Qwiss! wrote:
We can't really keep adding players without letting some go though. We already have 2 senior players not registered and Saliba completely excluded from the squad. We need to make room for more signings. There is no reason we shouldn't be able to work on out goings and incomings though.
If we fail to get European football next season, and that looks very likely right now, then the squad needs a massive trimming down. Without the Europa to give players minutes we'll have to put a lot of players out on loan and sell off even more than we thought too.
Agreed with the first part. I'm not saying we shouldn't be looking to offload as many as possible in Jan, just that it should not be the priority ahead of strengthening where it is so blatantly obvious we need to do so in order to improve the team struggles. If we fail to add the players needed then nothing changes to improve the team over the remainder of the season, whereas as a worst result we can send players out on loan on subsidised wages to get them out of the club. This purge should have been more the priority last summer not mid-season.
As for trimming down ahead of next season we already have Ozil, Luiz, Sokratis, Mustafi departing as free agents from the senior squad, whilst Ceballos' loan will end (if not sooner).
Kolasinac leaving now is a bonus. Lacazette will have 1 season remaining in the summer, Xhaka needs to go & there is noise around the Barca elections involving interest in Bellerin.
That's at least 5 players already leaving and up to 9 players OUT to provide a purge.
Point being the purge IS already going to happen in the summer regardless, but it could become an exodus if we don't prioritise actually trying to fix the team before then.
My concern with the recent comments is that it's already got the excuses lined up ahead of trying to do anything, and doesn't set the right message IMO.