If we could score 5 or 6 goals from corners a season (like all other clubs) instead of an embarrassing big fat zero and also defend a lead more times than not in the last dying moments we’d have another 6 or 8 more points to our tally and be cruising.

Sure we have a few below par players in the squad but if we keep chugging away and buying wisely in the summer we should be more than fine.

I don't recall an avalanche of new players when Vieira took over.

That said, different manager and, yes, there will need to be some new blood.

OK, that is an avalanche, certainly by our tight-purse standards. Probably the best splurge since Big Sam.

Fingers crossed for the summer...

Edited by silvertop (25 Mar 2024 10.34am)

Well, yeah. Read any of my posts on this issue. When we get the usual mid season moans from those talking about Parrish's quiet cheque book or the club lacking ambition, I am fiercely defensive of our prudent and sustainable transfer policy.

A busy summer should not mean rule breaking or, otherwise, unaccountable profligacy. Loans, free agents, good bargains from the Champ or Continent (German/Austrian?). We could have a compete overhaul of real quality and still not spend as much as Forest did just on Gibbs White.

Some miscellaneous thoughts for the forthcoming summer:

GK
Johnstone maybe would have gone but his injury will deter big offers. So not change probably.

CB
Ward should get an extension. His best position is right side of three at the back. It doesn't need as much pace and energy as FB, but he has the 1-on-1 skills when he has to push wide if the WB is upfield.
Tomkins will surely move on. It feels that he's a positive influence in the dressing room but now too old and not of the required quality.
Guehi and Anderson have two years left on their contracts. Big offers will cause a sale, but they could be kept one more year, and losing both would surely not be sanctioned. My best bet: we lose Guehi to big money and hopefully that is reinvested elsewhere.
Richards and Holding will stay.
That gives us with Ward, Richards, Anderson, Holding, maybe Guehi. That's not enough players and not enough quality. So I think we'll sign at least one CB, perhaps two. (I'm not sure if there is a good candidate in the youth setup.)

RWB
Munoz is obviously excellent. Imray looks an outstanding prospect and is training with the first team. Ward can play in an emergency.
So the right side is good for now. I expect Clyne will be let go.

LWB
Mitchell is a very good footballer and improving as WB but it's not his most natural position, he is more suited to four at the back. Tayomarola had promise a few years back but I've not heard much since. Can he cut it in the Prem? Schlupp can play here in an emergency.
So while it is not priority, I would not be surprised if we invested here. It's not out of the question that Mitchell could be sold, if both the money was good and the replacement was high class.

CM
Doucoure won't get big offers this summer after the long injury. So we have him, Wharton, Lerma, Ozoh for two places. This is good. Hughes may be kept on for one more year, maybe not.

AM
Sadly, this is the perfect moment for Olise to leave. He's at the right age, he can cut it at the very top, there is a release clause, and two big clubs have spaces in his best position (Salah is getting older, City haven't replaced Mahrez). So the club should try to trigger a bidding war.
Eze might stay. I'm not certain he would do well at the very top. Of course, a big fee would change things, but my best bet is he stays.
Schlupp will probably get another year, given the gaps here and given his versatility. Ahamada offers something, I'm not sure what Glasner makes of him yet.
All in all, if Olise leaves it all seems a bit thin here. We need to buy at least one if not two players. I'm sure Dougie has some in mind. I wonder if any of the many promising players in the youth team can step up?

CF
JPM is doing great under Glasner. Edouard won't attract many offers with his wages. (For what it's worth, I think he'd score shed loads of goals one level down. He's a very clinical finisher when given just a bit more time/space than Prem defences allow.)
So these two will stay. It would be good to get one more of Prem quality, but CFs are expensive and other priorities may be higher.

In sum, I think we'll be after at one or two CB, one LWB, one or two AM, maybe one CF. We probably won't get all of these.

Edited by tsp (31 Mar 2024 5.59pm)

Assuming Olise has a release clause, the only bidding war will be over Olis'e wages and length of contract. Palace will have no say in where he goes or profit from it