I don’t think we need to trim our 6/8s at this point for all the reasons listed above
Dominguez is injured and won’t attract money until he’s fit. Sangare has been getting a lot of minutes and looking good.
Clearly Yates is the weakest player but offers a lot of off the pitch stuff.
5 senior players for 2 places is probably one too many. If you had a youth there I could see 5 but you've got three players who cost north of 30M, another who was close to 20M, and the club captain. We are currently in four competitions but we could quickly be in two; the AFCON point is fair but the reality is that we're already at a point where the worst player in any given position would have been the best player in our entire squad three years ago and we might actually have to allow good players to leave for reasons other than us needing to balance the books. Players of the quality that we're collecting are going to want and need regular playing time, especially in a World Cup year, which is why I said that it wouldn't surprise me if one goes.
I agree, but think January is more likely - not least because Domínguez won’t be a serious factor until well after the window closes.
This is maybe true. I’m still not sure. I would still keep them all, at least until January.
If you are right, then it’s Yates who would have to go on purely football grounds. We are rapidly getting past being a team where we need someone who will just irritate the opposition. I’d rather bring on players who can properly screen the back 4 and/or control the game. MGW is the now the more talismanic captain
We did the same with Worrall.
That's true, although Joe was struggling to demonstrate his ability to be a consistent Premier League player (the one magnificent performance at Chelsea aside) whereas Yates has clearly established himself as an effective change of pace tool for Nuno, he knows what's needed of him and is clearly a key squad member, and crucially is unlikely to agitate for a move if he's not getting regular starts. Which is after all my main point, not that we don't want all these players but that there isn't enough playing time to go around to keep them all happy.
I'd say there's a good chance we will be playing three of them at times, with two further forward supporting Wood.
Likely in Europe Dominguez and Sangare on a Thursday night, then Anderson and Luiz in the Premiershipleague. Back to Europe, then Sunday, then EFL Cup, then Sunday, then FA Cup, AFCON. I think 5 is sensible.
We need two more full backs, desperately.
Squad of 25
3 keepers
4 full backs
5 Centre backs
5 Central midfielders
5 attacking midfielders
3 centre forwards
No space for Silva.
In Europe that’s a squad of 22, because of our lack of club trained players. So remove the third GK ( Bott will do), 5th centre back (Abbott will do) and 5th central midfielder (Dominguez won’t be available for half the games).
Yates isn’t going anywhere. He’s just signed a new deal so will be on a decent wedge and is playing at the highest level and best squad he’d ever be part of. He’d be quite happy to be bit part and enjoy the ride this season at least. He’d only get a promoted club at the very best and more likely Championship.
Really? Seems harsh. He's just completed his third season in the Premier League where he's now closing in on 100 appearances at the level - club captain at a side which finished seventh last year. You can't bluff your way to that.
He's clearly got some technical limitations and would not be signing for Pep Guardiola, but to suggest his 'most likely' next destination is the Championship (if Forest decide the squad has finally overtaken him) doesn't make a huge amount of sense to me.
DT/Athletic reporting we are exploring the possibility of getting Matty Cash.
As previously discussed, makes a bunch of sense with respect to the European squad.
I think he’s your classic fits in a particular club type. And that’s here. I’m not sure he’s improving many midfields in the PL. and i do say that as still thinking he has a role here, albeit limited.
Ooh. Yes please
Also linked with 21 year old right back Kellen Fisher who I know nothing about but fits the age profile for a backup.
Going on nothing but this page he looks like a good prospect:
Athletic reporting we have agreed a deal re Luiz - a loan with an obligation based on the number of games played
Happy with that (as long as the number isn't stupidly low)
