Bodacious Benny wrote: ↑Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:44 pm
Donkey Toon wrote: ↑Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:12 pm
Just getting in a left back that is better than Ritchie or Lewis would be a good start and shouldn't be difficult. Dummett returning would do but he seems to be perma-crocked.
Add Tarkowski a decent CM and a striker and it should be enough in my opinion so long as we have a halfway competent manager.
Agreed.
Re: Lewis, I think potential is there he just needs coached properly.
This and this. I think Lewis has potential to be a good to very good Premier league left-back. There's a reason Liverpool wanted him. He just needs to polish his defensive play (strength, positional play & footballing IQ) and decision making in attacking positions but he's got all the physical attributes to succeed (athletic, pacey, direct, good work rate/stamina & energetic).
A CB is a MUST. Tarkowski or someone similar to him alongside Lascelles should be a good enough partnership for us to survive this season. Next summer shift out the over 30s who are past it (Fernandez/Clark). Keep Dummet & Schar as back-ups. Sign someone to compete with Lascelles/partner Tarkowski. Loan Watts to a good Championship side.
A ball-playing, technical gifted, creative & mobile central midfielder is a priority too. Someone like Carlos Soler (Valencia), Thouameni (Monaco), Gravenberch (Ajax), Renato Sanches (Lille), Aaron Ramsey / Rabiot (Juventus), Ox(Liverpool), Barkeley (Everton) & Neves (Wolves) spring to mind.. only issue is with some of those names would they come us to in the middle of the season & give up European football to fight for relegation?
A mobile, strong, athletic & powerful defensive midfielder is needed too.. Frank Kessie (AC Milan), Erik Pulgar (Florentina), Jens Cajuste (Danish club forgot there name), Kamara (Marsille), Zakaria (Borrusia Mochegladbech), Igor Zubeldia (Real Sociedad), Diawara (Roma) & Camara(Salzburg) spring to mind. The likes of Hendrick & Shelvey need to get sold ASAP. Sean Longstaff should be signed on a long-term contract & loaned out so he can regain some confidence maybe at a Rangers/Celtic or a newly promoted Prem team next season or a top Championship side.
A striker/second striker to back-up / partner Wilson is important too. Lacazette (Arsenal), Origi (Liverpool), Belotelli (Torino), Naul Maupay (Brighton), Vlahovic (Florentina), Luka Jovic (Real Madrid), Maxi Gomez (Valencia), Kasper Dolgberg (Nice) & Onuachu (Genk) all spring to mind. Sell Gayle. Loan / Sell Joelinton.
Of course I don't expect us to get all these signings straight away but at least we need a CB, a midfielder & a second striker/striker so 3 quality signings would do me.. with a possible 1 or 2 more in on loan with option to buy. Then in Summer we can proper rebuild with getting a LB (sell Ritchie or keep as back-up), another CB or two, another CM/DM and another striker depending on outgoings. In total we need a LOT of signings as this is in essence a Championship squad with a few Premier League quality players (Dubra, Lascelles, Willock, ASM & Wilson). So 3-5 signings in Jan to steady the ship and 4-5 signings quality signings in the summer would be ideal.