[Albion] "Albion rebuilding may spill over into season"

[GT49er]

We have a more than decent first XI right now, but certainly not anything good enough to sustain anything longer than a few weeks. KLL & March will likely have injuries, players will dip in & out of form. Last season our first XI was really poor - we're in better shape this season.

If our 'more than decent first XI' includes KLL as one of its key players, then I think 'more than 21st, if we're lucky' would be a more appropriate description!
KLL is one of the first names we need to look to be replacing.

 

[Marshy]

As long as another centre half and a winger are added before the season starts i will be delighted.

The extra front man and creative central player to replace Tex can go a bit longer, escpecially as I think both of these roles will be filled via prem loans.

 

[Surf's Up]

The only way you get your business done early is by paying stupid money either in fees or wages or both with little to no negotiation. Its interesting that Bournemouth seem to get their business done incredibly early, as do clubs like Watford and Brentford. The rest of the clubs are competing against each other for the same players and agents ratchet up the price with clubs probably paying more or less what they would've done in May or June had they settled quickly. Our problem I suspect is that, for whatever reason, we are seldom if ever in a very competitive negotiating position because our finances do not permit it and we're not prepared to take the risk of paying over the odds. This may be sound from a financial perspective but its a lower mid-table approach at best from a team perspective.

 

[Easy 10]

Sadly, I doubt if 99% of players give a toss about sparkly new stadiums and swanky new training grounds in a dump like Lancing (I was brought up there, so I can say that!); it's the amount they'll be paid that motivates most of them, and we (it would seem) cannot or will not pay what our competitors offer in wages.

Money will usually be the driving force, but I (perhaps naively) believed that our "world class" training ground facilities would also be a major factor in attracting quality signings to the club. After all, its where the majority of their working week is spent. But if we really are that far off the pace in terms of what we are prepared to pay, then you're right, it won't count for much. We're like an amateur Sunday morning golfer, hacking his way around the golf course, fully kitted out in his natty outfit, silly hat, and his top-of-the-range Ping bag and clubs, but constantly just digging himself out of the rough after his umpteenth wayward drive - "all the gear, no idea".

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I wonder if we could engineer a couple of early-season postponements - malfunction in the sprinkler system resulting in a flooded pitch, floodlight failure, a mystery flu bug that results in the Amex being quarantined and the team unable to train or travel - and then re-arrange the fixtures for some time later in the campaign when we've got a squad.

Over to you, Mr Barber.

 

[JCL666]

So does it worry you that we only have two recognised centrebacks one of which is too old and slow and the other is being tapped up by other clubs? Couple that with a mistake prone, keeper then we are, in my view, a tinsy winsy bit ****ed.

Nope.

Centre backs.
Rea is part of the first team and has consistently been praised so I have to assume (until he plays) that he is a capable back up.
Plus I think from what I've read the club are still looking to strengthen in that area.

Goal keeper.
Mistake prone? IMO That just isn't true. All goal keepers make mistakes. Stockdale is not unique in that aspect.


I'd be worried if Dunk left and Greer was injured and we had Calde and Rea as our first choice CBs

 

[Peteinblack]

Money will usually be the driving force, but I (perhaps naively) believed that our "world class" training ground facilities would also be a major factor in attracting quality signings to the club. After all, its where the majority of their working week is spent. But if we really are that far off the pace in terms of what we are prepared to pay, then you're right, it won't count for much. We're like an amateur Sunday morning golfer, hacking his way around the golf course, fully kitted out in his natty outfit, silly hat, and his top-of-the-range Ping bag and clubs, but constantly just digging himself out of the rough after his umpteenth wayward drive - "all the gear, no idea".

 

[Steve.S]

It's not happening with clubs showing ambition and that's a fact.

Ambition or money no object. Because the clubs you will name have spent and have the money. What clubs have got in more then 3 players already then.

 

[Napper]

IMO

First game last season v possible starting line up v Forest

Stockdale...........Stockdale =

Bruno..................Rosenior ++
Greer..................Greer =
Hughes...............Dunk++
Calderon.............Bong+

Crofts..................March+
Forster -Caskey..Kayal+++
Ince.................... Stephens or Ince=
Lua Lua..............Lua Lua =

O'Grady..............Baldock++
Fenelon..............Hemed+++

March an upgrade on Crofts - absolutely no chance
Bong - no one knows unless a Wigan fan who went down. By all accounts did ok in a relegated side
Hemed - No way you can know - although my dog is better than Fenlon


Both sides would be in a relegation battle regardless of the improvements.

More quality needed

 

[ferring seagull]

Apart from the exceptions of those clubs who have paid (perhaps) silly money for their targets, isn't another factor the deadline for Premiership clubs to register their first team squads thus setting out potential targets who may not be seen as such right now ?

 

[Stumpy Tim]

If our 'more than decent first XI' includes KLL as one of its key players, then I think 'more than 21st, if we're lucky' would be a more appropriate description!
KLL is one of the first names we need to look to be replacing.

He wouldn't be in my first XI to be honest

 

[Stat Brother]

You're going to have to run that by me again.

I guess that's the price you pay for taking 9 words out of a whole sentence, as well as removing from the tone of the overarching point.

C'est la vie.

 

[Easy 10]

As a slight aside, on the subject of playing budgets, they had Steve Parrish in the Talksport studio last night who had some fairly interesting things to say. His view on the annual Championship salary budget was that in general terms (and this is from my vague memory as it was quite late), £8-11m would see you seriously struggling, £14-16m would see you midtable, and anything north of that should you in Playoff contention or better. With that in his mind, going into January, if his club was midtable with a chance of pushing on, then he’d look at investing and elevating the salary budget accordingly to have a go at going up. Not rocket science of course, but interesting to see the approximate thresholds.

2012/13 our wagebill was £21m. Palace’s was £18m (and of course, the unthinkable happened).
2013/14 our wagebill was £20m, and we got another top 6 finish.
I dunno what our wagebill was for 2014/15 (have the figures been published ?), but we were categorically told it was “the most expensive squad in our history” – a statement I still go almost giddy at when I contemplate the pile of utter JUNK that was assembled.

So whats the salary budget nowadays I wonder…

 

[Gazwag]

March an upgrade on Crofts - absolutely no chance
Bong - no one knows unless a Wigan fan who went down. By all accounts did ok in a relegated side
Hemed - No way you can know - although my dog is better than Fenlon


Both sides would be in a relegation battle regardless of the improvements.

More quality needed

March v Crofts - you can't really compare as do different jobs but March will hopefully create more chances than Crofts hence the +
Bong v Calde - Calde when he plays will be in midfield judging by the first couple of friendlies whereas Bong will be in his correct position so a +
Hemed looked ok in the first friendly and took his goal well - scoring in open play must be at least a + compared to the last year

I don't disagree we need more.

 

[jamie the seagull]

Firstly, we are clearly in better shape than this time last season. We are stronger in goal, at fullback, in midfield and upfront. Centreback is not the hardest position to recruit.
PG

No need to buy, as Dallinson should now be given his opportunity...

 

[GT49er]

You may get your wish. We'll be tumbling down the leagues soon enough with the current squad.

He didn't wish for a club tumbling down the leagues because of over-stretching; he wished for a stable club, the exact opposite.

 

[GT49er]

We need two new wingers and the the Tex replacement. As well as 2 strikers and a CB.

We certainly need to do some more business this summer, but "two new wingers and the Tex replacement. As well as 2 strikers and a CB" - dream on!

 

[JCL666]

No need to buy, as Dallinson should now be given his opportunity...

I've not seen him play (or Rea for that matter), but Rea seems to get a lot of good mentions.

Is Dallinson good?

 

[Withdean11]

Stockdale/Maenpaa

Rosenoir - Greer - Dunk - Bong

Kayal - Stephens
Crofts

March --------------------- Baldock

Hemed​

I think that is currently our strongest first 11 and how i would set up if the season started today. Think replacements are needed for positions in bold before August 7th. Then the rest of August can be used further strengthening the squad.

CB - Greer - Surely too old and slow now. Okay to have on the bench. We might need two if Dunk goes.

AMC - Crofts - We currently do not have anyone who can play this role yet. Maybe Stephens can cover injuries but i'd rather play him a little deeper. We lost our most creative player in Tex who played in this role, it's vital we get someone just as creative.

AML - Baldock - We have LuaLua, but IMO he is a impact player to come on with 20 minutes to go. That leaves Baldock as our only other real option here, who is not good enough here for a team aiming for the top 6. We need a creative player who can chip in with 8-10 goals.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

We certainly need to do some more business this summer, but "two new wingers and the Tex replacement. As well as 2 strikers and a CB" - dream on!

Dreaming or not, I agree with the post that those are the 6 players we need.