OK, bear with me, as this is a bit long and I know this is probably a bit over the top (and I *may* have over-estimated a few of our players abilities), but I don’t think we are far from having a superb first eleven. The problems really occur when we start to rotate or get injuries and suspensions - and I don’t believe we are ever going to be a big enough team to keep sufficient quality players happy to sit on the bench until called upon.
For us to crack the top 4 we need a settled side with few injuries or suspension. A tough ask, but Leicester did it and I think we could have a better team than they had.
If I could pick a team I would like to watch then it would probably consist of:
GoalKeeper: Shotstopper who also commands his area HAVEN’T A CLUE (McCarthy possibly - jury still out on him, but not Forster)
Left back who can tackle and also be a winger CEDRIC
Right back who can tackle and also be a winger BERTRAND
Centre half who wins everything in the air but has great positional sense and comfortable with the ball at his feet VAN DYK
Centre half who picks up everything the other guy misses YOSHIDA
Midfield destroyer (who doesn’t get booked every game) ROMEO
Midfield goalscorer SIGURDSSON?
Midfield Playmaker WARD-PROWSE (at a push) or TADIC or BOUFAL (potential)
Forward Speed Machine who can also cross the ball and score goals REDMOND
Forward who defends from the front but scores lots of goals GABBIADINI
Forward who is a “fox in the box” and knows the offside rule HAVEN’T A CLUE (but AUSTIN at a push until we can find and afford better)
Of course Gabbiadini fits both of the latter roles, so what I am saying is we just really need 3 players:
A Goalkeeper (if McCarthy isnt up to it)
A goalscoring midfielder
A forward who can score goals and take some weight off Gabbiadini’s shoulders up front
That still leaves a bench consisting of
McCarthy (if replaced)
Hassen
McQueen
Pied (might as well give him a chance)
Stephens
Davis
Clasie
Hoijberg
2 from JWP, Tadic, Boufal
Gallagher
Long
With a few fringe players for which it is a “make or break” season (but will get on the bench if injuries and suspensions and if they haven’t gone out on loan):
Targett
McCarthy
Hesketh
Seager
Sims
That leaves a few to get shot of:
Get rid of
Forster
Rodriguez
Gardos
Caceres
Martina
Isgrove
Taylor
Gazzaniga
a handful of U18’s
Can’t see any money coming from any of those, bar Forster and Rodriguez
Further down the chain there’s a fewU23/U18’s to watch
Barnes (if he can overcome his injury problems, otherwise get rid)
Flannigan (if he can overcome his injury problems, otherwise get rid)
Olomola
Wood
Jones
Valery
Slattery
O’Connor
Vokins
Freeman
O’DRiscoll
Klarer
Johnson
Smallbone
Of course…this isn’t allowing for any of the players we would like to keep wanting to move on and throwing a spanner in the works…
(and cudos to any of you who actually bothered to read all the way to the end…lol)