[Tibby Baggie]

wba1996 made a good post in the West Ham match thread about just how much work needs to be done over the summer, so I thought it'd make for a good new thread to talk about which players should stay and which should go.

As far as the GK positions - as long as Foster and Myhill stay fit I see no reason to change either of them. Lindegaard I'd sell or release.

Next up we've got the defenders...

Jonas Olsson - Release. Backup for injury crisis possibly but nothing more.
James Chester - Keep.
Jonny Evans - Get signed on a longer deal.
Seb Pocognoli -  Release
Christian Gamboa - Release.
Gareth McAuley - Keep, obv the 1 year deal though.
Craig Dawson - Get him signed on a longer deal.

Midfielders

Darren Fletcher- Keep. (Thanks for the reminder Drewks)
Claudio Yacob - Get signed on a longer deal
James Morrison - Hoping for at least a years extension. Keep.
Craig Gardner - Release
Chris Brunt - Keep but only as squad player now.
James McClean - Release (whoever wants him I will drive the toerag there myself)
Alex Pritchard - Waste of a loan
Callum McManaman - Sell if we can. Otherwise keep.
Stephane Sessegnon - Release.
Sandro - Not done enough on loan to get a deal imo.

Forwards

Victor Anichebe - Release. Biscuit man has scored some important goals for us, but sadly he crumbles too often. Obviously not a dunker.
Rickie Lambchop Lambert - Cracking beard, just a shame about the football. Terra, don't let the door hit your arse on the way out Rickie!
Saido Berahino - Sell.
Rondon - Keep. Has scored quite a few despite looking completely unsuited to our style of play. Will be one to watch next season for sure.

Just goes to show how many new players we'll need to bring in next year, and as much as I want to see young promising pacey players... Villa thought that too with all of those young French lads and that didn't work out very well did it?

If we get the mix of proven Prem players and foreign signings just right, I think we've got the makings of an exciting season next year.

[baggietrousers]

Another good post tibby, can't really disagree with it, although doubt I would keep Chester. GK's we are quite strong and happy with foster and myhill,
Keep Dawson, Evans, yacob, Fletcher, Morrison, leko and rondon.
Keep as back ups, mcauley, brunt, and possibly sessegnon and mcmanaman.
Release/sell the rest, and buy at least 1 CB, RB, LB, and 2 pacy attacking wingers/midfielders and forwards.

[drewks]

Good thread Tibby!

Generally agree with what you've put; my thoughts:

DEFENCE
Ollson - also got a years extension hasn't he? Can be very good but best days are gone IMO
Gamboa & Poco - would love to see them both in our team but obviously not rated by TP......RB and especially LB players def needed........
.........as is PACE at the back!!! DESPERATELY! **

MIDFIELD
Mozza - get him signed ASAP - if he isn't hankering after a return to Boro. Where would we get another player of his ability, and at what cost?
Gardner - would keep - can be a very effective player, can also be so frustrating, but always puts a shift in
McClean - still undecided!
Fletcher - (how did you miss HIM out??!) keep....but =
Yacob - (got my helmet on now) don't think we can/SHOULD play Fletch and him together....I'd cash Yacob in (weren't there some rumours about us making some money on selling him to an Italian club?) and keep...
SANDRO - seems to have a better all round game to me, and anyone who's got 17 or so appearances for Brazil can't be THAT bad

FORWARDS
Rondon - keep - on his own!
Big job to do here!

** In my humble opinion,
the lack of pace in our current back line is why we have to play so deep; this gives good technical players the space to control the game against us, which they nearly always do! Let's go to a more pressing, harrying type of game - I think we'd see a completely different TP style of team then, more like when he was at Palace

[BaggieSteve]

It's hard to disagree with the general consensus; we'd all probably make slightly different choices but hard to argue against releasing Lambert, Anichebe, MacLean, McManaman, Gamboa and Pocognolli, although the last three are included with a heavy heart as they've hardly been seen and have not, in my opinion, been given a fair chance by Pulis. Our loans have been a complete waste of time and it's honestly incomprehensible as to why Pulis signed them.

My main request to our manager is that he signs - and then actually selects - some midfield creativity and pace. I'm not, for a minute, suggesting he remodels our playing style on that of Arsensl or Man City (as enjoyable as that would be) but neither does it have to be an approach where the overwhelming philosophy is to stop the opposition playing and then nick something, more often than not from a set piece. I fully agree with the previous comment that Leicester have adopted a "contain and hit on the break" style but they have pace and creativity in abundance, as can be seen by the selection of Vardy and Mahrez in the EPL XI ( I wonder how many Baggies players were considered?). I just think there is an incredible slowness about our play, one that the opposition find easy to contain but neither do we have creative players to fashion an opportunity out of nothing. I think we have some players of genuine ability but none that hurt the opposition.

[Salopbaggie]

Most of us so far seem to generally agree Tibby, with the odd exception:

Keepers is a no-brainer we have two international standard keepers, and I doubt we could get much better

DEFENCE

Jonas Olsson: Keep for the year he will make a good squad back-up and lead in the dressing room.
James Chester: Not really sure so for the moment keep.
Jonny Evans: Would see his contract out at present, but he makes me feel a little nervous when playing  at FB and I think he will always need extra support in that position, limiting the player in front of him.
Seb Pocognoli/Christian Gamboa: Would like to have seen more of them, especially Gamboa but playing farther forward, but as that will not happen under TP cash in and spend the money.
Gareth McAuley: Will probably play more than Olssen.
Craig Dawson: Definite keep, but as a multi role player, I would still like to see a specialised full back.

MIDFIELD

Morrison: Get him signed ASAP - Totally agree
McClean: Keep if we cannot find someone better, he does give his all and certain take his defensive role seriously, which many wingers do not.
Fletcher: Keep
Brunt: I really think we have missed him and I put our drop in form down to his absence, more than the reported reaching 40 points.  I still think he has a year or two in the tank yet. Not so sure he will make it back from this injury though. fingers crossed
Yacob: Personally I would keep as I think he is greatly underrated, I think it is always a mark of when you do his job well you are not noticed.
SANDRO: Not sure as yet, at times you see touches of class, others he looks a liability.  I will have to trust the club on this one, from what I have personally seen I would probably not sign him.
Gardner: As Drewks said
McManaman: Would only keep if we could not get our money back, but if we could then I would let him go.  
Sess: I think I would try and get him to sign new deal at the same wage, if he wants a raise, bye bye, and teach him when to release the ball.
Leko: I think deserves a mention now and a definite keeper, if he does sign the agreed contract.

FORWARDS

I would only keep Rondon of the current crop,  "IF" we are going to play a style of football that suits him better.  You can see game after game, he chases everything and tries hard, but he will never be a prolific goal scorer with our current style of play.

So more speed and youth throughout the squad, especially at the back, we also need some real creativity in midfield.  I think Leko looks promising as a winger and his play through the middle looks pretty good as well, so someone better than McClean for the opposite side, if we have a FB that does not need quite so much protection, otherwise we need a "McClean type" to protect him.

We obviously have to replace our strike force, but hopefully with players who will suit whatever style of play TP intends for next season

[Tibby Baggie]

It's hard to disagree with the general consensus; we'd all probably make slightly different choices but hard to argue against releasing Lambert, Anichebe, MacLean, McManaman, Gamboa and Pocognolli, although the last three are included with a heavy heart as they've hardly been seen and have not, in my opinion, been given a fair chance by Pulis. Our loans have been a complete waste of time and it's honestly incomprehensible as to why Pulis signed them.

My main request to our manager is that he signs - and then actually selects - some midfield creativity and pace. I'm not, for a minute, suggesting he remodels our playing style on that of Arsensl or Man City (as enjoyable as that would be) but neither does it have to be an approach where the overwhelming philosophy is to stop the opposition playing and then nick something, more often than not from a set piece. I fully agree with the previous comment that Leicester have adopted a "contain and hit on the break" style but they have pace and creativity in abundance, as can be seen by the selection of Vardy and Mahrez in the EPL XI ( I wonder how many Baggies players were considered?). I just think there is an incredible slowness about our play, one that the opposition find easy to contain but neither do we have creative players to fashion an opportunity out of nothing. I think we have some players of genuine ability but none that hurt the opposition.

Couldn't agree more. With our pacey and direct players being sold or leaving over the past few season it's exposed what has been our weakness as a slow team for quite a long time, even during our purple patch under Clarke. 

These type of players need to be focused on as a priority in the summer for me. 

We clearly expected more from the likes of McClean & McManaman. One just has pace and nothing more to his game... and the other couldn't do a full 90 minutes or didn't get on the pitch at all. Just makes you wonder what's happening with McManaman behind the scenes really.

[wba_1996]

Pretty much agree with the general consensus here. The worry for me is more about who we will bring in - especially under Pulis. We need to be targeting players well under 30 because the squad age is getting dangerously old, I remember reading that only 8 PL starting XI's this season had an average age of over 30 - and we fielded 7 of them. Also, signing squad-fillers and journeymen on the cheap needs to be avoided at all costs.

I honestly think we could get away with 5-6 signings this summer, providing that they are at a similar age and with a similar quality to Evans and Rondon. However, I expect that in reality we will be looking at 8-10, with over half of them either in the McClean, Gardner and Lambert mould or on loan.

[SpenB]

Here's my tupence's worth:

Keep:
Foster
Myhill
Pocognoli
Dawson
Evans
Chester
McAuley
Fletcher
Yacob
Sessegnon
Gardner
Morrison
Berahino
Rondon

Dont Know:
Brunt
Olsson
Sandro
McClean
McManaman

Go:
Lindegaard
Gamboa
Lambert
Anichebe
Pulis

[drewks]

Jeremy Peace could save himself millions by getting rid of Pulis as I believe the players are already at the club but just aren`t
been used right,

Foster

Dawson  Chester  Evans  Pocognoli

Fletcher  Yacob

Sessegnon  Berahino  Morrison

Rondon.


Myhill

Gamboa  McAuley  Olsson  Brunt

Sandro  Gardner

McManaman  Leko  McClean

Anichebe.


Maybe replace Gamboa and bring in a versatile defender who can play anywhere across the back 4 and get rid of Lambert,
give new contracts to Morrison,Sessegnon,and Anichebe. All this stuff about spending 50M simply doesn't need to happen yet.

What's this - a post from Rainbow having a go at TP?
Now THERE'S a surprise 

[Tibby Baggie]

TP out by the end of the month... 100% itk