25 Man Squad

Notwithstanding any moves in/out prior to 9th August, apart possibly Fraser Forster, assume the 25 man squad will be as follows:

GOALKEEPERS

McCarthy

Gunn

Lewis

RIGHT BACK

Cedric

LEFT BACK

Bertrand

Targett

McQueen

CENTRAL DEFENCE

Vestergaard

Yoshida

Hoedt

Stephens

Bednarek

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD

Romeu

Hojbjerg

Ward Prowse

FORWARD/CENTRAL MIDFIELD

Lemina

Armstrong

Davis

WIDE MIDFIELD

Elyounoussi

Redmond

Sims

FORWARDS

Austin

Gabbiadini

Long

Gallagher

I estimate that this squad cost the club around £174 million to assemble

Add in the likes of Jack Rose, Jake Flannigan, Alfie Jones, Yan Valery, Jake Vokins, Harrison Reed, Jake Hesketh, and Callum Slattery, who were all named in the progrqmme for the recent double header friendlies, then the total annual wage bill is probably between £75 and £80m a year.

Chuck in Foster, Boufal, Carillo and Clasie and that is an additional transfer spend of between £50m and £55m with a annual wage of £13-£14m.

I guess the club will get some sort of loan fee out of their moves but it would be interesting to know whether this would cover the expected contribution the club has to make towards their wages.

I think this puts into perspective what the majority of supporters think about the squad.

Full of 'Average Joes' with no cover at Right Back and a lack of a target man upfront, all paid wages above what they will collectively deliver.

Does the champshionship window also close on Friday?

i.e. Gallagher, Reed, Hesketh could all go on loan somewhere else.

I wish you hadn’t done that. It’s quite depressing.

Does the champshionship window also close on Friday?

 

i.e. Gallagher, Reed, Hesketh could all go on loan somewhere else.

They have more time to loan players. (31 Aug)

assume the 25 man squad will be as follows:

 

GOALKEEPERS

McCarthy

Gunn

Lewis

 

RIGHT BACK

Cedric

 

LEFT BACK

Bertrand

Targett

McQueen

 

CENTRAL DEFENCE

Vestergaard

Yoshida

Hoedt

Stephens

Bednarek

 

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD

Romeu

Hojbjerg

Ward Prowse

 

FORWARD/CENTRAL MIDFIELD

Lemina

Armstrong

Davis

 

WIDE MIDFIELD

Elyounoussi

Redmond

Sims

 

FORWARDS

Austin

Gabbiadini

Long

Gallagher

You have included some that are too young to be named in the 25 man list.

relegation candidates.

Dead certs if Hughes persists with 3 at the back

relegation candidates.

Dead certs if Hughes persists with 3 at the back

Using 3 at the back kept us up at the back end of last season. Performances improved significantly changing to that system, having looked doomed to relegation under Pellegrino. Daft to write it off on the basis of meaningless friendless... let's see how we do on Sunday.

Using 3 at the back kept us up at the back end of last season. Performances improved significantly changing to that system, having looked doomed to relegation under Pellegrino. Daft to write it off on the basis of meaningless friendless... let's see how we do on Sunday.

I think 3 at the back was a jolt in the arm and worked well over a short period of time

I hoped we signed players to suit that system, we have not

hope you are right

I do think that if we finish 17th, we would have done well. What a shame

I think 3 at the back was a jolt in the arm and worked well over a short period of time

I hoped we signed players to suit that system, we have not

 

hope you are right

What type of players would we need to sign this summer for that not to be a concern?

What type of players would we need to sign this summer for that not to be a concern?

a defender (along with Vestergaard) that is more than comfortable to play in a back 3 and be good enough to start

A very good striker. If we persist with 3 at t he back, little point in ploughing money into MO

Using 3 at the back kept us up at the back end of last season. Performances improved significantly changing to that system, having looked doomed to relegation under Pellegrino. Daft to write it off on the basis of meaningless friendless... let's see how we do on Sunday.

You realise that Hughes ppg haul was virtually indistinguishable from that of Pellegrino?

You have included some that are too young to be named in the 25 man list.

Only two, Lewis and Sims. Not included Forster, Reed and Rose. Assuming Forster will go and Rose won't be named that leaves just one space. Then again Cedric also seems to have gone AWOL, so who knows what will happen. When does the squad have to be submitted, is it when the PL transfer window closes or after the FIFA window closes in 3 weeks?

You realise that Hughes ppg haul was virtually indistinguishable from that of Pellegrino?

Do you disagree that the performances improved significantly? You also appear to be overlooking 3 out of Hughes 8 league games were vs Chelsea, Arsenal & Man City. Saints may have lost all three, but ran them all close and was a lot better I'd argue than Pellegrino would have done.

Only two, Lewis and Sims. Not included Forster, Reed and Rose.

Two = "some" which is what I said

Also why would you not include Reed & Rose?

Do you disagree that the performances improved significantly? You also appear to be overlooking 3 out of Hughes 8 league games were vs Chelsea, Arsenal & Man City. Saints may have lost all three, but ran them all close and was a lot better I'd argue than Pellegrino would have done.

Yes performances improved - there certainly was a step up in intensity and aggression. How far the change in formation mattered and whether any of this is sustainable, by contrast, are open questions.

N.B. However bad Pellegrino was, he did manage to grind out decent performances against the bigger sides.

Yes performances improved - there certainly was a step up in intensity and aggression. How far the change in formation mattered and whether any of this is sustainable, by contrast, are open questions.

 

N.B. However bad Pellegrino was, he did manage to grind out decent performances against the bigger sides.

What, like Liverpool away?

What, like Liverpool away?

Good lad. Man U x2, City x1, Arsenal x1 and Spurs x1 were all decent performances.

To be fair though, there are some potentially very good players in that squad. McCarthy was very good last season and if he hits those heights again we will be fine in the GK spot. Same can be said for right and left back if they both stay fit all season. Not so confident about CB positions but Yoshida is OK for the PL, and I am sure Hoedt is a good player in there somewhere.

In Lemina, we have a superb Holding MF if he can be bothered, and in Romeu and POH, more than adequate cover if they play to their best.

A bit lacking in creativity although Redmond has undoubted potential and could come good this season for all we know. Sims is a good one and i think could well show that this season if given the chance. Mo Ely is supposed to be hot stuff. Stuart Armstrong looks good so fair, so we could have a pretty good set of creators.

Upfront, like CB i fear we are lightweight as really only Gabbi can be relied on to score and stay fit but i don't think he is the man for a lone strikers role. Austin will bang them in for the games he plays which will be 20 or less as ever. Other than that we are a bit stuffed as Long and Gallagher will not do it enough at this level.

The potential is there is the manager can get the best out of them, if everyone stays fit and if everyone plays to their best.

Seriously guys, stop winding each other up - or down. I suggest you look at every 25 man squad from Burnley down and ask yourselves how many of those players wuld make a huge difference to our team. For sure each squad will have one or two players you would pick, but the same could easily be said of ours.

The challenge is that all teams below the top 6 are much of a muchness until you get to teams like Cardiff, Huddersfield, and one or two more. Momentum and belief will be key.

I at least have confidence that this season the players will undertsand what is expected of them, and will be playing to a plan. I also expect us to be much more aggressive in outlook which, of course, you don't get to see in pre-season. I think we will score more, but also concede more. Should be better than the sterile rubbish of the last two seasons.