Would you be happy with this?

[Sothall_Blade]

Would you be happy if we kicked off next season like this?

Simonsen
Ertl Morgan Bartley Dickinson
Ward Montgomery Britton Surman
Bogdanovich Creswell

Subs:- Aksalu, Taylor, Seip, Yeates, Quinn, Henderson, Evans
Squad:- Stewart, France, Lowton, Williamson, Reid (Total 23 players)
Sold:- Sharp (£1M)?

If all goes to plan, it seems to be roughly what KB might be aiming for. Is it achieveable? Would you be satisfied?

Personally, I would be delighted that we’d managed to secure our defensive and midfield targets and not sold any more key players. However, I think we would still be lacking a pacy, skilful, “get the crowd on their feet” type of striker.

I’d be happy to see Evans sacrificed to try and bring in that type of player, as from what we’ve seen so far he’s just a poor man’s Creswell. Not a bad looking squad above but still lacking a certain something.

 

[Pinchy]

That would almost do for me. Neil Danns [or a fit Williamson] in Monty's place would be even better. I would also like a more experienced centre-back alongside Morgan, It may be that Ertl will end up there. He is 6' 2''. The Mark Yeates who finished the season scoring one and setting up 2 more in a 3-0 away win can hardly be omitted, can he?

I think Bogdanovich might get the crowd on its feet by way of footballing talent rather than running fast. That would be a nice change.

 

[LouTheBlade]

That might be what we end up with yes but no, I wouldn't be happy with that........

From the point of view that its probably the best we're going to get, then I suppose its acceptable. Just looking at that squad and first XI on paper though:- it lacks depth. I dont think we will be signing Surman either. That article was 2+2=4,567.

That first XI could achieve top 10 but if 2 or 3 got injured (which they probably would at the lane), then you would be looking at bottom half - just my opinion.

IMO, you need a better midfielder, a left winger with good crossing (who is realistically attainable) and another decent full back to cover for Dickinson. Those things are an absolute must to include in the above.

 

[Ollessendro]

Lou makes a good point, we need to be looking at strength in depth. This is a significant challenege with our current squad and 'reprofiling' situation (not to mention downward pressure on wages).

I think I'm with Pinchy on putting Ertl at CB with Morgs and bringing in a RB (has Connolly gone somewhere?). Not sure aout Britton and Surman and more to it, what are the chances of us signing them?

For me it is still a bit early to be making predictions about the squad. We are (finally) taking positive steps, but we have a long way to go. I think we are still 4 or 5 players away from being an average squad and 8 or 9 from being a good squad (and that is not satying anything about the quality of the people we bring in).

 

[dingledog]

I would pay to watch that, oops I already have paid and dont know what or who I'll be watching. Fools and money are easily parted.

 

[LouTheBlade]

For me it is still a bit early to be making predictions about the squad. We are (finally) taking positive steps, but we have a long way to go. I think we are still 4 or 5 players away from being an average squad and 8 or 9 from being a good squad (and that is not satying anything about the quality of the people we bring in).

Agree with this. I think that our journey back to being a Championship heavyweight is some way off and it will be a steady progression if we are to achieve it. My personal best case scenario would be for United to be mid-table early in the season (within spitting distance of the playoffs) and then start to gel towards the end making a late push.

With what will be so many new players, it will be difficult at first (regardless of how good they are) so patience must be maintained to some degree. I know thats difficult for some of our supporters but I'm afraid a bunch of mis-fits thrown together isnt going to take the league by storm overnight.

Most of the players we have been linked with / signed so far have brought a shrug of the shoulders from me. They're all very middle of the road if I'm honest.

The ones I like;

Simonsen: - Good pro, very reliable
Ertl:- Hard working, again very reliable
Bartley:- With experience he will become a really good player. He has had a taste now as well.

The ones I'm not sure of;

Dickinson:- Seems steady enough but much better than what we have? I'm not so sure
Britton:- OK, but he's never caught my eye and ive seen him enough times (I prefer his partner in crime - Pratley)
Surman:- Reserve judgment, only seen him once. Big reputation but why hasnt he been playing at Wolves?
Bogdanovic:- Really not sure. Seen him play quite well a couple of times but his form seems patchy.

The ones I would rather us steer clear of;

Bunn:- He's a good honest lad but he's not a No.1
McSheffrey:- Expensive, moody and has more quiet games than good ones.
Mifsud:- Too hot and cold, has had the opportunity to join us before and opted out.

 

[beightonblade]

Get some 7 footers with two feet who can run like fook and are about 25 stone...... simmo in net ...job done !

 

[JohnDenver]

Would you be happy if we kicked off next season like this?

Simonsen
Ertl Morgan Bartley Dickinson
Ward Montgomery Britton Surman
Bogdanovich Creswell

Subs:- Aksalu, Taylor, Seip, Yeates, Quinn, Henderson, Evans
Squad:- Stewart, France, Lowton, Williamson, Reid (Total 23 players)
Sold:- Sharp (£1M)?

If all goes to plan, it seems to be roughly what KB might be aiming for. Is it achieveable? Would you be satisfied?

Personally, I would be delighted that we’d managed to secure our defensive and midfield targets and not sold any more key players. However, I think we would still be lacking a pacy, skilful, “get the crowd on their feet” type of striker.

I’d be happy to see Evans sacrificed to try and bring in that type of player, as from what we’ve seen so far he’s just a poor man’s Creswell. Not a bad looking squad above but still lacking a certain something.

I'd be happy enough with that, not least because it would mean we've managed to sign a couple of players! It also looks like a squad capable of holding its own the division, which our current depeleted bunch simply does not.

I'd prefer a specialist right-back but Connolly has gone to Leeds... Also agree with Pinchy that we urgently need another experienced CB. A bit more youth and pace would be nice too.

Go to it Blackwell!

 

[Ollessendro]

Get some 7 footers with two feet who can run like fook and are about 25 stone...... simmo in net ...job done !

maybe I could play BB. I'm big, fat and shit. However I can run around like a headless chicken, I like to make bone crunching tackles and (most importantly) I can kick the ball very high and very far!!?

 

[shorehamview]

To be perfectly honest I'll be fucking ecstatic come the first game, regardless of who we have in the team. I always am at the start of the season, like a kid on Christmas morning. I know that the crushing inevitablity of the truth will kick me soundly in the proverbials later on, but that first match, that first sight of the lovely green pitch, which always "looks well" gets me all giddy. The first rendition of the Greasy Chip Butty song, the first kick-off, and then the reality that the new signings actually aren't good enough for Real Madrid or even Red Star Hunter's Bar bites.

Still, happy for a bit. Maybe from getting up until 3.25 pm on the first match day.

 

[DuncDisorderly]

Would you be happy if we kicked off next season like this?

Simonsen
Ertl Morgan Bartley Dickinson
Ward Montgomery Britton Surman
Bogdanovich Creswell

Subs:- Aksalu, Taylor, Seip, Yeates, Quinn, Henderson, Evans
Squad:- Stewart, France, Lowton, Williamson, Reid (Total 23 players)
Sold:- Sharp (£1M)?

If all goes to plan, it seems to be roughly what KB might be aiming for. Is it achieveable? Would you be satisfied?

Its looking promising, but still three or four players from being convincing. Whereas last close season, I could see that he was trying to get in more creative flair in midfield a bit of pace in the wings and a bit more goal scoring power up front, its not quite as clear to me. But then again, its still early and the bulk of the players coming in haven't been secured or announced yet. Give it another 2-3 weeks and we should have a good idea of where our potential is...

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

I expect to see Billy Sharp up front for us on the opening day of the season.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

I expect to see Billy Sharp up front for us on the opening day of the season.

£1.5 Million shiny coins say you are going to be disappointed.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

£1.5 Million shiny coins say you are going to be disappointed.

From whom? There hasn't even been a sniff of activity for him yet.

 

[Foxy]

From whom? There hasn't even been a sniff of activity for him yet.

There are a couple of vultures circling with funds in the region of Bobs suggestion.

He's not gone until he's gone though, and he can't be gone without talking to prospective employers

 

[davidpinder]

I do and don't agree with some people on this one at the moment. I don't think that will be our starting 11 because i don't expect us to spend a penny. However i have to look at the opposition there isn't one team including QPR who is spending like crazy we lost by far the 2 best championship teams last season which is a bonus however blackpool going up was a blow. As for the teams coming down i can only see Burnley being strong however look who is in charge. I have said it before and will again this league next season is there for the taking, not by us maybe but we certainly should be looking at top 6 if we bring in good players including a quality keeper, who want to win then i can see us doing ok. We have kept the spine of the team which is important so if we build round that then who knows.

 

[Mad Mick]

On a slightly different tack, any ideas what friendlies are lined up? Ought to give us a bit of an idea.

 

[Grecian2000]

I think I'm with Pinchy on putting Ertl at CB with Morgs and bringing in a RB (has Connolly gone somewhere?).

He's gone to Leeds according to the Beeb.

Steady, but no great loss.

Oh, and he's a fucking scouser so they're welcome to him!

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

He's gone to Leeds according to the Beeb.

Steady, but no great loss.

Oh, and he's a fucking scouser so they're welcome to him!

Sorry my bad, !!!!!!!

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I don't think that will be our starting 11 because i don't expect us to spend a penny.

I don't think we'll spend much either but I think all the new signings I listed are either free transfers (Simonesen, Dickinson, Seip) or one season loans (Bartley, Surman). Raking in £750K for Paddy and £1M+ for Sharp should be enough to keep the bank manager happy. I do like the sound of selling Henderson (or preferably Evans) and bringing in Ebanks-Blake as he's exactly the type of skilful, exciting striker I was referring to.

 

[GainsboroBlade]

Looks a decent team but stil lacks a couple of players IMO, Im quite happy with the strikers we have but I also have no problem with Ched being sold,but what could we buy with the 200 quid we get for him.Need another central defender also,we havent got much depth!

 

[Blade58]

Scuse my ignorance here, but Dickinson is not a name I'm familiar with. Where's he popped up from?

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Scuse my ignorance here, but Dickinson is not a name I'm familiar with. Where's he popped up from?

Stoke, on loan at the Dingles last season I think. Impressed a lot of people while there too.

We are seemingly talking to a lot of players for the same positions at the moment i.e Capaldi and Dickinson it seems like Mr Birch is ensuring that we aren't strung along as we were with Lita last season to end up with no one.

 

[Torrix1889]

GK - TBC

RB - Ertl/TBC
CB - Morgan
CB - TBC
LB - Mulgrew

RM - Ward
CM - Britton
CM - Ertl/Monty
LM - Surman

CF - Evans
CF - Ebanks-Blake

Looks even better to me!

 

[norfolkblade]

GK - TBC

RB - Ertl/TBC
CB - Morgan
CB - TBC
LB - Mulgrew

RM - Ward
CM - Britton
CM - Ertl/Monty
LM - Surman

CF - Evans
CF - Ebanks-Blake

Looks even better to me!

Don't forget young Matt Lowton is a right back, Ertl can always go central with Morgs, give the lad a go I say!

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

I personally hope the Mulgrew deal is being used to force another players hand. I just don't rate the guy at all.

GK: Simmo

RB: ??????
CB: Morgan
CB:
LB: Dickinson

RW: Ward
CM: Britton
CM: Monty/Williamson
LM: Surman ????

CF: Cresswell
CF: Evans

Ebanks-Blake isn't going to happen not unless we have some really embarrassing photos of him. He is Premiership bound I'm 99% sure of it.

We pulled out of the deal for Connolly at the last minute so I would expect to see someone a little more "established" and not someone we already have on the books.

 

[LouTheBlade]

Considering further links in the last couple of days and comments made by KB, perhaps we're more likely looking at this now;

GK: Simonsen
RB: Ebondo (the defender from europe?)
CB: Morgan
CB: De Merit (the world cup defender?)
LB: Mulgrew (the defender from these shores?)
RM: Ward
CM: Britton
CM: Montgomery
LM: Surman
ST: Bogdanovic
ST: Cresswell

Subs: Aksalu; Bartley; Ertl; Quinn; Yeates; Evans; Mifsud

Squad/Reserves: Lowton; France; Taylor; Stewart; Williamson (whilst recovering); Foster

Assuming that United also sell Sharp and Henderson, which they probably will. You could also consider Seip instead of Bartley. All speculation at this stage but perhaps the above would be the best outcome????

I'm not taking the Ebanks-Blake link seriously. Thats outrageous nonsense. If he is available there will be many wealthier and more attractive suitors than us!

 

[Bergen Blade]

Would you be happy if we kicked off next season like this?

Simonsen
Ertl Morgan Bartley Dickinson
Ward Montgomery Britton Surman
Bogdanovich Creswell

Potential weaknesses:

• Ertl is not a specialist right back
• None in the back four are particularly quick
• There is only one quick player in the forward line
• Surman is not an out and out dribbling winger, and is not supported by an attacking left back
• Midfield lacks height
• Midfielders goal record is poor, Ward excepted
• Neither striker will win many flick ons, despite ok height

 

[Grecian2000]

You knocker, you!

Just a general lack of pace all around for me. Could do with a bit of pace in all areas.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Would you be happy with this? - Part II

Only two more signings left to come in according to Blackwell and when you look at the squad and the trialists, they both look certain to be defenders. So I reckon the 22 man squad for next season is going to look a lot like this:-

Simonsen
New RB (Gilbert on loan?), Nosworthy (loan), Morgan, New LB (Vignal?)
Ward, Britton, Montgomery, Yeates
Bogdanovic, Cresswell
Subs:- Aksalu, Kozluk, Ertl, Lowton, Quinn, Evans, Henderson
Others:- Taylor, France
Injured:- Williamson, Walton

Would you be happy with this? Personally, I'd be quite happy with this apart from the glaring lack of a pacy, skilful striker. Still time for Henderson or Evans to be offloaded for £1M+ and some of the £3M+ transfer profit re-invested?