Team Buidling for 2015/16 Season.......Your Views

What do we need for next season folks ?

Obviously we need to keep Christain Benteke

2 New CB'S (assuming Vlaar leaves)

At least one FB

Another striker - I would suggest Charlie Austin

Assuming we keep everyone, defence has to be the priority. At least 1 centre half and 2 fullbacks. I'd also consider getting Heaton from Burnley as competition for Guzan and put Given out to pasture as a coach.

I'm not to worried about bringing in another striker assuming Kozak is back and playing, but if Austin is available then go for him. If Benteke leaves I want us to take a punt on Jackson Martinez. He wouldn't be the first player to give up CL footy to play in the Prem.

Assuming we retain what we have. I'd be tempted to take a punt on Micah Richards, who i believe is available free this summer? Sherwood might be able to do something with Richards. I like Neil Taylor at LB for Swansea, looks to be a very able player. Up front I've liked what I've seen of Callum Wilson at Bournemouth, don't think he'll be leaving there though, so Charlie Austin would be a better option for us than Weimann! I've said before that Sissoko from Newcastle would be a really good signing for us, good height and strength and can score and create. Bolasie at Palace looks to be more than useful and could be a better option than Nzogbia? Even if we retain what we currently have we will need to spend in the region of £40m to move forwards. We need to buy 3-4 players that can go into the starting 11 and be better than what we have, I'll be dissapointed if we go down the lower leagues potential route again. I've no problem with getting one or two young players with potential in as long as it's set against an incoming 3-4 established players.

GK ; Scmiechel (Leicester) or Green (QPR)
LB; Cresswell (West Ham) or Robertson (Hull)
CB; Kaboul (Spurs)
Midfield; Sinclair & Cleverley. Matt Phillips (QPR)
CF; Gestead ( Blackburn) if CB goes

Watching Gestead bullying Liverpool in the League Cup , he did remind me a little of Benteke !

I think Austin would be such an ideal partner if Benteke stays, just the man to compliment his style you would think.

VillaBill wrote:GK ; Scmiechel (Leicester) or Green (QPR)
LB; Cresswell (West Ham) or Robertson (Hull)
CB; Kaboul (Spurs)
Midfield; Sinclair & Cleverley. Matt Phillips (QPR)
CF; Gestead ( Blackburn) if CB goes

Watching Gestead bullying Liverpool in the League Cup , he did remind me a little of Benteke !

Yeah, I'm a big Rudy Gestede fan. He looks a proper player.

Gestede would also be cheaper than Troy Deeney. But I wouldn't want to risk replacing CB20 with him because he's unproven at this level, just buy him anyway

I'd get an entire new back 4 in. With Vlaar, Richardson, Lowton and Senderos moving on.
New GK. Move Given on.
One quality defensive or box to box midfielder, sign Cleverley, reintegrate Gardner. Move Sanchez on.
Try and get Andros Townsend to go right side of Benteke with Grealish the other side. Sign Sinclair as cover, move N'Zogbia on.
Sign a prolific, skillful striker. Move Helenius and Weimann on.

Simples.

I'd keep Sanchez, he does a job

I think our realistic goal next season should be top10, good Cup runs, and pushing for Europa.  I would like to see us pushing for 55+ points- that would put us up near Swans.  Despite all the player wish lists- I don't expect more than 5 players coming in...  more than that and we really need more $$ than we have to spend, or we have to drop down a level in terms of quality to get higher numbers.  I'd rather replace fewer players with higher quality.  I'm assuming we will have $20-$30mil.

1. (1)GK- imo effort will be made to move on either Guzan or Given, then we bring in a talented youngster to back up and eventually replace whoever stays.
2. (1)CB- I assume Vlaar will not stay, he will not want to be a backup to the younger trio of Clark/Okore/Baker.  I'd like us to bring another older experienced CB similar to Senderos (who still has 1yr left).  We need 5 CBs
3. (1)LB- go out and buy a quality LB and lock down this position.  Keep Cissohko as the backup.  Move on either Bennett or Lowton- keep one of them.
4. (1)DM- go out and buy a high quality CDM.  We need an upgrade over Westy/Sanchez.  I would still keep both players for squad rotation.
5. (1)F- go out and buy a high quality striker with pace to compliment Benteke.  Basically a better quality version of Gabby.  Move on Weimann.  Keep Gabby/Kozak as cover.

Make all efforts to resign Cleverly and Sinclair.  Obviously try to extend Benteke and get him up to 100k/week.  Try to sell the myriad of loan players we have that are not good enough (Tonev, Helenius, etc). Possibly try to sell NZog if Gill comes good and into TS good graces- which I believe he will. Gill and JG can be the creative players we need.

Obviously TS could/should bring up youth to help round out the squad.  Maybe you spend $15-$20mil on Striker and DCM (combined)...  then remaining $10mil for the GK/CB/LB.  Spend the most on LB.  That is my 2cents!

UTV

My 25 man squad?

GK: Guzan / New GK
RB: Bacuna / Hutton
CB: Clark / Okore / Baker / New CB / Senderos
LB: New LB / Cissokho
DM: New DM / Westy / Sanchez
CM: Delph / Cleverly / Gardner?
AM/W: Grealish / NZog / Sinclair / Gill
F: Benteke / New F / Gabby / Kozak

UTV!

Cech, Guzan
Byram, Hutton, Bacuna, Taylor, Cissokho
Schar, Kaboul, Baker, Clark, Okore
Delph (c), Cleverley, Gardner, Luongo, Westwood,
Grealish, Sinclair, Townsend, Gil
Benteke, Kozak, Pato, Agbonlahor

GK Given is past it and I don't rate Guzan as a guaranteed number 1

LB/RB Full backs are a concern especially with LB (Neil Taylor would appeal), RB - Bacuna has done a good job but is he the best we can hope for and Hutton is solid but doesnt excite. (would prefer Richards)

CB With Vlaar looking like he will move on we need a decent one

CAM (ideally a goal scorer), N'Zogbia is inconsistent, with Sherwoods formation a winger is not vital.

ST (goal scorer) to take the burden off Benteke.

I would say 5 decent additions would be nice, if Benteke does go then I think Sherwood has a massive mountain to climb to replace them goals.

Sinclair done. £2.5m according to the press this morning (ALL the press). Glad we are getting these things done early, Clev next!

Cech, Guzan

RB Hutton, Lowton
LB Cole, Danny Rose, Bennett
CB Okore, Clark, Baker, Richards

CM Delph, Cleverley, Gardner, Westwood, Sanchez
OTHER Grealish, Sinclair, Gil, N'Zogbia

CF Benteke, Agbonlahor, Bent, Kozak, Robinson

That's a squad we could build for very little, if any, expenditure at all and it doesn't look too bad to me. Imagine if we were then able to put some money in to wages to attract the likes of Milner on a free and it's all looking good.

I would also fully expect Tim to go back to Tottenham for some talent that MP isn't using.

Cech? No chance unless we get taken over and are willing to throw money at him, he'll want CL footy IMO

Other than him I agree

Villa_Dan wrote:Cech? No chance unless we get taken over and are willing to throw money at him

That's the hope Dan.

Well the daily star thinks Sherwood wants Austin for £15m if we lose Benteke. Why can't we just keep Tekkers AND sign Austin???

Villa_Dan wrote:Well the daily star thinks Sherwood wants Austin for £15m if we lose Benteke. Why can't we just keep Tekkers AND sign Austin???

That would be a hell of a front two!

I don't see why its not possible as there should be a fair sum available this summer, takeover or not. Benteke won't be going to poxy Liverpool in any case.
Even if somebody did lure him away, it would be for closer to £50m and a champions league club.

Mazrim wrote:I don't see why its not possible as there should be a fair sum available this summer, takeover or not. Benteke won't be going to poxy Liverpool in any case.
Even if somebody did lure him away, it would be for closer to £50m and a champions league club.

I think thats very optimistic on both counts. a £30m move to Liverpool is entirley feasible (Sadly) IMO. much as I loathe liverpool, and think CB could do better.

Mazrim wrote:I don't see why its not possible as there should be a fair sum available this summer, takeover or not. Benteke won't be going to poxy Liverpool in any case.
Even if somebody did lure him away, it would be for closer to £50m and a champions league club.

I think your valuation is about right, Benteke is fast becoming a world class striker with a unique set of physical abilities. £30 million is the figure being bandied about by the press, but is there another 24 year old nailed on Premier goal scoring beast out there this summer? That makes him £50 mil (or you can bugger off) for me with the money awash in the PL.

I thought his release clause is around £30/£32 mill? If someone matches it and benteke wants to go we have to accept no?

Liverpool ignored Suarez' £40m release clause. Barca payed £65m, it isn't cast iron

It would appear that CB wants to play in Europe and if we can't give it to him then he will want to move on. If we were to win the cup then we will be in Europe and if we give him enough money he will stay. If we don't win the cup then it will be up to Sherwood to convince him to give us another season. If he can't then he will be on his way this summer.