07 Dec 2018 03:00:47
Agree with what Ralph said regarding our squad size. If we fail to ship out or get in any players by february and counting the loanees out this season then this is our squad next season:
GK: McCarthy, Forster, Gunn, Lewis
RB: Cedric, Valery
CB: Vestergaard, Yoshida, Hoedt, Stephens, Bednarek
LB: Bertrand, Targett, McQueen
CM: Romeu, Lemina, Clasie, JWP, Reed, Armstrong, Hojbjerg, Davis
WG: Boufal, Elyounessi, Redmond, Sims
ST: Ings, Gabbiadini, Austin, Long, Carrillo, Gallagher, Obafemi

A total of 33 players. Whether we stay up or not next season a clear out must take place.


1.) 07 Dec 2018
07 Dec 2018 09:05:19
Realistically I could see: Gabs, Austin, Long, Carrillo, Gallagher, Davis, JWP, Reed, Clasie all leaving. I could also see Lemina leaving providing he has a good season, I think he'll be great under MH.


2.) 07 Dec 2018
07 Dec 2018 09:54:28
Realistically it was always 'have 2 players for every position', but in fact we have much more than that. What about injuries I hear you say? Well, if we do find ourselves short, what a perfect opportunity for a U23 player to make the step up and stake a claim. Happened recently with Yan Valery, and he hasn't let anyone down (could even be seen as an improvement over Cedric! )


3.) 07 Dec 2018
07 Dec 2018 16:15:33
GK: Hopefully Forster to go for about 6m, Lewis can go on loan
CB: Sell Hoedt, get in someone who has the ability to defend - maybe a chance to send Bednarek on loan
LB: I’d keep them all or maybe send McQueen out to the Championship again
CM: Davis has been a great servant to the club but I feel maybe now is the time for him to go, Hojbjerg and Lemina do a better job than he ever could again I feel. Also probably one of Clasie and Reed needs to go. I like him but feel Clasie’s time is up, would be good to see Reed make the step up else he could be tempted elsewhere
Wide Men: I’d like to bring Boufal back into the frame, if not use finds from selling strikers and bring in someone like Hannes Wolf
ST: would like Gallagher to stay, still don’t feel he’s had a proper chance. I can’t see all of Long, Carrillo, Gabbi and Austin going in one go, hopefully Long, maybe Austin will need to go if he can’t get fit. Still feel Gabbi can come good and would like to see Carrillo played in a two up front and see if he can repay his price tag

Hopefully we can see four players and recoup about 15/ 20m in order to buy a CB and attacking player in January, although I would take just one of those if they turn out to be a good buy.


4.) 08 Dec 2018
08 Dec 2018 09:44:30
Can I start something for a bit of fun. I am old school, and although in know we will never return to the old system of 2, 3, 5, remember the wingers, I am an advocate for high press, and the ability to play from wide, then let everyone else worry about what we are doing, rather than us dealing with everyone else’s formations. I love 3, 5, 2, so that we have defending and overlapping full backs.
McCarthy. Stephens, Maya, Bednarek. Cedric, Emile, Lemina, Armstrong, Targett. Ings and Gabbi. Surely we could do something with this formation.


5.) 08 Dec 2018
08 Dec 2018 09:59:41
Why not go one step further!
McCarthy in goal, Vestergaard to stand in the middle of the box and deal with crosses and long shots, Romeu and Forster stood either side of him with the instruction to put it in the stands no matter what, Lemina the pivot in the middle, double up on wide men - Cedric and Redmond and Bertrand and Moi, Austin goalhanging and Ings to do the legwork!
Would probably have been more effective than anything MP2 could have thought up!