Is there a weak position in our team?

[The Beast 9,183]

14 hours ago, bluenoz said:

Do people have a change of heart when it comes to Bassey as a back-up to Barisic? Because I have read that a few times on this thread.

Only a few months ago he was a great prospect.

RM is fickle sometimes. 

Jury's still out imho. He's not as close as being ready to be first pick as say Patterson is on the other flank.

If Borna got a long term injury he'd give me the fear being picked every week.

Tbh we probably need a utility defender to cover both full back positions as well in emergencies.

 

 

 

[GersInCanada 7,775]

If Alfredo does go this summer then we are going to miss him badly.

I know that we trying to bed Itten in but he needs to show marked improvement if he is to be our CF.

Morelos staying could determine whether or not we make the CL group stages. I just hope that no bid meeting our valuation is received.

[The Beast 9,183]

7 minutes ago, GersInCanada said:

If Alfredo does go this summer then we are going to miss him badly.

I know that we trying to bed Itten in but he needs to show marked improvement if he is to be our CF.

Morelos staying could determine whether or not we make the CL group stages. I just hope that no bid meeting our valuation is received.

I like Itten and he's great to have in the squad but I'm not sure he could maintain Alfie's level of contribution game after game.

[writingranger 1,412]

I don't think we have a weak position but we sometimes lack team flexibility for particular challenges. Borna struggled against hibs, but was often unsupported. We play with roving fullbacks which means that the opposition wingers have chances. Our formation also funnels the opposition out wide, which means that most apparent danger will come from the flanks. One of the reasons celtic have been ineffectual despite having so much play is that their width comes from wide players who cut inside. This plays to our strengths. What we need is Arfield to do the job Jack does when necessary and Aribo or kamara to do that on the left. It is teams who have very strong wing play that play best against us.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,429]

I think Itten was probably intended to be Morelos long term replacement but can't see it now, his game time is decreasing instead of getting more minutes heading into next season.

Good option off the bench but has struggled when he's started apart from Poznan.

[McEwan's Lager 30,499]

15 hours ago, Hadron Collider said:

We will find out the weaknesses if we go into the Champions League with the same squad. Seriously need to upgrade. 

I seriously doubt our squad will be stronger next season than it is now. It will more than likely be weaker considering the need to sell a couple of players.

[bluenoz 30,681]

1 minute ago, McEwan's Lager said:

I seriously doubt our squad will be stronger next season than it is now. It will more than likely be weaker considering the need to sell a couple of players.

Gerrard and Beale have both said 55 was only the beginning. I fully expect us to grow from those laurels. 

I believe we will have a stronger team come August and if we can somehow manufacture getting to the group stages then we will strengthen even more.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,429]

Recruitment will be huge this summer.

I expect 2 from Barisic, Morelos and Kamara to leave and if that happens we aren't replacing any of them like for like. I'm confident we will recruit wisely though so not overly worried about the situation. Also the likes of Patterson, Hagi and Wright will be in a position to step up more.

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,751]

18 minutes ago, bluenoz said:

Gerrard and Beale have both said 55 was only the beginning. I fully expect us to grow from those laurels. 

I believe we will have a stronger team come August and if we can somehow manufacture getting to the group stages then we will strengthen even more.

We aren’t going to strengthen without weakening first. 

Players will have to go to balance the books and allow others to come in 

[KeyserSoze 14,521]

2 hours ago, Jeffrey said:

I think Itten was probably intended to be Morelos long term replacement but can't see it now, his game time is decreasing instead of getting more minutes heading into next season.

Good option off the bench but has struggled when he's started apart from Poznan.

I agree. 

Itten was brought in when it looked like Alfie might have been off. Thank fuck it didn’t work out as Itten is not the answer. 
 

[Blue Avenger 22,567]

I think we will be stronger, if only through being winners together. We cannot under estimate the season we just had. We won this by a country mike. It was a collosal effort and still unbeaten.

However some of our better will leave to bring in cash, along with some not so good. 

Gerrard has the taste and he's not the type to be OK with losing. 

Has an eye for a good player and I think he will bring in better for cheaper. Not that we need a massive upgrade. 2 or 3 of the quality needed should suffice. Not forgetting we also have some very decent on the sidelines ready to step up. 

[STEPPS BOY 73,796]

36 minutes ago, DBBTB said:

We aren’t going to strengthen without weakening first. 

Players will have to go to balance the books and allow others to come in 

Depends who we sell. I think it would be daft to sell Kamara this summer as already needing two signings that are starters in there.

I love Barasic but can accept that any decent offer at his age would be tempting.

Any significant offers for Hagi and Aribo we should accept also.

 

 

[McEwan's Lager 30,499]

1 hour ago, bluenoz said:

Gerrard and Beale have both said 55 was only the beginning. I fully expect us to grow from those laurels. 

I believe we will have a stronger team come August and if we can somehow manufacture getting to the group stages then we will strengthen even more.

55 is only the beginning in terms of trophies. We can conceivably kick on and win more things with a weaker squad, as @Rangers_no1 pointed out earlier in the thread in regards to Porto.

It is a stone cold fact we have to sell some of our assets to raise cash to make up the deficit in our accounts. I think even Stewart Robertson has said this publicly.

Besides, the Champions League isn't the be all and end all financially. Depending on results if we were to finish bottom of our group and a few other things not going our way then we could end up making less money than we have earned from the Europa League this season for example. That is a huge risk for us.

If we sell a couple of big players, only a % will be reinvested in signings. They will likely be cheapish players that have potential that we hope we can develop and sell for big fees in the mould of Kamara or Morelos. It would be brilliant if we signed a player for say £1m and they came into the side and played at the level of a Kamara or Morelos does now but it will be unlikely. There is no way we are paying money to strengthen the team on top of the existing squad at all.

 

[bluenoz 30,681]

35 minutes ago, McEwan's Lager said:

55 is only the beginning in terms of trophies. We can conceivably kick on and win more things with a weaker squad, as @Rangers_no1 pointed out earlier in the thread in regards to Porto.

It is a stone cold fact we have to sell some of our assets to raise cash to make up the deficit in our accounts. I think even Stewart Robertson has said this publicly.

Besides, the Champions League isn't the be all and end all financially. Depending on results if we were to finish bottom of our group and a few other things not going our way then we could end up making less money than we have earned from the Europa League this season for example. That is a huge risk for us.

If we sell a couple of big players, only a % will be reinvested in signings. They will likely be cheapish players that have potential that we hope we can develop and sell for big fees in the mould of Kamara or Morelos. It would be brilliant if we signed a player for say £1m and they came into the side and played at the level of a Kamara or Morelos does now but it will be unlikely. There is no way we are paying money to strengthen the team on top of the existing squad at all.

 

I disagree mate. I agree we will sell at least one, maybe two of Morelos, Kamara or Barisic but the vast majority of those huge profits will be heavily invested in ready-made recruitments, not future stars like Bassey, Simpson or Ofoborh.

Qualifying for the group stage is essential to all teams who win their domestic leagues.

It no doubt played a role in the scum's decline.

I'm only reiterating Beale & Wilson's words of where we go from here.

[falkirkNS 6,298]

6 hours ago, STEPPS BOY said:

Depends who we sell. I think it would be daft to sell Kamara this summer as already needing two signings that are starters in there.

I love Barasic but can accept that any decent offer at his age would be tempting.

Any significant offers for Hagi and Aribo we should accept also.

 

 

Barasics left wand foot yes, but I think hes suspect at defending set pieces, often looses his man, he toughened up abit but still not the player will will injure himself for the jersey so to speak and out himself where it hurts. Continental class mixed with hardy scottish is perfecto.

Hagi shows why he's been let go imo from other clubs, still not consistent in a weekly basis, Jan to March was his strongest point for us but then goes missing.

Aribo is a luxury player, who is ok to carry against the bottom 6 in the SPFL, imo lacks the fight/drive and Gerrard is showing him up by continuing to play him the middle 3, I fear for Sunday if hes in there yet again, we will get bullied and pressed.

For an assault on the CL where we are looking for the Europa league fallout after xmas at the very least we desperately need an enforcer.

[Hadron Collider 30,780]

7 hours ago, McEwan's Lager said:

55 is only the beginning in terms of trophies. We can conceivably kick on and win more things with a weaker squad, as @Rangers_no1 pointed out earlier in the thread in regards to Porto.

It is a stone cold fact we have to sell some of our assets to raise cash to make up the deficit in our accounts. I think even Stewart Robertson has said this publicly.

Besides, the Champions League isn't the be all and end all financially. Depending on results if we were to finish bottom of our group and a few other things not going our way then we could end up making less money than we have earned from the Europa League this season for example. That is a huge risk for us.

If we sell a couple of big players, only a % will be reinvested in signings. They will likely be cheapish players that have potential that we hope we can develop and sell for big fees in the mould of Kamara or Morelos. It would be brilliant if we signed a player for say £1m and they came into the side and played at the level of a Kamara or Morelos does now but it will be unlikely. There is no way we are paying money to strengthen the team on top of the existing squad at all.

 

Mate, conceivably kick on with a weaker squad when we’re trying to reach the Champions League? I really don’t get this at all. Got to speculate to accumulate. Can’t be spending too much above our means, but there has to be some balance and keeping a strong team.  No way should we be going in with a weaker team for next season. 

[Hadron Collider 30,780]

13 hours ago, McEwan's Lager said:

I seriously doubt our squad will be stronger next season than it is now. It will more than likely be weaker considering the need to sell a couple of players.

Then we can only wish and hope a weaker squad can get us into the Champions League and win the league?  Ok mate. 

[McEwan's Lager 30,499]

8 hours ago, Hadron Collider said:

Mate, conceivably kick on with a weaker squad when we’re trying to reach the Champions League? I really don’t get this at all. Got to speculate to accumulate. Can’t be spending too much above our means, but there has to be some balance and keeping a strong team.  No way should we be going in with a weaker team for next season. 

We already have majorly speculated to accumulate though - we are already in a position where we are spending the kind of money we can only recoup with qualification for the Champions League with a few wins and either qualify for the last 16 or drop into the Europa and hope we continue to take the whole country pot in television revenue.

We can’t really afford to load too much more on top of our operating costs and our existing transfer obligations with the hope we qualify for the Champions League.

Our business model going forward relies heavily on player trading - it is based on balancing a squad blend where players we have bought at cheaper prices are developed to be sold on. The club has said this time and again.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,429]

To replace Goldson, Barisic, Kamara, Kent, Morelos etc like for like you're looking at spending £15-30m per player.

If we sell players we will be replacing them with cheaper options. If you expect differently you are in for a big shock this summer.

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,751]

9 hours ago, Hadron Collider said:

Mate, conceivably kick on with a weaker squad when we’re trying to reach the Champions League? I really don’t get this at all. Got to speculate to accumulate. Can’t be spending too much above our means, but there has to be some balance and keeping a strong team.  No way should we be going in with a weaker team for next season. 

Talking about “speculating to accumulate” is crazy talk when you consider that we have already done that and we have already posted big losses (with more to come when our next accounts are lost) as a result.

Players need to go to balance the books. We need to accept that, and trust the processes we have in place to ensure we are identifying, or already have identified, suitable replacements before anybody leaves.

[The Blues 375]

If we sell we will be replacing with younger and cheaper but players that can step into first team. Main aim should be to qualify for CL and get the cash after that 3rd place and Europa league would be a good achievement. It’s time to pay back the directors,make a profit  but also spend some money on Ibrox.

[McEwan's Lager 30,499]

1 hour ago, Jeffrey said:

To replace Goldson, Barisic, Kamara, Kent, Morelos etc like for like you're looking at spending £15-30m per player.

If we sell players we will be replacing them with cheaper options. If you expect differently you are in for a big shock this summer.

Even if we ignored the need for cash to make up operating costs, we literally couldn’t afford the wages of a striker we pay £10 to £15m for.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,429]

3 minutes ago, McEwan's Lager said:

Even if we ignored the need for cash to make up operating costs, we literally couldn’t afford the wages of a striker we pay £10 to £15m for.

Yup.

I think the sort of money we paid for Kent is the absolute maximum we will go to. But if you sell Morelos for say £20m and replace him with someone at £7m you should still be bringing in someone capable of getting 25+ goals at this level.

[McEwan's Lager 30,499]

7 hours ago, Hadron Collider said:

Then we can only wish and hope a weaker squad can get us into the Champions League and win the league?  Ok mate. 

As @Rangers_no1 pointed out earlier in the thread, Porto have managed to kick on in the Champions League this season after losing a couple of their better players. Last season they were losing to us in the Europa, this season they were 2 goals away from the Semi Finals in the Champions League.

Granted that we aren't Porto and we don't have the budget they do, but even if we had to sell two of our better players we still have a really good chance of qualifying for the group stages. The teams we face in the quals will all be at a similar level to us.

[McEwan's Lager 30,499]

I think some people are going to be really disappointed this summer.