Our Squad Going Into 2023 - 2024

[StriderHiryu]

11 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

Whilst I agree, surely the fact that the whole mentality is going to be a million times more positive and whether it’s players that we keep or bring in, I’m confident (maybe more out of hope) that individual quality should shine whilst we’re clicking into a sense of familiarity and Enzo’s style?

 

I know it may have been less extreme but Burnley looked pretty unfamiliar last season from Dyche’s starting PL 11…so evidence it can be done.

It can be done, I just don’t think we should expect it to happen right away. Quite honestly he may need 2-3 window’s depending on how many we can bring in. At the same time if we get 1-2 players who are clearly too good for the division then we could rip it up right away. 

[SafewayFox]

Just now, StriderHiryu said:

It can be done, I just don’t think we should expect it to happen right away. Quite honestly he may need 2-3 window’s depending on how many we can bring in. At the same time if we get 1-2 players who are clearly too good for the division then we could rip it up right away. 

Exactly this, also spending more than other Championship clubs won’t guarantee success as we experienced ourselves under Sven.

 

I think the most important part is not only who we sign but what coaches that Enzo brings in/keeps, personally wouldn’t miss any of the current coaching staff.

 

Enzo would be smart to bring an ex Leicester player into the coaching mix but can’t think of any one obvious.

[Lillehamring]

If we breakdown the areas of the team as it stands we definitely have the best part of a team that, playing to their capabilities should be a top 6 team:

 

Iversen has shown he can keep goal at this level

The back four should pick itself unless either Faes leaves or we go to three at the back

midfield - worst case we have hamza and kdh, who, again, have shown themselves capable at this level, out wide albrighton and perhaps thomas could be converted (a Maresca habit) into a winger - he has shown that he is better going forward than defending

attack - i suppose that depends on who stays and who goes but lets say vardy and daka stay.

 

Granted it's not a dream team, but that's before anyone comes in, and frankly, it's a team that should be able to compete at this level - players that have either have shown they are capable at this level, or have played at a higher level - also we have to believe that Maresca can get them playing at the top of their game.

[Beachyboy]

2 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

Exactly this, also spending more than other Championship clubs won’t guarantee success as we experienced ourselves under Sven.

 

I think the most important part is not only who we sign but what coaches that Enzo brings in/keeps, personally wouldn’t miss any of the current coaching staff.

 

Enzo would be smart to bring an ex Leicester player into the coaching mix but can’t think of any one obvious.

Robert Huth get him away from the loans into something more practical 

[mozartfox]

2 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

Exactly this, also spending more than other Championship clubs won’t guarantee success as we experienced ourselves under Sven.

 

I think the most important part is not only who we sign but what coaches that Enzo brings in/keeps, personally wouldn’t miss any of the current coaching staff.

 

Enzo would be smart to bring an ex Leicester player into the coaching mix but can’t think of any one obvious.

Danny Simpson?  Pipes?

[Gamble92]

6 hours ago, when_you're_smiling said:

You’re expecting us to spend well?

Yeah, very well. If we don't then Top needs to go. We'll have a hell of a lot to spend for the Championship. I expect us to spend a lot. There's no excuse for us not to.

[AmarteyAndChill]

46 minutes ago, Gamble92 said:

Yeah, very well. If we don't then Top needs to go. We'll have a hell of a lot to spend for the Championship. I expect us to spend a lot. There's no excuse for us not to.

100% agree,

[LVFox]

Interested to see what Enzo makes of Iversen. He might want a keeper more comfortable with ball at his feet and look at James Trafford.

 

Can see him really wanting to keep Ricardo. Could easily see Albrighton or Hamza play in new positions and think he will absolutely love KDH.

[ronnup]

With JJ, VK, Luke T and Ricardo we've got 4 excellent full backs for this league. I suspect that will be key

[Spudulike]

7 hours ago, when_you're_smiling said:

You’re expecting us to spend well?

It's all very well having the money to spend but the type of players of the calibre we need will also have offers from Premier League clubs. Just need to find under the radar gems. Not going to be easy. 

[Bilo]

18 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

I hope our fans realise this. It's an impossible job. When day 1 of preseason starts, Maresca won't even have a full XI to pick from. He is going to try and teach system football to a bunch of strangers and it's going to be rough.

 

I feel like it's only when the window ends that he can even truly begin work.

To give an idea, this is the XI Burnley had for their 2-1 defeat to Newcastle on the final day of the season.

 

Pope

Collins

Taylor

Long

Tarkowski

McNeil

Brownhill

Roberts

Cork

Cornet

Barnes

 

For their opening game in the Championship at Huddersfield, which they won 1-0, they had this.

 

Muric

Roberts

Harwood-Bellis

Taylor

Maatsen

Cullen

Cork 

Bastien

Costelloe

Barnes

Brownhill

 

Four players from eleven. 

 

Now look at our lineup against West Ham.

 

You would expect Iversen, Evans, Faes, Thomas and KDH to stay from that line-up.

 

From the bench you'd think Souttar, Ricardo and Vardy would stay.

 

I also think with Barnes and Maddison gone, the wage bill slashed and the needs of the squad, we'd also keep at least one of Daka and Nacho. 

 

The rebuilding job will be a big one, but Burnley's was huge. They also had finances that had some journalists fearing for their very future but got £70m for their key assets (£10m for Pope, £20m each for Collins and McNeil and and another £17m for Cornet,) an amount you'd think we'll comfortably emulate for our outgoings. Maddison and Barnes alone could bring that, and that's before we even think about Praet, Castagne, one of Daka or Nacho and Soumaré as well as the axe to the wage bill.

 

Personally I think Maresca will have more to build on than Kompany had and more to work with when he does rebuild. Even if our finances are as bad as the press reckons Burnley's were, which I doubt, the incoming transfer fees offsets that. A few good loans here and there and we're away.

 

Everything is there, which is why the job attracted so much attention and so many rumours, but the question is whether Glover is up to the scouting task and whether Maresca can get them playing in time. Kompany did an incredible job with a situation that could have made Burnley crash and burn. I'm glad our board has shown similar courage and hope it yields a similar result, because the Burnley of next season won't be the Burnley that played under Dyche.

Edited 17 June 2023 by Bilo

[Tuna]

One thing is for certain if Enzo wants to play pep ball we're gonna need a new keeper, Iversen's distribution is just hopeless.

[deep blue]

8 hours ago, Nick said:

I still think we need to keep Barnes, I mean where are the 'guaranteed'  goals going to come from else? If we sell we have no attacking midfielders whatsoever. when really we should have two players for each position. It's gonna be a bit tough going straight back up with having to buy and gel a left winger, a CAM and a right winger from scratch...

I can't see any scenario in which Maresca will be able to persuade Barnes to stay (and the club might insist he has to go for financial reasons anyway).  Which would be a shame, in my view.  He's been with the club since a young age.  Of all our players he has the most potential to improve and I suspect Maresca might be the sort of coach who could turn him into a much more rounded and effective player.  At the moment he's a bit of a luxury player, has become more one-dimensional in his attacking ability and doesn't contribute enough over 90 mins (especially making little attempt to win back the ball or help out his LB in defense).  Even so, he'still mustered a good number of goals and assists;  just imagine what he could become with decent coaching.

[StriderHiryu]

@BiloThanks for putting that together, that's really useful to see.

 

Do one for us at the start of the first game this season!

[sheffield_fox]

20 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

I hope our fans realise this. It's an impossible job. When day 1 of preseason starts, Maresca won't even have a full XI to pick from. He is going to try and teach system football to a bunch of strangers and it's going to be rough.

 

I feel like it's only when the window ends that he can even truly begin work.

Also, it makes me think that if we'd somehow scraped survival, our next season in the Prem would have made this season look relatively good.

[jerry]

1 hour ago, Bilo said:

To give an idea, this is the XI Burnley had for their 2-1 defeat to Newcastle on the final day of the season.

 

Pope

Collins

Taylor

Long

Tarkowski

McNeil

Brownhill

Roberts

Cork

Cornet

Barnes

 

For their opening game in the Championship at Huddersfield, which they won 1-0, they had this.

 

Muric

Roberts

Harwood-Bellis

Taylor

Maatsen

Cullen

Cork 

Bastien

Costelloe

Barnes

Brownhill

 

Four players from eleven. 

 

Now look at our lineup against West Ham.

 

You would expect Iversen, Evans, Faes, Thomas and KDH to stay from that line-up.

 

From the bench you'd think Souttar, Ricardo and Vardy would stay.

 

I also think with Barnes and Maddison gone, the wage bill slashed and the needs of the squad, we'd also keep at least one of Daka and Nacho. 

 

The rebuilding job will be a big one, but Burnley's was huge. They also had finances that had some journalists fearing for their very future but got £70m for their key assets (£10m for Pope, £20m each for Collins and McNeil and and another £17m for Cornet,) an amount you'd think we'll comfortably emulate for our outgoings. Maddison and Barnes alone could bring that, and that's before we even think about Praet, Castagne, one of Daka or Nacho and Soumaré as well as the axe to the wage bill.

 

Personally I think Maresca will have more to build on than Kompany had and more to work with when he does rebuild. Even if our finances are as bad as the press reckons Burnley's were, which I doubt, the incoming transfer fees offsets that. A few good loans here and there and we're away.

 

Everything is there, which is why the job attracted so much attention and so many rumours, but the question is whether Glover is up to the scouting task and whether Maresca can get them playing in time. Kompany did an incredible job with a situation that could have made Burnley crash and burn. I'm glad our board has shown similar courage and hope it yields a similar result, because the Burnley of next season won't be the Burnley that played under Dyche.

Hope you are right. But with Burnley it's the exception that proves the rule.

[jerry]

1 hour ago, deep blue said:

I can't see any scenario in which Maresca will be able to persuade Barnes to stay (and the club might insist he has to go for financial reasons anyway).  Which would be a shame, in my view.  He's been with the club since a young age.  Of all our players he has the most potential to improve and I suspect Maresca might be the sort of coach who could turn him into a much more rounded and effective player.  At the moment he's a bit of a luxury player, has become more one-dimensional in his attacking ability and doesn't contribute enough over 90 mins (especially making little attempt to win back the ball or help out his LB in defense).  Even so, he'still mustered a good number of goals and assists;  just imagine what he could become with decent coaching.

Believe with Maresca as with Pep a player however talented is going to find tracking back and work ethic is an essential not a ' nice to have'

[Dusty]

My shopping list would roughly look like this:
 

Goalkeeper

Leopold Wahlstedt £1m

 

Centre back

Ewoud plentickx £3m-5m

Ronnie Edwards £5m-8m

 

Right back

Louis patris £3m-5m

 

Centre Mid

Etienne Camara £2m

Sivert Mannsverk £5m-8m

Charlie Patino £8m-10m 

Cole Palmer Loan

 

Winger

Suphanat Mueanta £1m-2m

Carlos Borges Loan

Gustav Isaksen £9m-12m

Ilias Chair £7m-9m

 

Attack

Opoku (recalled)

 

Out

Ward ??

Castagne £10-15m

Ricardo £8m-14m

Barnes £30m-35m

Maddison £35m-40m

Soumare £8m-12m

Praet £5m

One of Kel/Daka

I realise it would make the squad pretty big, but I think there’s good depth, good variety of experiences and lots of young players for the future. Despite a massive outlay we’d also comfortably make a profit. 

 

[StriderHiryu]

16 minutes ago, sheffield_fox said:

Also, it makes me think that if we'd somehow scraped survival, our next season in the Prem would have made this season look relatively good.

I could see a world where we stayed up, Potter comes in, but we drop anyway. Maybe we needed the full clear out? But still

sad to see…

[Stadt]

Unless cash flow is a major issue we should get players in as quickly as possible so we don’t (appear to) have  £100m+ in our coffers. Loans are going to be best way to do that.

 

We need to pad the squad out and quickly so loans make sense. Borges is an obvious target for the left and Rak-Sayi (Palace) would fit in nicely one the right. Both clubs would be very pleased if they came here imo. These could be wrapped up fairly quickly and sorts out the major problem position. Maswanhise should the 2nd choice LW option. If Pereira stays (here and/or fit) he could be devastating at RW if Justin plays at RB.

 

Central midfield will see a high turnover of players, we could do with utilising 

2/5 loans here. Casadei looks like a great 6/8 type prospect. He’d take our ‘banker’ midfield options to KDH, Choudhury and Casadei something to work with.

Cole Palmer is surely earmarked for a loan, he’d some creativity which we looks as though we’ll be lacking post-Maddison.

 

The defence looks fairly set, not sure we’d need to loan anybody in. We’d be better off signing a player permanently if Faes was to leave as we’d light in the long term

[wardyfox86]

1st game ideal XI

 

Iversen

 

Justin (?)

Evans

Souttar

Kristiansen

 

Casadei

Bernabè

KDH

 

Borges

Barnes

Iheanacho/Daka

 

Solid enough without a huge overhaul!

[Gamble92]

20 minutes ago, Dusty said:

My shopping list would roughly look like this:
 

Goalkeeper

Leopold Wahlstedt £1m

 

Centre back

Ewoud plentickx £3m-5m

Ronnie Edwards £5m-8m

 

Right back

Louis patris £3m-5m

 

Centre Mid

Etienne Camara £2m

Sivert Mannsverk £5m-8m

Charlie Patino £8m-10m 

Cole Palmer Loan

 

Winger

Suphanat Mueanta £1m-2m

Carlos Borges Loan

Gustav Isaksen £9m-12m

Ilias Chair £7m-9m

 

Attack

Opoku (recalled)

 

Out

Ward ??

Castagne £10-15m

Ricardo £8m-14m

Barnes £30m-35m

Maddison £35m-40m

Soumare £8m-12m

Praet £5m

One of Kel/Daka

I realise it would make the squad pretty big, but I think there’s good depth, good variety of experiences and lots of young players for the future. Despite a massive outlay we’d also comfortably make a profit. 

 

This is all realistic and few players on there we are definitely looking at. I think we will have a few more loans though.

[Lillehamring]

2 hours ago, ronnup said:

With JJ, VK, Luke T and Ricardo we've got 4 excellent full backs for this league. I suspect that will be key

Not implausible that he could opt to use 1 or more of them as more attacking wingers, other than JJ, they're all handy pushing forward.

[Bluearmyfox28]

People questioning if we will have money to spend, hasn’t it already been publicised by journalists like Percy that we will have one of the biggest budgets this year?

[deep blue]

2 hours ago, jerry said:

Believe with Maresca as with Pep a player however talented is going to find tracking back and work ethic is an essential not a ' nice to have'

Exactly ,  I'm sure Maresca could do a lot to improve Barnes.

Edited 17 June 2023 by deep blue
Clarification