escape2victory

That’s exactly what I said ! We need an out and out quality winger and then I’d be happy with this guy as a Jack of all trades who can cover left, right and number 10 role

I’m ok with this provided we also bring in a starting right winger. I’m guessing the thinking behind it is that would provide decent cover across all 3 positions behind the striker in the 4-2-3-1 system, and not forcing us to change to a back 5 if Barnes or Maddison get injured during the season. If he is signed as our main right winger option then we have really lost the plot !

In previous seasons we nick a 2-1 win or 2-2 from that match scenario. Passive defending is killing us though. At times in every match we just switch off, lack of intensity closing people down or tracking runners. This is the obvious way you can see a refresh of the playing squad or manager is required as just going through the motions at times during matches. Justin, Castagne, Barnes all played well. To be fair Tielemans played some lovely balls that Vardy should have bagged at least one. KDH corners even worse than Maddison and Tielemans !

In an ideal world the next few days would see us obviously confirm the Fofana sale, Perez off on a free and somehow get rid of Vestergaard and Soyuncu. We then bring in 2 x CBs, a back up left winger and a starting right winger. I know in reality it will just be Akanji coming in on deadline day, on loan with an option to buy

I think Marco Rose seems a good fit. I don’t buy this must need premier league experience. Generally plays a high press 4-4-2 diamond which would suit our current squad, and I think that’s a key thing when recruiting a potential new coach, it has to be someone who suits the blueprint of how the club wants us to play and someone who will suit the current playing squad.

With the injury to Barnes then the 3-4-1-2 is the obvious choice. The only debates really is Amartey or Soyuncu ? Tielemans or KHD ? Daka or Iheanacho. Rest of the team picks itself

What’s casino Jimmy up to these days ?

Vardy and Ndidi looked a little rusty, understandable I suppose, everyone else fairly sharp. Dennis Praet is a very good football player and I hope he stays in the squad this coming season

Best limbs seen down KP to be fair

I’ve come round now to the idea of keeping our powder dry this summer, provided we don’t lose anyone, maybe bringing in a winger on loan towards the end of the window as back up to Barnes. Lets be honest, a midfield 3 of Ndidi, Tielemans and KDH with Mendy, Praet and Soumare as back up, is better than anything outside the top 6 by far. Next summer we can really go mental with Perez, Mendy, Choudhury, Bertrand, Amartey, Schmeichel all coming off the wage bill, can we get Soyuncu and Tielemans on new contracts ? If not, whilst annoying not to get a fee, getting rid of their wages will give us more wriggle room. Obviously tie down Maddison to a new deal, offer Vardy and Evans extensions. Cash in on Fofana unfortunately for £80m and sell ‘replaceable’ assets like Iheanacho, Castagne, Ward/Iversen, and all of a sudden next summer we have a big transfer kitty and plenty of wage wriggle room, although by following that plan we will need 7-8 players 😭

Worries me a little bit about losing our keeper so close to the start of the season. I’ve come round now to the idea of going with what we have this season, possibly bring in a winger on loan similar to Under/Lookman and then we can really go for it next summer. Offer Vardy, Evans and possibly Soyuncu new deals, release Schmeichel, Bertrand, Perez, Choudhury, Tielemans, Amartey, Mendy which whilst will be a shame to not get fees for them, to get that lot off the wage bill will surely give us scope to trade. To aid summer budget next summer, look at cashing in on replaceable assets like Castagne and Iheanacho

Praet and Soumare very good. Maddison, Evans, Fofana, KDH all looking sharp. Someone who really needs to start to get going is James Justin. Thought he was quite poor and sloppy at times last season defensively, got his England call up more on his form pre injury and had an average to poor debut there, and thought he was really sloppy in possession last night. Needs to start stepping up now

Happy to get rid of Amartey, Soyuncu and Vestergaard and bring in 2 CBs

This is so confusing as Rodgers has spoken about the profile of defender he wants as being quick, aggressive, on the front foot, similar to Fofana. So I can’t imagine this being a Rodgers signing, likewise I can’t imagine it being a recruitment/scouting team recommendation. Are things that bad/tight that he happens to be an experienced PL player who is available at a cheap price ?!

Would be a good signing who would add better quality and depth to the squad. Be good competition for the RW and 10 position in the 4-2-3-1 and good competition for the 8 positions and RW in the 4-3-3. The only downside is he is 28, but I suppose the low transfer fee makes it lower risk

Yeah I’ve been struggling a little as to how we fit him, Maddison and Vardy in the same team. Something like the below could work: Fofana Evans Left footed CB Castagne Ndidi KDH Left footed FB De Ketelaere Maddison Vardy Barnes and Lookman as the impact subs to stretch games if needed. Ricardo and Justin as wing back rotation and Justin also could play as the outside CBs in the formation

This is where is comes down to what system we will be favouring and I pray Rodgers and the recruitment team have settled on a preferred system and are recruiting for that. I think he would be perfect if we go 4-2-3-1 alongside Ndidi. If we are favouring the 4-3-3 like towards the end of the season with Maddison in one of the wide positions, then I agree we would need a more attacking ‘8’ alongside Ndidi and KDH. Whoever we bring in, I just hope we have a plan for how we want to play and how they fit into the system, something certainly lacking in the last window

Be a good fit at Palace. Pacey wingers either side of him

The thing I’m concerned with is that we hear a centre back, a central midfielder and wide player are the priority targets. Not sure where this guy fits in with that as laying out a reported £30-£40m would mean he is a pretty big priority. I worry we will shoehorn him into the right wing position. Similar to Perez, someone who prefers playing as a 10 but can do a job further wide

Not good enough with his feet apparently

Why ? Some of our best performances this season have been using it. I actually like Maddison off the left or right. I find having him central in a 4-2-3-1, he is always in a congested area and is more easy for the defensive mid to mark him. Playing off the left or right, he can find more space, arrive late into the pockets. The 4-2-3-1 is too safe and structured, doesn’t allow for rotation of position. Maddison off the left, interchanging with KDH and the left back, I just think makes us more unpredictable, can rotate positions easier, provide overloads, and just that element of madness to our attacking play I have been really impressed with how Maddison has matured tactically this season as in previous years when asked to play off the left or right he has taken it very literally, and stayed wide, but he has really learnt how to find spaces and get into the right positions this season.

That’s a very exciting team ! I do feel slightly sorry for Ndidi in that line up though ! Will have a hell of a lot of ground to cover as I don’t think Aouar is great without the ball. Could be something like: Ndidi Aouar Dewsbury Hall Madueke Vardy Maddison Free role for JM10 to roam off the left coming on his right foot, creating havoc in the pockets. KDH and left back providing the width on the left. Barnes as impact/rotation when needed

I think with us having a bit of a refresh and bringing in potentially 5-6 players, we need to keep the leaders like Schmeichel, Vardy and Albrighton in and around the squad to bed the new players in, to make sure the culture and the standards are there and set. With Schmeichels contract then running out the following summer, it would be beneficial then for both parties to go seperate ways, hopefully leave on a bit of a high, and we can integrate a new number 1 the following summer when hopefully the turnover of player won’t be as high as this summer

Well whatever we do, I hope the first thing they sort out is a defined system and way of playing and then recruit players to fit the system. Look at Liverpool, probably the best in the PL for recruitment over last 2-3 years. Ok they have bigger budgets so can attract better players but nearly every signing has fitted in perfectly. They have a very defined 4-3-3 and know the type of player they want for each position, and the characteristics and profile they want for that position. If you take the signing of Soumare as an example, hey he might still come good, but from the outside looking in, it’s muddled thinking. What type of player is he ? Is he a holding player/a box to box player ? How does he fit into the system ? There didn’t seem a defined role. We need a proper identity/system/way of playing. None of this swapping from a back 4 into a back 3 every other week and playing midfielders as wing backs and Evans as the outside CB nonsense.

I would argue that he doesn’t make enough of those runs rather than it be the midfielders fault. Doesn’t do enough out to in, way too easy to mark out of games. The other excuses I’ve listed are just ones I’ve heard from other fans as to why Barnes couldn’t possibly have a good game