Business done early, says Jags

COYB!

Including loans, by my calculation we've let about 6 first team squad players go since 30 June and have brought in 2. So we're still 4 players short of what we had at the end of last season, and we didn't have a very big squad as it is. (Assuming Junior can make the step up, then 3.)

A lot of business still to do, I'm afraid... 28 days of the transfer window left... and counting.

Looking at around £6 million a year saving on prior year, less £1.5 million estimate for Naismith gives around £4.5 million savings.

It is not unreasonable to assume Yobo's & Cahill's fees cover Pienaar's also. (This does not include Pienaar or Yobo as they were loans in the prior year so wages were covered last season.)

I am not saying this should be used to buy plays as we are in such debt; however, it should be a significant saving that will keep the banks away for another year and possibly enable a loan or two...

Will be interesting to see if Naismith starts on behind Jela or more likely on the right with fella proving himself a nuisance behind Jela. In which case who starts in central mid alongside Gibbo. Not rodwell on pre season form....

Mark / Ian, don't think you can look at it that way, most of the players you mention have left recently so we haven't saved much yet. Also The net 4.5m a year saving you calculate only works if we don't bring anyone else in.....

Am all for cutting down on costs as we're currently running at a loss but we have a really small squad. The first 11 is pretty strong but a couple of injuries and/or suspensions and we're in trouble. Need to bring in at least 2 more players I think (even if on loan), which will increase the wage bill again. The usual right midfield problem and another decent striker would be great.

Still at least some big earners are gone/going.

Can we please get a midfielder with PACE................PLEASE!!

Previously the problem seems previously the banks may of told the board they had to sell. If we can proove/ show operating costs will reduce by £4.5 amount it stregnthens our case when it comes to convincing the bank not to force us to sell players. (the fact that it has come to this is unacceptable of course)

Ultimately most of us feel our best squad of 18 can challenge for Europe so if you offerred the window to shut now I think most would take it.

Cahill
Joao Silva
Denis Stracq
Drenthe
Hahnemann
Baxter
Wallace
McFadden
Forshaw
A.Davies
Yobo
+ 2-3 more youth players
We brought in 2, Naismith & Pienaar (who was basically already here). We have a 1st team squad of 23, but 6 of these are under 21, so really we have an official squad of 17 (as we can have as many under 21's included as we want).

“The club seem to have made a purposeful intent with the transfer market to get what we can in..." - Am I missing something here?

Silva - didnt make the grade...see ya
Stracq- likewise
Drenthe - madder than a box of badgers no thanks
McFadden - useless
Hahnemann - not needed
Yobo - saga needing an ending
plus a scattering of kids who weren't going anywhere

since when has cutting out a load of dead wood been the same as asset stripping?

In hindsight Drenthe was too much of a disruptive influence and Straq didn't make the grade(despite his best efforts).

This season I'd like to see more of Barkley, Rodwell, Junior and perhaps Bidwell too. We only had Jelavic and Pienaar for half a season so all in all we're starting off this season on a much more positive footing.....assuming no-one else significant leaves.

Have seen it suggested that some of our youngsters may benefit from loans to Championship clubs but that is unlikely to happen as we need them to play / be available for us. Ideally would develop them in house but the reserve team standard doesn't seem to be good enough to provide the right environment. Obviously can't influence the quality of the opposition, but our very small squad does have a knock-on effect due to our lack of strength in depth.

Not sure about this U21 competition - we may end up fielding the U16's as everyone else will be doing bench duty for the first team.

Coleman, Gibson, Fellaini, Pienaar, Rodwell, Barkley, Junior, Osman, Naismith, Anichebe, Guaye

What formation do you play? Is the "Cahill formation" now history? Who do you play and who do you leave out? Unless we have injuries, I would suggest there is no reason to bring Timmy back on loan except for sentimental reasons. You could say the same about Donovan although a reliable right side of the "fluid" midfield would be helpful.

Of course, sales or signings could change this. Looks like we have a squad of 22-23 right now.

Right wing, we have plenty of options, but the problem is none of them are specialised wide right players. Two of them are strikers, one a centre midfielder and the other a right back. That is worrying, so a right winger is a must.

Striker we need cover for Jelavic. If Jelavic is injured, then we are screwed. I'd rather buy one and then loan out Vellios, because he needs some consistent first team football.

Right back we do need, but because we do have two right backs anyway, who Moyes loves, they will never go.

So if we have two loan signings to cover the striker and the right wing spot, and we don't sell any of our best players, I'm liking our chances for Europe.

One player who was already here and another who we got for nothing from a club on the brink of liquidation.....

Great business that.....why don't they just keep their mouths shut....

Goalkeepers: Howard, Mucha
Defenders: Hibbert, Neville, Baines, Jags, Distin, Heitinga, Duffy, Coleman
Midfield: Gueye, Pienaar, Gibson, Rodwell, Fellaini, Osman, Barkley
Strikers: Jelavic, Vellios, Anichebe, Naismith

So what, that's 4 short from the 25? And that's without the possibility of putting McAleny, Junior, Garbutt and Bidwell in. I would have thought at least Junior would go in there.

We could do with another backup keeper, and like I said, right winger and a striker.

But in terms of numbers, we are only a couple of short. Nowhere near as bad as people think, and the media going on our backs about our "short squad" is all because we have so many injuries.

I remember Laudrup saying the perfect number is 22/23, so hopefully if we can get another couple of players in, we'll look good.

About the 25-man squad, and seven or eight homegrown players, plus unlimited U-21s... can anyone confirm if these rules still apply? I've heard very little about them since they were introduced, what, two seasons ago.

Follow-on question: Has anyone even had their wrists slapped for flouting them?

Our first 14/15 players are good but the rest, nah. So I don't agree we have the players to perform over the whole season. Loss of form, injuries will cost us at some point.

Squad is simply not big enough.

Hopefully he can show us the loan form and and not the pre spurs form this season, to earn his reported 50k a week wages. He doesn't need any time to settle in so I am expecting good performances from the off (fingers crossed).