| Squad building for next season 13:10 - May 2 with 14204 views | Asa |
It's going to be a fascinating watch.
McKenna and Ashton will no doubt want to keep the momentum and team spirit but at the same time we are going to have to sacrifice some players who've contributed significantly to maximise the chances of another promotion shot next season.
I could see something like this:
Walton
Coleman
Hladky
Woolfenden
Burgess
Clarke
Donacien
NEW SIGNING (LCB)
Davis
Burns
Leigh
Morsy
Ball
Luongo — Two year deal
NEW SIGNING (CM)
Camara
Chaplin
Edwards
Broadhead
NEW SIGNING — Possibly John-Jules although believe we can now target better
NEW SIGNING (CF)
Ladapo
Jackson
Hirst — Throw the £3m-£4m at Leicester — He’s going to be worth more than that in a short while
Keogh — Retire into coaching role
Edmundson — Allow to leave
Evans — Allow to leave
Harness — Allow to leave
Harper — Allow to leave
Pigott - Allow to leave
Penney — Allow to leave
Aluko — Allow to leave (if not interested in a coaching role yet)
Vincent-Young — Allow to leave
Hayes — Allow to leave
Ahadme — League One loan
El Mizouni — League One loan (Leyton Orient)
Ndaba — League One loan
Humphries - League One loan
Baggott — League One loan
Yengi - League Two / Conference loan
I’d be looking to add a left sided centre back, as brilliant as Burgess has been, because he’s only an injury away from having someone like Edmundson filling in and we’ve all seen the difference in moving the ball across the back line with a natural left footer there.
I think Morsy and Luongo have to be seen as the midfield next season. Ball is a cracking player and Camara offers something different going forward. Whether it’s Jack Taylor or we set our sights higher now, Ball does feel like a step down from the settled two, assuming Luongo stays, so wouldn’t be at all surprised if we aimed for a third player of the Morsy / Luongo ilk so we could continue to play the same game when injury and suspension occurs. Evans is a fantastic player, but just slows down the dynamism too much and I can’t see him being involved much moving forwards even if he was fully fit.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if McKenna looked for someone that can play that 10 role on the left or right. I think Chaplin and Broadhead are in the same boat as Morsy and Luongo. Fantastic, but a drop off if one is out for a period. Edwards is worth keeping. I think with coaching he will improve further, he already has and he offers something different that will likely be huge in the more open Championship where less teams sit behind the ball because they are a tenth of the size of our club. Harness for me offers very little apart from a bit of hard work and an eye for goal which has Macauley Bonned it’s way out of existence. He’s a good League One player and nothing more, so expect us to be ruthless here.
Up top we just have to sign Hirst. He’s 24, he’s found a home. He’s big, strong, wins headers, holds it up, scores all sorts of goal, has a hammer of a strike, is quick. He’s going to be a complete Championship striker for years to come. I’d say we also need another like him to rotate with and would keep Ladapo as third choice (sounds mad — he’s just bagged 20 goals) quite simply because I think he’s a decent player but not a system player and it’s one thing adding a goal or two in a match we are 3-0 up in and cruising but I have never felt fully confident in him bringing in Chaplin and Broadhead or taking what might be his only chance and we are now stepping up a level. Jackson I’d retain because he works his socks off and his pace offers something else we may need in some games. He’s more suited to the division above where there is space to run into than Accrington, Port Vale, Morecambe or Burton playing a low block.
We will be ruthless. Which is why I can see Edmunson, Evans and Harness being seen as the weakest members of the 25 or so that will be prone to being replaced with players good enough to take starting spots off what we have. If we were looking to just stay up I don’t think they move on at all.
Harper, Penney, Vincent-Young, Keogh all leaving are no brainers, with the latter probably moving into coaching. I have loved Sone Aluko at Town, it’s been a joy. But he’s a class player still and deserves to go elsewhere and excite their fans the way he has ours.
Gassan, El Miz, Ndaba and Baggott could all develop as yet. Let them do that. Humphries is going to be a top, top player, but it’ll do him no good being left out of our 18 regularly next season so let him go and get 46 games under his belt on loan.
Wouldn't surprise me to lose the 5 weakest players in the squad rotation as it stands and spend £10-12m on 4 or 5 to compliment what we have with the expectation that they'll be even better.
Whatever happens it'll be fascinating and I completely trust the process!
[Post edited 2 May 2023 13:32]
|  | | |  |
| Squad building for next season on 08:34 - May 3 with 2271 views | tractordownsouth |
| Squad building for next season on 14:51 - May 2 by TRUE_BLUE123 |
£10-12m seems fairly excessive and probably unnecessary.
We just need to sign a couple and be effective in the loan market to be able to compete.
Look at Burnley.
Tella (loan)
Maatsen (loan)
Harwood Bellis (Loan)
Beyer (loan)
Boro
Archer (loan)
Ramsey (loan)
Giles (Loan)
Sheff U
Doyle (loan)
Mcatee (loan)
A couple of additions, maybe Taylor, long term Mckenna target. Then have a look at whos being offered out by Prem academies which Mckenna will have a superb knowledge of. He was after Evan Ferguson after all.
Rak sayki should be one we go for, and probably will. |
Rak-Sakyi would be a great addition. He’s a more technical player than Burns so would give us a different type of option on the right.
It’ll be a tough deal to get done though. Rak-Sakyi and Twine will be the two loanees that half the league will want. |  |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 08:39 - May 3 with 2246 views | BiGDonnie |
| Squad building for next season on 08:00 - May 3 by Wallingford_Boy |
What is everyone’s obsession with TJJ?!
Looked ok in league one, but we need to push on from there. |
Quick, strong, technically able, only 22/23 and contract running out at Arsenal. Knows the club, players and manager. I'd take him and use him to back up Hirst and the no10 positions.
Still what do I know, I seem to be the only one who wants Bersant back! |  |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 08:42 - May 3 with 2237 views | lizzibee |
| Squad building for next season on 13:41 - May 2 by CityBlue |
Would be mad to let Evans go...statistically the best player in the league until he was injured.
Donacien may have reached his ceiling so that could be an area for expanding.
Luongo works well with Morsy but there may be similar upgraded models about who can give us four years.
I would like to think Edmunson stays too. |
I agree re Evans. Before he was injured he was statistically the best midfielder in the league. I get Mass is very very good but people seem to have very quickly forgotten how good Evans is. He is a different player to Mass and there is a place for both depending on who we play, and will also allow back up for Morsy who may have suspensions/injuries etc.,
I also agree re Fridge | | | |
| Squad building for next season on 08:46 - May 3 with 2227 views | lizzibee |
| Squad building for next season on 14:22 - May 2 by portmanking |
Why on earth would we sell off our crown jewels this summer? Surely it'd be more prudent to sell off the weaker squad players and make modest tweaks, giving them a fair crack at the whip? |
This. Given the aspirations of the owners to be PL very soon and the momentum o the club, they won't leave this summer. They will try their hand at Championship. Plus Woolfy is a local lad and wants the best for town. Its not as if we need to sell anyone, which is a great position to be in. | | | |
| Squad building for next season on 08:48 - May 3 with 2226 views | BondiBlue |
| Squad building for next season on 08:42 - May 3 by lizzibee |
I agree re Evans. Before he was injured he was statistically the best midfielder in the league. I get Mass is very very good but people seem to have very quickly forgotten how good Evans is. He is a different player to Mass and there is a place for both depending on who we play, and will also allow back up for Morsy who may have suspensions/injuries etc.,
I also agree re Fridge |
I've been back and forth on evans. I think we'll keep him for the games where we need to sit deeper and need accurate switches/long passes. Mckenna adapted to league 1 by going more direct so i'd assume he'll adapt to the championship by playing a lower block and counter-aylttacking at times. | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:09 - May 3 with 2172 views | jayessess |
| Squad building for next season on 07:56 - May 3 by Wakh |
Where you say that's 23. I make it 24. You have 6 midfielders not 5 i think [Post edited 3 May 2023 7:58]
|
Non-loanee U21s (like Humphreys) don't need to be registered. |  |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:13 - May 3 with 2150 views | tractordownsouth |
| Squad building for next season on 16:45 - May 2 by Kropotkin123 |
(imo) What they are capable of next season if a starter.
Walton - top 6
Hladky - unsure
Woolfenden - top 6
Burgess - top 6
Edmundson - mid table
New Player - Imagine we will look to attract a player that would be lower Premiership quality
Clarke - top 6
Donacien - mid table
Davis - top 6
Leigh - mid table
Morsy - top 6
Luongo - top 6
Ball - mid table
Evans - mid table
Camara - unsure
Burns - top 6
Jackson - relegation battle. I would replace, not sure we will
Broadhead - top 6
Edwards - mid table - think I rate him higher that the manager
Harness - relegation battle - I would replace, not sure we will
Chaplin - top 6
New player - likely TJJ - mid table
New player - Likely Hirst -top 6
Ladapo - mid table
Likely targets
Hirst - top six, ahead of Ladapo
John-Jules - mid table, behind Chaplin
Leaves playing staff
Keogh
Harper
Pigott
Penney
Aluko
Vincent-Young
Ahadme
El Mizouni - Maybe loan, seems somewhat pointless. If we are targeting premiership, I don't see him breaking in. Note, I didn't see Humphreys playing league games this time last season
Ndaba
Humphries - League One loan
Baggott — League One loan
I think we might also see some surprises. Eg, I didn't expect to see Donacien drop out of the first 11 in January. But Clarke was bought in and here we are. That could happen in the middle, if a lower Premiership player became available. I don't think we will see more than 2-3 changes to the starting lineup between now and the start of the season. I think we will be more ruthless next January, depending on how players step up.
We've looked to build a team that can compete in the Championship, and I think we have largely achieved that. |
If we get Hirst back it'll be the most important thing we do all summer, but I don't think he's currently a top six championship striker. He's played 41 games at that level and hasn't scored a goal.
I wouldn't rate Burgess or Burns as top six standard either, they're the two positions I think we'll look to bring in a starting player for. | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:16 - May 3 with 2139 views | tractordownsouth |
| Squad building for next season on 02:30 - May 3 by Bellevue_Blue |
Great starting point and I think we are certainly looking at the following re positions to strengthen.
LCB (Experienced left footer)
CM
RW
CAM (Shadow striker similar to Chappers, TJJ can play Broady's position)
ST
Ideally I think we should be looking at the above as well as Hirst/ TJJ.
Re outgoings, I broadly agree although I think Edmundson will stay on as a potential starter/ back up for the RCB position given Keogh's inevitable departure. I'm also inclined to think that Jackson might leave due to the fact he won't play up top here (he might still see himself as an 9) and KM might well want someone with a bit more flair in that position (more in the mold of Burns).
Ladapo could also be one of the less obvious outgoings. He's been brilliant this year and consistently puts up great numbers for clubs at the top of L1. Potentially one of League 1's bigger players (thinking Derby, P'boro if JCH leaves etc) might fancy him to lead their line next season for a small fee given he's unlikely to have a starting spot at ITFC and his bench spot may well have added competition.
Exciting summer upcoming. |
Those are the positions I'd look to strengthen as well. Good point on Ladapo too, he's one I could see an offer coming in for. Maybe not Derby because of the location (he left Rotherham to be closer to Essex) but somewhere like Charlton could appeal if they were interested. | |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Squad building for next season on 09:26 - May 3 with 2088 views | jayessess |
| Squad building for next season on 09:16 - May 3 by tractordownsouth |
Those are the positions I'd look to strengthen as well. Good point on Ladapo too, he's one I could see an offer coming in for. Maybe not Derby because of the location (he left Rotherham to be closer to Essex) but somewhere like Charlton could appeal if they were interested. |
Very little money going round for that sort of deal though. Not a lot of League One clubs pay significant fees and when they do it isn't generally for players in Ladapo's age bracket. | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:27 - May 3 with 2085 views | Vic |
| Squad building for next season on 14:22 - May 2 by portmanking |
Why on earth would we sell off our crown jewels this summer? Surely it'd be more prudent to sell off the weaker squad players and make modest tweaks, giving them a fair crack at the whip? |
I’d definately like to keep the current first team together, and upgrade some of the back up options for better competition.
However, our Brizzel friends do love to tell us that Ashton has been known to sell the better players and replace with other to come through. I think he’s actually on record as saying that that is part of the way the club makes its money. I think he called it ‘Player trading’. |  |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:29 - May 3 with 2081 views | tractordownsouth |
| Squad building for next season on 09:26 - May 3 by jayessess |
Very little money going round for that sort of deal though. Not a lot of League One clubs pay significant fees and when they do it isn't generally for players in Ladapo's age bracket. |
True, there's a pool of four or five clubs who could afford that sort of six-figure fee though. If we're able to upgrade we may even let him go for a nominal amount if his wages are covered by any suitors. | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:33 - May 3 with 2046 views | jayessess |
| Squad building for next season on 09:27 - May 3 by Vic |
I’d definately like to keep the current first team together, and upgrade some of the back up options for better competition.
However, our Brizzel friends do love to tell us that Ashton has been known to sell the better players and replace with other to come through. I think he’s actually on record as saying that that is part of the way the club makes its money. I think he called it ‘Player trading’. |
That's just the reality of being a Championship club in the era of FFP really. You need to sell players at the peak of their value to give you financial space for deals that improve your squad overall.
It is something we will have to do eventually, but would be pointless this Summer because our better players won't peak in value until they've shown what they can do in the Championship. | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:35 - May 3 with 2031 views | itfcjoe |
| Squad building for next season on 09:13 - May 3 by tractordownsouth |
If we get Hirst back it'll be the most important thing we do all summer, but I don't think he's currently a top six championship striker. He's played 41 games at that level and hasn't scored a goal.
I wouldn't rate Burgess or Burns as top six standard either, they're the two positions I think we'll look to bring in a starting player for. |
His 41 games at that level are 6 starts and less than 1000 minutes in all fairness to him - it's the equivalent of 10 games |  |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:41 - May 3 with 2002 views | tractordownsouth |
| Squad building for next season on 09:35 - May 3 by itfcjoe |
His 41 games at that level are 6 starts and less than 1000 minutes in all fairness to him - it's the equivalent of 10 games |
True but I still don't think he's a top six Champ striker yet. Give it a year or two and he might be because the attributes are there. | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:45 - May 3 with 1995 views | Vic |
| Squad building for next season on 09:33 - May 3 by jayessess |
That's just the reality of being a Championship club in the era of FFP really. You need to sell players at the peak of their value to give you financial space for deals that improve your squad overall.
It is something we will have to do eventually, but would be pointless this Summer because our better players won't peak in value until they've shown what they can do in the Championship. |
Totally agree with your second paragraph. These players need to be given a chance to see what thier ceiling is. I’d like us to tie down Hirst and Loungo, let some of the fringe players go and then see how we fair up to Christmas. We’ll soon see who can step up and who won’t and continue the build as necessary.
But eventually we’ll see top players leave - as we always have. Talbot, Wark, Johnson (mk1), Bramble, Dyer, etc, were all part of that pattern. | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:45 - May 3 with 1995 views | jayessess |
| Squad building for next season on 09:29 - May 3 by tractordownsouth |
True, there's a pool of four or five clubs who could afford that sort of six-figure fee though. If we're able to upgrade we may even let him go for a nominal amount if his wages are covered by any suitors. |
There are, but all of them can only really justify spending those fees if it's a younger player with potential resale value. Oldest player to move to a League One club for six figures last season was Marcus Harness. | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 09:58 - May 3 with 1963 views | NthQldITFC |
| Squad building for next season on 18:43 - May 2 by Funge |
Not sure about Celina, CGS - mercurial, and that Crewe goal is one of the best I've ever seen - but Broadhead is so clever; reminds me of Teddy Sheringham.... |
Yes, I see what you mean about Sheringham, that hadn't occurred to me. He's right over the ball ready to commit defenders and then go past them under close control. Very similar. Think Broady's a bit quicker mind, but without the aerial threat. Gonna be one hell of a player at the very top level in my view. |  |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 11:34 - May 3 with 1849 views | OldFart71 |
| Squad building for next season on 13:42 - May 2 by BiGDonnie |
Cashin
Taylor
Celina
Loader
TJJ
Hirst
Job done. [Post edited 2 May 2023 14:26]
|
Definitely wouldn't want Celina back. We have done great without him and even when he was playing for us yes he could be brilliant at times. But like so many players of his ilk one high class performance in every fourth of fith game isn't good enough and his transfer fee would possibly be prohibitive. I am sure there are players about that would cost less and be more effective game to game. | | | |
| Squad building for next season on 11:45 - May 3 with 1816 views | jayessess |
One thing on these lists - they often pick out in-contract squad players who aren't up to scratch and suggest selling them and buying someone else to play that role. But, it's usually not a good use of resources to do that and we haven't looked to do it very often in the last few windows.
What we've done recently is buy players for the starting XI, then bumped the current starter down the pecking order. Clarke comes in, Donacien reserve. Broadhead comes in, Harness reserve. Hirst comes in, Ladapo becomes the reserve.
Assuming we continue doing that, the question isn't who to replace in the squad but who would we look to replace in the starting eleven (and maybe the finishing 5). | |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 11:57 - May 3 with 1778 views | tractorboy1978 |
| Squad building for next season on 11:45 - May 3 by jayessess |
One thing on these lists - they often pick out in-contract squad players who aren't up to scratch and suggest selling them and buying someone else to play that role. But, it's usually not a good use of resources to do that and we haven't looked to do it very often in the last few windows.
What we've done recently is buy players for the starting XI, then bumped the current starter down the pecking order. Clarke comes in, Donacien reserve. Broadhead comes in, Harness reserve. Hirst comes in, Ladapo becomes the reserve.
Assuming we continue doing that, the question isn't who to replace in the squad but who would we look to replace in the starting eleven (and maybe the finishing 5). |
Well run clubs are always looking to replace their 'worst' player in the starting 11 so they incrementally improve the squad without wholesale changes. That's how Brighton/Brentford work using the data at their disposal. | | | |
| Squad building for next season on 12:13 - May 3 with 1755 views | rickw |
| Squad building for next season on 11:45 - May 3 by jayessess |
One thing on these lists - they often pick out in-contract squad players who aren't up to scratch and suggest selling them and buying someone else to play that role. But, it's usually not a good use of resources to do that and we haven't looked to do it very often in the last few windows.
What we've done recently is buy players for the starting XI, then bumped the current starter down the pecking order. Clarke comes in, Donacien reserve. Broadhead comes in, Harness reserve. Hirst comes in, Ladapo becomes the reserve.
Assuming we continue doing that, the question isn't who to replace in the squad but who would we look to replace in the starting eleven (and maybe the finishing 5). |
I agree with this and I'm sure it's what the club are planning on, it's just difficult for us to oust some favourite players at the moment!
That's why I wouldn't sign TJJ he isn't better than our starting XI, yes he's young and has potential but I don't think he's the answer.
I think my main target would be a new right winger to really challenge Burns, when he wasn't at his best earlier in the season he still started every game as he offered more than Jackson |  |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 12:14 - May 3 with 1755 views | jayessess |
| Squad building for next season on 11:57 - May 3 by tractorboy1978 |
Well run clubs are always looking to replace their 'worst' player in the starting 11 so they incrementally improve the squad without wholesale changes. That's how Brighton/Brentford work using the data at their disposal. |
And I'd look at our first XI in 3 groups:
Acquired so recently that we won't already be replacing them
Leif Davis
Harry Clarke
Nathan Broadhead
George Hirst
Seem too central to the team
Christian Walton
Luke Woolfenden
Sam Morsy
Conor Chaplin
Might consider it
Cameron Burgess
Massimo Luongo
Wes Burns
(For the record, the "might consider it" list is incredibly harsh, they've all been absolute class) [Post edited 3 May 2023 12:18]
| |
| |
| Squad building for next season on 13:13 - May 3 with 1662 views | Wakh |
| Squad building for next season on 09:09 - May 3 by jayessess |
Non-loanee U21s (like Humphreys) don't need to be registered. |
Pretty sure they did in the championship. | | | |
| Squad building for next season on 13:16 - May 3 with 1635 views | jayessess |
| Squad building for next season on 13:13 - May 3 by Wakh |
Pretty sure they did in the championship. |
That's just if they're loan players.
(Otherwise you'd never be able to promote an academy player outside a transfer window!) | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
