Recruitment strategy under the spotlight

[Clever Fox]

19 minutes ago, An Sionnach said:

Is any RW going to solve our defensive shambles. Four at the back, five at the back , we still ship too many goals . This RW obsession on here is simply inexplicable given where our real problem is.

The lack of a right winger is only part of the problem. A natural RW would stretch defences with Barnes on the left. Creating time and space for others to get forward.

Our problems stem from the fact that we're not balanced in midfield a real lack skill someone to beat a man to create space and a lack of pace.

We need to build the team out with bigger stronger players who can play.

Teams have worked out how to play around NDiddi or Justin gets exposed on the left. Not his fault.

 

Brendan is trying to play in a way we're not designed for.

[Plastik Man]

22 minutes ago, An Sionnach said:

Is any RW going to solve our defensive shambles. Four at the back, five at the back , we still ship too many goals . This RW obsession on here is simply inexplicable given where our real problem is.

I wouldn't call it an obsession. We simply haven't got any right wingers! 

 

And its difficult to argue that 3 at the back is an effective formation for us. 

[Ric Flair]

2 hours ago, Foxxed said:

The Mercury claims out wage to earnings ratio is 105%, over 70% demanded by UEFA.

 

This claims our currently weekly salary (minus Kasper) is £1,900,000 a week. (It also claims we're still paying Lookman but it's the best source I can find) So from what I can work out, we've reduced our wage bill by about 6%.

 

So it's about 99%, if my calculations are correct. So we need to shave off about 550k a week.

 

According to the figures above, Soumare is on 80k. Tielemans is on 120k. Fofana is on 50k. So that's 250k gone by next season.

 

Vestergaard is on 75k. Hamza is on 60k. And Vardy will retire and that's 160k right there (and if not we'll need Perez and Bertrand off the books). And I think we've got more out of contract next season.

 

By next season we should be within the 70% mark. We just need the squad and replacement that could get us near Uefa qualification...

Within that 70% agents fees and transfer amortisation is also calculated, so it's absolutely hideous. I'm fascinated what UEFA think the other 30% should be used for then? Dividends for the owners? And what happens if there's surplus, can that be used in future seasons or lost?

[Foxxed]

23 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Within that 70% agents fees and transfer amortisation is also calculated, so it's absolutely hideous. I'm fascinated what UEFA think the other 30% should be used for then? Dividends for the owners? And what happens if there's surplus, can that be used in future seasons or lost?

Isn't it an attempt to force the big clubs to reduce their wages?

 

Also it's occurred to me that other clubs, who are just trying to survive rather than get into Europe, can ignore this. And I don't know what happens if a team makes the Uefa qualifying places but doesn't fulfill this criteria. Does the place go to the next team down in the league?

 

We're in a difficult position, though. Not enough income to sustain high wages yet we could get into Europe.

 

Edited 14 August 2022 by Foxxed

[fairbanksh]

I don't understand why our planning and foresight has been such a shambles. We are supposed to be well run. Yes Top is an excellent owner but the structure  below begs many questions 

No head of recruitment 

Vastly overpaid recent acquisitions

Overpaid and underperforming manager,frequently out thought tactically

Above average injury list certainly last season

We have a wonderful club but is imploding?

[Foxxed]

5 minutes ago, fairbanksh said:

I don't understand why our planning and foresight has been such a shambles. We are supposed to be well run. Yes Top is an excellent owner but the structure  below begs many questions 

No head of recruitment 

Vastly overpaid recent acquisitions

Overpaid and underperforming manager,frequently out thought tactically

Above average injury list certainly last season

We have a wonderful club but is imploding?

Starting September? (Yeah, I have no idea why)

 

Surely this is Rodgers's fault looking at his time in Celtic as a reference.

 

He was excellent, but he's had his day.

 

Yeah that worries me more than anything.

[JimJams]

39 minutes ago, Foxxed said:

And I don't know what happens if a team makes the Uefa qualifying places but doesn't fulfill this criteria. Does the place go to the next team down in the league?

Presumably it goes to whichever big European club needs appeasing for having a subpar season that's had a little cry to Uefa.

[Foxxed]

1 hour ago, JimJams said:

Presumably it goes to whichever big European club needs appeasing for having a subpar season that's had a little cry to Uefa.

Could that be us? Is that our new long term strategy?

[CloudFox]

God we need some news of some description. I don't have the foggiest if Smithies is it, or we do actually have irons in the fire.

[FoxFossil]

What I really don't get is changing shape, to a formation we don't seem able to play, because one player is injured. Most successful teams, such as Liverpool  play their system and bring in youngsters to fill any gaps.

Would we be better keeping to our preferred system, and playing a youngster or even Kevin?

[stu]

2 minutes ago, FoxFossil said:

What I really don't get is changing shape, to a formation we don't seem able to play, because one player is injured. Most successful teams, such as Liverpool  play their system and bring in youngsters to fill any gaps.

Would we be better keeping to our preferred system, and playing a youngster or even Kevin?

Completely agree, there is no reason why Albrighton, Perez or Praet could not play as wingers. You have Maswanhise in the U21's that continues to score goals at that level too. If he really wants to play in a formation that uses wingers then use the squad you have to play it.

 

How is it any different to playing 5-4-1 and Amartey as a left sided centre back, both of which has never happened in the time BR has been here until now?

 

Does seem to be a 'cutting your nose off to spite your face' approach to me to try and make a point that we need signings.

[CloudFox]

25 minutes ago, stu said:

Completely agree, there is no reason why Albrighton, Perez or Praet could not play as wingers. You have Maswanhise in the U21's that continues to score goals at that level too. If he really wants to play in a formation that uses wingers then use the squad you have to play it.

 

How is it any different to playing 5-4-1 and Amartey as a left sided centre back, both of which has never happened in the time BR has been here until now?

 

Does seem to be a 'cutting your nose off to spite your face' approach to me to try and make a point that we need signings.

Agreed. They may not be perfect, but Perez and Albrighton are still good Premier League level players. And if Rodgers doesn't want to play them, it's a prime opportunity to introduce Alves or Maswanhise in—at least it then a) shows them a pathway and b) demonstrates an attempt to play our best formation.

[Eskay]

Based on this weekend .... I'm also of the train of thought that we don't really need a RW as desperately as everyone seems to think.

 

Our midfield is constantly bullied and our CBs aren't solid enough (most in the league aren't!) to repel that sort of pressure.

 

Watching the spurs game yesterday I thought to myself that I couldn't remember the last time we got into a proper battle on the pitch and actually competed physically. 

 

Some rapid RW with a nice drop of the shoulder won't solve a massive problem right now. 

[deep blue]

19 hours ago, LFox99 said:

We honestly NEED improvement in the wide attacking areas. Without Barnes available we're forced into this 5 back mess 

Two signings whether thats two loans, one loan and a permanent to get an actual RW and a flexible option which can play LW and something else 

We're not forced into a back 5 by Barnes's absence, this is just Rodgers "excuse-speak". One of the several other options is 4-1-3-2 which has several obvious advantages - a back 4 which surely has promise of better defensive organisation, Ndidi in a purely defence-protection role, a strong midfield of KDH, Madders and Tielemans/Praet, and 2 up front (Iheanacho with either Vardy or Daka).

[JimJams]

I suppose one of the arguments though is we can go back to a 4231 or 433, where despite having less defensive bodies on the pitch we tend to defend better.  Although we could still play those formations regardless it does seem as though Rodgers is against it if we've not got Barnes in the side, or presumably a winger of that quality. 

[Mark_w]

1 hour ago, deep blue said:

We're not forced into a back 5 by Barnes's absence, this is just Rodgers "excuse-speak". One of the several other options is 4-1-3-2 which has several obvious advantages - a back 4 which surely has promise of better defensive organisation, Ndidi in a purely defence-protection role, a strong midfield of KDH, Madders and Tielemans/Praet, and 2 up front (Iheanacho with either Vardy or Daka).

And either very little width making it pretty easy to defend against us, or basically no protection in wide areas. Our lack of good wingers is a problem, and 5-3-2 probably is the best solution available to us right now, we just need to be playing it without Amartey on the left of the 3.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

Every single player were trying to get rid of this summer was brought in whilst Rodgers was on charge I believe? Bar Soyuncu.

 

Damming.

[fairbanksh]

Not sure about that. Yes recent recruitment has been dire but recruitment contracts, financial planning are all part of this fiasco 

[An Sionnach]

4 minutes ago, fairbanksh said:

Not sure about that. Yes recent recruitment has been dire but recruitment contracts, financial planning are all part of this fiasco 

If you still think this club is well run , Wakey! Wakey! There appears to be a major crisis on the near horizon.

[slymunn]

I think the main problem I have with recruitment is this.. Since Rodgers came in as manager we haven't really improved the first 11 without having to replace someone who was sold. 

 

We don't seem to bring in players better than we already have in the starting 11 to improve the team (if that makes sense) 

[frany104]

1 hour ago, slymunn said:

I think the main problem I have with recruitment is this.. Since Rodgers came in as manager we haven't really improved the first 11 without having to replace someone who was sold. 

 

We don't seem to bring in players better than we already have in the starting 11 to improve the team (if that makes sense) 

Couldn’t agree more. You improve the squad but buying players to get in the first 11. You don’t buy squad players as your never moving forward. Poor poor recruitment the past few seasons. 

[Dahnsouff]

7 minutes ago, frany104 said:

Couldn’t agree more. You improve the squad but buying players to get in the first 11. You don’t buy squad players as your never moving forward. Poor poor recruitment the past few seasons. 

That depends if you are about developing players or buying the finish article

[hackneyfox]

1 hour ago, slymunn said:

I think the main problem I have with recruitment is this.. Since Rodgers came in as manager we haven't really improved the first 11 without having to replace someone who was sold. 

 

We don't seem to bring in players better than we already have in the starting 11 to improve the team (if that makes sense) 

Fofana

James Justin? Wasn't he bought under Rodgers?

Have we all written off Daka? He was never gpoing to immediately improve the first eleven due to Vardy.

[hackneyfox]

Just now, Dahnsouff said:

That depends if you are about developing players or buying the finish article

Spot on, you can go down the Chelsea route of spending hundreds of millions and throwing players into the first eleven or, if you haven't got that amount of cash, you buy cheaper and younger and develop the player.

It's easier to improve your first eleven if you aren't a top haf side.

[Aleksz]