Squad depth and potential lineups
- Thread starter Graz
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Brown Nose
Well-Known Member
I suspect that our main problem is an inability to move on players we don't want. It's okay when contracts expire, but our need is to sell players with some value and nobody seems keen.
Ghezzal appears to have some interest from Turkey but it appears that clubs want the player without paying us his value. So there has been a lot of nonsense with him and he's still here. I suspect this one will resolve itself but with us having to suck it up and settle for less than we want.
There was a lot of fuss about Ward but no offers appear incoming. We know Amartey and Benkovic aren't in BRs plans because whenever he had a choice, he didn't select them. Again, I've seen absolutely no interest in either of them.
We have too many central midfielders and Mendy, Choudhury and Praet seem well down the pecking order now. But yet again, nobody wants any of them.
The other one would be Perez. We wouldn't miss him for a moment and he was awful last season but nobody will pay us decent money for him.
At 'get rid' prices, there should be about £60m worth of sales there. There's your fund for a new central defender and right side attacking midfielder. But if we can't sell, we probably can't buy.
Ghezzal appears to have some interest from Turkey but it appears that clubs want the player without paying us his value. So there has been a lot of nonsense with him and he's still here. I suspect this one will resolve itself but with us having to suck it up and settle for less than we want.
There was a lot of fuss about Ward but no offers appear incoming. We know Amartey and Benkovic aren't in BRs plans because whenever he had a choice, he didn't select them. Again, I've seen absolutely no interest in either of them.
We have too many central midfielders and Mendy, Choudhury and Praet seem well down the pecking order now. But yet again, nobody wants any of them.
The other one would be Perez. We wouldn't miss him for a moment and he was awful last season but nobody will pay us decent money for him.
At 'get rid' prices, there should be about £60m worth of sales there. There's your fund for a new central defender and right side attacking midfielder. But if we can't sell, we probably can't buy.
jb5000
Well-Known Member
Amartey played in 17 matches last season. I don't think it's fair to say that he's not in Brendan's plans. We need players who are good enough to do a job when we need it, but who won't make a fuss when not playing regularly - and Amartey is good for that. Same applies to Ward
We needed him against Spurs and BR decided he couldn't do a job.
Maybe BR thought we needed someone more physical against Kane. Amartey might have come on against different opponents.
Graz
Well-Known Member
I was going to say the same.
Rodgers may have just felt that Mendy/Ndidi was a better option than Ndidi/Amartey for that game and how it was going. Doesn't mean he doesn't rate Amartey.
Also, that choice clearly was bad one and didn't work well. So also doesn't mean he'd make the same decision if offered it again.
Not convinced that's the reason. Amartey isn't exactly a weakling is he. He's certainly taller and IMO stronger than Mendy. Mendy is probably more aggressive.
I don't think he is or ever will be good enough if we he has the play on a regular bases.
londonfox
Well-Known Member
He might have. He didn’t come in against Newcastle when Evans was injured in the warmup. But maybe BR thought we needed a right wingback up against Wilson?
popillius
Well-Known Member
Let's stop avoiding the obvious; Amartey isn't, and has never been good enough. The same can be said of Mendy, Praet, Choudhury and Ghezzal. Getting rid of them will be problematic because some of them are on wages that other clubs will not pay, simply because they aren't worth it. Having seen almost nothing of Benkovic in a Leicester shirt, I can't say with any confidence that he isn't good enough but I suspect as much given his limited role.
I think Perez has a role as a half decent back up player. He did have a few good games for us, especially when played in the correct place. He's not a £30m player in any ****ing universe but I think he's worth keeping unless we get a decent offer. He is another, however, who isn't worth the wages we pay and so shifting him isn't going to be an easy job.
I think Perez has a role as a half decent back up player. He did have a few good games for us, especially when played in the correct place. He's not a £30m player in any ****ing universe but I think he's worth keeping unless we get a decent offer. He is another, however, who isn't worth the wages we pay and so shifting him isn't going to be an easy job.
Micky
Well-Known Member
Well it's a good job we didn't pay anything like 30 million.
Matt_B
Well-Known Member
The big problem I have is that your argument for Perez is equally valid for Praet (I have never understood the dislike of him or his ability, he's more than good enough as a back up) and Mendy.
camberwell fox
Well-Known Member
I thought it was 18
Brown Nose
Well-Known Member
We paid his release clause which was £16m. Newcastle then went on a publicity offensive to make themselves look less of a bunch of incompetents and spread the £30m figure.
Feriol
Well-Known Member
With Amartey and Mendy, if they are happy as backup then they stay, we are not going to get better to come in as backup, and we won't get a fee worth mentioning for them either
I would happily keep Preat as backup too but there are rumblings that he isn't happy with his game time. If so he can go.
Choudhury, Benkovic, Ghezzel, and Perez are no use to us. For some bizarre reason Perez is apparently wanted by Everton, and Choudhury still has youth on his side so those 2 might get a respectable fee.
That said, there are rumblings that Brendan has indicated to Benkovic and Ghezzel that they can stay and try and impress him
I would happily keep Preat as backup too but there are rumblings that he isn't happy with his game time. If so he can go.
Choudhury, Benkovic, Ghezzel, and Perez are no use to us. For some bizarre reason Perez is apparently wanted by Everton, and Choudhury still has youth on his side so those 2 might get a respectable fee.
That said, there are rumblings that Brendan has indicated to Benkovic and Ghezzel that they can stay and try and impress him
popillius
Well-Known Member
Except it isn't. Praet has had the very, very rare half of a game here and there where he has looked decent and Mendy has had maybe 2 or 3 games where he looked competent.
Other than that, they have both looked like competition winners. So has Perez at times to be fair but he has offered more than those two.
popillius
Well-Known Member
In which case even better. I don't think that was a terrible buy to be fair.
camberwell fox
Well-Known Member
Agreed. At £30 million, not worth it but at half that, he’s ok. Maybe he’ll come good this season, who knows?
Matt_B
Well-Known Member
Disagree completely but I know you're set on Praet so that's fine.
popillius
Well-Known Member
No more so than others are set on Perez.
Matt_B
Well-Known Member
Indeed. But you weren't arguing against him, so it would seem odd for me to say he also offers something.
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| P | Pld | Pts | |
| 1 | Liverpool | 16 | 39 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 17 | 35 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 17 | 33 |
| 4 | Nottm F | 17 | 31 |
| 5 | Bournemouth | 17 | 28 |
| 6 | Manchester C | 18 | 28 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 17 | 28 |
| 8 | Newcastle | 17 | 26 |
| 9 | Fulham | 17 | 25 |
| 10 | Brighton | 17 | 25 |
| 11 | Tottenham | 17 | 23 |
| 12 | Brentford | 17 | 23 |
| 13 | Manchester U | 17 | 22 |
| 14 | West Ham | 17 | 20 |
| 15 | Everton | 17 | 17 |
| 16 | Palace | 17 | 16 |
| 17 | Leicester | 17 | 14 |
| 18 | Wolves | 17 | 12 |
| 19 | Ipswich | 17 | 12 |
| 20 | Southampton | 17 | 6 |
