01 Feb 2018 15:20:37
A couple of years ago there was a radio programme about teams who get promoted, stay up a season or two, and then get relegated, and they asked the managers of some of the clubs it happened too their thoughts as to what went wrong, the general point they all made was that after buying 5-8 new players and intergrating them into the team in the first season, when they bought again the following summer to strengthen again, existing players from the promotion were sold by the club or the players wanted a transfer to play more football, all the managers said that in hindsight, the thing that helped to get them relegated again was lack of continuity, this may be a bit obvious to most of you but i just hope we don't make the same mistake as others, we need to keep a core of players and not spend, spend, spend, i think it was alan hanson or some other ex-pro who pointed out that's what the likes of pulis and pearson did, and obviously it worked for them, but i guess in the modern game, being so results driven and the shelf life of a manager being just over a season and a half, will our chairman dhow the patience needed?


1.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 15:34:27
Keep the core group, But this team needs additions. Johnstone (who would count as a signing anyway), Chester, Hourihane, Adomah, Snodgrass (another signing), Grealish and Kodjia all make the starting 11 of a team who would stay in the prem. A case may be argued for some others like Taylor (wales international, premier league quality before) and maybe Jedinak (although his fitness is a joke) however outside of that most are squad players, players to come of the bench or youngsters who need experience. Bare minimum we will need is a keeper, centre back, right back, defensive midfielder and a winger, that’s 5 and 4 of them have to be made because of players leaving or going back from loan. If we can get rid of the dead wood; gabby, Richards, then we can start looking at what we need, I’d probably make the five signings I mentioned, but at premier league quality so they don’t need to adjust, there not from some team in ajerbaijaan no ones heard of they need to hit the ground running, an then I’d look to make two or three more for other weak starting positions and cover.


2.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 16:17:00
I think the main issue is to buy quality over quantity this time,
This is where we always made mistakes with very poor expensive signing then being stuck with them cause nobody else rates,
So very careful planning is needed to take us forward.


3.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 17:34:25
GK - for me look no further than Johnstone, he fits in here, won’t play at United so go and get him
RB - Trippier would be unreal but hard to get
- Jon Flanagan gone downhill a bit but was Liverpool’s regular right back under Rogers when they nearly won the league, definitely get-able
- Fosu Mensah make use of that united link again
CB - Aiden Flint if Bristol don’t come up he would be perfect
- Alfie Mawson if Swansea get relegated he is brilliant every time over seen him
CDM - Schneiderlin or Wanyama, both rarely get a game, always on the bench, brilliant at Southampton both of them
CAM/ Winger - Snodgrass loves it here
- Loftus Cheek (Loan) looks quality and Chelsea won’t play him

If we get one of each of them I think we have a fighting chance, if we want to be extra go and get;
Another CB - we’re losing Terry, Samba and Elphic aren’t the best so for the bench get another (maybe Younger) centre back who can be a back up, Worral at Forest maybe, Rob Holding maybe.
A left back - Joe Bryan from Bristol, Bertrand if saints go down, Kyle naughton maybe
Get another winger - someone like Mendez Laing, Patrick Roberts on loan from city? If saints go down get tadic or boufal
Get a striker - Benteke? Welbeck won’t ry a sniff at arsenal anymore, Would United let rashford go on loan?

And then😂😂😂 if Tony wants to make a statement, sign a Leon Bailey someone of that ilk, “the next big thing”.
This just shows how many options are out there, there is no excuse for not getting quality recruitment if we go up this year, with the sums of money you get for promotion and the options available.


4.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 21:55:25
Johnstone, Ben Gibson, Baker, Wanyama, Snodgrass, Seb Haller, a LB and RB job done

UTV.


5.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 23:48:44
I think Jon Flanagan is not welcome at our club.
Sturridge might be an option. Let's see how his loan spell at the Tesco Bags goes.


6.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 06:48:02
Ben Gibson, good shout Ally.