…
need to chart this , would make a good graph…
That’s just to compete. If we want to win anything it’s 13.
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two lines on a graph then, updated weekly and interactive, im sure @ISMF is feeling horny right about now
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Zero
Arne does not rotate
I would let MacAllister go. Or tell him to stop being a pussy with his fucking whining and falling like he has been shot.
Gakpo. Bye.
Chiesa, Tsimikas, Endo. Gomez. Thank you lads. But goodbye.
I’d keep Curtis. And Elliot.
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Gakpo, Endo and Mac I specifically wish to sell as they were either so poor or clearly not the standard we should target.
But to be honest, if any or all of Dom, Grav. Konate, Frimpong, Chiesa and Elliott were sold to raise money for players of the quality we actually need, I wouldn´t mind at all.
A lot of work to be done. Not great but I think we do need a big overhaul. Barely any of the squad is up to it.
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I’d keep Tsimikas until the end of his contract. He’s fine as a backup and already on the books.
Chiesa, Endo and, sadly, Gomez would be better served elsewhere.
I’d keep Elliott and sell Mac Allister, which I think would be a massive upgrade. Maybe if he has a decent World Cup, someone will give us good money for the whining liability.
If they don’t keep Jones then I think they have lost the plot.
Ultimately, we can’t change everyone, and we are likely to end up paying a premium for home grown players.
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Who I would sell… Gomez, Endo, Mac Allister and Chiesa. I’d add Gakpo to this list but with Ekitike sidelined, maybe even for the whole next season, and Isak made of biscuits, we’ll need him as an extra body if nothing else.
The only changes I would be making are to fringe players. Keep the core, especially knowing we have lost 2 club greats. We can’t afford to be integrating a whole bunch of new players like we needed to do this season.
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But integrating them to what?
We lost two club greats who were great players. Nobody else we have now other than Van Dijk is a great player or even close.
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We should keep them considering their versatility
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Endo isnt that versatile, particularly in Arne’s system. Joe can barerly stay fit enough to play a game. If we are moving some players on this summer it probably makes more sense to have these towards the front of that queue.
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