glorygloryeze
Steffen Freund
There are several things that I think will need to be looked at before next season:
- Targetting and buying MOST players early so that they can join pre-season.
There has to be a list of targets that AVB as drawn up over the year that has been updated and is not just the one that Chelski keps after his sacking! I'm sure some of these targets are not just the expensive and marquee Willian/Oscar/Hulk type ones that will be hard for Levy to get done before the 31st Aug with the Oligarchs sniffing around.
- Selling those who AVB clearly doesn't want early
Frees up more cas to spend earlier. E.g. Is BAE off? Then why not sell now!
- Sorting out our now bloated midfield
In any manager's first sesson he can get away with squad rotation, players having extended times on the bench more as he rallies all to buy into the 'Team' and the new 'philosophy'. It'll be the secind season - a world cup year as well - and he will noit be afforded as much leeway. This could lead to more conflicts and fractious conflicts within the squad. Things for AVB could easily get back halfway to the way some things were at Chelski.
If we would like a midfield that can switch between formations (i.e. 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 4-2-3-1) then we will need te following attributes amongst our midfiled players: pace, creativity, defensive strenth, scoring ability, dribbling ability, good touch, height, the abiity to play behind a target man and intelligence in movement. We generally all agree that we have missed a Modric/Moutinho-type player this season, but if we are to buy such a player (or two) then our midfield is going to get even more bloated and we will need to sell/loan out some.
Does that really leave space forn the likes of Livermore (what does he bring?), Parker (is he on his last legs?), Carrol (is he too lightweight atm, and will he benefit from a loan?), Falque (what does he bring)?
Will Holtby be happy just being a bench-warmer? Should we sell Parker? If so, should we buy a young DM understudy to Sandro? Can Livermore be coached to do this role? Where is our pace if Bale/Lennon/Dembele are missing?
Lots to sort our here imo and this could be key to how harmanious our squad is next year.
- Defensive solidity
I think we have to really look at te full-back situation. The game vs Liverpool away still pains me to think about as it summed up our full-backs: brilliant one minutes and then Kamikaze the next. I especially didn't like the lacksadasical reaction by BAE to the concession of the penalty and the loss overall. At least Walker seemed to give a brick!
If we are not going to play 4-4-2 anymore we sadly are going to need fullbacks who are 9 times out of 10 going to be able to hold their own defensively and cope witout a winger aead of then covering up for them. Easier with Sandro around I know, but nevertheless they have to hold their own anyhow imo.
BAE is more than capable but he will always worry me because of is seemingly lax attitude but also because generally teams are more likely to have right-sided players who will attack more on his side and double-up as well. Walker is young but it's time for him to stand on bis own two feet now.
Our full-backs cannot cost us again.
In adddition our defensive solidity from set-pieces and other crosses into the box has gone down alarmingly since January imo. We may have to face the bitter truth about the myth of Dawson making us more solid in this regard: quite frankly i'm not sure that he does.
Whatever the reason if we continue to leak goals from crosses and set-pieces next season serious questions on our defensive training will have to be asked. We simply cannot - even with a top,top striker - be expected to always have to score twice to win or draw. 9 clean sheets all season is simply not good enough.
Thoughts?
- Targetting and buying MOST players early so that they can join pre-season.
There has to be a list of targets that AVB as drawn up over the year that has been updated and is not just the one that Chelski keps after his sacking! I'm sure some of these targets are not just the expensive and marquee Willian/Oscar/Hulk type ones that will be hard for Levy to get done before the 31st Aug with the Oligarchs sniffing around.
- Selling those who AVB clearly doesn't want early
Frees up more cas to spend earlier. E.g. Is BAE off? Then why not sell now!
- Sorting out our now bloated midfield
In any manager's first sesson he can get away with squad rotation, players having extended times on the bench more as he rallies all to buy into the 'Team' and the new 'philosophy'. It'll be the secind season - a world cup year as well - and he will noit be afforded as much leeway. This could lead to more conflicts and fractious conflicts within the squad. Things for AVB could easily get back halfway to the way some things were at Chelski.
If we would like a midfield that can switch between formations (i.e. 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 4-2-3-1) then we will need te following attributes amongst our midfiled players: pace, creativity, defensive strenth, scoring ability, dribbling ability, good touch, height, the abiity to play behind a target man and intelligence in movement. We generally all agree that we have missed a Modric/Moutinho-type player this season, but if we are to buy such a player (or two) then our midfield is going to get even more bloated and we will need to sell/loan out some.
Does that really leave space forn the likes of Livermore (what does he bring?), Parker (is he on his last legs?), Carrol (is he too lightweight atm, and will he benefit from a loan?), Falque (what does he bring)?
Will Holtby be happy just being a bench-warmer? Should we sell Parker? If so, should we buy a young DM understudy to Sandro? Can Livermore be coached to do this role? Where is our pace if Bale/Lennon/Dembele are missing?
Lots to sort our here imo and this could be key to how harmanious our squad is next year.
- Defensive solidity
I think we have to really look at te full-back situation. The game vs Liverpool away still pains me to think about as it summed up our full-backs: brilliant one minutes and then Kamikaze the next. I especially didn't like the lacksadasical reaction by BAE to the concession of the penalty and the loss overall. At least Walker seemed to give a brick!
If we are not going to play 4-4-2 anymore we sadly are going to need fullbacks who are 9 times out of 10 going to be able to hold their own defensively and cope witout a winger aead of then covering up for them. Easier with Sandro around I know, but nevertheless they have to hold their own anyhow imo.
BAE is more than capable but he will always worry me because of is seemingly lax attitude but also because generally teams are more likely to have right-sided players who will attack more on his side and double-up as well. Walker is young but it's time for him to stand on bis own two feet now.
Our full-backs cannot cost us again.
In adddition our defensive solidity from set-pieces and other crosses into the box has gone down alarmingly since January imo. We may have to face the bitter truth about the myth of Dawson making us more solid in this regard: quite frankly i'm not sure that he does.
Whatever the reason if we continue to leak goals from crosses and set-pieces next season serious questions on our defensive training will have to be asked. We simply cannot - even with a top,top striker - be expected to always have to score twice to win or draw. 9 clean sheets all season is simply not good enough.
Thoughts?
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I guess it's up to Levy to walk that tightrope. I'll also argue that foreign players represent better value than PL players, esp with the new TV deal that'll leave English clubs less desperate for cash. 
