Out of our squad...

[Deleted]

*When* we go up, who do you think we'll keep, get rid of and who will actually keep their place?

I reckon we are halfway there to avoid relegation.

Nash
Shawcross
Riggott
(maybe cort)

Lawrence
pearson
whelan

ameobi
fuller

Remember form is temporary, class isn't and that side shows quite a bit of class.

[The Toxic Avenger]

Lawrence and Fuller, Ameobi if he stays, Simmo maybe.

No guarantees about any of the others.

[nathan]

There's no guarantees about Fuller, RVD.

[Deleted]

I agree, no guarantees about anybody there, but I am going with who I think would make our squad next season.

[**** Pulling Himself Off]

Ameobi?

In the Prem?

Are you sure?

He's never cut it before, so why at 26?

[Deleted]

kindersurprise said:

Ameobi?

In the Prem?

Are you sure?

He's never cut it before, so why at 26?

Let me have my bastard positive post for once eh?

[The Toxic Avenger]

You're right about Fuller Nath. Forgot about his brief Pompey spell.

[FullerMagic]

I think the Fuller of today is a differenmt animal to the injury-riddled, self-doubting player Pompey had. He wouldn't be a star at Prem level, but he'd be more than worth a place in a squad like ours IMO.


I was actually pondering this yesterday (not that I'm counting any chickens!)

Fuller, Ameobi, Lawrence, Pearson, Shawcross DEFINITES

Nash, Riggott PROBABLE?

Griffin, Cort, Whelan, Diao, Simo POSSIBLE?

The Rest = probably not?

The likes of Whelan, Cort, Griffin and Diao have onlt recently been signed on long-term, lucrative deals so it'd be interesting to see who'd be jettisoned quickly if we went up?

[jay1610]

Ameobi scored quite a few at Newcastle at a time when they were pushing for Europe and he is something like their ?2nd? highest all time scorer in European competitions. So I think if fit he would be up to making our side.

[nathan]

FM,

There is questions marks over 95% of them for me.

Lawrence and Riggott are the two that stand out to me as two players we can assume with 'ack it.

[apb1]

No possible for Delap?

We'll need his long throws

Knocking on a bit but a good squad player for another season I think - he's played ok lately

[Homzy]

Cort certainly wouldn't be good enough! And I'm beginning to think that Fuller wouldn't be either, certainly not as a first choice anyway.

Lawrence, Riggott and Ameobi are the only three out of the current squad that I feel you could say 100% would be alright in the Prem.

Shawcross, Whelan, Pearson and Diao might be but the first two are untested, Pearson has only played in a poor Prem side and Diao would need a return to last season's form.

[lordb]

Fuller would be a great sub,impact player in the prem.

as our main threat then we could struggle goals wise.

otehrwise Shawcross is only goung to get better,Lawrence did OK in a terrible Sunderland side & has improved since then.

someone else may surprise

after that of our permanent players (i.e. not loans) we could really struggle

[Stick It On Cort's Head]

Riggott is the only certainty, along with Shawcross who will definitely BECOME one.

All the rest, who knows??

[FullerMagic]

I couldn't agree more on Cort. I think he'd be a liability in the Premier.

But the practicalities of the situation may mean we're a bit hamstrung.

Given the cash we've only recently invested in a big chunk of the squad and the long-term contracts they've got :

a.) would Pulis be that decisive in getting rid?
b.) wouldn't it be hard shifting them if he wanted to.

For example, aren't Whelan/Griffin/Diao/Cort on approx 10k-a-week and on long-term deals?

If they're a little short of Prem class, it'd be hard to move them on.

I think we'd end up keeping 11-12 of the current team as a nucleus.

[jay1610]

One of Cort's best games was against Newcastle at home I felt, however in the Prem he would be too slow. Some of his blocks and defensive headers are definite class but when the ball drops over him and he has to run and chase he would get caught out.

[Homzy]

I agree FM but I just hope Pulis is ruthless if we go up because we'd undoubtedly come straight back down if we kept faith with Cort and Griffin as half our defence just because they're recent big money signings.

The one thing we've got in our favour is that I can't think of too many of our best 18 or so players (inc. loans) that would need shipping out altogether - I think most of them would be decent squad players at the least.

But we'd need to spend big on two full-backs, a winger, a striker and a keeper and then add experience to the other areas as well - not an easy or cheap task!

I'd like to think we'd go straight in for Fulop and Harewood as they'd be two Prem-quality additions straight away. Ameobi, Harewood, Fuller and one other (maybe Kamara) would be a stronger four to pick from than any other newly-promoted side I can think of.

[Premiership Titanic Captain]

I think it's highly doubtful we would sign Nash permanently. The others I agree with though.

We would basically need a couple of quality wing-backs, a left winger, central midfielder and a striker. I would actually expect us to spend something stupid (in Stoke terms) if we went up, like upwards of £15m.

[basingstokie]

I can't see Pulis getting rid of half the team he's only just signed on LT contracts.

I think he might try and get another striking option, as only Ameobi and Fuller are good enough to cut it.

I think left back (is Pugh a prem option), but generally I think the players we've got should be given a chance - if they were good enough to get us there

[lurcherman]

I think if we went up we would have a good subs bench at the minute. That's not being sarcastic or whatever just reality.
I reckon if Pulis could get a better player for ANY position than we have now, then go for it. It's the only way to improve.
No room for sentiment if we want to survive if we go up....

[Deleted]

Anthony Pulis anyone?

[YarnfieldStokie]

Give Diao a full pre season and he wouldnt look out of place IMHO

[Birchesheadpotter]

GK.
LB. Dicko?
CB. Riggott
CB. Shawcross
RB.
LM. Pearson?
CM. Whelan?
CM.
RM. Lenny
CF. Ameobi
CF.

Subs: Simmo . Fuller . Gally . Diao?

I honeslty think we'd have to fill the gaps around that team with quality players to survive in the prem. If we could get in better players than those with question marks next to their name then great but I have a feeling that they could help a relegation battling team.

I also know theres probably gonna be a lot of confused people at the sight of Dickos name but imo theres more to him as a player than the passionate bruiser people make him out to be, and I have no doubt that hes the best full back at the club at the minute. IMO, like Shawcross, he could grow into a premiership class defender.

I also think that coming off the bench Gally and Fuller can be great impact players, but we'd have to get a Kevin Phillips/Andy Johnson type figure upfront. Someone who can keep us in the prem on their goals alone if it does all go tits up.

[flyonthewall]

The gap between the the prem and this is massive, all of our players would have to step it up a few gears and we wont know who can hack it until until they have had half a dozen games there, we played well against a poor Newcastle team at home, but i dont feel that was a true test, when the players are getting their bodies stretched to thear max, body and mind, week in and week out then we will see. To say the likes of Shola has never cut it in the prem is rediculous, didn't he go through their youth system? He has a fair few games under his belt and survived a few change overs in managers, he will of played with and against some great players and at a massive club like Newcastle where there has been so much cash flowing getting onto the bench would be an achievement never mind anything else. We need to give some of these lads a chance, maybe its our time to be loyal to the players.

[One-Two]

you've all missed out anthony pulis!!!
Wilko and Dicko could develop into really class players they could be good enough in time

EDIT: missed the other Ant Pulis one