If Vic's confirmed gone...

It's not much worse than it always is.

 

Me too. Let's use our young lads (Twardzik, Mcgeouch, Fraser, Atajic, and whoever comes up from the young team this year) and concentrate on developing the players we've got. I think there's a lot more to come from Kayal and Ambrose next season.

 

I don't actually know what we'll do with the Wanyama money.
We have no debt, we already have top class stadium and training facilities.
We're not gonna be spending 7 mill or more on anyone, and giving all our stars new contracts won't take up all of that money.

I think Lennon and Lawwell will just have a * of a night out.

 

I think everyone is too accepting of players leaving nowadays... If we're expecting our best players to be sold then the board will have no qualms about selling Anyone... I feel like i'm on a hibs or hearts forum nowadays.. Not that of a big club like celtic

 

That was one of the prime examples I was thinking of, he was given the anchor man role like Wanyama in that game; it's just not his style. A team of:

Forster

Matthews Wilson Van Dijk Izzy

Brown Kayal Ledley

Commons

Samaras Balde​

In Europe for the non-Elite teams could be very, very difficult to play against. With Brown, Kayal and Ledley all having defensive and supportive duties, they all have the discipline, the tackling ability and superb engines on them to be able to do it. They are also good on the ball freeing up Commons to be the one who makes things happen. Two big guys who are good on the ball (I'm just guessing from what I've read that what Balde is btw) upfront who are good on the ball and two tireless full backs. Still a very big team for set pieces as well.

However against the pot 1 teams and away against the pot 2 teams I wouldn't be surprised if we seen this:

Forster

Lustig Wilson Van Dijk Izzy

Mulgrew

Brown Kayal Ledley

Commons

Samaras​

With Mulgrew shielding the defence and having the responsibility to pick out crossfield passes to Sammy to hold the ball up. I think our full team will be shaped around Kris Commons next year, Lenny steadily moved to that for the last 4 months or so of the season and it worked exceptionally well. As it did for Gary Hooper before him.

 

I think we will sign not just one, but two big, cheap African midfielders to replace him.

Either that or Lennon will start playing Ambrose at DM.

 

That top class stadium and training facilities cost a fortune to keep in top class condition, so expect a fair chunk to go towards club running costs and improvements.

I'd expect a couple of million to be re-invested in the playing squad.

 

On that note - does anyone with a financial background have any ideas what the net value would be for the sale of Vic at £12 million? Would we get hit with Capital gains Tax on the £11 million profit? Does Beerschot have a sell-on claus? What would his advisors / agents likely get out of the deal?

 

I know mate, but we've been paying for them fine for years without getting 12 million pounds all at once!
Apart from giving Parkhead a lick of paint and maybe rushing through these museum and new superstore plans, I can't honestly think of anything to spend the money on.

People talk about replacing Wanyama and Hooper: well the only people better than them are Busquets and Lewandowski - and they aint coming for 12 mill!

 

Invest in the scouting network, the coaching staff etc. It can be put to good use.

 

According to The Sun we would make exactly £3.14159265359m after deductions.

Might be pi in the sky though.

 

:smiley-laughing002:

 

We should get the finger out and get the replacement signed pronto:
£2million:

William Vainqueur or someone like that. It really needs to be someone from the Jupiler i reckon

 

Nice post.

Those are both very good teams. No James Forrest though!

 

I think in Europe he'll be used off the bench to run at tired legs. Worked in Moscow!

Lenny seems to like a narrower formation in Europe, which ended up seeing Jimmy Forrest upfront against Juve. Which ended up looking * stupid because we had so much of the ball; I think Forrest was there for the counter attack. Through the middle whilst playing possession football isn't his forte.

 

When Wanyama goes, we'll have to change our whole way of playing as he was vital to the way we played in Europe last year. I still have nightmares about Wilson, Ambrose and Kayal trying to cope with Emenike! Devlin's view that we will structure the team around Commons next year I find quite convincing. I'm still not convinced by Commons at CL level, but his domestic form at the end of last season was so sensational that even I think he deserves that chance.

I'm happy with the signings we've made so far and don't think we need to sign anyone else. No point replacing Wanyama because he is irreplaceable on our budget IMO. Sure, we can maybe sign the next Wanyama if Park etc have spotted one, but obviously that'd be one for the future rather than someone to slot straight into Wanyama's CL role. If Hooper goes too, we'll need to replace him.

I'm sure I'll end up looking stupid with the following guess about next season; but I guess that ship probably already sailed. CL team for next year (if we make it):

In general:

Forster

Lustig Wilson Van Dijk Izzy

Brown Kayal Commons Mulgrew
Sammy
Balde

When chasing game:

Forster

Lustig Wilson Van Dijk Izzy

Brown Kayal Mulgrew

Forrest Balde Sammy

Defensive (e.g against elite teams)

Forster

Lustig Wilson Van Dijk Izzy

Brown Kayal Mulgrew Ledley
Commons

Balde/Sammy

 

Agreed. Seems like wingers are out of fashion everywhere at the moment tbh. He might play wide right in a 4-3-3, but I don't think we'd play 4-3-3 in Europe.

He was ace in Moscow, that was a great night :icon_mrgreen:

 

I think you're exaggerating a little bit by saying we couldn't find better players than Wanyama and Hooper (especially Hooper) for, as an example, a combined £6million. I'm not saying it's likely but if we found Wanyama for 900K and Hooper for roughly £2million then it's not beyond the realms of possibility that we could find similar or a better quality of replacements. Also at this stage, although Wanyama could potentially reach the very top of European football, they are not in the same class of players as Busquets and Lewandowski in their respective positions. I get the gist of your point tho mate

 

I sometimes think people forget we have a future star/play maker Tom Rogic. Don't know if you've been keeping up with the WC qualifires but he looks good from what I've seen. Just needs a pre season in him n he should be our next golden bhoy. Hail Hail!