Tek wrote:

We have 10 first team defenders.

Bit on the heavy side. Think either Booth or Wardrop (or both) might move on.

 
A number of them should be nowhere near the first time going forward.

The wage bill next season will be astronomically high as we’ll struggle to move a number of players on who are nowhere near good enough and unlikely to be signed by another club on a deal as long or as well paying.

Wardrop will go.
Booth, Frans, Watson. 1/2 of them will go

I’d be completely fine if Robson left

Loemba, Rabbitsch and the diddy loaned to the Welsh team still on the books?

I see quite a few comments (mostly Twitter) about getting rid of Paul Watson.

Maybe just me. But I like him.

Squad player though.

There are a few baited hooks up there for me 

Robson is a far better option to keep (than Booth), while Watson is a centre half, not a right back. And Watson, imo, is a slightly better option at the back that the other centre halves.

Frans is the only of the centre backs who hasn't had a sniff recently - so i'd guess he'd be away. (Ex-thistle - i'd guess he would be going back there where the fans liked him (they were gutted he signed for us, when his Belgian team went t!ts up).

I don't mind Watson - he does a job and every team needs lads like that. maybe not a starter every week but he will do a job when required.

Booth is also unspectacular without being terrible - id say perfectly decent at this level. Maybe not so much if we have desires of going up a league though. Difficult one there though - sporle will defo have the first choice but do you keep a lad who is better defensively or one who isn't bad going forward. Id guess Robson has more potential for a sell on - so that might sway it in his favour?

Is Sporle/Ashgar/Neilson not in the country? It seemed odd timing to release the info yesterday evening with a stock photo of him at his current club? Its usual for the club to have the scarf above the head photo / managers arm round him etc etc

kdyteejay wrote:

Tangy wrote:

Frans is the only of the centre backs who hasn't had a sniff recently - so i'd guess he'd be away. (Ex-thistle - i'd guess he would be going back there where the fans liked him (they were gutted he signed for us, when his Belgian team went t!ts up).

I don't mind Watson - he does a job and every team needs lads like that. maybe not a starter every week but he will do a job when required.

Booth is also unspectacular without being terrible - id say perfectly decent at this level. Maybe not so much if we have desires of going up a league though. Difficult one there though - sporle will defo have the first choice but do you keep a lad who is better defensively or one who isn't bad going forward. Id guess Robson has more potential for a sell on - so that might sway it in his favour?

Is Sporle/Ashgar/Neilson not in the country? It seemed odd timing to release the info yesterday evening with a stock photo of him at his current club? Its usual for the club to have the scarf above the head photo / managers arm round him etc etc

 
Maybe hoping the announcement generates some season ticket sales.

 

For me, I'd keep Booth and Robson. Booth as LB cover and Robson as back up LM and back up LB if needed. If we sign lets say 1 winger, then we'd have that winger, McMullan, Pawlett and Robson. Not bad choices to have at this level.

Up top, Sow needs a good pre season under his belt, I think he'd also favour playing alongside someone. Blair Henderson I will mention again, out of contract, young, ambitious, strong, scored a shed load last season.

I think Frans would benefit going on loan for at least 6 months after coming back from his injury. Watson and Bouhenna would be good back up at central defence for Connolly and Reynolds. I do think we need a back up right back, someone like Williamson who was at Dunfermline last year would be ideal.

Would defo take Stevie May although he has struggled for goals since leaving the Saints a number of years ago now.

Wouldn’t take Henderson. Could potentially sound stupid but an accusation levelled at Kris Boyd a lot (potentially unfairly) was that he did nothing but score goals. It doesn’t really make sense as an argument but he’s maybe not what we need for the way we’ll be playing in the sense that we need a striker that’ll contribute to the play and in terms of goal poachers I’d stick my neck out and say Nicky Clark is probably better than Henderson and I’ve been one of Clark’s harshest critics.

On a couple of forums and podcasts I’ve heard that Henderson had a purple patch to start last season and the goals dried up somewhat in the second half on the season and even if he moved up just one level to league one he doesn’t have the instincts to score anywhere near as many at a better level.

To cut a long story short, I think we could easily do better.

Have a feeling we will have a wee cluster of signings anounced in around a week to 2 weeks time.

bowers wrote:

We are being linked with Brice Dja Djédjé

Been playing for a team in Turkey and his contract has came to an end.

Various Twitter posts linking him with Trabzonspor also.

This ones gone quiet. Assuming the plan was for him to join up with us for preseason to see what he’s like. Did this happen or has he gone elsewhere?
 

Regarding May I would be more willing to risk a loan if Aberdeen was to pay the majority of the wages and if not then look elsewhere.

I recall that couple of good years on  the goal trail he had at Saints before grading sou think to Preston where I did not really keep track of how he was doing.

I wonder if lack of confidence  would be resolved by playing at a lower level for a year and if he can get his goal scoring former back then it works out for all parties as even if he movesaid on from Aberdeen after a loan there may be more interest in him and United get the goals to help challange  for the title and promotion.

  If the big issues are injury and fitness related I would leave well alone as United have had more than enough issues with injury prone players the last few years.