Comeback stronger next season

[robbiez666]

Assuming Berge and MGW leave...

1st Team next season:

Wes
Bash Egan JLT
Bogle -------------- RND
Norwood --- Fleck
???
Ndiaye - Brewster

​

Or a bit more Leftfield:

Wes
Bash Egan JLT
Baldock -------------- RND
Norwood --- Fleck
Bogle
Ndiaye - Brewster
​

We'll be alright with that latter line up imo, especially with Sharp chipping in goals from the bench. Bogle could be great at CAM, might not be too, who knows, we probably shouldn't rely on him though. If Egan leaves too, Uremovic looks a great replacement if we can

I don't think Ndiaye and Brewster can play together. One of the strikers needs to come back and link up and Ndiaye is better playing on the shoulder. MGW did that job this season. McBurnie is the one who can do that. I'm not convinced Ndiaye can play as a AMC but possibly the best fit from the squad. On what we have, assuming Berge is sold, you'd probably get:

-------------Wes
---------Bash Egan JLT
Bogle -----------------RND
Norwood --- Fleck
----------Nidaye
----McBurnie----Brewster

Subs: Sharp, Osborn, Baldock, Burke, Stevens, Jebbison, Lopata

The same problems will persist in midfield. Lack of energy and bite. We'd also essentially be playing 2 in the middle with Ndiaye helping out. Not sure that will be enough for anything but the weakest teams. Losing MGW and Berge loses the creativity, really.

We're currently short:

1 x GK if Davies doesn't sign
1 x RCB
1 x CB, depending on how close Lopata and Gordon will be.
2 x CM
2 x AM

That's keeping everyone else we have, even if they're not really good enough.

I suspect almost all of the Berge transfer will be gobbled up by servicing debts and the training ground. I doubt we'll bring in 7 new players unless others leave.

We'll have to focus the recruitment:

1 x GK - We have to sign a keeper. Wes has had a great season but in all honesty I'm not 100% convinced that will continue. Davies would be ideal, if he wanted to stay.
1 x CB - We can make do and mend with the kids but we ideally need a player who can play RCB and fill in at RCB in an emergency.
1 x CM - You can argue that Osborn could cover for Fleck but we need someone who can play on the right
1 x AM - Need someone who can start there. We can bodge a back-up, which is far from ideal, but this needs to be our main priority.

 

[JJBlade]

Ramsdale money wasn't in the last set of accounts as it only went up to July. We've also got parachute payments again next season and we'll significantly reduce the wage bill this year again with a few released and potentially losing one of (if not the top) earners at the club in Sander.

Not saying we're going to be splashing the cash but to say we've not got two pennies to rub together is stretching it a bit.

Oh, I know we've got more than two pennies to rub together

But we won't use it

As has been said Berge and MGW are the only two players that anything good going forward looks like coming from, and neither will be here

Will they be adequately replaced ?

Not a chance,

 

[CPB]

MGW isn't ours to start with so the default position is he won't be here next season.

Berge someone has to pay the fee the club would want for him. Sander still has 2 years left on his contract which is good for us too.
I'd expect some interest again, like there was last season, but I wouldn't entirely discount him playing here next season. Our price and another clubs might not match and it's clear that he has enjoyed it a bit this season too.

Heckingbottom said post match that once the dust settles priorities are the training ground and keeping the core together and adding a few.
When the injured crew are back the squad is a bit better of course.

In my opinion we need better competition at LWB, better competition for Robinson at LCB, some proper strengthening in midfield. I love Fleck but unless he comes back next season rolling back 3 years he's just not quite hit the heights he was. I would say it's mainly he's not quite as energetic as he was then, so pre season could work.
This all said we need better depth in that midfield.
Up front when Sharp, Brewster, N'Diaye (If played there) and youngsters are fit we then have McBurnie who it may remain to be seen if he's here next season.
I'd be looking for an up and coming striker perhaps with a bit of presence. I'd love that Gyokeres from Coventry think he would fit in well but don't see that.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Let's be honest we are hoping for some magic from the recruitment team who will as per usual be under organised. I can almost here the "well we didn't know what division we'd be in" excuse been lined up.

We had a bit of a golden era 2016-2019 with transfers since then its been abysmal

 

[Smirth]

I think there are a number of positions we absolutely need to strengthen and some which we can just get by in.

GK should be simple enough even when assuming that Foderingham will likely regress a bit, he's still a competent Championship goalkeeper and if we give Davies another year then he has adequate competition too so that's a cheap solution.

CB we need to strengthen - ideally a first choice LCB because Robinson doesn't convince me still. He's had a decent season but I think we need better. We then need cover for Egan and Bash from somewhere. If we could get Uremovic for another season that would be ideal, he already knows the club and the players and can fill in at CB & RCB.

The midfield needs refreshing. I expect Norwood will still be first choice as trying to recruit someone to replace him will be costly and unnecessary, he's had a good season and expect he'll do the same again next season so no need to spend money in trying to replace him. We do need fresh legs next to him as Fleck's form is too inconsistent now, we also could do with a bit of physicality in there too.

We then need an attacking midfielder to replace MGW, ideally a Premier League loan. I think clubs will look favourably at the impact we've had on MGW's career this season and be happy to send players on loan to us so hopefully we can take advantage of that.

Upfront we are fine if Brewster gets fit and can compete with Sharp and Ndiaye to make up the front 2 spots. McBurnie will still be here so he can be the backup striker. I don't rate him but we've got no choice as no one will buy him. If we really needed another body then I'd expect us to look to the loan market rather than a permanent signing.

To summarise, IMO we need:

1 x LCB - first choice permanent
1 x CB/RCB cover - loan (Uremovic)
1 x CM - first choice permanent
1 x AM - loan
1 x CF - loan

 

[CrookesBlade]

MGW isn't ours to start with so the default position is he won't be here next season.

Berge someone has to pay the fee the club would want for him. Sander still has 2 years left on his contract which is good for us too.
I'd expect some interest again, like there was last season, but I wouldn't entirely discount him playing here next season. Our price and another clubs might not match and it's clear that he has enjoyed it a bit this season too.

Heckingbottom said post match that once the dust settles priorities are the training ground and keeping the core together and adding a few.
When the injured crew are back the squad is a bit better of course.

In my opinion we need better competition at LWB, better competition for Robinson at LCB, some proper strengthening in midfield. I love Fleck but unless he comes back next season rolling back 3 years he's just not quite hit the heights he was. I would say it's mainly he's not quite as energetic as he was then, so pre season could work.
This all said we need better depth in that midfield.
Up front when Sharp, Brewster, N'Diaye (If played there) and youngsters are fit we then have McBurnie who it may remain to be seen if he's here next season.
I'd be looking for an up and coming striker perhaps with a bit of presence. I'd love that Gyokeres from Coventry think he would fit in well but don't see that.

I think Fleck has been fantastic in the past few weeks and should be a major part of PH plans for next season. However we need a more mobile and athletic presence in there at times, especially if we want to change the shape. Having a CM who can bring the ball out allows the likes of Brewster and Ndiaye to play on the shoulder rather than having to drop deep/wide to pick the ball up. This, for me, is the biggest priority.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

I think there are a number of positions we absolutely need to strengthen and some which we can just get by in.

GK should be simple enough even when assuming that Foderingham will likely regress a bit, he's still a competent Championship goalkeeper and if we give Davies another year then he has adequate competition too so that's a cheap solution.

CB we need to strengthen - ideally a first choice LCB because Robinson doesn't convince me still. He's had a decent season but I think we need better. We then need cover for Egan and Bash from somewhere. If we could get Uremovic for another season that would be ideal, he already knows the club and the players and can fill in at CB & RCB.

The midfield needs refreshing. I expect Norwood will still be first choice as trying to recruit someone to replace him will be costly and unnecessary, he's had a good season and expect he'll do the same again next season so no need to spend money in trying to replace him. We do need fresh legs next to him as Fleck's form is too inconsistent now, we also could do with a bit of physicality in there too.

We then need an attacking midfielder to replace MGW, ideally a Premier League loan. I think clubs will look favourably at the impact we've had on MGW's career this season and be happy to send players on loan to us so hopefully we can take advantage of that.

Upfront we are fine if Brewster gets fit and can compete with Sharp and Ndiaye to make up the front 2 spots. McBurnie will still be here so he can be the backup striker. I don't rate him but we've got no choice as no one will buy him. If we really needed another body then I'd expect us to look to the loan market rather than a permanent signing.

To summarise, IMO we need:

1 x LCB - first choice permanent
1 x CB/RCB cover - loan (Uremovic)
1 x CM - first choice permanent
1 x AM - loan
1 x CF - loan

Reckon Robinson has been our most improved player and pops up with the odd goal too.