Some summers have international football tournaments to keep us busy, but not this one. This summer we just have the annual debacle that is the summer transfer window. I think I speak for most of us when I say we could just do without football for a few weeks. Alas, we will now be subjected to some ridiculous suggestions of who will be coming in, and some nailbiting rumours of outgoing players that we actually like. So buckle up.
Retaining the Core: Bowen, Wan-Bissaka, and Soucek
First off, of course we want to keep Jarrod Bowen. Forever. So let’s hope there are no scary headlines to come in that respect. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been a standout this season, so it’s lucky we have him for another six years. That’s how it works, right? And I’d like Soucek to stick around – he cares, he’ll stick the ball in the net a few times over the season and I just really like him. After that, are we arguing over anyone else? Is that harsh?
The Alarming Gaps in the Squad
We need a replacement for Fabianski – someone to perhaps become our first choice, or to give Areola some stiff competition. We really need a strong presence somewhere, an ever present. There are still big gaps left by the likes of Noble and Rice – whether that void can be filled by a new signing or players like JWP stepping up, I’m not sure. Bowen feels like the heart of the team at the moment, but he needs more consistent performers across the field to back him up.
Pre-Season Tour and Defining Progress
The team now heads out on a pre-season tour to the United States, which will hopefully be a team-building venture with some forward-thinking training and good results. The results don’t mean anything, but a bit of confidence and good spirits going into August would be nice. The hope for every season is to make progress on the last – in most areas next season, that won’t be too difficult. We’d love to get a decent cup run, at least challenge for Europe again and watch some performances that excite us. I think we need to be realistic – we might get one of those things. We need to go into the season with hope rather than expectation, otherwise we face a cycle of disappointment and potentially being a club on a manager merry-go-round. In the meantime, have a happy summer.
Be the first to comment