What do you THINK will happen this summer?

[Deano 0]

We all want pretty much the same thing when it comes to how our summer will pan out...

 

-Ashley to sell up to a good business man and football person with a bit of cash.

-Hughton moved to a 1st team coach.

-New 'quality' manager brought in...but who?

-The rest of the shit shifted...Butt, Pancrate and Best

-New 1st choice RB, cover for CB and LB, cover for RW and LW, 2 new CM (at least one if which should be a 1st choice) and at least 1 new PL quality striker.

 

-Simpson, Raylor, Smith, Nolan and Shola used as backups.

 

But....what will really happen? I that too much to expect? Should we even be expecting more?

 

Personally i think FMA will stay on for one more year unless some rich arab comes knocking. Hughton will still be incharge and given 15mil to spend + whatever we get from player sales. We will get 4 out of the 8 players needed and only 1 being 'quality'. Finally i think Smith, Nolan and Shola will see more pitch time than they should which could essentially be what keeps us up or gets us relegated.

 

I think our defence will be fine next season, not great just fine.

I think our midfield is halfway there but NEEDS improvement if we are going to create PL chances and goals.

I think the pairing of Carroll and Lovenkrands could do well...but 30 goals between them next season though? I dont think so.

 

I think...this summer will be ok, just ok, nothing to get excited about when really it should be a huge summer from us...World Cup year so we could actually see us bringing in some young talent though...ones with potential and resale value.

 

Who knows eh?

Edited April 4, 2010 by Geordie Lad...

[Sima 0]

None of our strikers are Premiership quality.

[Deano 0]

None of our strikers are Premiership quality.

 

Really? Not even bottom half PL quality? I think so imho.

 

Lovenkrands is fitter than last season.

 

Carroll has improved tenfold and should continue to do so.

 

The two of them have formed a good understanding.

 

The rest however i agree are shit...Shola mite get the odd goal but not good enough imo, Best is awful, Ranger is green and needs loaned out.

[Kevin 1]

None of our strikers are Premiership quality.

 

Really? Not even bottom half PL quality? I think so imho.

Lovenkrands is fitter than last season.

 

Carroll has improved tenfold and should continue to do so.

 

The two of them have formed a good understanding.

 

The rest however i agree are shit...Shola mite get the odd goal but not good enough imo, Best is awful, Ranger is green and needs loaned out.

Its the fucking championship, fat bastard could outrun half of these folks.

[The Fish 9378]

None of our strikers are Premiership quality.

 

Really? Not even bottom half PL quality? I think so imho.

 

Lovenkrands is fitter than last season.

 

Carroll has improved tenfold and should continue to do so.

 

The two of them have formed a good understanding.

 

The rest however i agree are shit...Shola mite get the odd goal but not good enough imo, Best is awful, Ranger is green and needs loaned out.

 

Can't really judge Carroll as a Premiership Striker yet, and Lovenkrands has looked good in this league.

 

I still think a creative midfielder is more pressing a concern as it doesn't matter if you've got a Premiership striker if he's not getting the ball

[Matt 0]

If we go into next season with the same strikeforce we are in deep trouble. Lovenkrands is a sub at best, there are various question marks over Carroll and no-one else is up to the job. It's the absolute number one area to address. If we want to have a fighing chance I think we need to be looking at 5-6 players into the matchday squad at a minimum.

[The Fish 9378]

If we go into next season with the same strikeforce we are in deep trouble. Lovenkrands is a sub at best, there are various question marks over Carroll and no-one else is up to the job. It's the absolute number one area to address. If we want to have a fighing chance I think we need to be looking at 5-6 players into the matchday squad at a minimum.

 

Can't see Fat Mike giving us the £30m+ that getting in players of sufficient quality will take. Obviously we'll be looking to off load a few, but I doubt we'll get any real cash for them.

[Andrew 4353]

we'll sell enrique, saylor/carroll (one or the other) and maybe jonas if he looks decent in the WC

 

sign 3 players who arent as good and not further reinforce the squad resulting in a really awful, tense season

 

I do think we'll stay up though

[JawD 48]

If anything, this season has shown me just how big the gulf betwen the two leagues is. Come on, Shola looks top drawer in this league? We need to remember just how average alot of our players are and not get al misty eyed. I do think our current squad could stay up in the prem, but would be a struggle. A decent CF is a must.

 

Oh, and Mike wont sell. Well he will have a price in his head, I think its well above what anyone will pay at the moment.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

A new Managing Director will be unveilled or a good commercial football man appointed

No players will leave unless Chris wants shot.

Mr Carr will have several hot prospects waiting to sign very quickly

[The Fish 9378]

A new Managing Director will be unveilled or a good commercial football man appointed

No players will leave unless Chris wants shot.

Mr Carr will have several hot prospects waiting to sign very quickly

 

And Lion will get courage, Tin Man will get a new Heart and you'll be given a brain?

[Christmas Tree 4005]

A new Managing Director will be unveilled or a good commercial football man appointed

No players will leave unless Chris wants shot.

Mr Carr will have several hot prospects waiting to sign very quickly

 

And Lion will get courage, Tin Man will get a new Heart and you'll be given a brain?

 

 

I know how Leazes felt in the wilderness days

[Deano 0]

Will go...

 

Butt, Hall, Pancrate

 

-I wont lose any sleep about the 3 who will leave and will release about 70k off the wage bill. 3.9mil pa.

-Personally id be fuckin delighted to see the back of Nicky fuckin Butt.

 

Should go...

 

Best 1mil? and Nolan 2.5mil?

 

-Quite simply Best looks shit in this league therefor he will be monumentally awful in the PL...problem is would anyone want him?

-Nolan for all his goals and an improved run of good form recently is not going to be good enough for us in the PL...just isnt mobile enough.

-Smith and Shola could be added to that list but i feel both could play a part sparingly if needed. Neither should be in starting 11 in the PL though fo'sho.

 

Clubs sniffing around...

 

Krul 3mil?, S.Taylor 6mil?, Kadar 2mil?, Enrique 8mil?, Gutierrez 8mil? and Carroll 7mil?

 

This is my worry, although Gutierrez is the only one going to be in the South African shop window i have a feeling we will have to resist bids for all of the above. I dont think any of them would want to leave which is good but i dont see FMA turning down a good offer. I just dont trust the bloke.

 

 

Targets...

 

So lets say we need a new 1st choice RB, cover for LB, cover for RW and LW, a new attacking CM and a new 1st choice pacey striker to play off AC.

 

Who would you lot like to realistically see us go for?

 

And out of our current lot who would make it into your 1st team?

 

---Harper---

---NEW---Taylor©---Coloccini*---Enrique---

---Routledge---Barton*---NEW---Gutierrez---

---Carroll---NEW*---

 

*Coloccini to be rotated with Williamson

*Barton rotated with Guthrie and maybe Smith

*Lovenkrands rotated or come off the bench with new striker

Edited April 5, 2010 by Geordie Lad...

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Gutierrez will never make it in the prem, he hasnt even made it in the Championship.

 

Pray he has a great world cup and silly money comes in.

[Deano 0]

Gutierrez will never make it in the prem, he hasnt even made it in the Championship.

 

Pray he has a great world cup and silly money comes in.

 

I do tend to agree with most of the things you say but in this case i disagree.

 

Yes at times he is infuriating but i like him. He offers us pace and trickery out wide and in the second half of the season his final product, vision and awareness has improved greatly. Not just that but his high work ethic and running with the ball helps the team defensively. It takes pressure off the back four when he carries it 40 yards up the pitch. Most foreigners take time to settle and i think he is adapting to english football well.

 

Him and Jose have build a good understanding and i hope it continues and gets better.

 

Him and Routledge on that flanks give us shape and balance.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Gutierrez will never make it in the prem, he hasnt even made it in the Championship.

 

Pray he has a great world cup and silly money comes in.

 

I do tend to agree with most of the things you say but in this case i disagree.

 

Yes at times he is infuriating but i like him. He offers us pace and trickery out wide and in the second half of the season his final product, vision and awareness has improved greatly. Not just that but his high work ethic and running with the ball helps the team defensively. It takes pressure off the back four when he carries it 40 yards up the pitch. Most foreigners take time to settle and i think he is adapting to english football well.

 

Him and Jose have build a good understanding and i hope it continues and gets better.

 

Him and Routledge on that flanks give us shape and balance.

 

 

I think Enrique has just decided to miss him out these days and do it himself. His goal, the one two with Shola and the set up for Nolan, the one two with Shola, show Enriques strength, powering forward.

 

Too often that comes to a halt with Jonas.

 

I'd like you to be right but I dont think you will be.

[Guest alex]

Very little net spend, which'll mean we'll really struggle.

[2bias 3]

There is no reason why Hughton should lose his job IMO. A few people have talked about a more experienced manager etc etc but he doesn't deserve to be axed from the manager job. Worth a punt in the PL i reckon.

Edited April 5, 2010 by 2bias

[Craig 6379]

tbf to Lovenkrands he was one of the very few that looked promising and gave a shit towards the end of 08/09. Reminds me very much like Malcolm Allen who we brought in when Beardsley had his cheek shattered by Ruddock.

 

As for the rest, we're going to be found seriously wanting unless there is considerable investment and I can't see the latter happening.

 

We're on a par with the likes of Blackburn, West Ham, Bolton, Wigan IYAM - Mackems will likely be in better shape than us unless fat Mike spends.

[khay 8]

buy a few players, sell a few.

[Rob W 0]

who seriously want a new manager - more expense, more disruption and still no guarantee than he'd do better than Hughton

 

Can anyone explain WHY we need a new manager? Other than the fact that Hughton has a personality bypass???

[TheMoog 0]

Relegation back to the Championship

[khay 8]

Relegation back to the Championship

 

In the summer?

 

That's good going like.

[Guest alex]

Don't think there's any chance of our getting a new manager over the summer anyway.

[Guest alex]

Relegation back to the Championship

 

In the summer?

 

That's good going like.

Aye, summer 2011