I'd sack myself!

More seriously:

Gone:

Elliot. Never seen a supposedly top player caught out of position as often as he was.
Gibb. No explanation necessary.
Robson. Been waitin too long for him to improve.
Boland. Legs have gone I'm afraid.
Budz. Not on this seasons form.
Porter. Useless

Assuming the rest will stay:

Porter, Monkhouse and Brown priorities.

In.
A good central midfielder, no nonsense stuff.
A left back. (sorry Ritchie)
A GOALKEEPER please!

And I would play them in the right positions!

Can't argue with that, except I'd call it a day with Foley too. I suspect Mr Wilson may see things somewhat differently.

Turnbull too, he's been here too long and hasn't made the progress required, not saying he's a bad player, Scotty ruined him by throwing him in at the deep end the relegation season.

Personally, I would have a clear out like Orient did last summer. The only players I would defo keep are Brown, Monky, Lidds, Porter, Clark and Collins.

Antwi will be gone and I wouldn't even contemplate keeping Budtz, Allison, Foley, Robson, Elliott and Boland.

Undecided about Turnbull. Not sure about the other young-uns in the ressies either, I'll leave that to Butterworth.

We will need 2 new full backs, cos, being Wilson, I'm never gonna be happy about McCunnie playing right back (god knows why). A creative midfield player and a right winger would be nice, and a decent keeper wouldn't go a miss.

I'd lose Budtz, Elliott, Foley, Gibb and Boland.

I thought that Matty Robson did quite well on Saturday and I'd give him and Stephen Turnbull (he's still only 21!) a few games between now and the end of the season to see if they are worth keeping on for next year.

We could do with a proper left back and we wouldn't be far off a good squad IF the manager kept the rest of the squad AND played them in their best positiions.

Who would argue with this as a team for next season...

GK Lee-Barrett
RB McCunnie
LB NEW SIGNING
CB Collins
CB Clark
RM Sweeney
LM Monkhouse
CM Liddle
CM Humphreys (or maybe Turnbull, see above)
CF Porter
CF Brown

Gibb's already gone hasn't he?

I thought that he was just away on loan.

If so I'm really hoping that Wilson doesn't do a Bullock with him (or should that be a bollock) and give him a new contract with no intention of playing him!

Budtz on this season dispalys.....OUT
Barrett would keep on as number 2 goalkeeper

Sign experienced lower league Keeper or try and bring one in all season on loan.....Ross Turnbull from Middlesbrough possibly, though paper talk says Man U willing to loan Kuszcak out ( not much chance there though )

McCunnie Nelson Clarke Collins Humpries IN

Elliott OUT just cant see anything in him.
Antwi returned to Liverpool.

Boland sorry agree with another post legs gone so OUT (Clark in holding midfield position could be a good call)

Liddle Monkhouse Brown Sweeney IN

Porter Barker Mackay IN ( though Barker kept as back up brought off bench or if played from start given hour or so depending on how game going not played for as long or as often as this season.

Foley OUT Sorry to lightweight and to be honest simply not good enough for the division.

Robson undecided with him at times can deliver a really good ball in to the box and takes on defenders but some times such an enigma.

Players I would bring in, and being specific rather than stating positions.

Turnbull ( GK) from Middlesbrough
Bishop (Forward) from Bury (Porter may leave)

Now going more to position than individuals

Left back for competition to Humpries and cover

Some may say a Right Back for cover to McCunnie

It's a short shopping list for me but with players currently in squad and played in their best positions I dont think we to far away from challenging for the play off's next season. But Im an optimist.

I fully concur with that statement.

I cant believe someone suggests keeping Barret as 1st choice keeper.

Release:

Robson
Foley
Elliott
Budtz
Gibb

Oh and make sure Benitez knows we dont want Antwi again!

Id sign:

Keeper
Full back, preferably one who could play left or right back as cover.
Attacking Central Midfielder with pace
Right winger (assuming Brown is now playing upfront?)
Striker.

Id like to see next season

New keeper
Mccunnie Collins Clark Humps
New winger Liddle New midfielder Monky
Porter Brown

Bench:
Barrett
Nelson
Striker
Barker
Full back

I can't believe that somebody wants to have Humphreys as first choice left back!

Seriously though, I reckon Lee-Barrett has shown potential in these last few games and with a bit more experience could turn into a very good goalkeeper at our level.

If I was the Manager the first thing I would do was decide on the way we are going to play. As Swansea have proven the way to get out of this division is to play football - on the deck, quick passing, lots of movement and pace. We are already capable of doing this to a large degree and we were equal to the Swans for most of the game on Saturday.

Therefore we need the players to do it - we need pacy forwards and midfielders and all players must be able to pass the ball, even it tight situations.

OUT;
Budtz (too unreliable)
Gibb (too slow)
Elliott (too slow)
Foley (has pace but bad first touch)
Antwi (good athlete but not a footballer)
Barker (too slow)
Boland (good passer but may be a little too old now)

Retain the rest and bring in an accomplished first choice keeper, two full backs with pace, an attacking midfielder and a right midfielder. If Porter leaves bring in similar type player.

I would like to see a new keeper.
RB McCunnie is the best right back we've got but we could do better.
LB Humps is the best LB etc etc as above.
Another Boland type only younger.
RM with speed.
Another striker.

Can't really say about retention as I don't know which contracts are up but without those restrictions here goes.

Keep
Barratt..................back up.
McCunnie
Nelson
Clark
Collins
Liddle
Humphreys
Monkhouse
Sweeney
Mackay
Porter
Brown

Release

Budtz..............not good enough
Elliot................past it
Boland.................past it
Barker................past it
Foley..................not good enough
Gibb....................not good enough
Robson.................not good enough
Antwi....................Liverpool need him.

Current squad youngsters I would keep.

Rae, Haigh, Young, Rowell, Turnbull.
I've not seen Allison much so he's a 'don't know.

I would line up as follows.

New Goalie
New RB Collins Clark NewLB
New RM Liddle New CM Monkhouse
Porter Brown ( depending on who the new striker was)

With Barrett McCunnie Sweeney Nelson Humphreys Turnbull Mackay available as cover/bench I think that squad would have enough power and versatility to look after injuries and suspensions. In there are people who can cover as defenders, in midfield and attack.

The big questions are who will be the manager, what is his budget and are we intending to get rid before contracts are up.

It's a good question, Chip.

I'm for the clear out too.

GK - ALB ok as cover but not first choice unless he improves considerably.
Budtz - offski

Defence:

Keep: Collins/Clark/Nelson
Full backs - we do not have anyone of a good enough standard which is why we shipped goals all season.
McCunnie & Humphreys - ok as cover but not first choice.

Midfield

Liddle, Sweeney, Monkhouse keep - lose the rest

Up front: Keep Porter, Brown & MacKay.


Too many passengers at the moment, Wilson should be just as ruthless as he was with Eifion and if that means making contracted players available on free transfers then so be it.

But that's not really much more of a clear out than what I suggested when I said that we only maybe need one or two players is it?

Which positions apart from full back would you want to bring in new players?

I wouldn't argue with bringing in a right back aswell as a left back but I really don't think that we need to sign loads of new faces if we keep the players that you and I are both suggesting.

Apart from penalties, has ALB made a save yet? I'm being serious here. I can't think of any! Everything just seems to go in.

I like ALB but wouldn't want him as our first choice if we're serious about pushing for the play-offs. He'd be a more than adequate number two though.

If he's as bad as you are suggesting, what's the point of keeping him as number two.
If the number one keeper get's injured, we would be in a dodgy position.

Also most of the other posts seem to sugeest we've got the nucleus of a squad which should be
pushing for one of the top spots, if that is the case, why aren't we ?
Could it be because not enough of that nucleus have been selected this season

I didn't mean to suggest he is a bad keeper, I wouldn't particularly put him at fault for any of our recent goals conceded though his judgement to run 25 yards off his line on Saturday probably wasn't the best. He'd be a fine number two.

Im no Humphreys fan but he is playing well there with onky infront of him.

Barrett showing potential? At fault for another 2 goals on Saturday and never saved a shot. He is doing well.

I'd keep all but Budzt, Elliott, Gibb, Boland and Foley.

I'd be looking for a left back, a defensive ball winning midfielder and a right winger and thinking about a 4-1-4-1 formation all pre-season.

Then the goalkeeper wouldn't matter.

My thoughts exactly. A right winger is important because James Brown needs to be playing up front. Another goalkeeper would be nice too.

Personally I think that Sweeney has been excellent when played right midfield and would be happy to see him play every game of next season there.

The fact is that we have not been short of goals this season, trouble is that its the case at both ends. We do not possess a decent full back. We've got a couple of players who can bluff it against poor teams but put any sort of decent winger up against them and we ship goals. We've got three good centre backs but no full backs. Get the defence solid and we'll do ok.

Yep.


And maybe teach some bugger else how to take penalties...