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

[GT49er]

I think Chris' attitude to squad building is fairly straight forward. Two good players for every position, with 3 keepers = 25. Fairly sure CH's response to those saying about the first XI vs squad is that competition of places is a good thing (e.g. A better RW than skalak would have been useful given Kocky's hit and miss season). We've also been lucky with injuries and suspensions relatively (especially in midfield).

I would therefore expect - IF we stay up:

1. Ryan
2. Krul
3. Replacement for Maenpaa (who i expect to ask to leave (with Walton loaned again))
4. Schlelotto
5. RB (expect Bruno to retire)
6. Bong
7. Suttner
8. CB (expect Dunk to double his wages somewhere like Leicester, Everton or even arsenal/ Liverpool but hope wrong)
9. Duffy
10. Goldson
11. CB (expect Hune to ask to leave).
12. Stephens
13. New holding midfielder
14. Propper
15. Kayal
16. Gross
17. New attacking Mid (my money's on Nick Powell)
18. Knockaert
19. New RW to replace Skalak and challenge Knocky
20. Izquierdo
21. March
22. Murray
23. Ulloa made perm, replacing hemed as second 'big man up front' option
24. Locadia
25. New 'second nippy forward' to replace Sam who doesn't seem to have had much of a look in with CH this year.

That's eight new players - eight new signings plus Ulloa. Can't see us doing that much business in one window, I really can't.


Two or three players in who are better than what we've got - that will cost a lot; not much left over in the kitty after that! Possibly keep Sidwell and Rosenior to make up the HGP numbers, and rely a bit more on our youth set-up to provide cover in case of serious injury/suspension crises.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Ok. Sunday's squad was:

Ryan;
Schelotto,
Duffy,
Dunk,
Bong;
Knockaert,
Stephens,
Propper,
Izquierdo;
Gross;
Murray.

Subs

Krul,
Bruno,
Goldson,
Kayal,
March,
Ulloa,
Locadia.

Where is there obvious room for improvement ?

On recent showings, say just Knockaert, although he has improved a lot. More pace in CM would also be great.

Not problems, but exciting challenges for the recruiters and CH to deal with.

The future looks rosy.

Yep, I think you're right. There isn't anything that obviously wrong with any of our team. They can be improved, of course, but we'd be talking top-6 players and thus perhaps unlikely to come to us. At the start of the season I assumed Stephens, Murray, Bruno, Duffy would all need to be upgraded - Bruno we have done, Murray will be by Locadia when he finally slows, Stephens and Duffy are proving amazing. I'm sure we will add a couple who will become first-team regulars, if by nothing else than injuries / suspensions - we've been incredibly lucky this year.

So, yeah, I agree. We don't need new players. Perhaps next year we don't use our premier league millions to buy new players, we use them to increase the wages of all our players instead. Lewis Dunk could be here for a long time if we can get his salary to a good level.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

That's eight new players - eight new signings plus Ulloa. Can't see us doing that much business in one window, I really can't.


Two or three players in who are better than what we've got - that will cost a lot; not much left over in the kitty after that! Possibly keep Sidwell and Rosenior to make up the HGP numbers, and rely a bit more on our youth set-up to provide cover in case of serious injury/suspension crises.

I think you're probably right, particularly if you bear in mind that we can't discount the risk of relegation - we can't have a team consisting purely of players that will jump ship the moment they can't play in the Premier League.

 

[GT49er]

I think you're probably right, particularly if you bear in mind that we can't discount the risk of relegation - we can't have a team consisting purely of players that will jump ship the moment they can't play in the Premier League.

Come the transfer window, though, we will know in which league we will be in next season.

 

[BensGrandad]

I fully accept that footballers are mercenary but I cannot see Dunk going to a club like Leicester Everton or West Ham just for the financial reasons. I believe that if he leaves us it will be to a top 6 team basically for football reasons or not at all as it is not as if he is on the minimum wage with us. Unless of course his agent needs the commission on a sale.

 

[symyjym]

I would only replace the players who leave. If Sidwell gets over his injury he still has a year or two in him. I would be happy for Uwe, Hemed and Baldock to stay.

If we start next season with who we have now I would be content.

 

[BensGrandad]

Just read that Swansea No 4 Sung -Yong Ki is out of contract in the summer, Would we be interested in him as I thought that he looked very good at The Amex.

As regards Hunemier Hemed and Baldock we should allow them to move to get football football if that is what they want.as they wont get it with us.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

I agree with much of what's been said on here but my thoughts (based on the current 25 man squad and assuming we stay up) are:

GK - I think it will be the same next season, assuming Krul and Maenpaa are happy to stay

Full back - Bruno will be 38 in September so I'd be surprised if he stays. Rosenior will also go to get first team football so we will want a new right back and a utility defender who can cover both full back positions (and ideally centre back too)

Centre back - I'd be very surprised if Dunk is still here next season so we will need to replace him and probably Uwe (who may well want first team football)

Central midfield - We need to add to our options. It will be Stephens, Propper, Kayal and one more next season

Attacking midfield/second striker - I think Baldock will leave and we'll get a new attacking midfielder to compete with Gross

Wingers - It will be Knockaert, Izquierdo, March and one other to replace Skalak

Main striker - Murray, Locadia and one other to replace Hemed (not sure whether it will be Ulloa or we will spend big on a striker again)


That makes eight new signings but hopefully we should have a decent budget with the equivalent to this season's spend plus money from the transfers of Dunk, Norwood, Towell, Skalak, Murphy, Hemed and Baldock.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I put a squad list up earlier, but having thought some more I think we can distil down to the following :

1 - Sign Leo ( rumours the deal is done if we stay up ). Sadly that means we say goodbye to Tomer.

2 - Sign a premium midfielder. This is where the main chunk of budget goes. Farewell to Sidwell, again with regret.

3 - Retain Dunk, or pay significant money for a replacement.

4 - What to do with Sam Baldock ? I'm not sure he has a future with us, we could be looking to replace with a striker who can slot into midfield if required ( Nick Powell ? )

5 - Hughton likes 9 defenders in the squad. I expect 2 of Huenemeier, Rosenior and Bruno will go - but I actually have a sneaky suspicion we will get another year out of Bruno. Anyway, 2 defenders will be needed - not sure if any of those will actually come from within the U23 squad.

6 - The home grown numbers could be an issue - so Maenpaa not qualifying as HGP could count against him. A new contract for Krul, and bring in a HGP 3rd choice.

7 - Finally the 4th choice winger. We have Skalak and Ahannach as possibles - and Bjordal will be over 21 in 2019/2020 - so I'm not sure we'll even look at this in the summer.


Of the others, Ince, Towell and Norwood will all move on.

 

[Perkino]

I wouldn't be surprised to see us start to name some U21's from the academy in the squad or to see us sign plenty of players who would end up qualifying as home grown

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I wouldn't be surprised to see us start to name some U21's from the academy in the squad or to see us sign plenty of players who would end up qualifying as home grown

That's exactly what we've been doing for over a year.

 

[Machiavelli]

That's exactly what we've been doing for over a year.

Yes. That explains why we've been casting the net so wide of late. I hadn't thought of that before.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Very much doubt we'll see Hemed or Baldock beyond the summer. That's two squad numbers freed up right there.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Hemed, Balock, Skalak all to go. Then a straight choice between Maenpaa and Walton for third choice keeper. I'd offer Ulloa a year, then get a new striker and winger. I would try to get Hunemeir to sign another season at least and hopefully Bruno also. One new quality midfielder for Sidwell and then i'd say we are sorted for a squad capable of challenging top half.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Yes. That explains why we've been casting the net so wide of late. I hadn't thought of that before.

A Home Grown player will be defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).

So 18 year olds or lower.

Perhaps? http://sportwitness.co.uk/brighton-...-sign-18-year-old-defender-surprising-choice/

From: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...home-grown-rules-explaining-epl-player-quotas

 

[the right footed denilson]

Just read that Swansea No 4 Sung -Yong Ki is out of contract in the summer, Would we be interested in him as I thought that he looked very good at The Amex.

As regards Hunemier Hemed and Baldock we should allow them to move to get football football if that is what they want.as they wont get it with us.

He's very good. Deep lying playmaker. Maybe a bit too similar to Stephens and Propper, and 29 i think.

 

[TSB]

I reckon Everton, Saints, West Ham or others might pay a bigger wage?

West Ham are a basket case.
He wouldn't be a Big Sam signing.
Saints...maybe. Not convinced their wage structure is any higher than ours: hence their similar struggle to find a striker this season (and complete lack of goals as a result). And they may go down.
Palace would pay more. But he wouldn't go there.
I genuinely don't think he'll be going anywhere.

 

[GJN1]

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

Too right. He's been the next big thing for donkey's years now and it's not like he's 17 any more. Get him in.

 

[um bongo molongo]

That's eight new players - eight new signings plus Ulloa. Can't see us doing that much business in one window, I really can't.


Two or three players in who are better than what we've got - that will cost a lot; not much left over in the kitty after that! Possibly keep Sidwell and Rosenior to make up the HGP numbers, and rely a bit more on our youth set-up to provide cover in case of serious injury/suspension crises.

I kind of agree with you - but then I do think Maenpaa and Hune will ask to leave (would prefer both to stay), I expect Bruno to go out to pasture a la Calde, and I don't think it's any secret that Jiri will be off. I also expect Dunk to go for silly money though I'd love him not to. So that's 5. I can't see us going in to next season with 5 strikers and I expect us to sign Ulloa so logically that's Hemed off (6). Which leaves the upgrade on baldock (who i rate and would like to see stay but suspect he may be disillusioned) and Sidwell, who unfortunately the years appear to be catching up with. So that's 7 or 8. Even a conservative view gets you to at least 4-5. Another busy summer for the recruitment team potentially, but also maybe necessary as we won't keep surviving on passion - we'll need to keep progressing.

IF we stay up.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

From another thread. The following all will be Over 21 next season, although there is no reason they can't for now stay in our U23 Dev Squad.

Soufyan Ahannach, Ben Barclay, Tom Dallison, Tyler Forbes, Des Hutchinson, Ales Mateju and Mathias Normann.

Clearly our central midfield recruit will be of a higher standard - ruling some of those listed out - but could a defender come through from the above, and could Ahannach challenge Skalak ?