Next season's sensible target

If we take the form from our last 10 games into next season, we're top 6 and in Europe.

And that's without at least a couple of strong additions in the summer. So for next season, my sensible target is a place in Europe.

 

If you take our form over the last 12 games (2022 games) we're third!

 

Chsmpions league

 

I think a sensible target would be to try and break into the top 8 and have a decent cup run - depending how much investment they make in the summer. We've got a decent team but a poor squad at the minute. I think the first stepping stone is to improve the squad by adding three or four names to the first team and having those replaced first team players shoving out some of the dross in the back up squad.

 

This seasons form means jack **** come the end of the season. All depends on the summer business and limitations of budget constraints etc. If we were to invest heavily then yes we could make a run at the Euro places. I think its possible and the fact we are already getting the message out that there won't be a revolution in transfer terms, means I think there will be somewhat. The problem we have as a club is the sheer volume of deadwood. That will dictate how much we can invest in improving the squad.

Dummett, Lascelles, Fernandez, Manquillo, Krafth, Lewis, Shelvey, Hayden, Hendrick, Murphy, Almiron, Gayle, Longstaff, Longstaff, Darlow, Ritchie, Clark - 17 players you could think I wouldn't miss if they went.

I think Lascelles, Shelvey, Longstaff, Longstaff, Krafth, Murphy, Almiron will all probably end up staying as part of Eddie's plans. It still leaves 10 to shift and only Longstaff and Schar are out of contract.

I'll go top 8 just on the basis that the sheer volume of outgoings will make business tricky.

 

Top 8

 

So what I said - but longer!

 

4 or 5 god signings in this 11 and they can go for top 8 no problem

 

More detailed and better analysis, but you call it whatever you want

 

The current squad has proved itself and many proved to be better players than people thought.

 

Top 7

 

Just on a high and being well coached. We shouldn't kid ourselves, we are still carrying a lot of sub standard players. Not so much the first eleven, but we have some real munsons taking up places in our 25. Personally I hope we ravage the squad and give Eddie some real players to go to war with. It will have to be a slower revolution than we'd like due to current standard of the playing squad though. Someone like Krafth has probably earnt himself a gig. Trippier will come back in and be first choice. A back up right back won't be a priority so I think it will be Krafth or Manquillo - and Javier's appalling injury record will be his downfall. I think that will happen across the squad. Same reason Lascelles and Shelvey will probably get a place in the squad.

 

just what they're capable of now and if you look at what Ashley spent under Bruce it makes sense to me.

4 or 5 good players in this 11 with no selling our better players and we'll win more than we lose that's for sure and at home nufc is going to be a very very tough away game for any side.

The atmosphere is only going to grow in intensity along the way.

 

I think some have shown signs of the same old weaknesses of late. We haven't been playing as well, but due to some good coaching we've got results we maybe shouldn't have. Shelvey has slipped back to the old on several occasions. Schar has had a couple of shocker since Eddie arrived (got away with both mind), Dubravka has shown his limitations, Murphy has slipped back to being ****, Manquillo is still injured every 5mins. To counter it Krafth has improved, Fraser has improved. Over the course of a season I think players get found out. The real judgement will come when we start afresh and aren't playing for survival. Will they be able to maintain their current levels? Some will some won't. The managers job is tricky here because he's needs to work out which is which by the end of the window.

I'd love to see a mass overhaul but we have too many players to shift. History tells us you rarely manage to shift that many. As you say if we can revolutionise the first eleven and aim for 5 1st XI signings this summer, then we will be progressing. Indeed if they are Bruno's level then we will be a different animal altogether.

 

Totally agree. I would be happy with a place in Europe. Yep Instanbul would be the place on the 10th June 2023 after UEFA have decided we should be allocated a spot in the Champions League Final for being the best team on the planet.

 

A mass overhaul would be foolish.. This squad is a good foundation to build on.. Add a few bits of quality and work on the infrastructure. Layers.

 

So not to go for Pope or Ian St John, or Victor Moses but be after the next level up such as Jesus instead. Seems a plan.

 

Not really. As above we have 17 players you could sell and wouldn't really be messing much with core of what has been good the last few months. We have a high volume of players not really good enough. I just don't think we can shift them all.

Dummett, Lascelles, Fernandez, Manquillo, Krafth, Lewis, Shelvey, Hayden, Hendrick, Murphy, Almiron, Gayle, Longstaff, Longstaff, Darlow, Ritchie, Clark

There is only really Lascelles, Krafth, Shelvey, Murphy and Almiron playing much of a part. Shifting 12 ****hawks is easier said than done.

 

Just don't twist... Keep the likes of max and get rid of Murphy for a player as good or better than max. Approach every position in the same way and you'll have a squad twice as strong