What players would you bring in on trial

[Alty_Ram]

It's a huge rebuild job and not just the first team but if we stick to that for now I think there are certain key things that you need to do well. Looks like League 1 now realistically (yes I know, it's not over until its over and all that) but I think we need to address some key weaknesses.

We need a striker who can score pretty regularly and who can lead the line against the sort of uncompromising defenders that we'll face. That's not to say that we need some lumbering 6ft 7 man mountain, just someone who is not going to be bullied and ideally who has a bit of pace and is capable in the air. The difficulty is that this sort of player is on the shopping list of anyone who wants to progress in the EFL so with wage constraints and EFL approved budgets (probably in League 1) we are going to need to shop smart and not expect to sign some household name who was up there in the Championship scoring charts a couple of seasons back. We perhaps have to look at places like Scotland which can hopefully provide players with the sort of hard working physical attributes that will be needed to thrive. I can't name names unfortunately as I don't watch much football outside of the Championship but I suspect that I might start to do so if we are allowed to actually sign people again at some stage.

Aside from that I think we need some bite in midfield, particularly in away games where we have been found badly wanting. The away form has killed us and made the 21 points a near impossible task. We're 2nd from bottom based on away form but 10th and just 4 points from top on home form and if we somehow beat Fulham we could be 2nd on home form alone.. That has to be corrected and usually that is about being brave and positive when you are away from home and I think if we are guilty of anything it is perhaps being a little timid away. However you do it you need a foothold in the game though and I think that starts in CM.

Thirdly we need goals from around the team to build on the work of the focal point striker. Lawrence's goals have been really important but he is surely headed elsewhere and we are desperate for a general threat from across the team. We are losing games away in particular by fine margins as often as not and not being clinical with what we create will help us snatch points in some games and put the game to bed in others.

[Jimbo Ram]

Matt Smith, currently at Salford, would be an ideal target man for us….

[Yani P]

I would do everything in my power to get Tonton Zola Moukoko back..

Edited April 12, 2022 by Yani P

[B4ev6is]

3 hours ago, Ravabeerbelly said:

Shinnie is about to get promoted back into the championship. Why would he want to stay in league 1? He’s really not found it easy and his stats were more impressive at Derby struggling in the championship than they are at Wigan flying in league 1….

League 1 is a very very difficult league and will be a completely different ball game for many of our players physically and mentally. 

46 league games (nearly all will be physical battles of attrition, 4 relegation places, only two automatic promotion spots and on top of all the usual cups you have the additional games in the Papa Johns trophy. It’s brutal. 

One thing in our favour shinnie never wanted to leave I think if meant able to come back home I think he would take it.

[B4ev6is]

3 hours ago, Alty_Ram said:

It's a huge rebuild job and not just the first team but if we stick to that for now I think there are certain key things that you need to do well. Looks like League 1 now realistically (yes I know, it's not over until its over and all that) but I think we need to address some key weaknesses.

We need a striker who can score pretty regularly and who can lead the line against the sort of uncompromising defenders that we'll face. That's not to say that we need some lumbering 6ft 7 man mountain, just someone who is not going to be bullied and ideally who has a bit of pace and is capable in the air. The difficulty is that this sort of player is on the shopping list of anyone who wants to progress in the EFL so with wage constraints and EFL approved budgets (probably in League 1) we are going to need to shop smart and not expect to sign some household name who was up there in the Championship scoring charts a couple of seasons back. We perhaps have to look at places like Scotland which can hopefully provide players with the sort of hard working physical attributes that will be needed to thrive. I can't name names unfortunately as I don't watch much football outside of the Championship but I suspect that I might start to do so if we are allowed to actually sign people again at some stage.

Aside from that I think we need some bite in midfield, particularly in away games where we have been found badly wanting. The away form has killed us and made the 21 points a near impossible task. We're 2nd from bottom based on away form but 10th and just 4 points from top on home form and if we somehow beat Fulham we could be 2nd on home form alone.. That has to be corrected and usually that is about being brave and positive when you are away from home and I think if we are guilty of anything it is perhaps being a little timid away. However you do it you need a foothold in the game though and I think that starts in CM.

Thirdly we need goals from around the team to build on the work of the focal point striker. Lawrence's goals have been really important but he is surely headed elsewhere and we are desperate for a general threat from across the team. We are losing games away in particular by fine margins as often as not and not being clinical with what we create will help us snatch points in some games and put the game to bed in others.

Rooney already said he can offer contracts to players already here and be able to bring players in.

[Alty_Ram]

1 minute ago, B4ev6is said:

Rooney already said he can offer contracts to players already here and be able to bring players in.

Yeah and that's positive because we need several areas strengthening but even assuming that all goes well with the sale, we are going to have to strike a careful balance between offering enough to get some of these players in vs our limited budget and EFL approved business plan. Spend too much on one position and you might leave yourself short elsewhere. Goalscorers in particular aren't cheap though so we really need some good scouting for some bargains but everyone is out there looking. Hopefully Rooney himself might prove to be a decisive factor where a player has options rather than us overspending top secure a signature.

[B4ev6is]

2 minutes ago, Alty_Ram said:

Yeah and that's positive because we need several areas strengthening but even assuming that all goes well with the sale, we are going to have to strike a careful balance between offering enough to get some of these players in vs our limited budget and EFL approved business plan. Spend too much on one position and you might leave yourself short elsewhere. Goalscorers in particular aren't cheap though so we really need some good scouting for some bargains but everyone is out there looking. Hopefully Rooney himself might prove to be a decisive factor where a player has options rather than us overspending top secure a signature.

I got no doubt rooney will do a lot of scorting himself also.

[JoetheRam]

26 minutes ago, Yani P said:

I would do everything in my power to get Tonton Zola Moukoko back..

Give Kim Kallstrom a call as well. 

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

Marino Rahmberg

[IslandExile]

Good question @B4ev6is.

And, isn't it great that we can look forward again ?

[ollycutts1982]

Gianfranco Labarthe Tome??

[Dean (hick) Saunders]

I think for goal scorers we will need to be lucky that a promising option is :

a) Out of contract and not picked up yet.

b) Good for L1 but not too good that he will have champ clubs chasing.

c) Or. A Youngster who feels blocked at Prem academy and is attracted to project Rooney. 

This is because our wages won’t be great and fees unlikely (above nominal levels).

Luck needed to be having a high scoring centre forward for next season in my view.

[Black ('n' White) Sheep]

Keeping the best of what we have... then adding goals and experience!

Goals wise... Michael Smith (Rotherham), John Marquis (Lincoln) and, I think, Cole Stockton (Morecambe) are all out of contract at the end of the season and proven strikers at that level.

For someone younger, Kabongo Tshimanga (Chesterfield) would be well worth giving a go... he's a goal machine!

[chewbacca]

Is Benny Feilhaber still knocking about?

[EraniosSocks]

Bring back Timi Max Elsnik while we are at it 

[May Contain Nuts]

Andrejs Perepļotkins & Michael Boulding please 

[Ram1988]

I think surley the first job is to offer contracts to our existing first team sqaud, I hope most of then will stay.

Then our first target surley has to be a centre forward who is a physical presence and get us some nuch neededbgoals. After that I think we need a wide man and another ball winning CM with a bit of bite. 

[Tyler Durden]

9 hours ago, ollycutts1982 said:

Man City’s Mendy, Utd’s Greenwood and Everton’s Sigurdsson will all be on trial elsewhere so that rules them out. 

Thought the last person's name was still under UK reporting restrictions?

Don't want the forum to get shutdown that's all.

[Ghost of Clough]

If going in for a forward from Rotherham it would more likely be Ladapo than Smith. 

Rooney wanted him last January, so I wouldn't be surprised if we go in for him again, especially with him being available on a free.

[Jimbo Ram]

8 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

If going in for a forward from Rotherham it would more likely be Ladapo than Smith. 

Rooney wanted him last January, so I wouldn't be surprised if we go in for him again, especially with him being available on a free.

Decent enough from what I have seen ?