"Chris Hughton puts a No.10 top of Premier League wish list for Albion"

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Pritchard would still be a good signing but I assume would cost top dollar now.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Patrick Roberts has been impressive for Celtic on loan from Man City this year. Maybe being loaned out again to a premier league club. Not sure if he is more a winger though.

Ideal to replace Skalak/Murphy.

 

[Lurchy]

What about Bojan? Spanish flair, natural number 10, has played in the Premier League, came through Barcelona's academy and headed for the exit door at Stoke.

https://youtu.be/J-nWn6rYHlw

 

[perseus]

In a word: Playmaker. Can play out of midfield, set up and score goals.

We'll be more 4-5-1 than 4-4-2 next season.

Just what I was thinking.

Advanced playmaker[edit]

These players typically serve as the offensive pivot of the team, and are sometimes said to be "playing in the hole," although this term can also be used as deep-lying forward. The attacking midfielder is an important position that requires the player to possess superior technical abilities in terms of passing and dribbling, as well as, perhaps more importantly, the ability to read the opposing defence in order to deliver defence-splitting passes to the striker. The attacking playmakers are sometimes called the "number 10" of the team, as they often wear the number 10 jersey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midfielder#Advanced_playmaker

Last season were thinking of the likes of Pritchard (now Norwich), Judge (Brentford). Now maybe Johansen (Fulham), Will Hughes (Derby).

Or we could play 4-2-3-1 with three playmakers.

 

[severnside gull]

Would cost mega bucks to prize him away from Wednesday.

Perhaps less after tonight

 

[rocker959]

Bony more likely to head back to Swansea I'd have thought. Also seems to blow a bit hot & cold, and- coming from City- would be on MASSIVE wages. I don't really want mercenaries. I'd rather take a chance on somebody younger, maybe with a bit of something to prove (e.g. Abraham) than end up paying some prima donna, Johnny Big Balls character £90k a week, à la Palace & Bournemouth (for example).

Agreed . We do not want any mercenaries thank you very much .

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

After last night, I guess Forestieri might get linked to a club like us, apparently looking for a No 10.. Love him as a player when he is on it, but from afar, his attitude looks dodgy. At least with us, he wouldn't need to worry about taking penalties..

 

[Bring back Bryan wade!!]

2016/17 Championship season stats for potential 'number 10's';

Tom Cairney - 13 goals, 10 assists
Fernando Forestieri - 12 goals, 5 assists
Tom Ince - 14 goals, 6 assists
Lasse Vibe - 15 goals, 7 assists
Jota - 12 goals, 5 assists
Stefan Johansen - 11 goals, 8 assists

 

[tonyt]

Is it the same as five number 2's?

 

[Bring back Bryan wade!!]

Out of those I think Stefan Johansen would be a decent signing. Versatile player who can slot into a central midfield position or in a slightly more advanced role.

If we are feeling really ambitious maybe a £25m raid on Fulham for him AND Cairney...

 

[Beanstalk]

Hughes signed a big new contract in January so would expect Derby to refuse anything less than £25m,

Think that Cairney will replace Kayal as a Stephens' CM partner if we can land him,

Wouldn't be surprised if Hughton/Winstanley goes for someone people wouldn't expect us to land, Lamela on the cheap from Spuds and Ødegaard on loan from Madrid, neither would be on astronomical wages, would allow space to spend on a striker...

 

[Biscuit]

This is a rather self indulgent post so apologies in advance..

Like most on here I'm fascinated by the rumours of potential signings. I enjoy mulling over where we need to add a bit of quality, who may be too old, who may not be quite up to standard etc and I agree with the general consensus that we'll need to strengthen if we're to stay up next season. That's true of almost every team that gets promoted to the Premier League.

I'd very much like to see us take a piecemeal approach, adding a little here and a little there, while maintaining the spine of the team and hopefully keeping the excellent team spirit we're currently enjoying. I think if you make too many changes you end up with players that need to gel, and that takes time. In the Premier League you don't have time. You need to hit the ground running.

So often clubs have made wholesale changes, bringing in excellent (and expensive!) players and have been relegated. Those clubs are then playing in the Championship with very expensive players which we all know is no guarantee of success. Adding a little here and there should mean we keep our momentum ticking over. Of course it also means we'll need our fair share of luck so that we don't get an injury crisis in a specific area. If we do end up being relegated, at least we're not saddled with too many expensive egos and we can make a fist of it in the resulting Championship campaign.

So with this, rather loose, logic in mind here's what I'd like to see:

• A fast striker with great movement: In the Baldock role, to play off Hemed/Murray. Almost certainly we'd need to go for a non-domestic striker because the fees involved for those that even have the potential to play PL football are ridiculous.
• A defensive midfielder: Someone with PL experience is essential. I've seen Lucas Leiva mentioned. He'd be absolutely amazing for us. He plays in a 4-4-2, has got loads of PL experience and his presence would allow Stephens to push forward. If he wasn't available then Stephens could take the DM role and Kayal could be our attack minded central midfielder.
• A right back: Bruno is immense, and I'm expecting him to start next season. That said he's getting on a bit and we can't expect him to play every week - at nearly 37 he's an injury risk. I think Rosenior will start on the left and we have an able replacement in Bong but RB is trickier. Bringing in a RB with PL experience is a must. We could do a lot worse than Allan Nyom, who's made over 60 PL appearances for Watford and WBA. I'd bloody love Glen Johnson but he's out of our league. With Sunderland relegated I wouldn't mind going in for Billy Jones. Who actually looked fairly reasonable in an otherwise woeful Sunderland back five.
• A goalkeeper: Presuming Stockdale is off, we need a new 'keeper. A keeper inspires a strong defence so despite there being many capable and cheaper options abroad - again I'd like to go for someone that's done the business domestically. Keiren Westwood would be an ideal signing.

In short, please God no Toure/Terry. We need people that'll graft and not bring a media circus with them. That'd be our undoing.

 

[perseus]

This is a rather self indulgent post so apologies in advance..

Like most on here I'm fascinated by the rumours of potential signings. I enjoy mulling over where we need to add a bit of quality, who may be too old, who may not be quite up to standard etc and I agree with the general consensus that we'll need to strengthen if we're to stay up next season. That's true of almost every team that gets promoted to the Premier League.

I'd very much like to see us take a piecemeal approach, adding a little here and a little there, while maintaining the spine of the team and hopefully keeping the excellent team spirit we're currently enjoying. I think if you make too many changes you end up with players that need to gel, and that takes time. In the Premier League you don't have time. You need to hit the ground running.

So often clubs have made wholesale changes, bringing in excellent (and expensive!) players and have been relegated. Those clubs are then playing in the Championship with very expensive players which we all know is no guarantee of success. Adding a little here and there should mean we keep our momentum ticking over. Of course it also means we'll need our fair share of luck so that we don't get an injury crisis in a specific area. If we do end up being relegated, at least we're not saddled with too many expensive egos and we can make a fist of it in the resulting Championship campaign.

So with this, rather loose, logic in mind here's what I'd like to see:

• A fast striker with great movement: In the Baldock role, to play off Hemed/Murray. Almost certainly we'd need to go for a non-domestic striker because the fees involved for those that even have the potential to play PL football are ridiculous.
• A defensive midfielder: Someone with PL experience is essential. I've seen Lucas Leiva mentioned. He'd be absolutely amazing for us. He plays in a 4-4-2, has got loads of PL experience and his presence would allow Stephens to push forward. If he wasn't available then Stephens could take the DM role and Kayal could be our attack minded central midfielder.
• A right back: Bruno is immense, and I'm expecting him to start next season. That said he's getting on a bit and we can't expect him to play every week - at nearly 37 he's an injury risk. I think Rosenior will start on the left and we have an able replacement in Bong but RB is trickier. Bringing in a RB with PL experience is a must. We could do a lot worse than Allan Nyom, who's made over 60 PL appearances for Watford and WBA. I'd bloody love Glen Johnson but he's out of our league. With Sunderland relegated I wouldn't mind going in for Billy Jones. Who actually looked fairly reasonable in an otherwise woeful Sunderland back five.
• A goalkeeper: Presuming Stockdale is off, we need a new 'keeper. A keeper inspires a strong defence so despite there being many capable and cheaper options abroad - again I'd like to go for someone that's done the business domestically. Keiren Westwood would be an ideal signing.

In short, please God no Toure/Terry. We need people that'll graft and not bring a media circus with them. That'd be our undoing.

We actually need to sign two goalkeepers and two left backs (maybe the same ones), and a midfielder just to be in the same position.

Arguable a number 10 was missing last season just gone as well.

We could us a speed merchant (a quick forward) to force the opposition to at least think about playing a bit deeper. number 8

I thought Dale Stephens could play a bit further forward and that Norwood could play deeper and ideally find our players with short passes and occasionally the longer ball.

PS: I am not a fan of Will Hughes. Marshall would be my keeper choice, as well as Stockdale.

 

[Thimble Keegan]

Hughes signed a big new contract in January so would expect Derby to refuse anything less than £25m,

Think that Cairney will replace Kayal as a Stephens' CM partner if we can land him,

Wouldn't be surprised if Hughton/Winstanley goes for someone people wouldn't expect us to land, Lamela on the cheap from Spuds and Ødegaard on loan from Madrid, neither would be on astronomical wages, would allow space to spend on a striker...

That big new contract would no doubt have a release trigger, which will be nowhere near £25m. I expect it to be between £10m - £15m max.

I agree about Cairney, he would be ideal to get in but he does seem to be the most talked about player in the Championship so will have plenty of suitors...Plus Fulham may well try and emulate us in trying to keep a good squad together and resist all bids. But after Fulham coming on strong with Dunk last season it would be amusing for us to start bullying them in trying to nab their best players.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Westminster BHA