Keepers(2)
H Lloris
M Vorm
Right backs(3)
K Walker
K Trippier
D Yedlin
left backs(2)
D Rose
B Davies *
Centre Backs(6)
J Vertonghen
T Alderweireld
E Dier*
K Wimmer
F Fazio
V Chiriches
Centre Midfield(6)
R Mason
N Bentaleb*
C Eriksen
M Dembele
T Carroll
D Alli*
Wide Midfielders(5)
E Lamela
N Chadli
A Lennon
A Pritchard
A Townsend
Forwards(3)
H Kane
R Soldado
E Adebayor
Thats a squad of 27. EPL Rules permit a squad of no more than 25, excluding any U21s (as of 1st Jan 2015), and no more than 17 non-home grown players.
4 of those above are U21*, giving a squad of 23.
We can expect to sell/loan at least 3 of those (Ade, Chiriches, Lennon). making it a squad of 20 + 4 x U21s.
Only 14 of those players are non-home grown, so if Ade & Chiriches moved on thats 12 and we are well inside the quota. In fact with 13 'home grown' players its probably one of the highest numbers in any EPL squad.
This gives us total flexibility in the transfer market, no need to buy British . We can add any number of academy players to our squad.
Basically, sell those three and we can add up to 5 new players. If they do go, we will certainly need the following IMO.....
Striker (Berahino)
wide attacker (that lad from Lyon)
DM (no ideas, McCarthy?)
AM (Ilicic?)
and a third choice GK (any one will do)
Potentially we could also see the likes of Soldado, Dembele, Townsend and Fazio moved on but I think it would be repeating the mistakes of the past to make so many changes. Poch seems to like a more compact group. Our squad was massive last season.
Current Squad
posted on 22/7/15
We still need a cm as we can't hide from the fact that the shield in front of our defence isn't good enough.
Attacking wise we need either a complete CF and a right sided attacker or a player who can play both roles like a Berahino / Remy type.
Regarding outgoings I believe we have 3 must sells and that's Chiriches, Lennon and either Adebayor or Soldado. Fazio maybe and I would be inclined to keep Townsend for one more season. Also loans for Yedlin, Carroll and a few of our promising youngsters like veljcovic, Winks etc
This is the squad I hope to see for the upcoming season. -
GK - Lloris. Vorm, McGhee
RB - Walker, Trippier
CB - Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Dier, Wimmer, (Fazio)
CM - New CM, Bentaleb, Mason, Dembele, Alli
AM - Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Townsend, Pritchard
CF - Kane, (CF who can also play attack midfield) Soldado
So that's 2-3 more signings and 3-4 to be sold then loans.
posted on 22/7/15
Forgot LB !!!
Rose and Davies
posted on 22/7/15
Keep seeing rumours Moutinho may be available, the figure quoted is around £20m. Unfortunately, he 's being linked to l'ars.e in all the rumours
posted on 22/7/15
moutinho isn't what we need. we need a dm. moutinho does same job as bentaleb.
posted on 22/7/15
Lloris
Vorm
Davies
Rose
Vertonghen
Alderweireld
Wimmer
Dier
Fazio
Walker
Trippier
.............NEW PLAYER 1
Bentaleb
Mason
Alli or Carroll (other on loan)
Dembele
Eriksen
Pritchard
Lamela
Chadli
Townsend
Yedlin
Kane
.............NEW PLAYER 2
.............NEW PLAYER 3
That's the 25 I think we should be working from. Loans for any youngsters, and sales for the seniors (sadly for Lennon...but that's another debate)
The third keeper is the toughest gig out there, surely? I'd be happy to stick to two - emergency loans are available I believe?
The possible culls from those would be...
Dembele
If we signed McCarthy. I wouldn't be happy if McCarthy was our sole midfield signing, and I don't see space for both really, not when Mason is already preffered to Moussa
Fazio.
I think 9 defenders is too much, and five fit specialist CBs certainly so. I don't see Toby playing in midfield either, after the shocking defending we've sometimes had. The only doubt is whether Wimmer is ready for it.
Yedlin
Depends on SIGNING 3. If we don't find someone suitable, he will need to be kept as an option for his pace further forward.
SIGNING 1
Experienced pro, defensively sound, good on the ball. Cambiasso does seem to be absolutely ideal.
SIGNING 2
Austin please. Need a physical player, not a 5'10 skinny dope. Llorente another linked but the game is there.
SIGNING 3
Pace! Ability to attack from wide areas essential too, either side if possible. Berahino, Chicarito, Remy, Moses. It's this type of forward I'm talking about.
posted on 22/7/15
Goalkeepers:
Lloris
Vorm
Right Back:
Trippier
Walker
Centre Back 1:
Alderweireld
Dier
Centre Back 2:
Vertonghen
Fazio
Left Back:
Rose
Davies
Centre Midfield 1:
Bentaleb
Dembele
Centre Midfield 2:
Mason
Alli
Wide Right:
Townsend
Lennon
Attacking Mid:
Eriksen
Lamela
Wide Left:
Chadli
Pritchard
Forward:
Kane
Soldado
Sticking with the 4231 formation, I think that those are the two best players in each position. Obviously some players should still be kept and not loaned e.g. Yedlin, Wimmer.
But it's clear to see where we need strengthening; Centre Midfield 2, Wide Right and Forward.
The OP has mentioned we have the freedom to buy foreign players. So in my opinion suitable players for each position could be (some more so than others):
Centre Midfield:
Moutinho
Lars Bender
Sven Bender
Verrati
McCarthy
Guarin
Wide Right:
Hermann
Bellarabi
Mirallas
Feghouli
Candreva
Menez
Forward:
Berahino
Batshuayi
Austin
Hernandez
Doumbia
Jonathan Soriano
posted on 22/7/15
With Poch it'd be no surprise to me if we saw Veljkovic and Coullthirst instead of SIGNINGS 1 & 3
posted on 22/7/15
posted 51 minutes ago
moutinho isn't what we need. we need a dm. moutinho does same job as bentaleb.
He can play AM or DM, and while I agree he might not be the most pressing requirement, we have lacked someone who has the ability to pick a pass and unlock a defence for a long time. We could do with his level of experience and Bentaleb could learn a lot from him.
posted on 22/7/15
I'd like to see:
Lloris, Vorm.
Walker, Trippier, Alderweireld, Fazio, Vertonghen, Dier, Wimmer, Rose, Davies.
NEW WINGER, Lamela, NEW DM, Bentaleb, Mason, NEW DM, Eriksen, Chadli.
Kane, NEW STRIKER, NEW STRIKER.
Which leaves us with the 3rd choice keeper, Alli and Pritchard making up the 25.
I'd be happy to see Dembele, Townsend, Lennon, Carroll, Adebayor and Soldado sold.
Yedlin can go somewhere on loan.
posted on 22/7/15
Actually, with Kaboul gone, it means we don't have any injury-prone CB's so 5 won't be needed. I like the fact that Fazio offers us that physicality and he's had a season to adjust so I'd keep him. I'd loan out either Dier or Wimmer so they can gain experience. With that extra slot available, it would mean I'd give Townsend a stay of execution.