There is a lot of clearing of deadwood that needs to be done, and we may also have to rid of some of the aging high earners. Who needs to be moved out and when?
For obvious reasons i have excluded youngsters like Shelvey, Kelly, N'gog, Pacheco etc.
To move out
Poulsen - (Shit aging player. He really is worse than Lucas. The only question is, how soon can we move him out?)
Maxi - (Aging player and high earner)
Kuyt - (Good player but he is getting on and he is a high earner, probably be the best time to move him out)
Jovanovic - (High earner as he came on a free and we will never use a player like him. Not unless we play 4-3-3. Adapting to the league is another question)
Kyrgiakos - (He is 32. He is not that good. Probably a high earner too.)
Babel (Not good enough)
Aquilani - (Sicknote must go regardless of talent)
Undecided
Konchesky (Aging but he is English and we can probably hang on to him for the quota system as he can play a role of providing injury cover)
Lucas (He really seems to be developing. It's not just about football, he seems physically far superior compared to when he came. He seems faster and stronger, but he still has very very ordinary games...so i don't really know)
Cole - (Very high earner nearing 30 and at times looks like that he doesn't have much more football left in his tank. But he is English and is still a good player and will play well when the team plays well.)
Brad Jones - (My opinion is that this reserve keeper should always be a rookie coming through the ranks. But this guy qualifies for local player quota. He probably makes a lot for just sitting on the bench for ever.)
For keeps
Gerrard
Reina
Torres
Carra
Johnson
Agger
Skrtel (It has to be one of Skrtel/Agger, but i wouldn't let either of these go without the chance to properly assess Kelly, Wilson and Ayala)
Meireles (has just come in, and looks like he belongs. At 27, he is no spring chicken, but i think we can keep him)
Have i missed anyone? Because that is 19 players, and it is a ridiculously thin squad and if we have the 4th highest wage in spite of that, then there is something horribly wrong. Are Torres, Gerrard, Pepe and Cara earning that much?
For obvious reasons i have excluded youngsters like Shelvey, Kelly, N'gog, Pacheco etc.
To move out
Poulsen - (Shit aging player. He really is worse than Lucas. The only question is, how soon can we move him out?)
Maxi - (Aging player and high earner)
Kuyt - (Good player but he is getting on and he is a high earner, probably be the best time to move him out)
Jovanovic - (High earner as he came on a free and we will never use a player like him. Not unless we play 4-3-3. Adapting to the league is another question)
Kyrgiakos - (He is 32. He is not that good. Probably a high earner too.)
Babel (Not good enough)
Aquilani - (Sicknote must go regardless of talent)
Undecided
Konchesky (Aging but he is English and we can probably hang on to him for the quota system as he can play a role of providing injury cover)
Lucas (He really seems to be developing. It's not just about football, he seems physically far superior compared to when he came. He seems faster and stronger, but he still has very very ordinary games...so i don't really know)
Cole - (Very high earner nearing 30 and at times looks like that he doesn't have much more football left in his tank. But he is English and is still a good player and will play well when the team plays well.)
Brad Jones - (My opinion is that this reserve keeper should always be a rookie coming through the ranks. But this guy qualifies for local player quota. He probably makes a lot for just sitting on the bench for ever.)
For keeps
Gerrard
Reina
Torres
Carra
Johnson
Agger
Skrtel (It has to be one of Skrtel/Agger, but i wouldn't let either of these go without the chance to properly assess Kelly, Wilson and Ayala)
Meireles (has just come in, and looks like he belongs. At 27, he is no spring chicken, but i think we can keep him)
Have i missed anyone? Because that is 19 players, and it is a ridiculously thin squad and if we have the 4th highest wage in spite of that, then there is something horribly wrong. Are Torres, Gerrard, Pepe and Cara earning that much?