Thought I would start a new thread instead of filling Rumours etc threads with this.
I think our priority must be two left sided players one attacking and a LB.
Also need a CB and another target man to compete with Stockley, somebody who will probably start 20 games...Stockley works so hard he will have to rotated.
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Could possibly just about survive without a CM or Winger and prioritizse the other four.
LB I'd go in for Joe Bennett, heard decent things about Manny Longelo from West Ham. CB no idea to be honest, nor CM.
Wingers - Kirk, Sims, possibly a youngster from the Prem.
Striker - I like Oliver from Gills or Hemmings from Burton.
LB Charlie Daniels although he doesn't fit the profile of youngsters. We need a LB.
CB Conor Masterson at Qpr
Left Footed midfielder Sean Goss ex Shrewsbury or Emyr Huws ex Ipswich are both available. I appreciate Huws has had injury problems. George MacEachran at Chelsea if we want a Premiership loan.
LW I would like a leftie as well as Kirk. Who was that Palace kid who scored in the friendly? With Clayden as well we would have four wingers.
ST I would like back up to Stockley. A Mark Bright style veteran maybe?
I also would like a back up Keeper.
Any of you guys know your U23 football got any tips?
LW
LB
ACM (to start in front of Morgan)
RCB cover
ST cover
Another Wing Cover
The focus needs to be on creating and scoring chances, I don't think currently we have the players to do that. Need a goal-scoring midfielder and a winger capable of creating chances.
I'm hoping for 4-6 signings. Anything less isn't going to be enough for anyone but the most optimistic of fans. Bringing in 7-8 would be great but it feels unrealistic when the club want a pathway for the youngters.
Clearly a LB (hopefully an attacking one, probably a loan, ideally permanent) and a left winger (Kirk?) are a must.
A RCB is also needed. I don't see a young Prem loan coming in as we can't guarantee regular game time (though I know we expect Inniss at least to pick up injuries). An older player either on loan or permanent therefore seems more likely.
Striker is a difficult one, Stockley was a 'big' signing and captained the team today. Assuming he's available he'll start most games. Perhaps another older player who will fight for their place and can also play out wide. Really need to find a way to bring someone in, otherwise an injury to Stockley leaves us hoping Davison can step up.
An experienced back up keeper might come in. If the rumours are true that's happening and it's Henderson. We've got a few young keepers and we should look to give them all game time via loans and u23 games.
That's the main five I'd expect us to target. I'd like a proven playmaker in central midfield and another winger but I don't see that happening in this window. Clayden's likely to be that winger and Morgan with the 10 shirt is someone Adkins sees growing into that playmaker role.
If Thomas & Nigel want promotion this year personally I think we need 5/6 players which is 50% of the team.
centre half
left back
winger
creative cm or two
goalscorer
A Centre Back - we can’t rely on Inniss to stay fit and I wouldn’t want Pearce in the team for a run of games.
A first choice Left Back
2 wingers
A striker
Right side CB to cover Innis
Left Back - think this will be a PL Loan kid like Maatsen and JDS
Attacking Midfielder - think we lack a creator / goal threat from CM.
2 wingers - one starting left winger and someone that can cover both flanks so we don't need to play Washington there
Striker - think we could struggle if we lost Stockley for any time , not convinced by Schwartz and Davison as options.
Think the route one into Stockley could be used a bit less if we got some creativity around him.
Definitely need a Striker if Schwarz isn't going to feature because if Stockley becomes unavailable I would expect that we would revert to 4-4-2 and don't think, as good as he is, Washington would be in the target man role.
With Gilbey and JCF set to return (albeit in a good while unfortunately for the latter) I don't think it would be a disaster if we don't sign in any MFs however for a serious promotion challenge the luxury of 2 additional MFs would be welcome one of them being left- sided and another being more creative. Can't see this happening realistically.
Would focus on getting in a LB and a Striker to challenge the status quo up front in next few weeks and if budget and fortune permits a CB. In fairytale land we'd also bring in a couple of MFs but being realistic I think we may get 2 or 3 max in the door.
The midfield needs way more, I will take my blinkers off here and say none of them are up to much, Albie is still raw, Clare doesn't seem very creative just athletic, Dobson is a younger Pratley effectively. We need a Bannan/Fraser type who can make one killer pass that takes multiple players out of the game.
Up front is genuinely quite poor, DJ has great footwork but his right foot is pretty poor and he doesn't seem like a consistent finisher to me, Stockley I highly doubt will get 20+, more of a 12-15 type who creates space for others, Washington can not play out wide at all, can't beat a man for toffee, just always tries to cut in or sprint down the line.
Being honest 433/4231 just doesn't suit us at all, it only works when you have a number 9 who can link play and make runs like the snake, your wingers need to be able to put a ball in/beat a man and your 10 has to be a very intelligent player, Albie just isn't there yet and would be better off lying deeper imo. Gilbey is definitely not the answer either.
A lot of work to be done, way more than I thought actually. We will be hard to beat certainly but we are also going to struggle to open teams up. For perspective we could loan 2 of Ipswich's forward players and immediately have one of the best attacks in the league, the depth is truly abysmal.
If Stockley gets injured we've had it.
RW
ST a goalscorer
LB more attacking and pacey
ACM
CB back up
i imagine we’ll sign 3 more players before the window. A young wide player and 2 loans-one defender, one centre forward. It’s going to be a long, hard season. Made worse by TS’s 5 year plan and NA’s prediction that we’ll be champions this year.
Playing senior first team football >>> U23 level.
Someone to keep an eye on.
We do need either a promising youngster who can play with his back to the goal or a clever older pro as cover for Stockley, this is a tough one, lots of competent number 9s in this division however can you justify poaching one to warm the bench or be competition and there aren't an abundance of older 9s just floating around seeking a gig on the bench in division 3. So a unknown loan might be the solution here, I dont watch enough under 23 premier league foot all to make a call. Connor Wickham is without a club and he always looked good against us but he is no longer a promising youngster and a long way off veteran status. One I'd love us to pick up is Alfie May, seen him scoring goals for fun at Chatham Town and I'm very proud for him having got where he has
Madden from Fleetwood I think is class, along with most of their midfield especially Camps. Ogilvie at Gillingham is a good player too and has a lot more in his locker than that phenomenal goal he scored at the Valley last season but I think Pompey have got him.
Really the left back position is Ben Purringtons to lose and with someone like Gunter in the squad who can cover right and left full back positions I doubt we will get a permanent new left back in and go swimming in the loan pond.
As for midfield, I'm not over Cullen yet and wpudl spend every penny convincing him to return from Antwerpen to play in tier 3 for us but more likely, Callum Camps would excite me but I'm happy to keep faith in Albie who I think is just a goal or clean assist away from hitting his straps
Left back
Right centre back on loan
Attacking midfielder
Winger
Striker
This won’t happen though. No chance we will get in another 6, what we don’t get will be filled with the academy.
Personally think the only two who are close enough to breaking through would now be Elerwere (but should not be 4th choice and needs a full season in U23 football) and Clayden, who would be 4th or 5th choice winger for me right now.
Vennings I have my doubts over, the best centre midfielder to come through next is Henry.
We produce good players in our academy but putting them in when they’re not at the level we need is no good for anyone.
People can think that’s harsh, that’s okay. I just don’t think we have anyone right now that I would feel comfortable starting 15-20 games this season and know they’d be good enough without any real worry.
We need a lot more on a similar quality level to Kirk if we are to challenge at the top end of the table.