Pep is apparently looking to move on a bunch of big name players - Ederson, KdB, Stones and Silva amongst them - having decided that some combination of age / fitness / fallibility / failing drive, means they no longer measure up to his expected standards. We should have (and do probably have) a much longer list of specialists in failure needing to be shifted, it's just that doing it and replacing them is a whole lot harder of course.
But some context: our league season has been a write-off for weeks - I've suddenly become very grateful the 3 promoted clubs are so bad - and I expect us to quickly get knocked-out of the Europa League and the FA Cup. Assuming we can scrape a couple more wins from somewhere, there's little left to play for and we really are heading for something like a 15th place finish.
I'd like to see Amorim taking some decisive action and making it clear to some of this squad (you're thinking all of this squad, right?) that they have no future at the club. OK, this isn't always as easy as it sounds, where players are under contract, we want to try and salvage something in sales potential, and the team's confidence is on the floor. Still, done the right way, it's the right thing to do and he should do it.
Here's what I'd like to see:
Onana dropped - he's a mid-level La Liga / Eredivisie / Beligian Pro League keeper at best, who is totally unable to command his area, and with a completely flawed technique that's gifting opponents opportunities nearly every week. There's no coming back from this and he needs to replaced. I don't think Bayindir is any sort of solution but you'd hope he'd be less of a liability and I'd see it as a necessary step in getting Onana out.
Casemiro dropped from the squad - as soon as Collyer and Mainoo are fit, he should be removed from the bench and replaced with Koné. We'll need to be clear with the player and his representatives that he won't have a squad number from next season and needs to find a new club. Yes, he's still got 12 months on his contract, yes he might not go anywhere, and yes. we'll be obliged to continue paying his ludicrous wages, but this is the sort of hard intervention that's required if we're to push him through the door to the Saudi League / MLS.
Hmmm, I'm struggling to think of the third player for my list because you can make a case for so many - I'd go for Rashford. He's on loan I know but coming good on getting rid of him permanently would be another decisive. positive, statement, that shows we're serious about expectations and standards.
Where would you start with your three players?
But some context: our league season has been a write-off for weeks - I've suddenly become very grateful the 3 promoted clubs are so bad - and I expect us to quickly get knocked-out of the Europa League and the FA Cup. Assuming we can scrape a couple more wins from somewhere, there's little left to play for and we really are heading for something like a 15th place finish.
I'd like to see Amorim taking some decisive action and making it clear to some of this squad (you're thinking all of this squad, right?) that they have no future at the club. OK, this isn't always as easy as it sounds, where players are under contract, we want to try and salvage something in sales potential, and the team's confidence is on the floor. Still, done the right way, it's the right thing to do and he should do it.
Here's what I'd like to see:
Onana dropped - he's a mid-level La Liga / Eredivisie / Beligian Pro League keeper at best, who is totally unable to command his area, and with a completely flawed technique that's gifting opponents opportunities nearly every week. There's no coming back from this and he needs to replaced. I don't think Bayindir is any sort of solution but you'd hope he'd be less of a liability and I'd see it as a necessary step in getting Onana out.
Casemiro dropped from the squad - as soon as Collyer and Mainoo are fit, he should be removed from the bench and replaced with Koné. We'll need to be clear with the player and his representatives that he won't have a squad number from next season and needs to find a new club. Yes, he's still got 12 months on his contract, yes he might not go anywhere, and yes. we'll be obliged to continue paying his ludicrous wages, but this is the sort of hard intervention that's required if we're to push him through the door to the Saudi League / MLS.
Hmmm, I'm struggling to think of the third player for my list because you can make a case for so many - I'd go for Rashford. He's on loan I know but coming good on getting rid of him permanently would be another decisive. positive, statement, that shows we're serious about expectations and standards.
Where would you start with your three players?