I think any recruitment we do this summer will largely be across specific types of available players;
- Free agents (and not the biggest stars unless they really believe in the sporting project here, other clubs will offer much higher wages).
- Loans with options to buy (like we already did with Kabak).
- Cheap deals trying to find diamonds in the rough from lesser fancied markets (like Davies this year and Grujic couple years ago).
- Players with a year left on their deal whose clubs don’t want to lose them for free (these may be lesser fancied names so ignored by the free spending clubs).
- Players whose reputation and standing has taken a knock but could POTENTIALLY be able to rediscover past form if they get to the right club/manager and could be seen as a bargain if it works out or at least a semi decent squad option otherwise (Shaqiri was one of these).
- Players at clubs in severe difficulty financially that aren’t big enough names to entice the free spending clubs.
I don’t think we will be bringing in any big name stars unless a free agent cares more about where he plays next than the money and unfortunately there’s little chance of that. The top stars will go to those clubs that have powerful backers not impacted by what’s going on.
I’m thinking about what we may need to do with the squad and my opinion is we need to start making 3 changes.
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Increase the numbers of home grown players, its not a problem now but may become one later down the line if we can’t bring in a top target because we’ve filled all our spots, Minamino already had to be sacrificed for Kabak/keeping a spot open for VvD in case he’s back in time.
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Freshen up the side, bring a bit of new emphasis. This happens with all new players but particularly by bringing in younger, energetic players. We could really do with bringing the squad age down as a consequence of this and building the foundation for future sides.
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Get more tactically flexible. Different options that can play in different ways that can create instant changes and variations to how we are set up with a substitution or slightly altered starting line up.
What I’d like to see is the players to be able to set up in 3412, 4231, 4222, 442 (diamond) as well as 433. I think we have the personnel for some of these but not all.
I think we need an older 3rd choice Keeper to be a voice of experience backing up Kelleher if Alisson is ever out for awhile. I think guys like Ruddy, Begovic and Hennesey would all see it as a step up from their current situations, they’re all free, could do that job and home grown.
CB I would hope the Kabak loan works out as it’ll be a huge boost to us getting top 4 and I’ll be happy to see him stay then. I’d quite like to see 2 CBs though this summer as I’m thinking 3 at the back could really suit us sometimes and VvD and Gomez may stutter for form and availability when they first come back. Botman, Caleta-Car and Carmo all offer interesting options at LCB for someone in with a shout of playing week in week out now and developing into a top starting CB for us for years to come. With Davies also a dark horse in that way as back up. Gomez and Kabak competing similarly for RCB. VvD can either play central in a 3 or RCB or LCB depending on who makes the best case to be his partner. Fabinho would still be an option too.
Fullbacks would be fine with Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Tsimikas, Williams and Milner but if and when we go 3 at the back we could see them even more free to get involved in attack.
DM when we play one (deepest CM in 433 or 442 diamond) would be fine with Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago as options.
CM in most formations I think we’d have a central midfield two number 8s. Henderson and Thiago are obvious options. Milner probably an option and Fabinho if we aren’t fielding a DM or he’s not back at CB. Think if all three of Keita, Ox and Grujic move on we will need someone here but if one of those stays we will be OK. It could be a younger, up and coming, player if we do bring someone in and maybe home grown. Unless we can get someone from the academy, not sure they’re ready though. Think most likely it’ll be Keita there next year, when available.
AM I really want us to start pushing Jones. He’s got all he needs and if he’s a strong second choice here for a season or two he might then be ready to be a top star lead AM. He could also sometimes play deeper if needed. Ox, Shaqiri, Wilson, Minamino and Firmino are other options here. I think Firmino only works as a false 9 though, the deeper he plays the less effective. Shaqiri and Ox are injured too much and shouldn’t be default starters anyway I’d be looking to move both on if possible. Wilson I actually find intriguing as a back up options, especially if Jones still plays deeper a lot, he could be a useful “free” option (being club developed) if we do start playing with an actual attacking mid again. He could be a half decent squad player for couple of years. Minamino will hopefully have an awakening at Southampton and come back an awesome AM ready to be a starter for us. If not I think we need to recruit here. The name that keeps coming up as seemingly available but unfancied is Eriksen, could we take a player from an Italian side on a year or two loan with an option to buy then send him back? It’d be a turn up for the books. Isco could be available and he’s another whose star has fallen dramatically. Or Draxler or Calhanoglu both coming to the end of contracts. Or slightly different approach maybe Sabitzer? But think he’d be too expensive. Edit; oh and a dark horse that could fancy if Minamino doesn’t work out how about an alternative AM in Daichi Kamada at Frankfurt?
Front 2/3 I am thinking more and more that Firmino stands out as the most obvious sacrificial element of our team these days. It could even possibly be argued that it would be more than just a necessary evil but actually something that would benefit us. With Jota and Elliott backing up Salah and Mane in a versatile, mobile front two in some formations or Mane/Elliott playing deeper supporting Salah/Jota as one up top I think the only thing missing from our options would be a traditional CF. I think we’d only get to bring this player in if both Origi and Firmino moved on. Two options I’d consider would be Andre Silva at Frankfurt (2 years left on deal, maybe a loan with option to buy or reasonable deal depending how Frankfurt are financially) or Odsonne Edouard at Celtic entering his final year. Both could be diamonds in the rough and accept a “squad option that would get to play a lot if they perform” role I think.
So (sorry about long essay of a post) my choices would be;
GK Hennesey. Free.
CBs Botman and Kabak.
AM Minamino return or Eriksen (Wilson return as cover).
CF Edouard.
Squad list foreign players (max 17);
Alisson, VvD, Kabak, Botman, Robertson, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Thiago, Keita, Minamino/Eriksen, Salah, Mane, Jota, Edouard. 14.
Homegrown (4 protected slots in Europe);
Hennesey, Davies, Henderson, Milner.
Club developed (4 protected slots in Europe);
Gomez, Alexander-Arnold, Wilson.
Free under 21s (with the club for 2 seasons plus);
Kelleher, N Williams, Jones, Elliott.
