[Albion] How would YOU change the 25 man squad in the summer?

[Papa Lazarou]

On the MASSIVE assumption* that we stay up, how would you change the current 25 man squad?


* if we go down then there will be much more change. Also assuming we don't lose any players we'd rather keep.

It currently looks like this:

25 Squad players

1. Baldock, Samuel*
2. Bong, Thomas Gaetan
3. Duffy, Shane Patrick Michael*
4. Dunk, Lewis Carl*
5. Goldson, Connor*
6. Gross, Pascal
7. Hemed, Tomer
8. Hunemeier, Uwe
9. Izquierdo Mena, Jose Heriberto
10. Kayal, Beram
11. Knockaert, Anthony Patrick
12. Krul, Timothy Michael*
13. Locadia, Jurgen Leonardo
14. Maenpaa, Niki Emil Antonio
15. March, Soloman Benjamin*
16. Murray, Glenn
17. Propper, David Petrus Wenceslaus Henri
18. Rosenior, Liam James*
19. Ryan, Matthew David
20. Saltor Grau, Bruno
21. Schelotto, Ezequiel Matias
22. Skalak, Jiri
23. Stephens, Dale Christopher*
24. Suttner, Markus
25. Ulloa Fernandez, Jose Leonardo

I'll start with a possibly extreme version, where we lose the following players in the summer:

Gone

1. Hunemeier
2. Rosenior Home Grown
3. Maenpaa
4. Skalak
5. Norwood Home Grown
6. Murphy Home Grown
7. Baldock Home Grown
8. Hemed
9. Sidwell Home Grown

So, I've removed a number of players who are either in the last year of their contract or I feel won't ever feature. Which leaves the squad / gaps like this:

1. Ryan Non HGP 1
2. Krul
3. NEW KEEPER

4, Bruno Non HGP 2
5. Schelotto Non HGP 3
6. NEW DEFENDER
7. Suttner Non HGP 4
8. Bong Non HGP 5
9. Dunk
10. Duffy
11. NEW DEFENDER
12. Goldson

13. Pröpper Non HGP 6
14. Stephens
15. NEW MIDFIELDER
16. Kayal Non HGP 7
17. Groß Non HGP 8

18. Knockaert Non HGP 9
19. Izquierdo Non HGP 10
20. March
21. NEW WINGER

22. NEW STRIKER
23. Locadia Non-HGP 13
24. Murray Non HGP 14
25. NEW STRIKER

Which means we have 7 slots to fill, but only 3 of these can be NON-HGP options.

This sounds hard to deliver if we want to keep improving.

What other configurations can you suggest?

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

No 2 should be Christian Walton for starters, expect him to compete for the No 1 Jersey with Matty Ryan

 

[Biscuit Barrel]

I would replace Skalak with Middlesbrough's Adama Traore.

 

[Seagull73]

Norwood's an interesting one, because we don't seem particularly keen to sell. Maybe we will in the summer.
Murphy is gone anyway
Skalak will go
Hemed - Mmm, I don't think he will leave, not just having signed a new contract.
Baldock, I don't think he will leave either - certainly not without having signed a replacement
Sidwell will go
Sadly, I think Hunemeier will go too.
Rosenior will prob go too.
I think we will need another FB (right-sided because I don't think Bruno will get another PLAYING contract)
Another centre-half
Another Centre-Mid - possibly 2 as I think Kayal might leave too if the price is right - make that 3 if Norwood is sold.
Another Winger to make 4
I don't see us going after another striker unless one of them leaves.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

No 2 should be Christian Walton for starters, expect him to compete for the No 1 Jersey with Matty Ryan

Which works as it adds a player who is Home Grown.

 

[A1X]

Would Walton not come back in as the third keeper (although in reality he'd probably be our 2nd choice)?

Might be tempted to only sign one defender and bring in two more CMs. We've been fortunate Dale and Davy have stayed fit / suspension free but we are horribly under-staffed in this region. Or just hang on to Norwood.

 

[Seagull73]

I would replace Skalak with Middlesbrough's Adama Traore.

If Boro don't go up, and we do stay-up - he would be No1 target for me.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Its an interesting one - where do we improve next? new centre-back? new central midfielder? new right wing? Incremental improvements, they certainly won't stand still

 

[Hampster Gull]

I would”d keep the German but otherwise I agree with OP

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

On the MASSIVE assumption* that we stay up, how would you change the current 25 man squad?

Which means we have 7 slots to fill, but only 3 of these can be NON-HGP options.

This sounds hard to deliver if we want to keep improving.

What other configurations can you suggest?

This summer will be an expensive one based on the bit in bold. I think the slots you've highlighted are fair, so our transfer policy of finding bargains in foreign leagues won't be able to be as fruitful and we will have to bite the bullet and pay over the odds for British players, or take big gambles on lower league players making the step up.

I think the recruitment team will earn their money in the next few months.

 

[the right footed denilson]

Is Krul not on loan?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

1. Ryan
2. Krul (HGP)
3. New keeper (HGP)
4. Bruno
5. Schelotto
6. New defender (HGP)
7. Suttner
8. Bong
9. Dunk (HGP)
10. Duffy (HGP)
11. New central defender
12. Goldson (HGP)
13. Pröpper
14. Stephens (HGP)
15. Kayal
16. New midfielder
17. Groß
18. Knockaert
19. Izquierdo
20. March (HGP)
21. New winger
22. Ulloa
23. Locadia
24. Murray
25. New attacking midfielder

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Is Krul not on loan?

No we convereted it to a full contract as I think you are only allowed two loan players so freed up space for Ulloa I imagine.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Its an interesting one - where do we improve next? new centre-back? new central midfielder? new right wing? Incremental improvements, they certainly won't stand still

Exactly - this came up in the discussions about who might be at risk of poaching, but we need to make improvements in the squad IF We stay up, and that's the tricky bit. Do we make the drastic changes I suggested (7 new players) but risk unity, and also restrict our options due to the Non-HGP limit OR do we tweak it a but, but accept that we will have some players we'd not expect to play much?

 

[Perkino]

On the MASSIVE assumption* that we stay up, how would you change the current 25 man squad?


* if we go down then there will be much more change. Also assuming we don't lose any players we'd rather keep.

It currently looks like this:

25 Squad players

1. Baldock, Samuel*
2. Bong, Thomas Gaetan
3. Duffy, Shane Patrick Michael*
4. Dunk, Lewis Carl*
5. Goldson, Connor*
6. Gross, Pascal
7. Hemed, Tomer
8. Hunemeier, Uwe
9. Izquierdo Mena, Jose Heriberto
10. Kayal, Beram
11. Knockaert, Anthony Patrick
12. Krul, Timothy Michael*
13. Locadia, Jurgen Leonardo
14. Maenpaa, Niki Emil Antonio
15. March, Soloman Benjamin*
16. Murray, Glenn
17. Propper, David Petrus Wenceslaus Henri
18. Rosenior, Liam James*
19. Ryan, Matthew David
20. Saltor Grau, Bruno
21. Schelotto, Ezequiel Matias
22. Skalak, Jiri
23. Stephens, Dale Christopher*
24. Suttner, Markus
25. Ulloa Fernandez, Jose Leonardo

I'll start with a possibly extreme version, where we lose the following players in the summer:

Gone

1. Hunemeier
2. Rosenior Home Grown
3. Maenpaa
4. Skalak
5. Norwood Home Grown
6. Murphy Home Grown
7. Baldock Home Grown
8. Hemed
9. Sidwell Home Grown

So, I've removed a number of players who are either in the last year of their contract or I feel won't ever feature. Which leaves the squad / gaps like this:

1. Ryan Non HGP 1
2. Krul
3. NEW KEEPER

4, Bruno Non HGP 2
5. Schelotto Non HGP 3
6. NEW DEFENDER
7. Suttner Non HGP 4
8. Bong Non HGP 5
9. Dunk
10. Duffy
11. NEW DEFENDER
12. Goldson

13. Pröpper Non HGP 6
14. Stephens
15. NEW MIDFIELDER
16. Kayal Non HGP 7
17. Groß Non HGP 8

18. Knockaert Non HGP 9
19. Izquierdo Non HGP 10
20. March
21. NEW WINGER

22. NEW STRIKER
23. Locadia Non-HGP 11
24. Murray Non HGP 12
25. NEW STRIKER

Which means we have 7 slots to fill, but only 3 of these can be NON-HGP options.

This sounds hard to deliver if we want to keep improving.

What other configurations can you suggest?

If you could count properly we would have space for 5 more non home grown players

 

[Weststander]

No room for sentiment where age has caught up with players, especially at PL level, unfortunately. The following IMO should NOT be included in our 2018/19 squad:

Sidwell
Skalak
Rosenoir
Norwood
Bruno

Needing four strikers, I'm not so sure that Hemed's time is up with us, but he won't get game time with Murray and Ulloa better at that role.

We should sign Ulloa, unless Leicester are greedy with their price for a then 32 year old.

Within the new 25 man squad we need to add (top flight quality):
Right back
Defensive midfielder
Creative central midfielder, preferably with pace
Right winger
Striker, depending on the Hemed/Ulloa situations.

 

[Hastings gull]

I would”d keep the German but otherwise I agree with OP

Yes, he is more than capable, but given his European background, so to speak, he will surely have offers to tempt him away with the chance of regular first team football. I hate to say it, but I would differ slightly with the OP, whose choice is largely very good, I think. I accept that Solly has always been a regular and you could argue that with more game time he can only improve, but I fear that on balance, he is not quite good enough for the PL. He did himself no real favours yesterday - wasn't quicker than the full backs and easily bundled off the ball. I think he would do well with a Championship team, but with genuine sadness, I don't see him as PL quality.

 

[Baldseagull]

If we lose Gross, would we be keener on keeping Baldock, and/or Hemed to play behind the main striker?

 

[Perkino]

Of our 25 man squad Maenpaa, Rosenior, Uwe, Suttner, Skalak, Hemed, Baldock don't often get used in a match day squad. Add to that list Murphy, Norwood & Sidwell and we have 4 HGP and a few very experienced and excellent professionals all who haven't caused any problems by not playing regularly.

Many factors will have to be taken into consideration for next season but I would start by looking for improvements for these players but only if someone could compete for a starting place. But I wouldn't be in a hurry to move any of them on as they don't cause problems and as we saw from yesterday it's not ability alone that makes a great squad

 

[BensGrandad]

Can Goldson not fill the vacancy as cover for Schellotto and also 3rd choice CB. I wouldnt even consider Traore of Middlesbro as I believe that he is all show and no substance or end product.I would sooner look at Swansea No 4 if they get relegated or Lemina if Southampton go down