25 May 2026 16:28:32
Alonso is flexible but likes a 3-4-2-1
So, whilst sitting by my pool I looked at what we have starter wise, who can cover and academy squad fillers. I won't bore my fellow chatters with covers and fillers but will name my starters of which, assuming none of them leave, make up 8 positions.
New Keeper
New RCB
Levi Colwill
Hato
Reece James
New midfielder
Moises Caicedo
Marc Cucurella
Cole Palmer
Enzo Fenandez
Jaoa Pedro
Recruit a worldie Goalkeeper, Centre back and Central midfielder and we are fit to go.
25 May 2026 22:01:55
Maybe the RCB is Josh.
Who knows, but I am convinced we sell Enzo and Cucarella. Also, maybe Palmer.
25 May 2026 22:07:43
If those 3 are sold, Tom, who would your replacements be?
26 May 2026 06:32:55
I think we have potentially already signed a replacement for Cucarella. I would have liked Anderson, but he may well be going to Utd. Maybe Gibbs White or the young lad from Bournemouth, whose name I can't remember.
Alonso often plays with two sitting DMs, so maybe replacing both Enzo and Palmer would not be necessary.
As a long shot, I think Liverpool may well want Neto. Again, would Alonso want to replace him?
Anyway, it's all good fun, and the chances of the club making me happy with player signings are pretty slim, but they will all get my support.
26 May 2026 12:58:31
Just seen an article in the Times regarding a value for money table for this season gone. It is based on wages, amortisation, agents' fees, total costs, and expected and actual points. Chelsea were second bottom. Not surprisingly, Sunderland were top.
26 May 2026 13:12:25
Jimbo, I also saw an amortisation table, and I was surprised at how little we would have to recover to be at book value break even.
Mind you, I think we will do much better than some people think with our return on original player investment.
26 May 2026 14:17:38
Looks as though Joao Pedro wants out too. With no Champions League football to tempt players of equal talent and ambition, it may make it a very difficult transfer window for CFC.
Can only hope that Alonso may persuade some would-be leavers to stay, and good others to come, to turn around the mid-table mediocrity position we've got ourselves into after 4yrs of BlueCo mismanagement - albeit, yes, they have brought in some v good players among the plentiful not good enough.
26 May 2026 15:51:41
We also have many players on our books we don't think are good enough, but may struggle to sell at what we'd like to, and boost buying coffers that way. There may be quite a few loans among those in this category.
It makes holding on to our best players tricky, yet essential if we do not want to signal that we're moving in a downward slope. Again, I will hope Alonso's appointment helps to prevent this.
26 May 2026 16:31:44
I think we sell them. Enzo, Cucarella, Pedro, Badiashile, and Tosin will all make book profit, as will Disasi after his good loan to the Hammers.
Pedro only if he wants to leave.