Right then, who should we sign?

[Killiecanary]

rumours grow that hooper wont be here next season.

A loan away and even a QPR swap move have been mentioned - which may make austin more affordable.  Realistically though he will end up at a better mid table prem team.      As for price - for the right player i can see us breaking our record - although it wont be with the same fan fare.

That hooper was unable to convince any of the three managers he worked under that he was deserving of a run as starting striker (the longest run only came when RvW was injured) highlights both the limits of his ability, application & consistency in both the prem but more alarmingly at champs level too.

I feel a little sorry for Hooper too though. His biggest crime seems to be being an old-fashioned instinctive striker who relies on a partner up front to provide foil for him to work off...and these days everyone and his uncle seems to be wedded to only a single striker. That simply isn't Hoopers game and he suffers for game time as a result.

I always felt optimistic if he came on from the bench as a second striker. But unlikely to play from the start to my mind

 

[SussexYellow]

I'm hoping that the squad looks something like this for next season:

Ruddy

Rudd

Matthews

Martin

Whittaker

Olsson

Toffolo (Or possibly a New LB and loan Toffolo to a Championship team)

Bassong

New CB

R.Bennett

Turner

Redmond

E.Bennett

Johnson

New LM

Josh Murphy

Howson

Tettey

Dorrans

O'Neil

Odjidja-Ofoe

(Possibly a New CM)

Hoolahan

Andreu

Jerome

Grabban

Hooper

New ST

Loza

Loaned Out:

Miquel (Championship)

Jacob Murphy (Championship)

McGrandles (League 1)

Thompson (Championship)

Sold:

Van Wolfswinkel

Lafferty

When listed like that it emphasises that there is quite a bit of work to do in the transfer market this summer.

The time has come where we need to look at Russ Martin as a centre back, where he has basically played all season, and ditch the what's his best position argument. So we need an alternative at right back. Elliot Bennett would be a further option if he is seen as a multi position utility player.

I suspect you can also add Michael Turner to the for sale list. AN decided he was not needed for the promotion push, I doubt if he will see him as part of the premiership squad.

O'Neil and Andreu - be interesting to see if either of them make the squad. On the fringes at best. Louis Thompson likely to be a better long term option and possibly better short term as well.

Loza - can not see him making the squad either. Barely got a kick in the championship. Albeit he did get one important kick.

If you exclude Turner, O'Neil, Andreu, Loza, Wolf and Lafferty that would leave a squad size of 19 plus the U21's. So potentially 6 places. Could be a very interesting transfer window!

 

[KeiranShikari]

Just seen that Sherwood wants rid of Weimann at Villa. I'll admit I haven't seen much of him recently but I thought he looked good in the past. Not the most inspiring goal tally but I think he's often been used on the wing and well, Villa don't score many. Only 23 as well. 

Not sure how realistic it is but I think I'd like him here.

 

[Scott]

It's going to sound unpopular but I'd try snap up Daryl Murphy (yes I know he is scum!!) however 30 odd goals speaks for itself in a play off side...none of our strikers got near that. IMO we need a striker, a centre back, RB and LB, cover keeper and perhaps a winger (I think midfield could hold its own)

 

[Yellow Fever]

This is a difficult window to predict because of the uncertainties around players like Turner, O'Neil, Andreu, Loza, RvW and Lafferty.

I think Turner will leave, mainly because he doesn't buy into the AN approach.

It could go either way with O'Neil, depending on what other options are available.

I think Andreu will stay and have a bigger role to play when he has a proper pre-season to integrate into the team.

Loza is likely to go on loan as he is now 21, but it's hard to say what will happen with RvW and Lafferty.

IMO, we'll see about 3-4 new players, one of whom might be a 3rd keeper. AN has said that he likes versatile players, so the rumour about Efe Ambrose of Celtic could be true, as he can play CB, RB or DM (all 3 being positions we need to strengthen). We could see someone similar on the left side, with Miquel (who can play CB or LB) going out on loan. Johnson is likely to continue to play on the left, and as Josh, Dorrans and Andreu can also play there we might be all right, especially if Lafferty stays. If both Lafferty and RvW leave, then we will need another striker, or perhaps a CF/AM option. Is Murphy a one season wonder R&W? Take out his penalties and he's scored about the same as Jerome, who has none.

The other uncertainty is players like Redmond and Hooper leaving and needing to be replaced. It will be interesting

 

[Scott]

Jussi Jääskeläinen has just been released...worth a pop on a free?

 

[Yellow Fever]

I always liked Jääskeläinen R&W. 

For those interested in the possibility of Efe Ambrose as mentioned above, here's his Celtic profile: http://www.celticfc.net/team/89

 

[Scott]

He's a good keeper, loan out Rudd have him as our bench keeper. We need to definitely strengthen in most areas IMO

 

[splutcho]

Just seen that Sherwood wants rid of Weimann at Villa. I'll admit I haven't seen much of him recently but I thought he looked good in the past. Not the most inspiring goal tally but I think he's often been used on the wing and well, Villa don't score many. Only 23 as well. 

Not sure how realistic it is but I think I'd like him here.

Would like this.

 

[dj161]

Id like us to have a go at Weimann too if he's available, always looked pretty handy to me with plenty of pace too, I'd like to see him given a run up top as he does seem to get stuck out wide, but the fact he can play on the wings when needed could be an added bonus in the long run

 

[RhythmicTheory]

I would imagine we might go back in for Craig Noone.

 

[KeiranShikari]

It's going to sound unpopular but I'd try snap up Daryl Murphy (yes I know he is scum!!) however 30 odd goals speaks for itself in a play off side...none of our strikers got near that. IMO we need a striker, a centre back, RB and LB, cover keeper and perhaps a winger (I think midfield could hold its own)

Decent player but Jerome is better.

Jaaskelainen is 40 now, I'd honestly rather we relied on the promising Rudd if Ruddy were to get injured or suspended. He was one of my favourite keepers back in hi Bolton days.

Think the Noone ship has sailed, very average couple of seasons. I'd hope we are looking at better.

 

[Yellow Fever]

I would imagine we might go back in for Craig Noone.

That could be. Handy that he can play on both flanks, though the left is his preference I believe. KS could be right that he's on the Championship list rather than the PL one, though he does have PL experience.

 

[Suffolk Canary]

I think Lafftery going is a foregone conclusion. The fact he went to turkey just to get some minutes, which he couldn't get in the championship, shows he's not going to settle to be an occasional bench warmer. He's nowhere near good enough, and he probably knows that himself. 

Another interesting situation is Vadis and Andreu. They're both pretty similar players from what I've seen. AN might chuck Vadis as he was an Adams signing and go with his own player, but he put Vadis on the bench much more often than Andreu. 

I think Elliott Bennett will stay as cover for RB. If Whittaker proves to be too slow, EB has the pace to handle tricky wingers. Plus, being a winger for years could give him an advantage in 1v1s. 

Looking back on it, Adams made a bit of a mess in terms of transfers didn't he? Way too much money spent on bench warmers 

 

[KeiranShikari]

I believe Vadis is a far more powerful/explosive player. Doubt it'll be one or the other with them though, I'm pretty certain they'll both be given a go. Vadis after a full preseason and Andreu after he's finished hitting the gym.

Don't think most of the transfers were too bad. I think Vadis will come good. Thompson wasn't too expensive and has just had another good season. Miquel is still a bit of an unknown but considering his youth career you'd think he has something about him. I like Lafferty but he's the sort of striker we'd have to build around to get the best out of, that was a bit of a fart on the manager's record.

My main problem with the summer transfers was all of the central defenders, especially when it turned out that Martin was going to stay at cb.

 

[Scott]

I wish we could see more of Vadis. Reputation says he is an incredible player but the fact he keeps getting injured and can't get in the team because they are al playing so well is annoying. I think Jerome could do it in the premier, I think when he was playing for Stoke it was difficult because of the way they played and the fact they hoofed to him at every opportunity meant chance were fairly limited.

 

[KeiranShikari]

Stoke also used him on the wing and often came on late in games. He's coming to the age where his type of forward peak, should be a good few years for him.

 

[Canary World]

Am very keen to see Curtis Davies in defence as well as George friend. Pritchard on season loan deal

 

[Yellow Fever]

I believe Vadis is a far more powerful/explosive player. Doubt it'll be one or the other with them though, I'm pretty certain they'll both be given a go. Vadis after a full preseason and Andreu after he's finished hitting the gym.

Don't think most of the transfers were too bad. I think Vadis will come good. Thompson wasn't too expensive and has just had another good season. Miquel is still a bit of an unknown but considering his youth career you'd think he has something about him. I like Lafferty but he's the sort of striker we'd have to build around to get the best out of, that was a bit of a fart on the manager's record.

My main problem with the summer transfers was all of the central defenders, especially when it turned out that Martin was going to stay at cb.

Agree with this, KS. Odjidja-Ofoe is more of a powerful box to box, goal scoring midfielder as an alternative to Howson, whereas Andreu is an AM as an alternative to Hoolahan and I believe he can play on the flanks as well. Those two could make a big difference after a good pre-season. 

 

[GJP]

Can't see it with Andreu. 

Vadis might have a shot though.