How would you re-shape in the summer?

Wouldn't have a clue tbh with you Mick I've only seen them in a couple of cup games and the FA cup has a habit of throwing up one off performances. Still with Oldham's league position I wouldn't be too quick to swap Lucas with the unnamed Pole and have a big League 1 plodder with a record for Oldham reading worse than 1 in 8, coming off the bench to play up front for us.

Think we need to add real quality rather than filling the squad with more  bodies.

Think we need to add real quality rather than filling the squad with more  bodies.

Same here as we have enough players to fill out the squad.

I think at a bare minimum we need a top quality CB to replace Carra and I don't mean someone like Williams, someone who is the very best we can get and I'd keep both Agger and Skrtel.

A DM to cover Lucas but unlike Mick I see Lucas capable of regaining his from as this season progresses and will be ready next season but again the DM needs to be good enough if Lucas doesn't recover to his original level or nis out for any period of time. I don't see Alonso as that player either as he plays in the Gerrard role in a Brendan Rodgers system and we already have Allen as back up for that.

Another striker as I see Carroll being sold and we need back up if one of Suarez or Sturridge is injured.

Finally another wide player but I'd be tempted to keep Downing for now as he is a very steady player to have in the squad while some of our younger players gain experience. Ben Arfa would be a very good signing for this position I feel and I'd be happy with him.

So really four players at a minimum but as I said they have to be quality ready to be first team players not youngsters ready in 2-3 years time.

Agree with you mostly Si, after looking at what I consider our strongest XI yesterday the places available seemed clear. DM competition for Lucas, someone who will really push him and can share the workload in there because that has to be the hardest position to play in our team and unfortunately with that comes the most likely place to get injured.

Centre back is obvious, with Carra going this absolutely has to be someone with experience, we've got young lads coming through already who look promising in Kelly and Wisdom. This has to be a real top quality player and I'm not confident in the rumours about Williams, has never really impressed me with his displays. This player simply has to be better than Skrtel and force him into that reserve position, which I'd certainly keep him for, if he can't accept that, then we'd have to cash in on him but hopefully he would like to try and fight his way back into the team.

Left back, while I like Jose and think that 3rd goal epitomised everything good about him, including scoring with his right foot!?! I would like some strong competition there because we've seen before that Jose can hit a slump that is more than just a couple of games. A much better back-up keeper to Pepe to really challenge him for the position would be ideal if our budget could stretch to it.

Up front, if we don't make the Europa league we can possibly get by on Suarez/Borini/Sturridge, I personally would prefer a 4th in there but if our schedule isn't overloaded then I doubt we'll add to that in the summer. Downing is still the weakest link in our attack and although he's improving I think we can do much better than him, Ben Arfa is a good call and would fit our system very nicely. Would of preferred someone like Walcott who I thought would of been a perfect fit simply because he can play the striker role if the need arose also.

In Summary

Essential:
Centre Back
Defensive Midfielder
Right Forward

Priority:
Goalkeeper
Left Back

Luxury:
Another Striker / 10 player

For players that I'd be happy to see leave:

Definitely:
Spearing
Carroll
Pacheco
Wilson

Possible if better was found to replace:
Downing
Henderson
Skrtel?!

How about we don't strip our squad again and instead bring in three or four players to strengthen the "group".
Centre Back
Left Back
Defensive Midfielder
Right Forward

We are about to lose Carragher off the wage bill.
I think it's nearly a given that Carroll won't be returning.
Our squad can't afford to get any smaller.

We can't afford to blow our money on Williams.
Plenty of value by way of a Michu or Sissoko when scouting is done right.

No reason why we can't see Carragher and Carroll out and 3 or 4 players in.

How about we don't strip our squad again and instead bring in three or four players to strengthen the "group".
Centre Back
Left Back
Defensive Midfielder
Right Forward

We are about to lose Carragher off the wage bill.
I think it's nearly a given that Carroll won't be returning.
Our squad can't afford to get any smaller.

We can't afford to blow our money on Williams.
Plenty of value by way of a Michu or Sissoko when scouting is done right.

No reason why we can't see Carragher and Carroll out and 3 or 4 players in.

Agree with this racer and I'd kind of forgotton about LB which is also a position we should look at and as Luke says with Borinin, Suarez and Sturridge we might have enough strikers there and look at LB first.

I'd wouldn't be too annoyed either if Coates went, on loan or permanent, and use Kelly and Wisdom as the back up as long as we buy a top quality CB as a first team regular. The amount of game Seb only played this season could be easily covered by those two.

The players I feel we can sell and not affect the squad at all virtually includes

Carroll
Spearing
Flanagan
Coates
Wilson
Pacheco

Flanagan should definitely be on my out list, completely forgotten about him to be honest. He's way too low on the pecking order, McLaughlin is ahead of him now even and could easily be our 2nd choice right back by next season with Kelly moving across as cover for CB.

As for Coates, didn't include him in the outs as I saw loads to like about him and not going to right him off after the short time he's been given, I'd send him out on loan but admittedly can quite easily see him being sold, which could turn out to be a mistake.

It seems a few of you have given up on Flanno and from the little I've seen of him since he was dropped last season he does seem to have gone backwards but are we not forgetting how well he played in his first few appearances? 

He's still very young and as such will have ups and downs, he's also had some niggling injuries which has hampered his progression.  I wouldn't give up on him yet.

Pacheco, Carrol and Spearing can go for me and use whatever we get to add to the transfer kitty.  Wilson can't be sold as he's a free agent in the summer and Carra retiring also won't be a sale.  That's 5 players out ok 4 of them haven't featured this season but still I feel that that's enough to lose in one go.

Brendan has recently said that the aim is to have a 25 man squad with 22 outfield players who will fight for places.  I'm not sure if he means 22 players over the age of 21 though as that will take more than just the summer window to happen.

Brendan has recently said that the aim is to have a 25 man squad with 22 outfield players who will fight for places.  I'm not sure if he means 22 players over the age of 21 though as that will take more than just the summer window to happen.

As it stands we have a squad of 24.
6 of whom are U21.
18 over 21.
15 outfield.

Before we go selling have the squad we need to realise the squad is the smallest in the league.
Like you said Wilson and Carragher will go for nothing. It's a similar theme to the last couple of windows.
Players out with no benefit but the wage they clear up.

Carroll
Coates
Spearing
Pacheco

That will generate some funds.

So 6 players out.
We need 4 in.

I don't think Flanno is the type of fullback Brendan is looking for. I think Brendan wants wingbacks or adventurous fullbacks rather than a good defensive fullback like Flanno and that is one of the reasons Flanno has disappeared from consideration since Brendan came in.

Pacheco, Spearing and Coates will probably go, but I hope Brendan thinks carefully before making a decision on Carroll. I still believe that Carroll has something to offer and for what we would probably get for him in the summer he might be worth keeping.

Skrtel may be sold if we get a good offer, but again I would prefer to keep him.... but maybe not as first choice. 

As it stands we have a squad of 24.
6 of whom are U21.
18 over 21.
15 outfield.

Before we go selling have the squad we need to realise the squad is the smallest in the league.
Like you said Wilson and Carragher will go for nothing. It's a similar theme to the last couple of windows.
Players out with no benefit but the wage they clear up.

Carroll
Coates
Spearing
Pacheco

That will generate some funds.

So 6 players out.
We need 4 in.

I'd say 4 minimum mate and I'd concentrate mainly on defenders with possibly a DM.  4 quality players who will make an immediate impact on the 1st team @ £10m-£15m, not that I'm hung up on price but that seems to be Brendans average spend per player so far.

That means we need a kitty of £40m-£60m including player sales.  Doable?  I think so.

That means we need a kitty of £40m-£60m including player sales.  Doable?  I think so.

If this were Fifa, here's what I'd do:

Budget of 40M

Out:  Carrol (15M), Coates (5M), Assaidi (3M), Pacheco (1M), Spearo (1M), Flano (500K), Wilson (Free), Carra (Retired) + 25.5M

In:  Ramos (30M), Jovetic (25M), Diame (5M), Figueroa (Free)

I realize that Ramos would never come here, and that it would be a chore to convince Jovetic to come as well, but this would put us in the running for a league title in the next 2 years in my opinion.

Dreaming done.... back to reality

Think we need an experienced forward to be honest. We look much better when someone else is leading the line and Suarez has a freer role to drop deeper and get on the ball more. We've only got Borini as backup to Sturridge so I'd definitely like a new striker in so that we don't have to shift Suarez back to a lone striker role if Danny is injured.

It seems a few of you have given up on Flanno and from the little I've seen of him since he was dropped last season he does seem to have gone backwards but are we not forgetting how well he played in his first few appearances? 

More about numbers as well for me Debs.

We have Wisdom, Kelly and McLaughlin who can play RB if Glen is out or playing on the left and I don't see Flanno as better than any of those players so no need to keep him.

It's probably more likely he will be loaned first though as with very little first team experience I'd expect any interested club to want to loan him first with view to a permanent move.

McLaughlin

Flannos biggest problem.

Flannos biggest problem.

Agree and if Coates goes I'd be happy with Kelly and Wisdom being the 4th CB's which would allow McLaughlin to gradually make his way into the side.

The two can also play RB when needed as we have seen so we are well covered in the position.

More about numbers as well for me Debs.

We have Wisdom, Kelly and McLaughlin who can play RB if Glen is out or playing on the left and I don't see Flanno as better than any of those players so no need to keep him.

It's probably more likely he will be loaned first though as with very little first team experience I'd expect any interested club to want to loan him first with view to a permanent move.

Flannos biggest problem.

I'd still keep him though, it's not like he's costing us a fortune.

If we lose Agger/Skrtel then Kelly/Wisdom will be used as back up as I can't see us replacing both Carra and a n other.  We also don't know how/if Kelly will recover from his injury worries, also Ryan has had some injury worries this season (or was it last).

On the more realistic side, we may need to look at players whose contracts are running down to add strength in depth and possibly add one or two real quality performers. 

Expiring in the summer of 2013 - AKA Free Transfers
Winston Reid, Maynor Figueroa, Franco Di Santo

Expiring in the summer of 2014
Benedikt Howedes, Serdar Tasci, Patrick Hermann, Mame Diouf, Felipe Santana, Miranda, Diego Costa, Raul Garcia, Benat Etxebarria, Jeremy Menez, Mamadou Sakho, Younes Belhanda, Blaise Matuidi, Andrea Poli, Mauro Zarate, Adem Ljajic

These are all players who should be reasonably affordable due to the fact that their contracts will only have 12 months left, and all of them should fit within FSG's transfer policy.  As you can see, there is some real quality in the 2nd group!!

If we were to keep our team in tact and sign 3-4 of the players from the 2nd list then we would be in good shape. 

Always liked Figueroa and on a free would be a very good signing.

Always liked Figueroa and on a free would be a very good signing.

Agreed.  Beast of a player, and he could provide depth at both LB and the left CB positions.

Carra must be on a fair wedge in wages so that could pay for 3 players or at least 2 decent players wages

Expiring in the summer of 2014
Benedikt Howedes, Serdar Tasci, Patrick Hermann, Mame Diouf, Felipe Santana, Miranda, Diego Costa, Raul Garcia, Benat Etxebarria, Jeremy Menez, Mamadou Sakho, Younes Belhanda, Blaise Matuidi, Andrea Poli, Mauro Zarate, Adem Ljajic

There's about four or five players there that I'd happily have at the club.

I  think we will just missout on CL football, West Brom was a massive defeat, which means it will be hard to attract CL Players (except for Alonso). In an ideal world Id have Cavani, Hummels, Alonso, Modric but realistically Id go with

In:
Diame (8m)
Ben Arfa (12m)
Figeuroa (Free)
Alonso (17m) - W
Gerard Deulofeu (Loan)
Dare I say it........Torres!!! (10m??) - ill probably get abused for this!!

Total: 47m


Out:
Carroll (15m)
Spearing(4m)
Coates (5m)
Pacheco (2.5m)
Carra (Retired)
Downing (9m)

Total: 35.5m

People saying we'd get 2.5 mill for Pacheco are dreaming. He'll be a free transfer.