[Albion] How many players away from a top 4/ title challenge?

[GT49er]

Ben White has played 88 times for a good Arsenal team, surely he’s doing something of note.

Mac Allister starts (when fit) for top of the table Liverpool. Again surely he’s doing something right.

The others, well Chelsea!!

The others? Well, Spurs fans are bemoaning the damage to the spine of their team caused by the absence of Bissouma. Newcastle have got to the stage of wanting an upgrade on Burn, but he's done a fine job for them up to now. And, despite the manner of their departure causing multiple hissy-fits, both Tross and Sanchez, at about £25M apiece are proving to be decent value for their new clubs. They certainly all haven't crashed and burned!
True, we couldn't keep them and they're not coming back, so it's all hypothetical and rather pointless.

As is the suggestion that we go out and buy enough ready-made world class players to win the league, or speculation as to how many we need; 2, 3 or 4, it's irrelevant. We won't (IMHO), and I'm happy for it to stay that way.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

We’ve scored 19 goals from teenagers in 2023, more than all other Premier League clubs combined. Maybe we’ll always sell one or two of our best players each year, but if one season we don’t sell any, then maybe we might be able to challenge for a top four finish. Maybe that’s what we need to do, keep this crop of young talent together for as long as we can. UTA.

 

[Perkino]

The answer may well be which of our players would be of interest to a title contender?

We have a few in Dunk, Estupinan, Fati, Mitoma whon would improve most sides. Then those such as Verbruggen, Van Hecke, Gilmour, Baleba, Adingra, Pedro, Ferguson who may well attract interest for a big money move in the future.

A side of players who have left could include Sanchez, White, Colwill, Burn, Cucurella, Bissouma, Caicedo, MacAllister, Maupay, Trossard & Knockaert and would be a decent team. If we had kept some of these players we could have built a fabulous side

 

[jakarta]

Not very many if all our injuries come back fighting fit.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

I think of we had Caicedo, Bissouma and MacAllister we could be. But chances are only 2 fit at a time.

Instead, it might take stunting some growth though for an easy answer. You could throw in Allison to goal, Mbappe and Hakimi to our side and I mean that 3 would also make it rather likely we’d be up there!

 

[Justice]

If we add SpongeBob and Squidward in January … back of the net, job done it’s happening.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

What you think?

It can happen quite quick, it's never as much as most people think. Newcastle went from 11th to 4th after 2 transfer windows (and a lot of money), Villa have shot up the table too with good additions.

In Spain, Girona went from 10th to currently 2nd in one transfer window, spending fk all. Leverkusen in Germany went from 6th to currently first in one window, making money than they spent.

If De Zerbi stays, and you experience a relatively injury free year, with all these young players now blooded in, maybe 3 new additions?

I agree with players blooded in, fewer injuries and some additions we would be a better team next season. But the unknown is who leaves - Fati won't be here, Mitoma unlikely, Estupinan i expect to be in demand, Lallana and Milner could retire, and March likely out for most of next season. Encisos injury has probably given him an extra season with us so that's good at least.

 

[Robinjakarta]

With everything that's been going on and will continue to, I'd be very happy with top half consolidation and perhaps a cup run.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

I agree with players blooded in, fewer injuries and some additions we would be a better team next season. But the unknown is who leaves - Fati won't be here, Mitoma unlikely, Estupinan i expect to be in demand, Lallana and Milner could retire, and March likely out for most of next season. Encisos injury has probably given him an extra season with us so that's good at least.

How is March probably out for most of next season? If his recovery goes to plan than he should be out for 11-12 months which means a return around October, well over half the season left.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

How is March probably out for most of next season? If his recovery goes to plan than he should be out for 11-12 months which means a return around October, well over half the season left.

That's the optimistic end. Moder injured his ACL in April 22 and returned to the team in November 23. But let's hope its sooner.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

That's the optimistic end. Moder injured his ACL in April 22 and returned to the team in November 23. But let's hope its sooner.

That isn’t the optimistic end, it’s the normal expected recovery time for an ACL injury of that type. Solly has had this injury before and was back in 11 months. He was younger then but he can still be expected to be back with in a year. He’ll know the rehab process and what to expect too. It’s a long road but there is nothing to currently indicate he will miss most of next season.

Moder is an outlier as he had multiple set backs and needed further surgery during his rehab which reset the clock on his recovery. It’s very rare that it takes as long as it took Moder to get back to playing.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

It’s not about players. It’s about the system.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

That isn’t the optimistic end, it’s the normal expected recovery time for an ACL injury of that type. Solly has had this injury before and was back in 11 months. He was younger then but he can still be expected to be back with in a year. He’ll know the rehab process and what to expect too. It’s a long road but there is nothing to currently indicate he will miss most of next season.

Moder is an outlier as he had multiple set backs and needed further surgery during his rehab which reset the clock on his recovery. It’s very rare that it takes as long as it took Moder to get back to playing.

Sure. I'm just saying that its unlikely we get a Solly March playing regular 90 minutes at the top of his game for quite a long way into the season.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

The issue is the squad. The drop off in quality from our first 11 is still too big in some positions, and we’ve not adequately replaced the players we lost in the summer.

But that’s to be expected. We’re still doing very well

To answer the OPs question though, I’m still not sold on either keeper, although I think Bart has potential, so maybe an upgrade there. We’d need good left back cover, RB cover, a starting DM, a top drawer striker, and cover on the right wing in particular. So not much.

Top drawer striker that scores something like 13 goals in 26 games.

 

[Perkino]

We would probably need another GK, RB, DM, CM, ST so 5 to really push for a top place.

 

[Arkwright]

Can't dispute we aren't far off a top 6 side. Injuries are crippling us but you could argue this has become a common theme across the division.
For me our problem is inexperience in that we don't always convert performances into maximum points.
Are were always going to miss the likes of Bissouma, White, Caicedo and McAllister and while we have replaced them they are not quite as good. Give it time, for me after February with player's returning we'll be really competitive.
With good draws we could go deep onto the Europa League and edge up the Premier league. Top four is better a bit to ambitious.

 

[aolstudios]

Last seasons team would have been top four.

Yep ^

 

[aolstudios]

But....they weren't top four last season so why would they be this season?

A season's more experience, with young players coming through. Also, we were only a few less ridiculous VARs away from top 4 last season

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Top drawer striker that scores something like 13 goals in 26 games.

I’m not knocking any of our current strikers. I just think a target man striker, a younger version of Welbeck, would improve our squad. Ferguson is clearly struggling this year and the depth wouldn’t hurt. It’s all hypotheticals after all.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I’m not knocking any of our current strikers. I just think a target man striker, a younger version of Welbeck, would improve our squad. Ferguson is clearly struggling this year and the depth wouldn’t hurt. It’s all hypotheticals after all.

Ferguson may be struggling but has scored 6 in 16 games this season, 6 in 19 last season in the league.