Strengthening for next season.

[luptic]

the Champions League squad has to have some many players brought through the academy and so many trained in England, from what I remember in FM.

 

[nedley]

Dream summer:

Javi Marquez

Richards

Dzeko

Cole

Lewis

and Bellamy for good measure....

 

[DEFchenkOE]

I think some people are getting a bit ahead of themselves, we still have not qualified for the CL and even if we do, we're hardly established so we won't be able to attract the top players that start in europe's big clubs. I think Harry will show faith in the majority of this team and rightly so but I do think a few additions will be made but I think that this team's mentality has grown this season and I think too many ins and outs could harm that.

Everyone that mentions Dzeko, yes he is the exact type of player we need but he's not exactly a secret and there will be many clubs after him. Don't see why he would choose us, also Wolfsburg's asking price is £30m+, not sure if we will or should be spending that kind of money on one player.

Personally I think we can have a very strong season next year, we already have lots of attacking midfield talent in Lennon, Modric, Krancjar, Bale, Gudjohnson (if he stays), Bentley (if he stays), and then who knows what plans Harry has for the likes of Taraabt and Giovani.

I think our defence is solid as it's ever been, a backup keeper is needed for sure but I think the defence itself is sorted. Obviously there is a question mark over Woodgate which could see us dip in for someone but if he gets fit then i'm more than happy to have him, Dawson, King, and Bassong.

I think it will actually be fascinating to see what Harry does with the fringe guys this summer. Does he have plans to give guys like Mason, Obika, Bostock, and Rose more game time? Or will they be loaned out? And what about O'Hara, Jenas, Keane, and Hutton? hhmmm a lot of questions, good luck HR!

 

[joey55]

Ballack isn't good enough... debatable if he ever was.

He is good for Germany, but was rarely considered good by Bayern fans and was at Chelsea for the pay cheque.

IMHO opinion a world class CM is what is needed more than a striker.

We have pretty decent Striker options, whereas I still feel our CM does no boss enough games.

Our strength is clearly down the flanks, so I have no issues there, but if you want to win the Premiership, you need that CM position controlling the game.

Of course if a World Class Striker became available, then sure... but if we had to pick one of the over, my vote would be CM.

R.

I lived in Germany and for a period he was arguably the best CM in Europe and most Bayern fans thought he was brilliant. It was Frings and Hargreaves they didn't rate. His trouble at Chelsea has been he was never needed, as they had Lampard.

 

[michaelden]

I lived in Germany and for a period he was arguably the best CM in Europe and most Bayern fans thought he was brilliant. It was Frings and Hargreaves they didn't rate. His trouble at Chelsea has been he was never needed, as they had Lampard.

Agreed. Ballack was the best CM in Europe at that time.

I think we only need a back up keeper and a pacy striker. I would like us to buy a young keeper and spend big on a forward.

Sell Hutton, JJ, Keane, O'Hara and Gio. Keep Taarabt in the team this season. Release Woodgate and don't renew Cudicini's contract.

 

[danielneeds]

the Champions League squad has to have some many players brought through the academy and so many trained in England, from what I remember in FM.

Trained in England will not be a problem: Defoe, Lennon, Dawson, Bale etc etc

Trained by Spurs no trouble either: King, Crouch, probably Button as 3rd GK.

 

[nailsy]

I lived in Germany and for a period he was arguably the best CM in Europe and most Bayern fans thought he was brilliant. It was Frings and Hargreaves they didn't rate. His trouble at Chelsea has been he was never needed, as they had Lampard.

Agreed. Ballack was the best CM in Europe at that time.

I think we only need a back up keeper and a pacy striker. I would like us to buy a young keeper and spend big on a forward.

Sell Hutton, JJ, Keane, O'Hara and Gio. Keep Taarabt in the team this season. Release Woodgate and don't renew Cudicini's contract.

So do either of you think Ballack could do a job for us? Or do you think he's too expensive and past it now?

cant help thinking that those quotes and FACTS are a little out of date.;-

Bale has played his best games as a wide midfielder
Bale has played most of his recent games as a wide midfielder
Bale looks and plays like a world class wide midfielder
Bale has looked vulnerable as a fullback
Players develope and change positions( Hudd CB to CM, Sol winger to CB..sure Bale came here as a full back but hes proven to be more useful to the team as a wide midfielder.
very sorry if this doent fit in with how you would like Krancjar or modric to play but recent displays have Bale playing very very well as a wide midfielder and not very well as a fullback. FACT

I'm not having a go at anyone, but whys eveyone getting so wound up about calling Bale either a LB or a LW? He plays both. He'll just play where we need him to the most. Don't worry about the label.

 

[stemark44]

Keane, Jenas, Hutton, O'Hara, Giovani, Taarabt, those 6 out gives us over 25m I reckon. Invest all of that in a top quality number 9 (with some of our own cash if necessary), someone who can both play with a partner or lead the line on his own. Who? I know not.

I would like to think we could get around £40million for those players and Levy will expect that.

 

[stemark44]

I think despite all the names i have mentioned the player that harry shud look to get is Luis Suarez ... he is sensational

Thats the guy I would go for too!
I would also like Diego Costa and let both of them add a little South American magic to our forward line.

 

[Krafty]

I'd argue little really needs to be done. See what happens with Woody and Cudicini, if they are not fit/never will be then get in some replacements.

There is an arguement for a Big, strong striker, or a quick guy who can also play on the wings. But I can see a reason to keep the strikers we have (and personally try to get an extra 5% from Pav). But I dont think we will get anyone in unless Pav leaves, and if I was Harry I wouldnt sell him unless he wants to go, and I dont think he does now.

I'd like to see Eidur stay instead of Keane.

We have fostered a great team spirit and I think that is our greatest attribute. I do not want to do anything to upset that, and I also want our talented youngsters to get more game time. Unless first teamers leave (not including those on loan) I wouldnt bring anyone in, unless someone special is available

 

[Adam456]

I would like to think we could get around £40million for those players and Levy will expect that.

I think somewhere in between the two - £30-35m

cant help thinking that those quotes and FACTS are a little out of date.;-

Bale has played his best games as a wide midfielder
Bale has played most of his recent games as a wide midfielder
Bale looks and plays like a world class wide midfielder
Bale has looked vulnerable as a fullback
Players develope and change positions( Hudd CB to CM, Sol winger to CB..sure Bale came here as a full back but hes proven to be more useful to the team as a wide midfielder.
very sorry if this doent fit in with how you would like Krancjar or modric to play but recent displays have Bale playing very very well as a wide midfielder and not very well as a fullback. FACT

+1

 

[Adam456]

So do either of you think Ballack could do a job for us? Or do you think he's too expensive and past it now?

I'm not having a go at anyone, but whys eveyone getting so wound up about calling Bale either a LB or a LW? He plays both. He'll just play where we need him to the most. Don't worry about the label.

I know you're not having a go and please don't take this as either. Reason it's important is because of the fear of 'Arry actually selecting him at LB when he thinks we need to shuffle e.g. away at Old Trafford. Virtually anybody can see Bale isn't a defender and it's a bad decision

When I saw that line up (including Benny at RB of course) my head just dropped and I knew we'd lose

 

[michaelden]

So do either of you think Ballack could do a job for us? Or do you think he's too expensive and past it now?

I think he's too old now.

 

[joey55]

Thats the guy I would go for too!
I would also like Diego Costa and let both of them add a little South American magic to our forward line.

I watched Suarez a couple of times this season and to be honest, I didn't see what all the fuss was about. I think we need a proper goal scorer and Suarez seems more of a player who would create, rather than score many in a top league. Pantelic was decent but nothing speacial in the Bundesliga and if you look carefully at his strike rate, it's actually better than both Suarez and Ruiz (the guy from Twente). I doubt any pundits or pro scouts have actually gone into the fine details of Suarez scoring record, but the fact Pantelic has a better striker rate from open play, suggests his record in front of goal isn't as impressive as many think. If we were to sign him, I don't think he'd be a number 9, but play a bit deeper and in which case I'm still not sure he's good enough. I'd say he's not in the class of Berbatov as a link striker and doesn't have the pace to play wide in a front 3 in the Prem.

 

[joey55]

I think he's too old now.

I agree with this.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

Luis Suarez would not light up the EPL, he has scored shitloads of goals this year but if you seriously look at his goals most of the defending and goalkeeping is unbelievably bad. Honestly if you put any of our strikers, Crouch, Defoe, Pav, even Keane up front for Ajax this season they would easily have as many goals if not more imo.

What we need is someone with genuine pace and power.

 

[vegassd]

When it comes to splashing out massive money on one or two players I get a bit concerned. I think it's best to not make too many changes, but we don't want to go buying any Rolls Royce players.

We only dropped 11 points at home this year - 7 of those were to Stoke, Wolves and Hull. We dropped 28 points away from home.

We have shown that our lads know how to play, but I reckon we need to get in at least one more player with some real grit. Perhaps a star centre-back, perhaps a bullish midfielder who will score 10 a season?

I'm not too thrilled on bringing in another striker from abroad if they are only going to be a threat at WHL.

 

[spursandbarca]

a quality central midfielder. Toure yaya.

a tall striker Berbatov, Llorente, Negredo,

and a back up keeper Lewis, westwood,hennesey

 

[DoublePivot]

a tall striker Berbatov, Llorente, Negredo,

I know what you are getting at, but you may want to rephrase that as Crouch would have to reach down to pat each on the head. :wink:

 

[danielneeds]

a quality central midfielder. Toure yaya.

a tall striker Berbatov, Llorente, Negredo,

and a back up keeper Lewis, westwood,hennesey

Is it true that Barca are going to let Yaya Toure go? If so I am sure there would be bigger fish than us after him, but I am surprised, always though he was one of the bedrocks of their success, providing the muscle and bite to allow Xavi and Iniesta to play.