If we only made one more signing

tomvallance1983

Well-Known Member
For me it has to be another striker.
The fatal error last season was having no backup for Morelos and Defoe.

As soon as Morelos goes out whether by suspension, injury, missing his flight home from Columbia etc we then rely on a 37 year old. I think Defoe is in great shape for his age and a great person to have around the dressing room, but he can’t keep the pace of playing weekend to midweek to weekend as showed when he picked up an injury pretty quickly when he had to step in.

whatever you think of Morelos, either through his own actions or bad refereeing he is highly likely to miss a few games next season.

Kamberi imo does not have the consistency needed at this level.

I’m not saying we don’t need anyone in other positions, but if we only see one more signing this is our biggest issue
 
With addition of Hagi, as a creative midfielder, I'd agree the next signing is another striker to put more pressure on Alfie. Defoe is getting on and can't be relied upon to start every game if Alfie were to get suspended, or injured. Jury still out on Kamberi imo.
 
I still rate Tav, think he gets blame too easily
Tend to agree, right back role is different to what it was even just ten years ago, just look at how much Liverpool get offensively from their full backs.
We'd all love a new Gary Stevens but I think tav contributes a lot and we'd lose more than we'd gain in signing someone more defensively minded, if there is someone who can combine both they're not within our budget that's for sure.
 
We need to add 10/15 goals and 10 assists from the right hand side or from midfield that's what let us down that was the only difference between us and them they and double figures from both Forrest and christie in terms of goals this is exactly what we need. Not a hard bastard in midfield or replacing tav or Goldson we need more goals in the team
 
We are not only making one more signing. There is a distinct increase in quality coming up. Three top quality additions to the first team to replace the six squad players that just left. I’d say a new RB to replace Tav, a bad bastard enforcer to replace Jack and a big strong striker to give more competition up front. Striker is key.
 
It has to be a striker. I hope we go for Maric or Ross Wilson has some gem up his sleeve. Even if Buff stays imagine the difference in having a prime aged proved scorer there to rotate or pair with the Buff.

Those wingers we bought might suddenly be useful with a 6'3 centre forward too. Formation changes become possible. Variation in style.

I know you said one signing but more are needed. I'd like to see something like

McGregor

Goldson/VanDerHoorn Helander/Katic

Tav/Paterson. Borna/Meling
Fer/Jack Aribo/Kamara

Kent/Aribo Hagi/Kennedy Mak/Linssen

Morelos/Maric


All bosmans with exception of Maric
 
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1 signing and we might as well hand them the title.

We need to strengthen in a number of positions to have a proper go.

We need a commander in the middle of the park who will take control of games, far too many games away from home when its tight we don't look to be in control of the game, compared to those bastards across the city who do.

We need another striker capable of hitting 20 a season and put Alfie under real pressure, as when he's off the boil so are we.

We need back-up to Barisic as he's our only recognised left-back.

We need a right sided forward capable of adding goals to the side as well, as we really need to be scoring more from other positions than our striker.

To add to the above point, we also need a goal scoring midfielder.
 
He's the best in our league by an absolute mile mate.

Nobody else is even close to him.

Even if you want him upgraded, it can't possibly be our number 1 priority.

All depends. No question Tav is the best RB in the league but he'll be 29 this year and this is the final chance we've got IMO to cash in on him and replace with a younger player

If we don't then we are saddled for the next three years with a massive contract and possibly diminishing fitness and skill set.

It's a big call for Gerrard.
 
Goal scoring midfielder, to answer the OP directly.

Just pick a player or position and get on with it.

Not ever thread needs to be doom laden.
 
All depends. No question Tav is the best RB in the league but he'll be 29 this year and this is the final chance we've got IMO to cash in on him and replace with a younger player

If we don't then we are saddled for the next three years with a massive contract and possibly diminishing fitness and skill set.

It's a big call for Gerrard.


I'm not arguing with any of that mate.

What I said was in reference to the OP and the "one more signing."

There are far bigger priorities.
 
Tend to agree, right back role is different to what it was even just ten years ago, just look at how much Liverpool get offensively from their full backs.
We'd all love a new Gary Stevens but I think tav contributes a lot and we'd lose more than we'd gain in signing someone more defensively minded, if there is someone who can combine both they're not within our budget that's for sure.
There’s far too many who still want their right back to be like Flanno. Can defend. That’s it.

Modern football is an ever changing sport. Most of the top full backs now can barely tackle
Long gone are the days of Gary Neville
 
Top priority should be a striker, and work on a backkup 442 to play with alfie if hes still here. Arguably alfies biggest asset outwith scoring is his physical attributes, for me if we sign someone of the ilk, then maybe a speedster to play off him, pick up knockdowns.

Outwith that, I think we could probably be doing with LB cover. Polster didnt discgrace himself when he stepped in for Tav, and for me Tavs still first choice RB. Patterson is a couple of bad games away from being deemed not good enough.
Succession planning Goldson might need to be on the cards, as i dont think he'll be here after his contract ends. Helander/Katic/Edmundson need to get good gametime.
Midfield energy required aswell, as to get the best out of Davis, we will probably need to manage his gametime, and Jacks frame means he gets injured often in the rough and tumble of the SPL.

What i dont think we need
I read some people asking for a destroyer midfielder... why would we need that in the SPL? We will have 70% of possession and spend most of the game parked in the opponents half?
 
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There’s far too many who still want their right back to be like Flanno. Can defend. That’s it.

Modern football is an ever changing sport. Most of the top full backs now can barely tackle
Long gone are the days of Gary Neville


We got 15 assists out of Tav and 14 out of Borna last season.

Tav actually had more assists than Bollingoli, Hayes, Taylor, Frimpong and Bauer put together.

Him and Borna will take some replacing, when the time comes.
 
We need at least 3 quality players added to what we already have, so if any leave we will need to replace them with better or equivalent.
 
I’m comfortable with our back 4. I don’t think our midfield is strong enough, they leave the back 4 exposed at times and there is not enough energy or power in there.

We need another striker or 2 if AM leaves and we probably also need someone to play on the right side of the attack!!

Only about another £10 to £15m needed:p
 
For me it's a no nonsense centre half that will throw his head , heart and sole into every cross ball that come into our box.

A sh*t goal at home to Hamilton. A two goal lead at Pittodrie and coasting it then 2 goal collapse , just to name two examples.

We have had a very bad habit of going one goal up and not being able to hang on to that lead.

I take the point of putting pressure on Morelos to perform , but we had been scoring goals from all over the place early part of the season then had to concentrate on defending these leads as the season went on.

We WILL score goals , but our defending has been very poor at times.
 
We got 15 assists out of Tav and 14 out of Borna last season.

Tav actually had more assists than Bollingoli, Hayes, Taylor, Frimpong and Bauer put together.

Him and Borna will take some replacing, when the time comes.
I was Barisic's biggest critic. What a turnaround. Outside of Fernando I am struggling to think of a player who seems to have transformed so much since having a bad spell with us.

They aren't Trent and Robertson, of course they're not, but they're as close as a team with our budget could ever hope to get. We just need the rest of the team to start picking up some goals and assists and we are fine.
 
For me it's a no nonsense centre half that will throw his head , heart and sole into every cross ball that come into our box.

A sh*t goal at home to Hamilton. A two goal lead at Pittodrie and coasting it then 2 goal collapse , just to name two examples.

We have had a very bad habit of going one goal up and not being able to hang on to that lead.

I take the point of putting pressure on Morelos to perform , but we had been scoring goals from all over the place early part of the season then had to concentrate on defending these leads as the season went on.

We WILL score goals , but our defending has been very poor at times.

Agree with some of this mate. I would also add that a centre half who puts heart and soul in the opposition box at set pieces would be a real bonus for the team.

Also agree we could have held leads better. But my hope is a different approach for next season. We shouldnt be holding on at all against SPL teams, we should be constantly hurting them going forward rather than hanging on. Yeah, last 5 to 10 minutes of a game we need to dig in, but other than that this siege mentality of holding on to leads is too negative for me.

Would much rather we went into next season constantly looking to score, than getting a lead and settling in against most of the SPL dross.

Thats why I would rather money was spent quality wise on a goal scoring creative midfielder. If teams push on to pressure us, we play through them and take the pressure off that way. Rather than digging in.
 
I'm not arguing with any of that mate.

What I said was in reference to the OP and the "one more signing."

There are far bigger priorities.

We suffered so many times last season when Tav or Borna were missing mate.

If we could get someone like Guillermo Varela from Copenhagen we would have a guy who
could cover both Tav & Borna, with no drop in quality. In fact he can cover in CDM
too.

To be honest, if we buy one player we wont win the league IMO. That's where
#thepaedoclub beat us last season, when we have our first choice team id say
we are better than them, but their depth tells when we start to lose two/three
players to form/injury/suspension.
 
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Agree with some of this mate. I would also add that a centre half who puts heart and soul in the opposition box at set pieces would be a real bonus for the team.

Also agree we could have held leads better. But my hope is a different approach for next season. We shouldnt be holding on at all against SPL teams, we should be constantly hurting them going forward rather than hanging on. Yeah, last 5 to 10 minutes of a game we need to dig in, but other than that this siege mentality of holding on to leads is too negative for me.

Would much rather we went into next season constantly looking to score, than getting a lead and settling in against most of the SPL dross.

Thats why I would rather money was spent quality wise on a goal scoring creative midfielder. If teams push on to pressure us, we play through them and take the pressure off that way. Rather than digging in.


I agree PW that we should be pounding teams too but many games last season we had chance after chance and couldn't get that killer goal and then put pressure on ourselves by not killing teams off.

By all means , if we change tactics and we manage to find the killer goals then all will fit in well and take the pressure off our defence , but when we need them to perform under pressure at the back they can't do it and seem to know that there is no leader there.

Goals galore for me too mate , it makes our watching the game more enjoyable and less strain on the heart.
 
We suffered so many times last season when Tav or Borna were missing mate.

If we could get someone like Valera from Copenhagen we would have a guy who
could cover both Tav & Borna, with no drop in quality. In fact he can cover in CDM
too.

To be honest, if we buy one player we wont win the league IMO. That's where
#thepaedoclub beat us last season, when we have our first choice team id say
we are better than them, but their depth tells when we start to lose two/three
players to form/injury/suspension.


Spot on as usual Grigo.
 
Assuming we can’t bring in another 5 starters a CM enforcer who protects the defence when Tav & BB are up the park and right side inside forward for me, that takes care of the starting 11.

We then tackle the squad depth with whatever is left money wise.

No one from last season is indispensable IMO and good offers should be considered, but I really think a top defensive midfielder would protect our defenders from the costly mistakes and hopefully the players at the top end could put the games beyond teams before such errors cost us points!
 
If we are only allowed one it would have to be a top drawer central midfielder, obviously in terms of our league and budgets.

They can be the difference between a decent and very good team. Look at the impact Bruno Fernandes brought into a very average Man Utd side.
 
If we only sign one more player then we’re handing the league to them on a plate already. That said, if it was only to be one, it would have to be a CB to play alongside Helander. Goldson and Katic won’t cut it and Edmunson whilst he has potential, isn’t ready for a full season as a first choice CB yet. A right sided Helander would be ideal.
 
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