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Who would you sell at the end of the season.

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Megatron said:
Howard we know is already going

I would release everyone who's contract is expiring at the end of the season, maybe offer Hibbert and Osman coaching roles in the Academy

I'd sell Mirallas and McGeady, maybe even Kone too

As for incomings, a top drawer keeper, Yarmolenko, another CB and a better quality back up for Rom

Most importantly is swapping managers, whatever happens with the cup shouldn't change the opinion that our league form is not good enough and Roberto should pay the price for that
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I get the sentiment, but why on Earth would we want Tony Hibbert coaching the next generation? The thought scares me.
 
Marshall for Howard
Hibbert
Benega for osman
Yarmelenko for mcgeady
Silmani for Kone
Holtby for Gibson
If worst came to it straight swap Varane for Stones
Persic for Mirallas
 
Discounting the givens (or perhaps the 'give-aways') of Kone and Cleverley, I'd cash in on McCarthy I think. He's here as the foundation for our current system and when that follows El Fraudo to the job centre, he's going to be even less effective.
 
Prevenger17 said:
It’s a hard one to explain, and even harder off the back of his best season for us, so excuse me if this is a little long-winded.

Unlike some on here, I won’t claim to be a master tactician with all the answers that are apparently staring Martinez in the face. For all the sniping we do at each other, I think @nsno-chris is on the button when he puts bad results down to a chronic lack to pressing. Where we disagree, is where on the pitch that shortcoming is killing us.

When I think of our attacking players, from our widemen up, Aaron Lennon is the only one I can see who not only identifies problems high up the pitch, and also has the energy and pace to do something about it. Lukaku, for all his hard work, rarely wins the ball high up the field, and his poor control often puts us in dangerous situations. Barkley is similar, a behemoth going forward, but not fast or clever enough to put pressure on opposition defenders at opportunistic moments. I like Cleverley, but he’s very much in the same vein, with only a fraction of Rom or Ross’s attacking talent. Deulofeu’s reluctance to track back is well documented.

What we’re left with is a forward line of what are essentially luxury players. When it goes well, we look amazing. When it doesn’t, it’s open season in our midfield and we’re as brittle as a twig. From what I can see, there are two main problems with this.

a) We’re giving Barry and McCarthy way too much to do, and giving out about them whenever they can’t do it

b) We make very few goal scoring chances from basic opportunism, seizing on bad back-passes, dispossessing a defender high up the field, forcing errors etc.

You mention Lukaku in the same breath as Suarez but, for me, there’s no comparison to be had. As good as Lukaku is, Suarez is on a different level and, from what I can see, always will be. If the midfield isn’t providing, Lukaku waits. Suarez makes his own chances happen. Lukaku wants to score goals. Suarez wants to win. Liverpool have now thrown away more points from winning positions than us, and that’s because their attacking players are just as ineffective at defending high up the field as we are.

It comes down to personnel. You can have 1 or 2 dedicated attacking players up front, but not your entire front line. It’s especially hard when your striker has very little by way of hold up technique. Something has to give. Ross is a good lad and a great player who loves the club. Rom wants to play Champions League wherever and, in the right setup, is most certainly good enough to do so. I know which one I want to keep.

Even Martinez’ detractors say he’s got some eye for talent but a terrible system. What if it’s the other way around? What if it’s a good system, but he himself is identifying some of the wrong personnel to carry it out, and pure talent is obscuring it? From what I can see, we need more energy and guile up there, not just attacking flair. Our team value is skyrocketing, but there’s a lack of synergy in the team that would trouble any manager. I think it only needs one or two tweaks, personally, because we have seen how it looks when it clicks. I reckon one of those tweaks is a striker with less bounce in their shins and the ability to tackle and dispossess.

I have to clarify, I think Rom is a great lad, a very good player and a tireless worker. But I feel both parties would be better served by a transfer this summer, provided we bring in a suitable replacement.
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Thanks so much for replying and a great insight. I definitely see what you're saying. A "downhill skier" to summarise... a wonderful asset when things are going the right way, but not doing a whole lot to make that happen if it isn't.

And I definitely agree with pressure on defenders. I always wonder why centre forwards don't pressure goalkeepers more (this is a great example of what Suarez does and Lukaku doesn't). They're never (or nearly never) gonna get the ball, but it gives the keeper that split second less to make a decision. That might lead to regaining the ball back quicker, or the keeper not distributing exactly how they want. I realise for the sake of not losing energy and not being left in an offside position why this doesn't always happen, but maybe every now and then from Lukaku would leave the opposition keeper thinking, "Is he coming at me this time? How much time do I have?"

Again, great post and thanks for taking the time to reply.
 
Prevenger17 said:
It’s a hard one to explain, and even harder off the back of his best season for us, so excuse me if this is a little long-winded.

Unlike some on here, I won’t claim to be a master tactician with all the answers that are apparently staring Martinez in the face. For all the sniping we do at each other, I think @nsno-chris is on the button when he puts bad results down to a chronic lack to pressing. Where we disagree, is where on the pitch that shortcoming is killing us.

When I think of our attacking players, from our widemen up, Aaron Lennon is the only one I can see who not only identifies problems high up the pitch, and also has the energy and pace to do something about it. Lukaku, for all his hard work, rarely wins the ball high up the field, and his poor control often puts us in dangerous situations. Barkley is similar, a behemoth going forward, but not fast or clever enough to put pressure on opposition defenders at opportunistic moments. I like Cleverley, but he’s very much in the same vein, with only a fraction of Rom or Ross’s attacking talent. Deulofeu’s reluctance to track back is well documented.

What we’re left with is a forward line of what are essentially luxury players. When it goes well, we look amazing. When it doesn’t, it’s open season in our midfield and we’re as brittle as a twig. From what I can see, there are two main problems with this.

a) We’re giving Barry and McCarthy way too much to do, and giving out about them whenever they can’t do it

b) We make very few goal scoring chances from basic opportunism, seizing on bad back-passes, dispossessing a defender high up the field, forcing errors etc.

You mention Lukaku in the same breath as Suarez but, for me, there’s no comparison to be had. As good as Lukaku is, Suarez is on a different level and, from what I can see, always will be. If the midfield isn’t providing, Lukaku waits. Suarez makes his own chances happen. Lukaku wants to score goals. Suarez wants to win. Liverpool have now thrown away more points from winning positions than us, and that’s because their attacking players are just as ineffective at defending high up the field as we are.

It comes down to personnel. You can have 1 or 2 dedicated attacking players up front, but not your entire front line. It’s especially hard when your striker has very little by way of hold up technique. Something has to give. Ross is a good lad and a great player who loves the club. Rom wants to play Champions League wherever and, in the right setup, is most certainly good enough to do so. I know which one I want to keep.

Even Martinez’ detractors say he’s got some eye for talent but a terrible system. What if it’s the other way around? What if it’s a good system, but he himself is identifying some of the wrong personnel to carry it out, and pure talent is obscuring it? From what I can see, we need more energy and guile up there, not just attacking flair. Our team value is skyrocketing, but there’s a lack of synergy in the team that would trouble any manager. I think it only needs one or two tweaks, personally, because we have seen how it looks when it clicks. I reckon one of those tweaks is a striker with less bounce in their shins and the ability to tackle and dispossess.

I have to clarify, I think Rom is a great lad, a very good player and a tireless worker. But I feel both parties would be better served by a transfer this summer, provided we bring in a suitable replacement.
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Fantastic post this Prev, really interesting point of view
 

Martinez may be underachieving by at least 5 league places, but the more I think about it, the less convinced I am that our squad is actually as good as I/many think it is. It's about to get dissected.

I genuinely believe that Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Baines, Barry, Besic, Lennon, Deulofeu, Barkley and Lukaku are footballers who offer us/can offer us a lot. The rest I have reservations about, or can just leave.

Joel - has shown some promising signs, but certainly not on the same level as the likes of Lloris or Schmeichel, and light years away from De Gea. He can stay and try to improve, but I'd have a #1 keeper as my top summer priority.

Howard - decent servant who stayed too long, confirmed to be leaving at the end of the year.

Hibbert - you'd be forgiven for thinking he'd retired already. Wouldn't keep him on as a coach either, we need a new defensive coach badly and a combination of Hibbert and Lawrence makes me feel ill.

Funes Mori - everytime I think this guy is boss he goes missing on crosses (see West Ham) or steps up much too far (see Arsenal) and leaves me scratching my head. Think he will be a good player for us, but the jury is still out to a degree.

Oviedo - injury prone, lovable, and a decent player. I'd keep Bryan as a squad player, but he's certainly not going to propel us into the top 4.

McCarthy - I loved the little Rottweiler in our first season, 71% of earth is covered by water, the rest is covered by James McCarthy. He's not reached those first season heights since, not consistently. He's a terrier but he's very limited. We turn our noses up at the likes of Glenn Whelan but does McCarthy really offer any more than Whelan does? He's not creative, hell he very rarely manages a forward pass. Proper torn on James as I like him, but I think we blues vastly overrate him as we love a good slide tackle.

Gibson - he's a physio patient with a career blighted by football, won't be sorry to see him leave, he's had more than enough chance now.

McGeady - a hideous blemish on Martinez's otherwise rather good transfer record. Championship footballer at best.

Cleverley - tidy footballer who is a decent squad player, but I do often wonder why he doesn't do more on the pitch. I believe he's got the skills, but perhaps not the mentality to take games by the scruff of the neck. One of those who seems to play well when the team plays well, and we've got a few too many of them.

Osman - good servant, not a big fan of his but appreciate him nonetheless. Time to hang the boots up now though.

Pienaar - a class act on his day, but he's not had many of them in the last 2 years, mainly thanks to injury. Enjoyed watching him over the past 8 years or so, but the Bainaar era is well and truly over now.

Mirallas - oh Kevin you weird eyed mental beaut of a man. We love you Kevin, why don't you love us? Feels like a fractured relationship with a mental girlfriend who you don't want to leave, but you know it's probably for the best as she's just as likely to suggest a bit of outdoorsy fun as she is to lob a plate at your head.

Kone - not for me, off you go Arouna. Simply never been good enough for our club.

McAleny - like the lad but not sure he'll ever make it with us, he's got boss championship career written all over him.

Jury still firmly out on Niasse, while Garbutt, Galloway and Browning all have plenty of time on their side.

Spent much too long on this but feel the squad needs a serious preening in the summer, and by the looks of things we could be seeing at least 5 or 6 go, which is a pretty major rebuilding job.
 
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Saint Domingo said:
Not really. I think they're still valuable to the squad, you don't and the only reasons you have put forward so far are disciplinary ones. You even suggested I was on a wind up by saying we shouldn't dispense with them. Why?
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Gibson doesnt want to play anyway.

Pienaar is past it and injured for 3 seasons

Mirallas is a total liability.
 
Would sell Rom first and foremost because after he put the whole Champions League thing out there...well, it's out there now. And it's never coming back from out there.

Add on to that the dismal performance against Arsenal and his mind is definitely wandering now, if it wasn't already.

I say get as much as you can for him and add that cash to the new cash and see what it can get us. He's mentally out. We don't want a player like that around the club. He's past the point of no return.
 

Morty said:
Would sell Rom first and foremost because after he put the whole Champions League thing out there...well, it's out there now. And it's never coming back from out there.

Add on to that the dismal performance against Arsenal and his mind is definitely wandering now, if it wasn't already.

I say get as much as you can for him and add that cash to the new cash and see what it can get us. He's mentally out. We don't want a player like that around the club. He's past the point of no return.
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LoL
 
McCarthy, Stones, Besic, Niasse, Coleman & The Fresh Princes's 7. Only seen Yarmolenko Twice, waste of a good wedge!
 
What if we sell Lukaku and others want to follow suit

Lukaku for £62m to Real Madrid
Barkley for £54m to Man Utd and Mourinho who would want him
Stones for £58m to Man Utd and Mourinho
Coleman for £26m to Arsenal
Mori to Barcelona for £24m
Mirallas to Roma for £8-12m

What are we gonna do then?
 
1) All the obvious answers: McGeady, Kone, Pienaar etc.

If we get rid of Martinez: sell McCarthy, we need a fresh start in that area, sell Cleverly, would be great business from us, he's not good enough anyway and i think that's it in that case.

If manager stays: Sell Mirallas, thay will never get along now, sell Lukaku 'cause i simply don't see the point in keeping him at the club that will never achieve what Rom is trying to achieve ie. regular CL football, possibly sell Stones since it seems to me he doesn't believe in Martinez anymore.
 

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