31 Dec 2023 14:53:09
My prediction for 2024.

I think the size of football squads will rise to around 30 for any team in a European competition.

I also think that the thresholds on FFP will change.

It could also be that the Everton situation gets worse for that grand old club. I hope not.

Anyone else got any predictions for 2024.

1.) 02 Jan 2024
02 Jan 2024 11:32:49
Happy New Year Tom, and all. Things I expect to see:

Gallagher and Fofana will be sold (+ any other academy players that can fetch a decent fee)
Poch will be sacked
Osimhen will be bought for an eye watering fee in the summer and will struggle at the start of the season
More younglings brought in from South America
One of Enzo/ Lavia/ Ugochukwu will start to grumble about playing time
More consistency in the results towards the end of this season

Things I would like to see:

A slowdown on the recruitment in terms of numbers and also less of a focus on youth
An acknowledgment from the SDs that mistakes have been made and been addressed
A realisation that Cobham produces better and more useful players that what can be found elsewhere, the grass isn't always greener
League cup win (Middlesbrough will be no walkover in order to get there)
Cucurella sold, Gallagher new deal

I think I may have garnered a reputation on these boards for being very negative towards the current state of the club, so I apologise for that and overall I am feeling quite good about the direction we are moving in. I'll admit that can change quickly, and if we see another 5 players being signed in January and Poch being sacked before March then I reserve the right to change my opinion.

For me, the key question is whether the owners are really here to win, or if they are content to just sign and sell players for profit. From the outside looking in, it seems to me that Boehly is the former while Eghbali is the latter, and it is Eghbali who has invested more into the club. You can't sell Gallagher (current captain, most appearances, most assists, Poch's most trusted player) to a team higher in the league (Spurs) and claim you're here to win now. Don't take the fans for fools and hope that vocal idiots on twitter will blindly repeat whatever you tell them.

2.) 02 Jan 2024
02 Jan 2024 12:43:30
RBD, I have fully taken on board that CFC is a business and have no problems with the club selling players as long as there replacements are an upgrade.

3.) 02 Jan 2024
02 Jan 2024 17:59:12
I think the squad will get trimmed down without any replacements until the summer other than maybe a striker.

Unfortunately, looks like Maatsen will be sold, would sooner see Cucurella shown the door though.

I’m unsure the need for a new CB, Fofana is not far from full fitness so seems a waste. Trev will likely be sold.

I do think a striker is a must this month, especially with Jackson at the AFCON and Broja still finding his feet, seriously he literally plays like he has no feet ?

Any thoughts of selling CG should be shot down. He’s been one of our better players and to sell him to a rival is criminal.

I’d like to see the following moved on between now and the summer:
Sanchez
Cucurella
Disasi
Silva
Sterling
Broja

Plus some loans for the youngsters.

4.) 02 Jan 2024
02 Jan 2024 19:35:02
Dan, from your list I would think Broja could go out on loan or be sold but with Jackson at AFCON I can only see that happening if we sign a replacement in this window I think that’s very unlikely.

I’m hoping Silva stays at the club in some capacity and I understand his family are very settled in London.

Cucarella had a very poor first season but prior to his injury he was proving his worth at left and right back.

I think IM and maybe Chalaboa will be leaving the club obviously that will be dependent on Chalaboa’s injury. I also hope Sarr finds a club.

The remainder of the squad I would guess will remain as is until the summer.

5.) 02 Jan 2024
02 Jan 2024 19:46:12
Without European football the squad is definitely bloated atm and it is looking unlikely we will be in Europe next year.

I think Maatsen has had numerous chances in the team and has performed poorly each time so Im not too worried about him moving on. Curcurella should be shipped on but we will never recover anywhere near the cost on him.

We 100 percent need a striker but if the right one isn’t abailable Id rather wait than sign another stop gap who underwhelms.

I like fofana and hopefully he can remain injury free and get a good run of games. If he does stay fit I see him and Levi Colwill being our long term cb pairing.

Dan I agree with your list on the main the only one Id keep is Sterling as I still think he can offer something.

6.) 02 Jan 2024
02 Jan 2024 20:39:56
Let’s not forget we have Alfie Gilchrist coming through and he looks every inch a leader.

Early days but he plays like he would tackle a brick wall for his club.

7.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 10:20:48
Gilchrist will be sold for 'pure profit' as will any academy players coming through in the foreseeable future.

8.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 11:14:31
RBD, I’m not sure that is as certain as you suggest.

There will be lots of variables including contract terms.

9.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 12:16:19
I'd like to be proven wrong but so far the available evidence gives me no reason to hope.

It doesn't matter if you are the current club captain (Gallagher), reigning men's player of the year (Mount), in the Championship team of the season (Maatsen), a recent recipient of a new 6 year contract (Chalobah) or academy player of the year (Hall) . If the price is right, you're out.

Its a shame.

10.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 13:26:27
That’s always been the case for most players at most clubs.

The important thing is that any signings have to be an upgrade.

{Ed002's Note - The players are not being forced to leave by the club.}

11.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 13:55:29
Another good point Ed.

12.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 17:38:50
We have always sold players: all clubs do, especially when their contracts are running down. The reality is that if we want to add to the squad in January or the summer we will have to sell to balance the books. Also I thought Poch preferred a smaller squad, I think we still have around 30. Does anyone actually miss Mount?

13.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 18:27:01
Putting aside any youngsters that I think can be added to the squad size. I thought our squad size was 25 players but I’m probably wrong as usual.

14.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 19:48:01
Tom, our squad size as registered in compliance with PL rules is 25 but doesn’t include players like Palmer, Lavia, Maatsen as they are under 21. Our actual squad size is over 30.

15.) 03 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 20:22:37
Is it? You may well be correct but the last time I looked it had four goalkeepers, Malang Sarr (I think no squad number) and about four youngsters who looked like they had been added to the squad to cover for injuries. It also has Santos in our squad but of course he has now rejoined albeit “maybe” only until he gets another loan.

It’s probably just the way I look at things but adding youngsters and players with no squad number to a list of available players constitute the squad to me!

{Ed002's Note - It really does not work like that. Santos will likely have another loan.}

16.) 04 Jan 2024
03 Jan 2024 21:46:46
Tom, Lavia, Gusto, Maatsen, Palmer, Ugo, Noni, Carney and Colwill are not included in our 25 man squad registered with the Premier League. I would describe them as squad players.

17.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 07:37:05
Jimbo, when I did look and that was some ago, it was the CFC site that I looked at. All the players you mention were named in the squad along with four goalkeepers and about four or five youngsters., plus Sarr who I don’t think was even given a shirt number. When I added the number up I think it was 31 ish players.

I assume that is normal practice at most clubs and therefore not “bloated” as per the pundit comment.

18.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 10:50:43
Tom, you have to differentiate between our first team squad and the maximum of 25 players we are required to register with the PL at the start of the the season which does not include the players I mentioned because they are under 21.We have a big squad whether it can be described as bloated is a matter of opinion.

19.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 11:14:11
Jimbo, I’m not going to “differentiate” between a registered squad and the squad as it appears on the CFC official site.

All the players you have mentioned are on the CFC site. My guess is most clubs have an increased squad size during a season when young players are added to mainly cover for injuries.

The CFC site for some reason, probably reasonably, had four goalkeepers, a player with no squad number, Santos and three or four young players with at the zero first team experience in any of the equivalent Premierships.

My point is this is probably all very normal and our squad is no more “bloated” than any other clubs squad that has suffered a similar amount of injuries to us. So, as the thread was attempting to highlight that pundits refer to other club’s injury lists as “horrendous” but never mention to the same extent our list of injuries. Also, the same with the “bloated squad” quote, its wrong as a comparison to other clubs for the reasons i have given several times.

20.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 13:55:02
Tom, I actually don’t accept the assertion that pundits have ignored our injury issues; they have been well publicised. The point about young players in the squad but not in the registered PL squad is they were not academy players but players we bought. Although we have had many injuries our squad was balanced and big enough to cover the positions. TBH how many of us honestly believed that James and Chilwell would play a big part this season.

21.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 14:43:16
Jimbo, as always you like other posters are entitled to your view. Our injury list can be as publicised as often as you like but that completely misses the point that I and other posters were making that “pundits” refer to injuries at a club as an issue for poor results of other teams but rarely if ever when referencing us.

As far as squad is concerned my point is our squad is no more “bloated” than many other clubs who have had injuries and covered those injuries with young talent.

I certainly never thought that James, Chilly or Fofana would suffer long periods out with injury this season but then again I’m generally glass half full.

22.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 16:27:48
Tom, I haven’t missed the point, I just don’t accept what you have asserted.

23.) 04 Jan 2024
04 Jan 2024 17:08:22
There is no reason for you to accept my and other posters opinion that certain pundits have a biased view when it comes to comparing CFC to other clubs injury lists.

It’s all about opinions!