17 Jun 2017 11:48:04
Kevin Stewart has been interviewed and insisted he is not leaving and will fight to become a regular next season.
Just a thought, but with rumours that Lucas is off for first team football, Clyne rumoured to be out of favour, and Milner leaving City for us with the intention of playing centre mid so probably also wanting to leave now; is there a chance Stewart has been asked to stay as the squad utility player? He can play right back, centre back, left back, holding midfield, box to box midfield, right midfield and left midfield! A player with such versatility who is willing to fight for a place could be invaluable next season.
Lucas and Milner are great because they can cover various positions, but Stewart can literally cover every position alone that they can combined.
Certainly got me thinking. Perhaps his Liverpool career isn't as dead as we think?
17 Jun 2017 11:58:08
Lucas and Milner, Well they took us to 4th at their very best and if you want to progress you need better players. We need to end these retirement packages for any progress. This club need to put an end to offering contract extension for players who have crossed the 30 unless they are exceptional talent.
If you are happy with Lucas and Milner going to next season then we will finish somewhere near 8th place.
17 Jun 2017 11:57:25
I still think Stewart isn't as bad as people say and can do a job. As a proper old fashioned midfield destroyer, which we don't always need but comes in very handy at times to free up more creative players, he's the best we'd get without spending 15-25m on someone who wouldn't be a regular starter for tactical reasons. Someone good enough to make us change our tactics like N'Zonzi would probably cost near to 40m so isn't likely. He just needs more playing opportunity so he isn't so rusty every time he's called upon.
{Ed025's Note - with CL football on the horizon i think "can do a job" players should not even be considered hjikle, just pay the bloody money and bring in some good players and make the most of it mate..
17 Jun 2017 12:02:11
Understand what your saying MK, but realistically if he was going to get a chance he would have featured more the season just finished, I very much doubt he is in Klopps plans for the 1st team.
As much as would love to see our youngsters get a chance to show what they can do with a sustained run in the team I just don't see it happening. TAA is the closest at the moment. Pressure on managers to win games and the impatience of fans to allow players them time to develop wanting them to be world beaters instantly makes it very difficult for top clubs in England to bring youngsters through unless they are really talented and grab their chance. Constant media pressure doesn't help either.
Stewart is at an age where he needs to start playing regularly or his career is going to pass him by.
{Ed025's Note - i agree FM..
17 Jun 2017 12:04:42
No chance Stewart features next year, he is a championship player. With our depleted and bare squad last year Stewart's still failed to even make the bench so there is no chance he plays this season with us upgrading the squad significantly.
{Ed025's Note - lets hope that is the case sakho..
17 Jun 2017 12:28:48
I don't think he's a bad layer but no matter how good a midfielder we have we shouldn't consider them a right back.
17 Jun 2017 13:42:41
Get rid, hopefully get a few quid for him, I would rather keep Lucas.
17 Jun 2017 15:05:31
I think a utility player is always an asset. I don't think Stewart is that player.
17 Jun 2017 14:55:32
Ed25 is on the money. We are now in the CL and the PL will only get tougher and tougher to win and also to finish in the top 4. Just ask Arsenal and Utd (who ditched the PL to focus on the EL) . The "can do a job" type players will no longer cut it if we want to improve. Chelsea won the PL by winning 30 out of 38 games. That is now the standard. If you think "can do a job" players will help you get there then, you are gravely deluded.
Same with making top 4. We got 4th with 76 points. We will need prolly another 10 or so points (86 points) to be in the top 4 and that ain't going to happen with average fringe players like Stewart. We need quality in the first eleven and near like for like quality in the squad and that should be target.
{Ed025's Note - i totally agree brussels mate..
18 Jun 2017 08:00:53
Chelsea won the league with Moses, Alonso, Cahill, Willian, Fabregas and as well as them with Azpilicueta out of position at centre back. Just putting that out there.