Premier League Squad Review 2015/16

[Stevencc]

Guys did you see what Storzy just said about Thespus's mother in point 5 there, before the edit?

Them's fighting words if you ask me.

 

[Bilo]

Did I make the right choice?

Could have gone either way really, don't worry about it, you did fine.

 

[thespus]

Thespus (yes with a capital t),

1) But still quite similar and the most recent is really the best judge (unless the player was injured etc...) as we won't be buying 21 year old Benzema. It sill looks to me a little too marginal to make a major impact

2) Costa's managed it twice in a row though and that's more than Benzema and I'd rather a player that's last two seasons were great than one where you have to go back 6 years.

3) I disagree, we need to finish above Chelsea and I'm not convinced Benzema would make it happen. Had he played instead of Giroud last season, I think we'd probably still have finished 3rd.

4) 35+ Goals and assists or the 20 league goals (your choice)? Okay go for it - EDIT: Do you want to add an appearance quota to the bet? Not fair if he gets a big injury.

Your arbitrary line of "marginal" seems odd. Benzema has scored more 33% more league and CL goals in the past two seasons and over 100% more assists. Manchester City have a better striker than Costa, but they didn't win the league. The year RvP won PFA player of the year we managed a lower point total than each of the last two seasons where Giroud has scored 16 and 14 goals. It's about fielding the best squad you can, and Benzema improves the 2nd/3rd weakest spot in our first XI.

£5 on either/both; charity of winner's choice. 40 apps in all comps minimum for the 35 and 32 apps minimum for the 20 league goals?

 

[Storzy]

Your arbitrary line of "marginal" seems odd. Benzema has scored more 33% more league and CL goals in the past two seasons and over 100% more assists. Manchester City have a better striker than Costa, but they didn't win the league. The year RvP won PFA player of the year we managed a lower point total than each of the last two seasons where Giroud has scored 16 and 14 goals. It's about fielding the best squad you can, and Benzema improves the 2nd/3rd weakest spot in our first XI.

£5 on either/both; charity of winner's choice. 40 apps in all comps minimum for the 35 and 32 apps minimum for the 20 league goals?

Arbitrary line? A little pedantic no? What would you prefer that I say; I see only a 10% overall difference in technique and -4.23% swing in Giroud's favour over physicality or give a FM break of stats from 1-20? I think marginal gives a decent enough impression ON TOP of the now countless posts of what I think of Benzema. I'm just not a sure a player that managed 15,17,11 league goals really has what it takes to fire us above Chelsea.

I'm not sure what you are waffling on about regarding Aguero and RvP? I've not once said that the team with the best striker wins the league, so what's its relevance?

Benzema does improve the squad, but at £40m and to me doesn't give us a huge boost to the first 11. Improving the squad is great, but spending that much on a player that I'm not sure will have that big an effect leaves me wondering if it's really worth it. I don't think our problem upfront is with depth right now, but we're short on quality compared to the two teams above us and it's probably the main area that those teams are CLEARLY better than us.

I'm fine with the bet and may the best man win

 

[thespus]

I'm fine with the bet and may the best man win

It'll all end up being in vain when we don't sign him. That being said, I'm still totally right.

 

[Storzy]

It'll all end up being in vain when we don't sign him. That being said, I'm still totally right.

If we do sign him. Then I hope you are!

 

[NITIN KAWALE]

MAnchester United still need one striker .. Mulelr ????

 

[LeoRahi]

I'm kinda worried about us. We might not be able to defend it this season. It's still early but I'm hoping against hope!

 

[Y Borth]

WEST BROM
In's:- McClean.. decent pre-season but could be more trouble than he's worth.
Lambert.. Past his best but could be ideal foil for Berahino.
Chester.. Improving player, had a decent season at Hull but £8m seems a lot.

Keepers.
Foster.. Crocked at least until October. Remains to be seen if he is as good when he returns.
Myhill.. Has his moments but prone to the odd mistake.
Defenders.
Lescott.. Hardly put a foot wrong last season but not getting any younger, hoping for one more good season.
MacAuley.. Massive experience but like Lescott, not getting any younger (or quicker).
Olsson.. A bit surprised Pulis kept him on, he lost a yard of pace after his injury last season.
Dawson.. Make or break year I think. Excellent on his day but still too many mistakes.
Gamboa.. Pulis doesn't rate him, good going forward but poor positional sense leaves him vulnerable.
Pocognoli.. Again, Pulis is not a fan, wholehearted but too often exposed.
Midfielders.
Fletcher.. Leads by example, nothing spectacular but always in the right place at the right time.
Brunt.. Never the quickest but retains his ability to pass a ball and his vision, dangerous at set plays.
Yacob.. Delights is being a nightmare playing in front of the back four. Played so well in the role last season that Pulis let Mulumbu go to Norwich. Discipline is the only worry.
Morrison.. Good player, very experienced now, decent finisher.
Gardner.. Up and down first year after moving from Sunderland but got one or two goals and did much better under Pulis than under Irvine.
MacManaman.. Bit to prove to most Baggies fans. Direct and powerful but found the pace of the PL too much at times and rarely finished games. Hoping a full pre-season will have him right. Promising.
Sessegnon.. Another I'm a bit surprised to see still there. On his day he's brilliant but his day doesn't arrive very often.
Strikers.
Berahino.. Improving all the time but much courted by bigger clubs, the hope is he realises he will get game time at Albion whereas he probably won't if he moves on. Reportedly offered £45,000 a week to sign a new deal so hardly needs to claim tax credits but of course that figure could be dwarfed by some clubs.
Ideye.. Had a purple patch around Xmas when he actually looked a £10m forward but it didn't last. Jury out but Albion won't get what paid out so he will get his chances even with Lambert now on board but does need to take them this time.
Anichebie.. Excellent with his back to goal but Victors problem at Everton has followed him to WBA. He doesn't score enough goals, he never has and I doubt he ever will.

Upcoming...
Liam O'Neill.. Being groomed as Yacob's understudy, a way to go yet but improved in leaps and bounds for a lengthy loan spell at Scunthorpe last year.
Adil Nabi.. Striker in the Berahino mould, quick, eye for goal. Not as prolific as Saido but has time.
Samir Nabi.. Brother of Adil and plays a similar game but a few years older, it's this season or never at this level.
Jonathan Leko. Under youth international, very pacey winger, Pulis seems to have a lot of time for him. Interesting but only 18, can't see him getting many chances just yet.
Tyler Roberts.. Only 16 but called into the Wales squad by Coleman last season. He appears to have the lot. Pace, power, good in the air, excellent finisher with either foot. Made the first team bench a few times last season. Will probably go on loan in January I would think.

Rumoured targets..
Marshall (Cardiff).. Good keeper, hopefully this will get done, Albion need cover in this position. Chances 8/10
Clark (Villa).. Looking to replace Lescott, MacAuley and Olsson by the end of this term, Clark fits the bill but Villa are not keen to sell even though their own new signings are likely to mean less game time for Clark. 4/10
Evans (Man U).. Again would fit the bill and a friend of Fletchers but he will have numerous options. 4/10
Sako (Unattached).. Seemed reluctant to drop his ridiculous wage demands when leaving Wolves but nobody was playing that game so found himself talking to Albion last week in something resembling the real world. Totally unproven at this level but a free transfer so despite his unfortunate connections he'd be welcome. 6/10
Phillips (QPR).. I think it will be him or Sako ,not both. Phillips remains the preferred option I think, he is proven at this level but QPR's asking price is putting all suitors off. 5/10
Antonio (Forest). Looks dead in the water this one. Bid £5m ,not it seems prepared to go higher. 2/10
Gray (Birmingham).. Early summer rumours that a deal was as good as done look very wide of the mark. 1/10

Finances.. Never better, made a profit of £14.7m last season. Season ticket sales highest since 2011. Chairman Jeremy Peace looked to have sold the club in July but the deal fell through and he's very much back at the helm.
Albion will probably spend between £14m and £24m this summer (current spend ££12.5m).

ALBION have to keep Berahino I think. To replace his goals would cost a fortune and without him it is difficult to see Albion scoring enough. They will be hard to beat. Theyre well organised and arguably as experienced as any other team in the division and of course they have Pulis. If they keep Berahino and he stays fit they could improve enough to challenge for a top half finish and do well in cup competitions, especially if Lambert can re-discover his own best form.

Prediction 12th.

 

[IanH]

A good read that, cheers Y Borth.

 

[mistermagic]

MAnchester United still need one striker .. Mulelr ????

Müller is not a striker.

Following from my MOTD thread essay, I'll just put the rest on here.

West Ham
I'm just gonna post my thoughts I had for most of the summer which were before the Arsenal game and during the EL campaign. I was a firm believer that sacking Allardyce was a mistake, that the squad suffered a lot of turnover (Ogbonna, Oxford, Zarate & Payet all started) under new management. Was a risk in me saying that I thought they'd go down (and they still might, I mean anyone can beat Arsenal these days) but Bilic looks like a man with a plan (even though his plan is to mainly play à la Allardyce up until now) and maybe the assumption was the wrong one.

Thing is, Bournemouth aside, I think the level of the Prem this season has improved and it'll be a tough prediction to give who will occupy the other relegation spots. One of the side destined for that fate as they've been quite poor in the last few seasons is Sunderland but I actually find Advocaat's dealing in the transfer market quite astute: Kaboul is a better defender than O'Shea and Brown (not hard I know), M'Vila has always had class but busy fucking about and Lens is a solid winger. They'll probably be down there in the end but the improvement in the squad should see them safe.

Because sides like Aston Villa and Swansea also have really good squads. Both bought Ligue 1 and most players look like they could have a good season.

The obvious answer to respond to the aforementioned point about relegation would be give the other two promoted sides a mention and state they'll go down. Only I reckon Watford will be hard and Norwich... well yes maybe Norwich. Losing your first home game is bad and the squad looks very "Championshipepy". I think I agree with most of their fans in that if they fail to strengthen this window they shall go down.

All very exciting stuff nonetheless. Much more than this boring top 4 thang.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Norwich lost at home due to huge refereeing screw ups. Not sure you can read too much into that, especially on the first day of the season when you're bound to see odd things here and there.

Bournemouth bought Ligue 1 as well

 

[mistermagic]

Norwich lost at home due to huge refereeing screw ups. Not sure you can read too much into that, especially on the first day of the season when you're bound to see odd things here and there.

Bournemouth bought Ligue 1 as well

Sure. I'm just going from what I read in the matchday thread.

I don't see who you have bought from Ligue 1 Gradel aside? Btw, how did you like him?

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Gradel only had half an hour, and off the back of very little pre season training I gather. But instantly looked decent and was inches from creating a goal with a clever dribble and lob cleared off the line by a defender, with his first touches. A very promising start considering.

Looks like he'll need a bit of time first, but will be a first choice attacker soon.

 

[TractorBoys]

For anybody who has contributed in this thread, but is yet to post it as a blog post, could you do so here: http://onefootballforum.co.uk/index.php?xfa-blog-home/ We're then going to dripfeed them onto the social networks so a chance for some decent exposure for your writing.

More submissions very much welcomed, too!

 

[Bilo]

I wrote mine as a bit of a joke, but I'll get it done and add Benteke.

 

[Bilo]

When I click create entry, I get an error. Please help.

 

[TractorBoys]

When I click create entry, I get an error. Please help.

What's your error mate?

TB

 

[Bilo]

What's your error mate?

TB

 

[TractorBoys]

Here: http://onefootballforum.co.uk/index.php?xfa-blog-home/

Do you see an option for 'My Blog' in the navigation? (third navigation bar below sponsors). If so, click that and see if it lets you create 'your blog' and then submit an entry.

TB

 

[Bilo]

Fixed, the problem was that when I clicked your link I was logged out, so I clicked it as a guest for whatever reason. Should work now.

 

[TractorBoys]

Fixed, the problem was that when I clicked your link I was logged out, so I clicked it as a guest for whatever reason. Should work now.

Nice one bud, thanks for the contribution.

TB