With thoughts turning to squad additions, a key question for the management team to answer over the coming weeks will be who should stay and who should go - whether that being just released, having their contracts renewed or not, or potentially sold for big money or small.
Here's my view on our current squad:
Keep
Schmeichel
De Laet
Drinkwater
Morgan
James
Vardy
King
Albrighton
Huth - Sign him up.
Schlupp
Lawrence
Moore - But may need to go out on loan next season.
Cambiasso - Sign him up.
Ulloa
Mahrez
Nugent
Kramaric - Will hopefully come good next year.
Release
Konchesky - I don't see a new contract as being justified. (Sorry Nev.)
Upson - Legs have gone.
Bakayogo
Taylor-Fletcher
Knockaert - Time for him to move on.
Logan - This could finally be the season that it happens. I can't see any value to keeping him in the Premier League, even as a reserve to a reserve.
Wood
Gallagher - Yes, he's still on our books.
Unsure
Hammond - Maybe worth another year in lieu of the injury to James? Probably wouldn't want to just be a reserve player though and I expect him to leave of his own accord.
Hamer - Whatever's happened with him, the management team don't seem to rate him.
Simpson - Behind De Laet and potentially Albrighton as well. Reserve only and it may be hard to keep him motivated.
Wasilewski - He'll be 35 at the start of next season. Will he have the legs for a new contract?
Schwarzer - It seems he's staying anyway as Schmeichel's backup. Hopefully Kasper can learn a few tricks from him about dealing with crosses.
Of course, we never fully know who's going through a blip in training or who's on the verge of sticking in a transfer request and demanding a move to a big club, so it's never as easy as just that. It also remains to be seen whether we can persuade Cambiasso to stay another year, prise Huth from Stoke or offer Wasilewski a contract that would genuinely suit all parties. There was little that could be done to avoid these issues anyway, but they remain big factors to be sorted before we can fully press ahead with the rest of our summer transfer business.
Who's made the grade?
posted on 19/5/15
If we want to improve as a Club we will have to do what we did not do last summer - and that is be ruthless. There is a case for keeping most of the players because they tried hard, gave their all and in the end just about did enough. But, if don't want to be biting our fingernails next May then we need to replace the mediocre with players that are better.
Therefore - out go Upson, Simpson, De Laet, Nugent, Hammond, Schwarzer, Morgan, Wood, GTF, Konch, Bakayago, Logan and Gallagher.
I would keep Moore, Knocky and Hamer as they have youth on their side and time to improve.
posted on 19/5/15
Malling - you'd seriously consider releasing Schlupp? The young player of the year and players' player of the year? Although I suppose if you mean you'd be looking to cash in now that would make it more understandable.
posted on 19/5/15
Well Dung i am going to surprise you i would let konch go all on the list you have keep Wasi just to scare everyone ditch Kaspar.
But seriously and i see it every year someone we really want to keep goes and visa vesa,
NP kept faith in his squad and it nearly cost him his job so don't be surprised if we dont get a bit of a clear out. can't believe we are still paying half of Gally's wages
posted on 19/5/15
"Therefore - out go Upson, Simpson, De Laet, Nugent, Hammond, Schwarzer, Morgan, Wood, GTF, Konch, Bakayago, Logan and Gallagher".
I would go with list of outs maybe keep Morgan at a push. Also out would Go Knockaert and Mahrez.
One thing these last few games have shown is that you need a strong and quality spine to the team, we are getting there with this Kasper, Huth, Cambiaso should be priorities to keep or sign up. We need one more quality central defender and a good quality striker. If the spine is strong you more than half way there.
posted on 19/5/15
We'll be fending off bids for Schlupp!
I know what you're saying though Malling, i kind of feel the same on a number of them but I'd worry about ripping the heart out of the team and replacing them with talented but inconsistent mercenaries.
It's gonna be a fine line this summer -lucky NP's best strength is recruitment
posted on 19/5/15
Yup Dunge, I'd seriously consider letting Schlupp go. Not for an opportune pay-day either, no.
There's no doubting Schlupp's courage, his strength, speed and commitment. But every so often I detect an echo of Trevor Benjamin. A kind of brave cluelessness. If I was Vardy or Ulloa I'd be feeling a bit sick at being pipped for the prize. I guess I just don't see him making it as a Prem player.
That said, if we do keep Schlupp, I'd love to be proven wrong.
posted on 19/5/15
I can see that about Schlupp Malling, but like your go list, I think you've been a bit too harsh. Schlupp has thrived as a wing back and I can see him adoring to also be a modern fullback with time. I said he wouldn't make a striker from day 1 and I still believe this.
We can't start again so we need build around the key players that can step up. We judge DD but in a formation where he has ball playing midfielders around us he could be effective. Time will tell. Players like Vardy have shown that in the right formation players can work.
I'm broadly with Dunge but for De Laet. We need better in both full back slots for me.
posted on 19/5/15
There is something in Malling's unsentimental list. If Morgan and Nugent were in the last year of their contracts, they'd both be on the Unsure list for me as I'm not sure they'd be worth a new one at their age in this league. Despite his skill, Mahrez needs to add more to his game in order to become more consistently effective, although I think he should have the chance to do that as this is the first year he's been seriously challenged. Lawrence is young and has done well on loan in the Championship, so this is the next step, although he isn't quite there yet. Also I agree that Drinkwater has had a disappointing season, but I'd want to give him another chance yet as he's come back from a poor season before. Even so, we need a squad next year and we need competition, even if these players may not be regular starters on this year's form.
I completely disagree on Schlupp though; for all his craziness at times, there is a strong player developing there who can not only compete at Premier League level but cause serious problems to opposition at times.
posted on 19/5/15
I think that's the thing for me Dunge, first season for DD, Morgan, Mahrez and most of the squad so hopefully they'll grow further next year. I don't see a total overhaul but we do need some quality
posted on 20/5/15
Keep/sign up
Schmeichel
De Laet
Drinkwater - looked to be gaining confidence in the last few games
Morgan - provided we play 3 at the back
Vardy
King
Albrighton
Huth
Schlupp
Lawrence - one for the future hopefully
Cambiasso
Ulloa
Mahrez - can offer a lot going forward, keep him away from defensive duties
Nugent - let him see his contract out, hopefully only needed as back up to Krammy
Kramaric
Hamer
Wasilewski
Release
Upson
Bakayogo
Taylor-Fletcher
Knockaert
Logan
Wood
Gallagher
Schwarzer - age has caught up with him
Unsure
Hammond - injury prone?
James - injury prone?
Konchesky - unless we can get someone better
Moore - has not come on as hoped, maybe worth persevering with?
Simpson
I don't see wholesale changes, too likely to disrupt the team ethic. A few well chosen quality additions I reckon. Hopefully we'll get them this year as compared to last Summer's lack of signings!