Next Season - What do we do?

[Hamilton]

We need to learn to "do a job". Reading "did a job" on us.

We've done brilliantly this season considering our squad. I'm delighted. That said, we've not risen to the big occasions. We've been green. We need some hardened players.

 

[grummitts gloves]

- Completely agree + we have to be more offensive generally. We've had the fewest attempts on goal of any team in the Championship this season and away from home there seems to be no desire to go forward. We have to be able to mix up our sytle of play as well - the reason Southampton have done so well is that they can pass it, but when they need to mix it up and go long they can play that way as well. Our slow passing style is ok at home, but not away. Of the players to come in I'd like to see more experience like Reading have with Roberts and Blackpool have with Phillips. They may not be the best but they are very effective especially at this level.

I believe Gus wanted both Roberts & Phillips, so I think he realises what type of players we need next season. Despite his bizarre team selections (IMO) I still trust him to find the right players for next season.

 

[SirElliotBennett]

definitely need to keep vicente

a good striker

and a good keeper

imo thats all we need

Think this is mainly all we need. Also signing Mattock and a couple of back up players.

 

[mikeyross]

striker, keeper, if we have good wingers f***ing PLAY THEM

 

[sir albion]

definitely need to keep vicente

a good striker

and a good keeper

imo thats all we need

We need to ship out a fair few i can assure you,these are the ones who are not good enough...
navarro
dicker
calderon
painter
Thats the obvious ones that are out of their depth

 

[kevtherev]

Gus has said a thousand times, we play one way and only one way. Bit like showing your hand to your opponent in a game of poker. Unless he changes his tactics we will be nowhere near the top six next season.....For the record, i'm 100% convinced Poyet will not be here anyway.

 

[MrShaun15]

i disagree with calderon and navarro though i think they have something to offer

 

[SeafordBHA]

Only thing from todays game is possibly a defensive coach, Tano was more of an attacking wing back and Charlie was a lower league defensive mid. Someone who knows what they're doing in higher level defending (Contacts from Spurs/Chelsea). Painter's defending for example was just atrocious.

Think Gus has to look at his game strategy, our passing game is rarely going to work against teams who have better players than us in all/most departments. We're hardly ever going to play Stoke, Liverpool and West Ham off the pitch when they've got so much more quality than us. He needs a better strategy at least away from home where we're clearly not good enough to compete with these, and others as our winless away run continues.

Need to clear out the players that arent good enough for playoffs at least. On today's evidence at least get rid of Painter, Brez and Dicker, also Ankergren, Vincelot, Harley etc.

Feel the likes of Navarro, Calderon and Mackail Smith can stay as backup but shouldn't be first choice at this level. Barnes and Bridcutt are young and can stay and improve, if they don't we need to bring better players in as they wont be good enough when we challenge for promotion.


Would rather Gus writes off our playoff chances this season and tests others for next season. Bring Dunk back in maybe give Hall a game at RB. Also JFC should get a few games, did nothing wrong in his spell in January, completely turned our form around.

Had a fantastic and unforgettable first season in the Championship, we've come a long way and can't be expecting to win every game, back in November we would of taken mid table! Could never have imagined this a few years ago, so lets just enjoy the last few games and prepare for a stronger promotion challenge next season.

 

[nevergoagain]

3 games now to play Hall, Toby & JFC some more. If they are ever going to break through then this is the time to do it, no pressure on them. Zero point in playing the loanees unless we are 100% going to go for them in the summer. Gonzalez surely to be given a go and would like us to make early decisions on who is going to stay or go.

 

[Max Paper]

I'm afraid I agree with perhaps moving on several players, notably Dicker, Navs, Painter, Casper, Brezovan, Sparrow, Vincelot and Harley. I don't think Vokes is the answer, nor Reyes and if Cardiff come back in for Noone we should take what they offered in January. I realise that is a fair chunk of our squad but we have some young players as mentioned who could fill some of those positions, Toby and JFC scream out, and we need to buy 4 or 5 CHAMPIONSHIP standard players including a new GK, Mattock or a decent, versatile full back with two good feet, A POWERFUL, athletic midfielder and a striker or two.

Secondly, I think Gus needs to think about his tactics. He really does. I love the guy, I'm grateful for everything he has done and want him here next season but he has to have a rethink and focus more on the positive side of the game.

 

[Working class pride]

Buy forwards that can score goals, and full backs that don't get caught in possession. Also buy a keeper. Other than that, the team is in good shape and we play the right way.

 

[durrington gull]

Buy Mattock/another LB, buy 2 more central midfielders a keeper and a striker. Get Dicker and Painter as far away from Brighton as possible. Then we will be strong

Spot on - why he plays bloody Painter & Dicker is beyond me!. Need a new CF and move CMS on - cut our losses i'm afraid

 

[Max Paper]

Oh and keep Vicente and buy Assulin (I think he is going to be a tremendous player)

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Take a leaf out of other Championship clubs gamebook , bring in agile brick shithouses for the defence , experienced goalie with a decent back up as a reserve. 2 proven strikers at Championship/ex Premier League level and a proper Midfield General.

 

[Max Paper]

I'd like to see a 4-1-3-2 formation, something along the lines of

------------new gk------------
new rb----Greer---El Abd/Dunk----Mattock
-------------Bridcutt---------------
Buckley------Vicente--------Lua Lua
---------CMS--------new CF--------


Would that leave us too light in midfield? would be exciting though

Subs we could have

New CM
New versatile all rounder type defender
Assulin
Brez
Barnes/New CF

with JFC, Toby and one or two others knocking on the door

We have far too many midfielders at our club

 

[pork pie]

We need to make wholesale changes to the Squad of players that we actually own. Clearly they are not good enough to get us promotion - or even a top-half League position on their own. Our defense needs major work, to provide a platform to attack from.

 

[Gordon the Gopher]

Watched the whole game from the comfort of the Blue Lagoon. For me we simply have too many lightweight similar type players. A team in the Championship can carry some but not as many as us. All these players were out muscled by them today and can expect the same next season: El Add (such a shame he is not a little taller) Painter Bridcutt Dicker Assulin Navarro Vicente (His skill level makes up for it) Barnes Noone. Not saying get rid of them all but don't play them altogether and get some hard big bastards to play alongside them!!

 

[GT49er]

Carry on same as this season - we're building, so keep doing it. Yes, that will involve bringing in two or three new players - and they've got to be better players than the ones we've got. GK and CM are the priorities for me, but no need to panic or make wholesale changes.

 

[pork pie]

Carry on same as this season - we're building, so keep doing it. Yes, that will involve bringing in two or three new players - and they've got to be better players than the ones we've got. GK and CM are the priorities for me, but no need to panic or make wholesale changes.

Two or three? Please tell me you are joking? We need to play two on-loan full backs to even start to compete. How about a keeper, Two new first-choice full backs, a central midfielder, two strikers, quality Center-half (to replace ElAbd who is too small, to say the least?

 

[perseus]

It seems that you can try and buy you way out of the Championship and have a 50% chance of success or build a team over several years with younger players.

I reckon the gambler would buy the spine of the team: keeper, central defender, central midfield and striker of Premier quality and then only when you get promoted buy the extra players (like wingers and left backs).

I don't think Brezovan is that bad (just that the top Championship teams all have better keepers), Greer is one of our better players but it is the single most important position, central midfield is crucial, and all the top Championship sides have a strike rate success ratio better than the Albion. I think the squad needs to be 25 strong, which means if we get better players in, some will have to depart.

Our main advantage is we have a squad of younger players that will get better. Our passing style does require less a spine of a side than overall good quality.

I don't want to go back to playing the percentage game all the time (even though it is effective). I would be disappointed if we can't keep Vicente but at his stage of his career, nobody could blame him if he got a chance with a top seven Premier side (depending how often he wants to play for the first team?).