Goats squad analysis thread 2017/18

[Goat]

to be honest, i don't think wingers will feature too much this season, so i wouldn't be surprised if we didn't buy another one. We do have 5/6 very good wing options on paper, but sadly ones crocked, one's going back to barca, one is homesick, one is unavailable for selection and the other has been sent back to belgium on loan before we can even see him.

You'd think with splashing £20m on two young wingers though that maybe in the next couple of seasons we'll be changing system to make them more focal, but for this season at least i think it'll be inside forwards and bombing full backs. We'll surely get a new left back, even if he doesn't start straight away?

It depends on how much Ronny fancies Garbutt and Galloway, I would think yes, we will.

 

[toffeejack]

It depends on how much Ronny fancies Garbutt and Galloway, I would think yes, we will.

i like garbutt, but yeah, i think we might have to finally accept he'll never make it here. Love galloway too, but he's not a left back, the same goes for mori. baines is 32? now, so we need a replacement sooner rather than later anyway, would have loved that kid from fulham, just got a feeling about him. But yeah, we need someone there, definitely, connolly's loan didn't go successful enough for him to be considered either. Kolasinic would have been a nice buy on a free, so that was a shame.

 

[Goat]

i like garbutt, but yeah, i think we might have to finally accept he'll never make it here. Love galloway too, but he's not a left back, the same goes for mori. baines is 32? now, so we need a replacement sooner rather than later anyway, would have loved that kid from fulham, just got a feeling about him. But yeah, we need someone there, definitely, connolly's loan didn't go successful enough for him to be considered either. Kolasinic would have been a nice buy on a free, so that was a shame.

Connolly is a RB im pretty sure, he seemed to do quite well at Wigan, but hes still very young.

Would make sense to get a younger LB in, a natural LB, rather than somebody like Galloway "filling in", im sure Ronny has his eye on things.

 

[LABlue2]

if we add the probable/possible signings to what we have atm (this is a with rom staying scenario), our squad has massive depth. I know players will leave but still, i just want to show how good our squad depth really is, that we could have a 3rd's team that could quite possibly be competitors in the prem/higher end championship.

Like said, certain players will leave ala deulofeu (who would just be replaced by onyekuru below), but i can't see many more than him going this summer. Even if we do sell rom, we will probably actually buy a player more than those bolded below. Baring in mind through sales others like walsh, williams, dowell, garbutt or connolly who have had a good success in the youth team would then be able to step up as well, it is a bit exciting, and why i can't stress enough how strongly i disagree with people who say we don't have a squad that compares with the top 6. I couldn't even name a liverpool 2nd team, nevermind a 3rd team complete with premier league experience.

1st Team​

Pickford
Coleman Keane New CB Baines
Gueye Snides Klaassen
Sandro Siggrdsson
Lukaku

2nd Team
Robles
Martina Williams Jagielka New LB
Mirallas Davies Barry Bolasie
Barkley
2nd Striker

3rd Team
Stekelenburg
Kenny Holgate Mori Galloway
Lennon McCarthy Besic Lookman
Deulofeu
Calvert-Lewin

​

Thing is, that's assuming 7 new players without any out

The other "problem" is that our depth comes from having many good but not exceptional players in positions.... for example, we've got 4 decent wingers but it'd be better if we only had 3 if one was an exceptional winger (e.g. Hazard) who played every game and 2 others to rotate/cover for injuries/etc

Feels like we need some more top top quality players rather than bulking out the squad with good players

But it's a decent point

 

[toffeejack]

Connolly is a RB im pretty sure, he seemed to do quite well at Wigan, but hes still very young.

Would make sense to get a younger LB in, a natural LB, rather than somebody like Galloway "filling in", im sure Ronny has his eye on things.

I think he's a leftie but Wigan shoehorned him to the right, he had a good start there but I don't think he featured much near the end of the loan.

 

[toffeejack]

Thing is, that's assuming 7 new players without any out

The other "problem" is that our depth comes from having many good but not exceptional players in positions.... for example, we've got 4 decent wingers but it'd be better if we only had 3 if one was an exceptional winger (e.g. Hazard) who played every game and 2 others to rotate/cover for injuries/etc

Feels like we need some more top top quality players rather than bulking out the squad with good players

But it's a decent point

Yep, but that will come with time, over the next couple of seasons a few more will be shipped off and we'll start to bring in genuine quality. I just think a lot of our fans are being a tad pessimistic about our squad when they say "our squad is really thin" etc. I've seen the benches the RS were putting out last season, now that IS thin on the ground and they're still intent on buying 3/4 players only for a over £100, with no platform beneath to cover for injuries. We on the other hand are building that good platform to go out and concentrate on adding 2 quality additions to the first team every summer from now on

 

[Caolam]

I think our squad is starting to shape up, it was wholly unreasonable to assume that we could replace the possible loss of two front line players, fill the weaknesses in the starting eleven and then cover the deficiencies in the squad all in the one window.
We have done well so far and I don't believe we are finished with this window. Any team which looses players of the calibre of Barkley and Lukaku's, presumably, would be muck weaker however I am not so sure that will be the case with us.

 

[Barnfred 55]

I think he's a leftie but Wigan shoehorned him to the right, he had a good start there but I don't think he featured much near the end of the loan.

He's actually right footed but is quite adept on either side. He's played on the left for us and England over the years because of JJ. We're quite fortunate really to have the two outstanding English FBs in their age group.

As good and adaptable as Connolly is, I'm acfually more excited about our other LB Antonee Robinson, who is more ofan attacking option. Still to hear news of his contract situation but at least he wasnt on the list of released players yesterday.

 

[toffeejack]

He's actually right footed but is quite adept on either side. He's played on the left for us and England over the years because of JJ. We're quite fortunate really to have the two outstanding English FBs in their age group.

As good and adaptable as Connolly is, I'm acfually more excited about our other LB Antonee Robinson, who is more ofan attacking option. Still to hear news of his contract situation but at least he wasnt on the list of released players yesterday.

sorry, meant leftie as in left back. After what's happened with garbutt i'm going to be a tad more reserved about getting my hopes up about our young english full backs ha

 

[Barnfred 55]

sorry, meant leftie as in left back. After what's happened with garbutt i'm going to be a tad more reserved about getting my hopes up about our young english full backs ha

I know what you mean mate. But we keep on getting linked with young LBs from here and abroad whilst already having 2 of the best around that havent been given an oppirtunuty yet.

 

[toffeejack]

I know what you mean mate. But we keep on getting linked with young LBs from here and abroad whilst already having 2 of the best around that havent been given an oppirtunuty yet.

think they're both not quite there yet tbh. Baines has what? 2 or 3 years left, when he retires/leave, they'll be at the right age to be given the opportunity to step up, imo. So we need a player to fill that hole in the meantime.

 

[Goat]

I know what you mean mate. But we keep on getting linked with young LBs from here and abroad whilst already having 2 of the best around that havent been given an oppirtunuty yet.

You must also consider that maybe the young lads arent as good as you think also mate.

 

[dutchblue54]

Think we need at least four more after Keane and Sandro: replacement Rom, replacement Ross, left back cover and replacementValencia. Think Koeman needs to make a few decisions about garbut Galloway Pennington and browning dowell for example

 

[Barnfred 55]

think they're both not quite there yet tbh. Baines has what? 2 or 3 years left, when he retires/leave, they'll be at the right age to be given the opportunity to step up, imo. So we need a player to fill that hole in the meantime.

You must also consider that maybe the young lads arent as good as you think also mate.

My point is that neither player has yet been given an opportunity. Who would have thought Davies would have had such an impact? There's been lot's of calls on here to sign young left backs from Celtic, Fulham and even Brazil as the long term successor to Baines. When neither Connolly or Robinson have been given an opportunity to see what they can do.

The two lads in question are very good at their own age group and I understand that doesn't naturally transpose to open age. Connolly did ok in what was a very difficult situation at Wigan but it's totally unfair to judge him on that. The Celtic lad looks good but it's too easy for Celtic up there. he's rarely if ever tested. The Fulham lad looks seriously good but I'd be surprised if he stayed at full back where he's probably wasted. The Brazilian lad I know nothing about other than he plays for their U20s. Well Connolly plays for ours too and we won the 'kin competition.

Don't get me wrong, if Ronnie decides to bring in somebody like Robertson from Hull I wouldn't have an issue. It's the kids being linked I have reservations about.

 

[Goat]

GK
Jordan Pickford*
Joel Robles
Maarten Stekelenburg

RB
Séamus Coleman [+]
Jonjoe Kenny

LB
Leighton Baines*

CB
Ashley Williams*
Phil Jagielka*
Ramiro Funes Mori
Brendan Galloway
Mason Holgate

DM/CM
Morgan Schneiderlin
Muhamed Bešić
Idrissa Gueye
Tom Davies
Gareth Barry*
James McCarthy*

ACM
Ross Barkley*
Davy Klaassen

Wingers
Ademola Lookman
Yannick Bolasie [+]
Kevin Mirallas

Strikers
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Romelu Lukaku*

Soon(TM)