WolfLing
Just doesn't shut up
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2016
- Messages
- 15,542
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All the clues are there. The club aren't deliberately choosing to neglect the first team, they are just trying to make decisions that leave us with the best possible first XI, capable of achieving the best possible results and at the same time, developing a number of promising young players for the future.
Part of Sellars interview the other day talked about the makeup of the squad being very important and the aversion to 'stockpiling' players.
“You’re always looking at the makeup of the squad and in recent years we’ve never been a football club that carries lots of players. We believe in giving the first-team the opportunity to play and be competitive, but also leave spaces for academy players to come through as well. It’s important we don’t stockpile and there’s a blockage.”
Centre Mid
Central midfield is often talked about as a position that has been neglected. We have Neves and Moutinho, who are clear first choices under Bruno. Dendoncker is their senior backup and we have Jordao and Cundle waiting in the wings, with just 1 Caraboa Cup sub appearance between the 2 youngsters so far this season. 3 senior players and 2 youth players for 2 positions. What should the club do differently here? Sign a 4th senior central midfield player? One that will hardly play and if they do, will stop the likes of Jordao or Cundle getting any game time?
I think this area of the team will be looked at properly in the summer as Moutiniho is 35 and out of contract and I'm not sure Dendonker is Bruno's type of midfield player. We may lose Neves too if a club bids high enough. The midfield may need completely rebuilding in the summer. But for now, especially with the form of Neves and Moutinho, it's an area of the team that's ticking along nicely.
Centre Back
Central defence is an area where we are very short for the immediate future. Kilman, Coady and Saiss have played every league game, with only Boly and Mosquera the other specialist centre backs with any game time (1 appearance each in the Carabao Cup). So we have a clear first choice back line, which will probably continue for the rest of the season after Saiss returns from Afcon duty. When Boly and Mosquera are back, we have 5 specialist central defenders, plus Sanderson if he stays.
With question marks over Saiss (contract) and Boly (fitness) longer term, a new centre back now, to bed in for next season would be great. But that player would have to be a Botman or Badiashile type that improves the first XI. Otherwise, we are back to stockpiling average players and blocking the opportunities for players like Sanderson and Mosquera. If you're going to be a club that champions youth or signs players like Mosqeura with real promise, you have to back it up, stick to your convictions and play them when they are needed, just as Sanderson will probably be needed this month.
Loans
For once, our loans are working too. Gone of the days of randomly sending players out to any club showing an interest, often where they didn't play. Gibbs-White, Giles, Sanderson and Sarkic have all been performing very well in The Championship, mainly because they have been placed at the right clubs, in the right position. Corbeanu has just been recalled from Sheffield Wednesday and sent our to MK Dons, purely because he was played out of position and they were playing the wrong style of football. That shows real depth of thought and planning (Matt Jackson starting in his role very well).
When everyone is fit, we have a senior squad of 23 players, plus Giles, Sanderson and Cundle. We have enough players when they're all fit, which makes shorter term planning very difficult! If you bring in a player to cover a short term need, they will potentially not play once everyone is fit and/or block a younger player from getting opportunities. Even being part of a first team squad and sitting on the bench can really help a young player's all round development, watching and learning how the professionals operate.
Injuries
The one thing the club can't really plan for is long-term injuries, something we were very lucky with for a couple of seasons, but since Covid, we seem to have been very unlucky with. A balance would be nice.
Fabio was a long term investment. A long-term plan to replace Raul, without having to spend £60m+. He was exposed as too young, not ready and written off by a lot of fans when he had to lead the line far too early in his development because of Raul's injury.
Jota was sold because Neto is potentially better and we were offered a sum of money we couldn't really refuse. In my opinion Jota's sale would have been much less of an issue had Neto not been injured.
Having a squad big enough to cover some injuries is important, but balancing this with not having too many players is a very hard job, especially when so many are out for now, but may be available again very soon.
Improving the first XI
We are now at a level where this is harder than it has ever been before. There are vey few Mendes players left that we could attract, with the players above the level of those already here playing for Man City, Liverpool or other top clubs. The few that are left, we are constantly linked with.
If we sign a central midfielder, they have to be potentially better than Neves of Moutinho, something you don't get without spending £40m on someone like Renato Sanches.
If we sign a centre back, they have to be potentially better than Kilman, Coady or Saiss, again something you probably don't get without spending £30m+ on someone like Botman or Badiashile.
The club have shown if an opportunity arises to improve the first XI, they will take it. Selling Doherty and buying Semedo was one of those instances. Initially, it may have seemed a bad decision, but I think everyone now recognises that Semedo is a better player.
Not only is it now harder than ever to improve our first team, it's harder than ever to do it in January, especially a January where Newcastle are increasing the prices of every available player out there!
Adama
So what of Traore? Is he a guaranteed starter, now and long term? Will he get better or have we seen his best already? Will he get worse as he approaches his late 20's? With everyone fit, which players are first choice? Neto + one other for me. Everyone has different opinions here. Podence, Trincao, Hwang, Traore, Gibbs-White longer term, they could all step up a level, or maybe even get worse! In my opinion, Trincao will be much better than Traore longer term, especially in a ball-playing team and him and Neto will offer very potent support for Raul.
With all these questions already there, that will be why the club are thinking of selling to invest the money elsewhere in the first XI. That's without even considering the fact he is out of contract in 18 months and seemingly won't sign a new deal.
Short-term and longer term
Most of us would swap Traore for Sanches, as it balances the squad more. How many would do the same if it meant selling Traore now, but waiting until the summer to buy Sanches?
Or how many would accept selling Semedo now, because Madrid want him now to replace Trippier, so are willing to pay over the odds? But not replacing Semedo properly until the summer, maybe even going for someone on loan for the rest of the season (Doherty!)? Doc is a backwards step for me and not a long-term solution, but maybe could fill in for the rest of this season if we could bank £30m now and also sweeten our relationship with Athletico Madrid (Felix?!) in the meantime.
The club might have to make those types of short-term decisions this January, to achieve longer-term plans to improve the team this summer. But most will just jump on the lack of planning, Fosun uninterested, Jeff Shi cash-grabbing pile-on if this happens!!
It's a big summer for the club. Bruno's first full off season, a potential change of formation, a large refresh of the midfield needed. Bruno is on board, we are 8th, the loans are starting to work, just have faith that the plans are in place to make us as successful as possible! Everything happens for a reason, especially in the world of football transfers!!!
Part of Sellars interview the other day talked about the makeup of the squad being very important and the aversion to 'stockpiling' players.
“You’re always looking at the makeup of the squad and in recent years we’ve never been a football club that carries lots of players. We believe in giving the first-team the opportunity to play and be competitive, but also leave spaces for academy players to come through as well. It’s important we don’t stockpile and there’s a blockage.”
Centre Mid
Central midfield is often talked about as a position that has been neglected. We have Neves and Moutinho, who are clear first choices under Bruno. Dendoncker is their senior backup and we have Jordao and Cundle waiting in the wings, with just 1 Caraboa Cup sub appearance between the 2 youngsters so far this season. 3 senior players and 2 youth players for 2 positions. What should the club do differently here? Sign a 4th senior central midfield player? One that will hardly play and if they do, will stop the likes of Jordao or Cundle getting any game time?
I think this area of the team will be looked at properly in the summer as Moutiniho is 35 and out of contract and I'm not sure Dendonker is Bruno's type of midfield player. We may lose Neves too if a club bids high enough. The midfield may need completely rebuilding in the summer. But for now, especially with the form of Neves and Moutinho, it's an area of the team that's ticking along nicely.
Centre Back
Central defence is an area where we are very short for the immediate future. Kilman, Coady and Saiss have played every league game, with only Boly and Mosquera the other specialist centre backs with any game time (1 appearance each in the Carabao Cup). So we have a clear first choice back line, which will probably continue for the rest of the season after Saiss returns from Afcon duty. When Boly and Mosquera are back, we have 5 specialist central defenders, plus Sanderson if he stays.
With question marks over Saiss (contract) and Boly (fitness) longer term, a new centre back now, to bed in for next season would be great. But that player would have to be a Botman or Badiashile type that improves the first XI. Otherwise, we are back to stockpiling average players and blocking the opportunities for players like Sanderson and Mosquera. If you're going to be a club that champions youth or signs players like Mosqeura with real promise, you have to back it up, stick to your convictions and play them when they are needed, just as Sanderson will probably be needed this month.
Loans
For once, our loans are working too. Gone of the days of randomly sending players out to any club showing an interest, often where they didn't play. Gibbs-White, Giles, Sanderson and Sarkic have all been performing very well in The Championship, mainly because they have been placed at the right clubs, in the right position. Corbeanu has just been recalled from Sheffield Wednesday and sent our to MK Dons, purely because he was played out of position and they were playing the wrong style of football. That shows real depth of thought and planning (Matt Jackson starting in his role very well).
When everyone is fit, we have a senior squad of 23 players, plus Giles, Sanderson and Cundle. We have enough players when they're all fit, which makes shorter term planning very difficult! If you bring in a player to cover a short term need, they will potentially not play once everyone is fit and/or block a younger player from getting opportunities. Even being part of a first team squad and sitting on the bench can really help a young player's all round development, watching and learning how the professionals operate.
Injuries
The one thing the club can't really plan for is long-term injuries, something we were very lucky with for a couple of seasons, but since Covid, we seem to have been very unlucky with. A balance would be nice.
Fabio was a long term investment. A long-term plan to replace Raul, without having to spend £60m+. He was exposed as too young, not ready and written off by a lot of fans when he had to lead the line far too early in his development because of Raul's injury.
Jota was sold because Neto is potentially better and we were offered a sum of money we couldn't really refuse. In my opinion Jota's sale would have been much less of an issue had Neto not been injured.
Having a squad big enough to cover some injuries is important, but balancing this with not having too many players is a very hard job, especially when so many are out for now, but may be available again very soon.
Improving the first XI
We are now at a level where this is harder than it has ever been before. There are vey few Mendes players left that we could attract, with the players above the level of those already here playing for Man City, Liverpool or other top clubs. The few that are left, we are constantly linked with.
If we sign a central midfielder, they have to be potentially better than Neves of Moutinho, something you don't get without spending £40m on someone like Renato Sanches.
If we sign a centre back, they have to be potentially better than Kilman, Coady or Saiss, again something you probably don't get without spending £30m+ on someone like Botman or Badiashile.
The club have shown if an opportunity arises to improve the first XI, they will take it. Selling Doherty and buying Semedo was one of those instances. Initially, it may have seemed a bad decision, but I think everyone now recognises that Semedo is a better player.
Not only is it now harder than ever to improve our first team, it's harder than ever to do it in January, especially a January where Newcastle are increasing the prices of every available player out there!
Adama
So what of Traore? Is he a guaranteed starter, now and long term? Will he get better or have we seen his best already? Will he get worse as he approaches his late 20's? With everyone fit, which players are first choice? Neto + one other for me. Everyone has different opinions here. Podence, Trincao, Hwang, Traore, Gibbs-White longer term, they could all step up a level, or maybe even get worse! In my opinion, Trincao will be much better than Traore longer term, especially in a ball-playing team and him and Neto will offer very potent support for Raul.
With all these questions already there, that will be why the club are thinking of selling to invest the money elsewhere in the first XI. That's without even considering the fact he is out of contract in 18 months and seemingly won't sign a new deal.
Short-term and longer term
Most of us would swap Traore for Sanches, as it balances the squad more. How many would do the same if it meant selling Traore now, but waiting until the summer to buy Sanches?
Or how many would accept selling Semedo now, because Madrid want him now to replace Trippier, so are willing to pay over the odds? But not replacing Semedo properly until the summer, maybe even going for someone on loan for the rest of the season (Doherty!)? Doc is a backwards step for me and not a long-term solution, but maybe could fill in for the rest of this season if we could bank £30m now and also sweeten our relationship with Athletico Madrid (Felix?!) in the meantime.
The club might have to make those types of short-term decisions this January, to achieve longer-term plans to improve the team this summer. But most will just jump on the lack of planning, Fosun uninterested, Jeff Shi cash-grabbing pile-on if this happens!!
It's a big summer for the club. Bruno's first full off season, a potential change of formation, a large refresh of the midfield needed. Bruno is on board, we are 8th, the loans are starting to work, just have faith that the plans are in place to make us as successful as possible! Everything happens for a reason, especially in the world of football transfers!!!