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If everyone is fit I think we could beat anyone in this league, with a fair ref, only City would actually frighten me however we always seem to do well vs them, its just Our Depth is actually pretty horrid though, if we are talking about Januarys window we need a Centre Back, Maddison rotation, backup Goalie and someone better than Richie.
We need to be honest, that isnt all going to happen in the January Window so to actually put in a title challenge this season we need to basically go the way without any serious injuries to our core players , its not impossible but it is very unlikely!
The team is only going to get better with time, but next season hopefully we will have European football so we really do need a Proper decent squad not just a good starting 11 and for once I can actually say im fairly confident in our setup that we can scout the right targets!
We need to be honest, that isnt all going to happen in the January Window so to actually put in a title challenge this season we need to basically go the way without any serious injuries to our core players , its not impossible but it is very unlikely!
The team is only going to get better with time, but next season hopefully we will have European football so we really do need a Proper decent squad not just a good starting 11 and for once I can actually say im fairly confident in our setup that we can scout the right targets!
Just got to ship out all the deadwood replace with a mix of younger players, some with potential, some already ready to start and a couple of established mid to late 20-somethings.
I feel like we could do with another forward. Sonny has been a breath of fresh air this season, I can't believe how good a striker he actually is, he's fucking class. His finishing is unreal and there's me thinking that his age had caught up to him. But yeah, another winger/forward would be handy too.
I feel like we could do with another forward. Sonny has been a breath of fresh air this season, I can't believe how good a striker he actually is, he's fucking class. His finishing is unreal and there's me thinking that his age had caught up to him. But yeah, another winger/forward would be handy too.
Lo Celso is not the answer to any question of competence and capability.
We don't just need cover for Maddison but competition for his place.
Any so called squad strength must be built on players never being certain of their place.
Eze for me from what I have seen.
The added benefit of seeing how Postecoglou seems to want to play his football is that it attracts players who think they might thrive in such a structure. No way Maddison comes under Mourinho or Conte for example.
If Eze has ambition to move on and move to a club with greater pressure and likelihood of competing at a higher level than Palace, he will reject any contract offer they make.
If the same condition of fitness applies to all teams, I don't think we beat City.
I still think a fit Rice makes that difference as does a truly focussed Salah for Liverpool, although they look a little suspect at times. Their attack looks frightening.
As good as we have been so far - early days, we could do with one Big player in my opinion. Maybe one truly emerges from the current squad but that remains a gap for me.
Was rice even playing that first half against us? We have also been missing Bentancaur all season, with him fit we would have one of the best midfields in the league, I agree that City are Miles ahead, however seasons of late we have been their Bogey Team.
Any way we have just lost our best player ever and Ange has only been here for a few months so looking at it that way surely our trajectory for improvement , if we keep on making smart signings is something to be excited about! Its a good time to be a Yid!
Out of all of the players that we should be ruthless with and let go, and there are a fair few still, Ben Davies isn't one of them imo.
He's been a great servant to this club, a consummate professional and can competently back up 2 positions at LB and CB. Of course he's only ever going to be backup now, maybe even 3rd choice in those positions ideally but if he's happy to stick around, if it was up to me I'd keep him in the squad for sure.
In terms of where we need to add - CB, AM, LB and CF. I agree with others as well, we've got some great prospects in the academy, we need to give them a pathway to getting their chance in the first team.
He's been a great servant to this club, a consummate professional and can competently back up 2 positions at LB and CB. Of course he's only ever going to be backup now, maybe even 3rd choice in those positions ideally but if he's happy to stick around, if it was up to me I'd keep him in the squad for sure.
In terms of where we need to add - CB, AM, LB and CF. I agree with others as well, we've got some great prospects in the academy, we need to give them a pathway to getting their chance in the first team.
Soo.... looking at our current team and their perfomance levels...
I started to think that we are just 3 players short of brilliant and deep squad.
A quality ST (unless Richie becomes one)
A quality winger (unless Gil, Johnson or Solomon really explode)
A top quality CB on bar with Romero and VDV
That would mean of having
GK: Vicario; Forster
RB: Porro; Royal
CB: VdV; Romero; New CB + Phillips, Dorrington and Davies as more experienced backup
LB: Udogie; Davies
CM: Bissouma; Sarr; Bentnancur; Skippy; PEH
AM&Wingers: Madders, Kulusevski, Gil, Son, Johnson, Solomon, New Winger
ST: New ST; Richie; Veliz
That would also let us offload Lo Celso, Sessegnon, Dier plus loan army of Ndombele, Spence, Regulion, Rodon, Tanganga.
Okay, most likely one switch will happen more - PEH leaving and then one CM who would be mainly good passer could be added.
But still, this outlook is nothing short of mouthwatering.
That would be 9 out and 4 in. 5 if we decide to bring on one more CB to replace Dier.
I started to think that we are just 3 players short of brilliant and deep squad.
A quality ST (unless Richie becomes one)
A quality winger (unless Gil, Johnson or Solomon really explode)
A top quality CB on bar with Romero and VDV
That would mean of having
GK: Vicario; Forster
RB: Porro; Royal
CB: VdV; Romero; New CB + Phillips, Dorrington and Davies as more experienced backup
LB: Udogie; Davies
CM: Bissouma; Sarr; Bentnancur; Skippy; PEH
AM&Wingers: Madders, Kulusevski, Gil, Son, Johnson, Solomon, New Winger
ST: New ST; Richie; Veliz
That would also let us offload Lo Celso, Sessegnon, Dier plus loan army of Ndombele, Spence, Regulion, Rodon, Tanganga.
Okay, most likely one switch will happen more - PEH leaving and then one CM who would be mainly good passer could be added.
But still, this outlook is nothing short of mouthwatering.
That would be 9 out and 4 in. 5 if we decide to bring on one more CB to replace Dier.
I don’t disagree with the sentiment, but alas Maddison has yet to score ten goals. If you could compress all of Ndombele”s 4 seasons into six games, he would be quite a player.
I agree. There's been something of an overhaul of the squad already and much more to come by the looks of it. I'm all for it, don't get me wrong. But keeping someone, outside of Son, who's of a certain age and has been around the club for a good while can only be a good thing.
Especially when he's by all accounts and much like Son a really good lad. If Ange sees him having ANY sort of role football-wise and Davies is okay with that role, then we'd be nuts to let him go imho.
Agree. Versatile. Does a generally 7/10 job, and a good guy to bring off the bench to protect a lead. Useful squad player. Dier OTOH ... get rid!
Attack:
In attack Son is going to be the CF. He has the skills to be a 20-30 goal a season striker and it fixes the issue of him getting older which makes him less useful on the wing. That means Son and either Richarlison or Veliz as backup. Kulusevski and Johnson will cover the right mostly but Solomon and Gil on the left seem ok but an area we can upgrade. For me we need an elite attacker who can play across the front line particularly the left wing rather than an out and out CF when we have Son who is becoming that. But what Salah or Mane type player is available to buy is the question?
Midfield:
Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr and Maddison are ballers. Really need to buy Eze and then one of our youth players to step up, 6/7 players to cover 3 roles is fine.
Defence:
Need 2 CB’s, happy with one of the talented kids as 4th choice but let’s buy Kelly or go back for Tapsoba please. Also need competition for Udogie.
GK:
Happy with Forster this season but need a number 2 who is happy being a number 2 but half decent.
That is probably about 5 players to get with 2-3 being elite players.
In attack Son is going to be the CF. He has the skills to be a 20-30 goal a season striker and it fixes the issue of him getting older which makes him less useful on the wing. That means Son and either Richarlison or Veliz as backup. Kulusevski and Johnson will cover the right mostly but Solomon and Gil on the left seem ok but an area we can upgrade. For me we need an elite attacker who can play across the front line particularly the left wing rather than an out and out CF when we have Son who is becoming that. But what Salah or Mane type player is available to buy is the question?
Midfield:
Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr and Maddison are ballers. Really need to buy Eze and then one of our youth players to step up, 6/7 players to cover 3 roles is fine.
Defence:
Need 2 CB’s, happy with one of the talented kids as 4th choice but let’s buy Kelly or go back for Tapsoba please. Also need competition for Udogie.
GK:
Happy with Forster this season but need a number 2 who is happy being a number 2 but half decent.
That is probably about 5 players to get with 2-3 being elite players.
I'd go Eze instead of your winger. And replace Forster (he's ok, but worried about LT injury to Vic ... nearly happened on Sunday FFS). But otherwise agree with your sentiment.
There are positions that need addressing in terms of back up etc, but in terms of urgency and what’s realistically possible over the next 1/2 windows I would say we need;
1) a new top class CB. Forget this Lloyd Kelly or Tosin bollox, get a proper top CB that can compete/rotate with Romero and VDV seamlessly without any drop off in quality, and is comfortable at both LCB and RCB. Tapsoba would be an ideal choice. Go back and get him, as we should have done in the summer. Romero, VDV, Tapsoba and Phillips/Davies would be excellent CB depth.
2) a new first choice number 6. As unreal as Bissouma has been this season, I still think his best position would be as an 8 with a bit more freedom, basically the position Sarr is currently playing. A midfield 3 of Maddison, Bissouma and then a proper specialist DM/6 such a Zubimendi would be unbelievable, and would completely transform the team IMO.
3) A new top class LW/LF. I think rather than splurging silly money on a new 9, we should put all focus on making Son our main central striker and bringing in a new top class left sided forward, which would leave us in a situation where we have Kulu/Johnson for RW, Son/Veliz for ST and *New LW* /Solomon for LW.
I believe these are 3 signings that are attainable, realistic and would genuinely transform us into real challengers.
Obviously there are other areas such as a new backup GK, backup to Maddison (Eze would be nice but considering how much he would cost I don’t think he is realistic) that need looking at but I don’t think they’re urgent.
Then in terms of outgoings, you would imagine over the next 2 windows we will see the back of the likes of Dier, Sessengnon, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Perisic, Richarlison, which should all generate decent fees.
1) a new top class CB. Forget this Lloyd Kelly or Tosin bollox, get a proper top CB that can compete/rotate with Romero and VDV seamlessly without any drop off in quality, and is comfortable at both LCB and RCB. Tapsoba would be an ideal choice. Go back and get him, as we should have done in the summer. Romero, VDV, Tapsoba and Phillips/Davies would be excellent CB depth.
2) a new first choice number 6. As unreal as Bissouma has been this season, I still think his best position would be as an 8 with a bit more freedom, basically the position Sarr is currently playing. A midfield 3 of Maddison, Bissouma and then a proper specialist DM/6 such a Zubimendi would be unbelievable, and would completely transform the team IMO.
3) A new top class LW/LF. I think rather than splurging silly money on a new 9, we should put all focus on making Son our main central striker and bringing in a new top class left sided forward, which would leave us in a situation where we have Kulu/Johnson for RW, Son/Veliz for ST and *New LW* /Solomon for LW.
I believe these are 3 signings that are attainable, realistic and would genuinely transform us into real challengers.
Obviously there are other areas such as a new backup GK, backup to Maddison (Eze would be nice but considering how much he would cost I don’t think he is realistic) that need looking at but I don’t think they’re urgent.
Then in terms of outgoings, you would imagine over the next 2 windows we will see the back of the likes of Dier, Sessengnon, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Perisic, Richarlison, which should all generate decent fees.
I get what you are saying. And I'm fully behind you in terms of quality CB needed, not just "third choice player". At very least we need third Romero / VDV level player. Though I am not convinced Tapsoba is good enough.
And it is too soon to say that lets keep Sonny as main striker and let this be that. I think Sheffield game proved that we need some kind of alternative as well. Someone who would be able to -
- keep the ball upfield and let others play off him; specially if we have speedy players to run behind in Solomon and Johnson now
- knock in headers from crosses that our system produces in significant quantity
Ofc, it could be that Richie improves in this place or Veliz makes quick impression, in which case there would be no need for that.
And regarding 6 - that is already quite luxury thinking. I'd say that having Bissouma and Skippy for 6 is "position well covered". I am not so sure Ange system would fit pure destroyer there. Bissouma ability to turn with the ball and beat the press are essential in how we play. Or to put it other terms - I think in Ange's system, 8 should play in nr 6 position.
Maddison backup could either be Kulusevski, if we'd add another explosive winger, or Gil could surprise us all still (even though I do not have much belief in that at the moment).
From outgoings - no, Perisic "should not generate decent fee" cause his contract is up next summer. Also I think as things stand now, Skippy and Riche should be taken off that list - first of all, we need club trained players and I think Skippy could still be useful at times, and with Richie, jury still out there. With first three in the list I fully agree though!
"What do you think is your best position?" Ally Gold
"I always thought of me being a No 10, I still think I am" Dejan Kulusevski
This is why I don;t think the club would even consider going after someone like Eberechi Eze for the £80m +/- that Palace would be asking
Signing Eze to play ahead of Bissouma, Bentancur, Maddison, Kulusevski, Sarr doesn't make sense either
However, we do have Skipp and Hojbjerg that could be potentially upgraded. That's what makes me think that we might be better looking at more of a 6 than another 10
"I always thought of me being a No 10, I still think I am" Dejan Kulusevski
This is why I don;t think the club would even consider going after someone like Eberechi Eze for the £80m +/- that Palace would be asking
Signing Eze to play ahead of Bissouma, Bentancur, Maddison, Kulusevski, Sarr doesn't make sense either
However, we do have Skipp and Hojbjerg that could be potentially upgraded. That's what makes me think that we might be better looking at more of a 6 than another 10
We need to be clear. Neither Kulusevski or Gil are Maddison-type replacements. Strewth.
Again with this "xx-type replacement".
Madders is England NT player and established EPL star with double digits goals and assists from AM position. Carve it into your skull - we ain't ever gonna get 2nd player with his qualities and level into the side. He has been player of the season so far, and another one like him would cost 80+ million realistically.
It is about finding some solutions and altering the plan.
If we were deadly serious Oshimen and Eze take us to crazy levels.