on May 26, 2025, 10:52 am, in reply to "Last time we scored 60+ goals was 2016-17. That’s what you need for Top 10 finish."
Previous Message
We’re not making such a huge jump in one Summer adding approx 50% on top of what we already score.
Give me lower bottom half now and a season of settling in at BMD. Previous Message
We’re a far better side than that already - and that’s before we improve the squad, this summer.
Plus, ‘42 goals this season’ doesn’t tell the full story, as we had 15 in 19 under Dyche vs 27 in 19 under Moyes. It’s too simplistic, of course, to say Moyes will continue to run at 1.5 a game but it’s equally false to look at 42 goals across the season as being reflective of what we are.
Some of us long felt that this was not a great team - but that it was FAR better than Dyche was running it. That turned out to be true. I’m confident that Moyes will continue to improve it, simply because he’s proven to be a far better manager throughout their respective careers.
Top ten, with some squad maintenance this summer, is quite realistic. I expect we’ll be anywhere from 8th to 14th but I wouldn’t sneer at the upper end of that range.
Previous Message
You are looking at almost 60 goals now to finish Top 10.
We’ve just scored 42. 4th lowest scorers other than the 3 relegated sides.
Wake up until you see proven goalscorers and creators walking through the doors at BMD. Previous Message
- Backup keeper needed, will be a Fabianksi type
- Left back (Myko’s been better the last few games but doesn’t inspire me. Improve if we can, need backup if not)
- Right back (either with potential or at end of career - JOB to remain first choice there)
- Keane new contract
- Gueye new deal
- Central midfield competition for Garner
- Alcaraz made permanent; he’s the Doucoure replacement
- Armstrong is the Alcaraz replacement
- Two loans who can play in attacking wide positions
- DCL new contract. Him, Beto, Chermiti = enough (unless we can convince Delap, but we’re not spending money here unless we get an unexpected option)
That’s ~five permanent signings, one of which will be a freebie keeper like Fabianski / one of which is Alcaraz, who we’ve already got. Couple of loans to fill out the wide attacking positions. It’s not THAT crazy / disruptive. And, based on the last 19 games, should be good for no worse than 10th.
Pickford
O’Brien - Tarkowski - Branthwaite - new LB
Gueye - Garner
O’Neil - Alcaraz - Ndiaye
Beto
New GK
New RB
Myko
Keane
New centre mid
Armstrong
New wide
New wide
Calvert-Lewin Previous Message
A few thoughts trying to second guess our likely moves/priorities based on absolutely no inside knowledge whatsoever....
We've had backup at keeper from a combo of 'experienced' (i.e. old/declining) player plus unproven young player for a few seasons. I'd guess Fabianski or similar comes in with one of the youth team stepping up next year.
Fullback should be our priority I think - most potential to improve and not the most expensive area to recruit to. Have no ideas where we'd look for this though.
Centre half we're probably covered if Keane re-signs. Maybe add another prospect if budget allows. Would love us to get a really good Keane replacement but doubt we'll be able to do that in this window.
Midfield - I'm hopeful we'll make Alcaraz permanent. Then we need a replacement for Doucoure, at least one wide player who is comfortable on the right side, and ideally some younger players in for depth/long term planning - Gueye won't be here forever. I think Moyes may be looking to get one of his old favourites in here cheap in addition to someone for first choice....we'll see.
Up front - I expect DCL to re-sign due to lack of options and suspect it'll cost less than it would have a year ago. The second half of this season has shown we can cope if we don't recruit here, even if that would be a disappointment. I half expect this though, because money spent on strikers gets less bang for buck in terms of how it improves a team unless you're shopping in the £100m+ bracket. We aren't. Moyes has always tended towards building from the back in terms of squad building and he won't bring someone in unless it improves us, and I'm not sure we'll be able to spend what's needed to do that given what we need elsewhere. I'd love us to sign a 20 goal a season striker, but in all honesty I won't be panicking if we go with what we've got up front as long as the other business looks decent. Remember - Moyes got us to 4th with Marcus Bent last time around; we already have better options than that. Average strikers look good with good service and a good striker is wasted in a team that doesn't create. Moyes knows all this and I think no new striker is more likely than people think.
Looking at how we played the market under Moyes last time around, I also think we'll spend any money we have to get the players Moyes wants, and leave little to none to build depth. We may try and do something in the loan market on that front but that's always been hit and miss. I suspect we'll all be wishing we had greater squad depth in August (but when has that ever been any different?).
It'll be interesting anyway, and I look forward to being largely proved wrong with most of these guesses!
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