How many players are we looking to bring in? How many are we looking to sell?

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Central midfield needs attention. I still think another attacking option for the wider positions is needed.

I am concerned however that our biggest problem is managing to offload the squad players effectively?

Greg doc, Jamie Murphy, Ross McCrorie, Greg Stewart, Brandon Barker and of course the morelos issue.

Are we going to find that hard? Hoping Ross Wilson can earn his money. These guys are not bad players so hoping it's not impossible
 
Barker hasn’t done himself much wrong (in the pre-season anyway) so I’d doubt he’s on the immediate list of leavers unless an offer comes in. Doc and McCrorie will likely be given 1 more season (probably on loan) to prove themselves.

Only one it needs desperately done now, more so just so it can be forgotten about, is the sale of Morelos. I hate to see him go but it’s best for all parties that we move on.
 
Would be shocked if there's anything above 2 more regardless of outgoings.

Probably a midfielder and another loan. The vast majority of our spending has been done.
 
We need a £5/6m central midfielder who can get a grip of games, dictate tempo, create openings for our forwards and get stuck-in physically, if required.

A sort of cross between Jack and Davis then?

This type of player doesn’t come cheap, and our current midfielders aren’t nearly as shabby as is being made out.
 
Centre mid is a definite, although can see that one running into September if needs be for the right player. Should the likes of Jones,Murphy, Docherty, McCrorie move on we need to be wary of the 5 subs/9 on bench rule so we might thicken the squad out with some youths/loan from EPL
 
A sort of cross between Jack and Davis then?

This type of player doesn’t come cheap, and our current midfielders aren’t nearly as shabby as is being made out.
What we need is both those players back on form, there is no way you are picking up a peak Jack and Davis moulded into 1 player
 
2 quality additions and we will be in a great position, lot of work to be done moving players on now
 
A sort of cross between Jack and Davis then?

This type of player doesn’t come cheap, and our current midfielders aren’t nearly as shabby as is being made out.

I have never seen Jack or Davis (and Kamara) do what our current midfield badly lacks which is a box to box midfielder with physicality, drive and pace and the ability to chip in with 12 or so goals a season.

It is perhaps a little harsh but the longer we persist without a box to box midfielder the more it shows up very clearly what our midfield 3 do not bring to the table.
 
I have never seen Jack or Davis (and Kamara) do what our current midfield badly lacks which is a box to box midfielder with physicality, drive and pace and the ability to chip in with 12 or so goals a season.

It is perhaps a little harsh but the longer we persist without a box to box midfielder the more it shows up very clearly what our midfield 3 do not bring to the table.

So Jack, Davis, Arfield, and Aribo combined, but better. Bryan Robson or a young Ian Ferguson.

Let’s hope we can find that player!
 
Bad feeling we will lose Barisic Leeds are apparently interested,with the transfer window not shutting till October 5th we are bound to lose players especially if they are performing well.
 
Central midfield needs attention. I still think another attacking option for the wider positions is needed.

I am concerned however that our biggest problem is managing to offload the squad players effectively?

Greg doc, Jamie Murphy, Ross McCrorie, Greg Stewart, Brandon Barker and of course the morelos issue.

Are we going to find that hard? Hoping Ross Wilson can earn his money. These guys are not bad players so hoping it's not impossible
Yes. Morelos will go but as for the others they will be on higher wages at Rangers than the likes of Hibs, Aberdeen or anyone else in Scotland would be willing to offer them, so difficult to sell.
 
So Jack, Davis, Arfield, and Aribo combined, but better. Bryan Robson or a young Ian Ferguson.

Let’s hope we can find that player!

I specifically mentioned Davis, Jack and Kamara. IMHO these 3, whilst being good footballers, are way too similar as well as not offering enough variety in their individual game to play together.

In fact I'd sell Kamara tomorrow if an offer over £7m came in and rotate Davis and Jack as our holding midfielder.
 
Just need to tell ryan jack to stop being so scared to go forward ,give him a bit of confidence in his ability , he plays it to safe at times he does have the ability to drive and get a shot away and play a forward pass he just doesnt do it enough
 
We need a £5/6m central midfielder who can get a grip of games, dictate tempo, create openings for our forwards and get stuck-in physically, if required.

spot on. What we are lacking most. Someone who can control the game and spray passes around. A box to box. Happier with forward options now but if we sell Morelos, I would like to see one more striker come in. Maybe Shankland worth a punt if not too expensive.
 
Bad feeling we will lose Barisic Leeds are apparently interested,with the transfer window not shutting till October 5th we are bound to lose players especially if they are performing well.
Norwich just knocked back £10m from Liverpool for a fullback that has potential, not a full internationalist. No way we should accept a cheeky toytown offer for Barisic but if an offer similar to what they got for Tierney comes in he'll be gone.
 
I specifically mentioned Davis, Jack and Kamara. IMHO these 3, whilst being good footballers, are way too similar as well as not offering enough variety in their individual game to play together.

In fact I'd sell Kamara tomorrow if an offer over £7m came in and rotate Davis and Jack as our holding midfielder.

Of those three, Kamara is the one I'd want to keep most but realistically he's the most saleable asset in that position.
 
A sort of cross between Jack and Davis then?

This type of player doesn’t come cheap, and our current midfielders aren’t nearly as shabby as is being made out.
Bit of a contradiction the way I'm reading it.
We have 2 players doing the job 1 could do.
But they are not as bad as made out.

I've highlighted for 2 years. Our midfielders at their best have more skill than any midfield in the country.
The problem is, some others are for more versatile.
It's the reason Rogic can't, couldn't (no idea if he's still there) get into the Celtic team, offered them so much going forward but worse than a man down when they don't have the ball.
 
Bit of a contradiction the way I'm reading it.
We have 2 players doing the job 1 could do.
But they are not as bad as made out.

I've highlighted for 2 years. Our midfielders at their best have more skill than any midfield in the country.
The problem is, some others are for more versatile.
It's the reason Rogic can't, couldn't (no idea if he's still there) get into the Celtic team, offered them so much going forward but worse than a man down when they don't have the ball.

I think it also depends who we are playing and the quality of the movement in front of them. In the first half of last season when Morelos was rag dolling defences every week there was no problem with Davis finding a forward pass or Jack chipping in with a few goals. The midfield was excellent and may well be again with the new forward options.

I’d agree there are some SPL games where we probably only need one of Davis or Jack that said, but I’m sure both will have a big part to play.
 
That’s a £20 million player these days unless you find a gem from under the radar from somewhere.

Only if you're buying them direct from England. There must be players on the continent that would improve us greatly in that area for £4 or £5m.

Look at the likes of Hagi...
 
I think it also depends who we are playing and the quality of the movement in front of them. In the first half of last season when Morelos was rag dolling defences every week there was no problem with Davis finding a forward pass or Jack chipping in with a few goals. The midfield was excellent and may well be again with the new forward options.

I’d agree there are some SPL games where we probably only need one of Davis or Jack that said, but I’m sure both will have a big part to play.
On that I agree.
I think the first game at Ibrox, Celtic gave Jack so much time and space because he simply didn't drive at goal and shoot much, if ever before that.

Gerrard or someone on his staff has seen this and they've worked at getting him into games and having a shot.
He's a great asset is Jack. But he's not a natural striker of the ball.
The day we have a player who can make a safe, clean, crunching tackle on the half way line, use his speed to get past the midfield line and rifle one into the top bag from 30 yards will be a happy day!

Personally, we are that 1 midfielder away from a really good team for me.

No doubt if we sign him though, I'll find some other position we could do with an upgrade.
 
I remain concerned that Gerrard and co seem to think that Brandon Barker is a professional football player.
 
McGregor/McLaughlin/Firth
Tavernier/Patterson
Goldson/Edmundson
Balogun/Helander (Katic injured)
Barisic/Bassey
Jack/????
Davis/Kamara
Aribo/Arfield
Hagi/Stewart
Roofe/Itten/Defoe
Kent/Murphy or Barker

Leaves the likes of Docherty, McCrorie, Barker or Murphy, Jones and Middleton on the outside looking in.

I've left a ???? next to Jack as I believe we will bring someone in here.
 
Only if you're buying them direct from England. There must be players on the continent that would improve us greatly in that area for £4 or £5m.

Look at the likes of Hagi...

Hagi hasn’t yet improved us greatly so far to my mind, though I’m hopeful he will really kick on this season and show a lot more of what he has to offer. He certainly has the potential and has shown his quality on occasion, probably unfair to judge in that he didn’t play in the side when Morelos was in top form.

I don’t think you’d get a 25 year old Davis from any of the big leagues for less than £10 million, maybe Belgium or Holland, or further afield Balkans etc. But competition for real quality players is fierce and there are so many clubs these days able to outspend us substantially. We seem to have a decent scouting network in place these days so let’s see what they come up with, I think we may see one more midfielder in depending who goes out.
 
Hagi hasn’t yet improved us greatly so far to my mind, though I’m hopeful he will really kick on this season and show a lot more of what he has to offer. He certainly has the potential and has shown his quality on occasion, probably unfair to judge in that he didn’t play in the side when Morelos was in top form.

I don’t think you’d get a 25 year old Davis from any of the big leagues for less than £10 million, maybe Belgium or Holland, or further afield Balkans etc. But competition for real quality players is fierce and there are so many clubs these days able to outspend us substantially. We seem to have a decent scouting network in place these days so let’s see what they come up with, I think we may see one more midfielder in depending who goes out.

If we don't sign at least one we're not going to be good enough week in week out with the same three of Davis, Jack and Kamara when none of them produce assists or goals to any sort of decent level (and two of them none whatsoever)

Still very early in the window though.
 
A lot depends on who of our main players are sold. On the basis Alfie goes then I would expect us to buy two more players. One forward and one Midfielder. Other players I would expect to be sold are Jones, Docherty, McCrorie Middleton. Barjonas and Mayo to be loaned , Stewart, Barker and possibly Murphy to be used as squad players. If Murphy is not a squad player he will be sold unfortunately . I like him just been unlucky with that injury at Kilmarnock.
 
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