10 Aug 2022 08:21:16
With all the talk of getting a MF next season (Bellingham is mentioned a lot), I'd be interested to know how people see next seasons MF starting line up. We seem to have a good mix of youth and experience at the minute, but with the experience all being a similar age.

10 Aug 2022 09:34:49
Dang I literally have no idea lol but presumably Elliot will have a bigger role.

10 Aug 2022 09:42:35
Maybe wait and see how this season develops first?
See which of the youngsters step up, who wants to move on etc.
Can't plan too far ahead in football.

10 Aug 2022 09:49:56
I don’t see any changes tbh. I think the club will let Ox leave and not replace as he’s barely played so effectively doesn’t need replacing. I think they’ll try and eke another season out of Milner and Keita will have signed an extension, so I think the powers that he will decide that there’s no point bringing anyone else.

Bellingham won’t be joining us either way, he’s off to City if he decides that Madrid or PSG isn’t for him, as they can happily meet Dortmund’s demands and pay £350’000 a week.

10 Aug 2022 10:03:01
Stuie a lot can change in football in a year mate. Look at last week we were title challengers on Friday and relegation candidates on Saturday (is a joke before anyone has a cry)

Without stating the obvious mate Elliot (20) and Jones (22) will be a year older and hopefully more established but on the downside so will Milner, Hendo and Thiago plus Fab will be 1 year off the dreaded 30.

At the start of this year the discussion on here when it looked like neither might sign was that Salah and Mane should be sold as they were 30 and that is the age that Footballers approach over the hill but the same argument has never been used for our midfielders who we also argue aren't there to be creative but to be work horses.

The owners like to balance the books so i wouldn't expect wholesale changes to the midfield next season especially with a Bellingham as who are we going to sell to fund him.

If Naby signs his new contract then i can see our mid options being Elliot, Jones, Naby, Fab, Hendo and possibly 2 new signings.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Thiago move on and if Jones doesn't establish himself this season then he could be the sacrificial lamb.

If we could get a big sum for Naby then he might be sold but i think the club would be on thin ice giving a player a new contract and then a few months later selling him as it might bite them in the ass in future negotiations with other players.

10 Aug 2022 12:23:06
My post got split in two and the second part didn't come through, apologies. In brief, and as JK mentions, I personally think Thiago may leave next year and with milner and Hendo getting older, it begins to open up a gap between experience and youth, which isn't necessarily a problem, but if we only sign Bellingham (IF), it doesn't really fill that void, particularly if Naby and Ox leave, which is certainly possible.

So my question is, would the club look to bring in a 'high profile' MF player only, or also purchase a more experienced firs team player and promote youth to act as back up?

10 Aug 2022 15:05:30
That all depends on who stays and goes, and who steps up to the plate in the meantime. Which we won't know until closer to the end of the season.

10 Aug 2022 19:39:01
Bobby is a pub player these days. Our midfield is a shambles. We need a McFred happy meal combo asap. Get rid of the snake oil salesman Klopp and his band of has beens. City have already won the league with Haaland. Why are we even bothering to play games? I suggest a mass protest and flying banners vs Palace.

10 Aug 2022 23:30:05
I really think we need to, hopefully we are a Henderson replacement. experienced maybe already a captain (leader capability)
I think Declan Rice ticks all the boxes. But he will be to much money.