Winter Improvement Thread (aka Winter Squad Weakening Thread and TWF Suicide Watch)

[Lycan]

Don't see why that wouldn't make life hard on any defender regardless of position, mind you I don't see any reason to shift him away from the left.

He's dangerous cutting in from the left because he can shoot or play a through ball with his right foot. Don't think he'd be as much of a threat from range cutting in onto his left, he'd just be all about getting onto his right and crossing the ball early.

 

[Alan]

Zyro is a right winger. We're going to have 4 of them come the summer and 5 if that's where Wallace is going to feature.

It pisses me off that Henry and Byrne are now considered options at LW when they've never features there for anybody before this season. More idiocy from Jackett.

Zyro made his breakthrough at Poznan on the left side IIRC.

 

[Lycan]

Zyro made his breakthrough at Poznan on the left side IIRC.

Zyro played for Legia.

Played on both wings as far as I can tell. Ken was actually wary of signing him because he hadn't tied down a position yet (or some other nonsense).

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He came out with some oddball nonsense about how we shied away from signing him in the summer (after watching him for months) because he predominantly played on the right and we weren't sure if he could commit to playing on the left.

Jez then said at the Fans' Parliament the other week that we had a deal agreed with Legia and they pulled the plug.

 

[Kenny]

Zyro played for Legia.

Played on both wings as far as I can tell. Ken was actually wary of signing him because he hadn't tied down a position yet (or some other nonsense).

That was just bollocks cover up speech what he meant was "Those upstairs are not prepared to pay £2m on a player who has not played in England before but to avoid any where's the money gone stuff I have agreed to say this shit"

 

[Alan]

Zyro played for Legia.

Played on both wings as far as I can tell. Ken was actually wary of signing him because he hadn't tied down a position yet (or some other nonsense).

D'oh! Knew it was Legia or Lech... Picked the wrong option!

Regardless, his breakthrough there was on the left.

 

[Jolemai]

Linked with Fulham's Matt Smith on loan, according to TEAMtalk*...

* and yes I know TT is rubbish.

 

[machin05]

No thank you.

 

[Tony Towner]

He would probably be more effective than Siggy, Le Fondre or Mason with the Ikeme and Batth hoofs. If true and recent it worries me that Kenny is more bothered about getting players in to play that way than adapting our style to not do so.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Matt Smith? For God's sake.

And does anything sum up this clusterfuck of a season more than Mike Williamson? I see little point now in even trying to get him back this season. Might as well give Hause the game time & tell Williamson to come back fit next year

 

[Deleted Cyber]

He would probably be more effective than Siggy, Le Fondre or Mason with the Ikeme and Batth hoofs. If true and recent it worries me that Kenny is more bothered about getting players in to play that way than adapting our style to not do so.

To be fair the statue of Billy Wright has been more effective than Siggy in several games this season

 

[nimrod]

To be fair the statue of Billy Wright has been more effective than Siggy in several games this season

to be fair, the club were honest, based on our recent transfer history, siggy's return has been like signing a new player

 

[Lycan]

As bad as this season has been I'm bored stiff of this international break already. Given that we're all but guaranteed to be playing in the Championship next season where does everyone think we need to strengthen in the summer?

Goalkeeper - Bringing Martinez in makes it clear that the management have a problem with Ikeme, he's had a shocking season and we don't have a ready made replacement from the youth team so a keeper is a priority. Signing Martinez permanently is clearly no longer a viable option or he would've replaced Ikeme in the starting XI as soon as he returned from injury so we'll need to look elsewhere. Sam Johnstone on loan?

Full Back - We were clearly interested in Jan with our failed bid for Boilesen, I don't think Doherty's form will have changed much at all on that front. Signing a left back will also allow us to send Sylvain Deslandes out on loan, Ken said that he wouldn't hesitate to play him if necessary so he's ready for first team football.

Centre Back - If we have any sort of budget in the summer this is the position it should be spent on IMO. I don't rate EEL at all and Batth is another that's had a dreadful season, we need another body here just to prevent a Batth/EEL partnership in the event that Hause picks up another injury. If Hull go up I'd go back in for Harry Maguire, he's just turned 23 and at this stage of his career should be looking to push on and be a regular at this level. Hause, Batth, Maguire, Iorfa & EEL should be OK over a full season.

Centre Mid - Coady, Saville, Price, Evans, McDonald & Edwards. We're fine here, in fact we should probably be looking to offload at least one, I just pray that it's not Jack Price. My personal vote would go to Kevin McDonald. I was desperate for him to sign a new contract in the summer but I wouldn't be bothered if we sold him now, especially if it meant that we could raise funds for other areas of the squad.

Wing/Attacking Midfielder - Graham, Henry, Wallace, Byrne, Zyro, Hunte, Ronan. We should have enough from that group. Hopefully Hunte can get some game time between now and the end of the season and emerge as a first team contender. Please don't sign Helan.

Striker - Dicko, Mason, Zyro, Enobakhare, Wilson, Reid. No need for further recruits here, especially seeing as we don't have the midfielders to play 2 up top. Might be time for Bright, Wilson and Reid to get a loan move or two. Do we resign Sigurdarson? No need for it as far as I can see, might be a cheap option if we feel like we need an extra body up top or on the wing so we can send a youngster out on loan.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Keeper: Needs upgrading. We aren't signing Emi, McCarey will go, Ikeme has been incredibly poor all season. A priority.

Full back: Assuming we manage to hang on to Dom then no issue at RB. Aaron Simpson coming through too. Left back needs sorting, big propz to Doherty for playing well for the last 4-5 games but it's unlikely to last and he's already been sussed as an attacking force.

Centre half: Hause has been excellent since coming back and we have Willo too. Batth has looked better since EEL got injured. Basically we need to have a different option from EEL who just isn't good enough. Not sure where Odoffin is in the development scale.

Centre mid: K-Mac's attitude needs to improve or he can fuck off, Coady isn't good enough. I'd like to have a more dynamic attacking presence here somewhere especially if 4-3-3 is something we're planning to use long term. Jacko is no issue, I'd like to see Evans given another go.

Wing/attacking mid: Edwards needs to fuck off but that won't happen under this manager. A trio of Zyro-Wallace/Mason-Graham looks really exciting. Hunte to come through too as well as Conor Ronan.

Striker: Really looking forward to Dicko coming back. Sig will go I think. Need another one here for me, but must be capable of playing up top alone at times.

 

[Lycan]

Completely forgot about Williamson.

Coady is worth persisting with at this level IMO, especially in a 3 man midfield, but I'd like to see Evans, Saville & Price given a chance ahead of him. Coady could be useful to see out a win or grind out a draw away from home.

Considering the midfielders we have I can't see anything other than 4-3-3 working from here. Ken might try 4-4-2 from time to time but as he will inevitably pick Coady/Edwards for at least one of those 2 central midfield places it'll be doomed to fail in the long term. Not good news for Mason who can apparently only play in a 4-4-2 (utter bullshit IMO).

Price

Evans------------Saville

Zyro------------------------------------Graham

Dicko​

That's what I'd like to see long term. A solid back 4 + keeper behind that with full backs who actually get forward and affect the play and I think we're onto something.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't think we need that much insurance.

-----------------Price-----Evans/Sav/new CM-----------

----------Zyro------Wallace/Mason---------Graham

----------------------Dicko----------------------------

Up to Evans/Saville to prove they deserve that other CM slot.

 

[Lycan]

I think Evans & Saville could be quite attacking if they're given the freedom to break from midfield in a 4-3-3. I really liked the way we set up vs Burnley with Sav/Coady pressing high up the pitch and making late runs into the box.

 

[Johnny75]

Defensively I think we're ok bar a left back which we need unless Deslandes is ready to go.

I'd like to bin Coady and Edwards and give Evans and get in a real box-to-box midfielder. Sell McD unless he changes his attitude.

Zyro, Wallace, Graham and Mason should be more than good enough to mix it with the best next season the wide areas. I'd bin Byrne out to Lg1 and give Ronan and Hunte enough time to find their feet.

Another striker is a must as I think Mason will end up narrow but in one of the wide slots and Dicko needs another player either the same as or competing with him for the starting spot. Bright and Wilson should back him up but in reality they need a loan out to come back and compete. I wouldn't mind getting a season long loan in.

The biggest change in the club should be the removal of Jackett. If we just got a new manager I wouldn't care if we didn't sign anybody.

 

[Lycan]

The biggest change in the club should be the removal of Jackett. If we just got a new manager I wouldn't care if we didn't sign anybody.

Agree. I don't think that's going to happen though. He's left positions in the past because he felt that he couldn't take the squad any further and we wont have much of a transfer budget next summer but I think there's enough potential in the squad to convince him to stay on and see if he could build something with what we already have.

No chance we'll sack him without a change of ownership.

 

[lemonjelly]

Defensively I think we're ok bar a left back which we need unless Deslandes is ready to go.

I'd like to bin Coady and Edwards and give Evans and get in a real box-to-box midfielder. Sell McD unless he changes his attitude.

Zyro, Wallace, Graham and Mason should be more than good enough to mix it with the best next season the wide areas. I'd bin Byrne out to Lg1 and give Ronan and Hunte enough time to find their feet.

Another striker is a must as I think Mason will end up narrow but in one of the wide slots and Dicko needs another player either the same as or competing with him for the starting spot. Bright and Wilson should back him up but in reality they need a loan out to come back and compete. I wouldn't mind getting a season long loan in.

The biggest change in the club should be the removal of Jackett. If we just got a new manager I wouldn't care if we didn't sign anybody.

International breaks bore the socks off me too Lycan.
Hard to disagree with anything Johnny says really. I believed Byrne would do better than recent showings.
Still think we might lose Iorfa or Hause to be honest.