Qualified to Europa League!

Starting the post with great news: suddenly I got to the Europa League. It seemed the last year's 7th place in the Premier League leaves my club without European tournaments… The point is in that FA Cup and Carling Cup where won by Champions League qualifiers Liverpool and Tottenham. Therefore Q.P.R. has got the last ticket into Europe. After the first draw, Trnava became our first opponent in the Europa League:

 

Now it's time to tell you about Q.P.R. squad revolution. It's difficult to recall when I had been making so many transfers before.

Transfers: Players Out

I sold huge amount of players as you see getting $171M. Actually the big part of this sum is not instant money. Many players were sold by means of monthly instalments.

The first two transfers (Cosic and Breinburg) were made before my squad review, therefore you know about them.

In total, your advices written in the comments to Total squad review post helped me much to make really sharp decisions. The most sentimentally difficult sales were:

- Jay Rodriguez to Leicester for $22.5M

- Marco Verratti to Almeria for $16.5M

- Oscar to Sporting for $10M

I would leave this guys in the squad… But squad revolution concept and new tactical approach are obliging me.

Here are also the reasons of departures for other former important players I had in Q.P.R.:

- Alex Teixeira. No place for him in the new tactical formation (3-4-3).

- Sami Khedira, Ognien Vukojevic, Mohammed Diame. All of them are old and not fast. New squad demands new central midfielders.

- Sime Vrsaljko. I had no DR position in the tactics. DMC with Anchor man role is not really suitable for Sime.

- Denys Garmash. He can't be a good enough MC Advanced Playmaker (the only position that could suit him in my 3-4-3).

- Alvaro Vadillo. High salary, unrealized hopes.

 

Transfers: Players In

Now about the newcomers. I made huge amount of transfer bids during this campaign. But unfortunately, many of them were rejected or negotiated to very high sums. For examples, I wanted to buy Ukrainian DC Yaroslav Rakitskyi. His current value is $8.65M but Shaktar wanted $65M for him! There were many players in my shortlist whose clubs would agree to buy them for enormous money only. Therefore I made just one big money spending transfers - Mats Hummels for $42M. Other buyings were not so expensive.

Now you see the reason why I didn't manage to sign 2 world class centre backs just Hummels. Instead, I concentrated on regens: Dif, Smith, Redhead. See all their profiles below.

1. Mats Hummels (DC) - $42M

Simply one of the best defenders in the world! Maybe $42M is too much for him but Dortmund didn't want to yield. I believe his class should help Q.P.R. to achieve all targets I set earlier.

 

2. John Fleck (ML, MC, SC) - $22M

My dream has come true! I wanted the Scotsman much since the very start of the game. After the tactics change to 3-4-3, he became even more needed than earlier. Just because of left midfielder position.

I love his high technical level, creativity, versatility, and PPM of ball curling.

 

3. Kamohelo Mokotjo (DMC, MC, MR) - $18M

It's my replacement for old Vukojevic at DMC position. Fans were angered by $18M spend for Kamohelo Mokotjo. But I had no better DMC candidate for the money. Well, I see his Tackling and Positioning are only 14. But other attributes are high enough. Mokotjo is a tireless and smart footballer who can become an efficient Anchor Man for Queens Park Rangers.

 

4. Seamus Coleman (MR) - $17.75M

Why would I pay $17.75M for Coleman? The key to answer is hidden in the new tactics. I use Defensive Wingers at ML and MR positions in my 3-4-3! Therefore I bought Fleck, therefore Seamus Coleman joined the team.

His ability to tackle and cross the ball should be very useful when playing against grand clubs. I believe in Seamus.

 

5. Kolbein Sigporsson (SC) - $14M

I have 3 clear strikers in the new formation, all of them have different roles. Sigporsson seems a nearly ideal candidate of all who is not against to join Q.P.R. for the role of Deep-Lying Forward.

Kolbein possesses high Anticipation, Passing, Teamwork, Agility, Balance, Decisions, Creativity. Only Daniel Bazan has similar levels of those attributes in my team. Though Bazan lacks speed (Acceleration=11, Pace=14) in comparison to Sigporsson.

 

6. Lorenzo Ariaudo (DC) - $2.6M

That was a cheap deal for experienced Italian central back. He looks nearly the same as Gary Cahill. I couldn't reject myself to miss transfer of Ariaudo for $2.6M only.

 

7. Abdemalek Diff (DC) - $8M

Great potential! The French wonderkid can turn into a very good central defender. At the moment he lacks Decisions and maybe some speed for my 3-4-3 formation

 

8. Pachequinho (SC) - $8M

One of my forwards has Target Man role. I will use Bazan at this role. Anyway I needed a good backup player for him. Therefore Pachequinho was bought after the advantageous $5M deal.

Professional wonderkid!

 

9. Kyle Redhead (DC) - $8.75M

$8.75 were paid for Kyle Redhead because of:

- young age and real prospect

- English nationality

Currently Redhead lacks Pace, Acceleration, and Jumping. Other attributes are already pretty high.

 

10. James Smith (DC) - $1.3M

Another prospective English centre back.

 

11. Abdel Hamid Gomaa (ML, MR) - $1.6M

Exotic winger from Egypt who should become a good backup player in the upcoming season.

 

12. Elfrain Gordien (DC) - Free

Prospective central defender labelled the next Mexes. Signed for free.

 

Q.P.R. finances

Making all those transfers brought the club into the large debt about $50M.  Though I don't really worry because there were transfers with many monthly instalments for sold players. The negative balance should start decreasing since August.

Wage budget is pretty fine. We have the highest wages ever but still much under the limit. So it's OK.

 

Team report after made transfers

 

I spent so much time performing the transfer campaign. What's your opinion of the squad revolution I made this time?

Excited to blog for you,

Vitaliy Mokosiy