It's Quiet 17 - Glory Thread

I can understand people having concerns about the size of the squad. We are a few serious injuries away from a nightmare scenario in some positions (altough that can be said of any side) but at the same time we have a young, hungry, flexible and exciting squad this season.

If you look through the squad there are a few specialists in certain positions but most of our players can play several positions and that's what Pep will like about it. We have upgraded I would say overall on the quality of the squad based on the incoming and outgoings.

If you look through the squad, barring the goalkeepers, Dias and Haaland (who are specialists) every single player can cover 2 or more positions and that gives Pep the option he needs:

Ederson (GK)
Ortega (GK)
Carson (GK)
Walker (RB, CB)
Cancelo (RB, LB - he could probably play midfield too)
Stones (CB, RB)
Dias (CB)
Laporte (CB, LB)
Ake (CB, LB, DM)
Gomez (LB, CM, LW, RW)
Rodri (DM, CM, CB)
Phillips (DM, CM, CB)
KDB (CM, RW, CF, false 9)
Bernardo (CM, LW, RW, false 9)
Gundagon (CM, false 9)
Foden (LW, RW, CM, CF)
Grealish (LW, CM)
Mahrez (RW, LW, CM)
Palmer (RW, LW, CM)
Alvarez (LW, RW, CF)
Haaland (CF)

You can then add in some younger players aswell if needed to bulk the squad a bit.

I'd like another couple of players personally, but if Pep is content with what we have then we'll make it work. With the world cup in the middle of the season, it means we'll play less games between now the winter market so the club can always reassess and buy then if they feel they're short.
 
blueparrot said:
True, but I can guarantee Palmer and JWE play more minutes than Torres and mendy did last season.
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Possibly. Let's see. Both were here last season though, they will simply be increasing their own contributions.

That was an issue last season, losingn those two, one the club had to make do with. Despite planning otherwise.

It is simple for me, I think the 21 registered player slots should always be filled. Always have been up till now. The 25, I get the club don't try and fill. We are currently (with Gomez arriving) 19 out of 21, and 20 out of 25. I'd be much happier with 21-22 all in, then plus youth.

Nothing will changw my mind on that pal, no amount of expectation on Palmer McAtee, Delap, JWE. Because those are additional to the 21 every other season.

We are imo going in very light, regardless of quality. And that's putting aside that Alvarez and Gomez might need time, and Palmer needs to take a big step up.



Seems that is what it will be though, so look forward to seeing it all regardless.
 
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Coatigan said:
Possibly. Let's see. Both were here last season though, they will simply be increasing their own contributions.

That was an issue last season, losingn those two, one the club had to make do with. Despite planning otherwise.

It is simple for me, I think the 21 registered player slots should always be filled. Always have been up till now. The 25, I get the club don't try and fill. We are currently (with Gomez arriving) 19 out of 21, and 20 out of 25. I'd be much happier with 21-22 all in, then plus youth.

Nothing will changw my mind on that pal, no amount of expectation on Palmer McAtee, Delap, JWE. Because those are additional to the 21 every other season.

We are imo going in very light, regardless of quality. And that's putting aside that Alvarez and Gomez might need time, and Palmer needs to take a big step up.



Seems that is what it will be though, so look forward to seeing it all regardless.
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Last season you would have been right to not include Palmer in the 21, this season I honestly believe he should be part of the 21. We'll have to see on JWE as the season progresses.
 
Coatigan said:
No, he pretty much said that is it. Misunderstood an earlier poorly worded question. No more after Gomez. If nobody else leaves, that is.
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Was tgat clarified by Pep or someone at tge club ( officially or unofficially)?

Cos if not we can't be sure that he misunderstood the question.

I'm not worried if we are done btw.
 
Centurions said:
Last season you would have been right to not include Palmer in the 21, this season I honestly believe he should be part of the 21. We'll have to see on JWE as the season progresses.
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That's your opinion, I respect that. He simply doesn't count as one of the 21 though, that is just a fact. Foden didn't, no kid does. And for me, other than pure fan expectation, there has been absolutely othing to suggest he would, even if he could.


People are expecting the world of the kid based on 4 games he had some minutes in, the fact that he is better than other youth his age, and general optimism of having an academy player break through. I think it is harsh. Next season, I might be where you are now, if he csn have a development season like Foden did, he may be on the cusp of breaking through. He isn't now though.

And either way, he is an additional player to the 21 registered players, that is simply his status.
 
TonyM said:
Was tgat clarified by Pep or someone at tge club ( officially or unofficially)?

Cos if not we can't be sure that he misunderstood the question.

I'm not worried if we are done btw.
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It was.

It might be on a few pages back, or might be on the Gomez thread perhaps. Or watch it on the OS, the second part of the presser.
 
SWP's back said:
Yeah I’d weirdly forgotten about him. :-/
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I get it‘s a hard position to fill, especially for us fans.

We need a defensive left back about 5 times a season.

Pep’s thinking will always be about keeping the ball and the opposition can’t score.

Occasionally though, to keep the ball effectively and stopping their counter attacks means we need a defensive left back.

I wonder if he’s thought about playing Walker there.
 
Alan Harper's Tash said:
I get it‘s a hard position to fill, especially for us fans.

We need a defensive left back about 5 times a season.

Pep’s thinking will always be about keeping the ball and the opposition can’t score.

Occasionally though, to keep the ball effectively and stopping their counter attacks means we need a defensive left back.

I wonder if he’s thought about playing Walker there.
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More than 5 games a season. A left footed left back would give our wide man more options. Grealish or whoever wouldn’t then have two players on them, an overlapping full back drags a defender away leaving them one on one. If cancelo is still the best option then so be it, but there’s a reason we wanted Cucurella and I hope it’s addressed next season.
 
Pollocksheader said:
More than 5 games a season. A left footed left back would give our wide man more options. Grealish or whoever wouldn’t then have two players on them, an overlapping full back drags a defender away leaving them one on one. If cancelo is still the best option then so be it, but there’s a reason we wanted Cucurella and I hope it’s addressed next season.
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We now have a left footed left back. Similar to Zinchenko at the start of his career with us, albeit with more speed.

What we still don’t have is a “proper” left back, who you’d back to stop Salah scoring.
 
Centurions said:
Last season you would have been right to not include Palmer in the 21, this season I honestly believe he should be part of the 21. We'll have to see on JWE as the season progresses.
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January is going to be an interesting time for the young players in the squad. Surprised McAtee went on a season long loan
 
Coatigan said:
That's your opinion, I respect that. He simply doesn't count as one of the 21 though, that is just a fact. Foden didn't, no kid does. And for me, other than pure fan expectation, there has been absolutely othing to suggest he would, even if he could.


People are expecting the world of the kid based on 4 games he had some minutes in, the fact that he is better than other youth his age, and general optimism of having an academy player break through. I think it is harsh. Next season, I might be where you are now, if he csn have a development season like Foden did, he may be on the cusp of breaking through. He isn't now though.

And either way, he is an additional player to the 21 registered players, that is simply his status.
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Yes, but 21 registered and nobody good enough to add to it which is what we had until a couple of years ago is the same as 19 registered but having 2 players Foden and Palmer able to play meanigful minutes. As you point out Palmer remains to be seen , but if Peps happy that will do me.
Extreme example if we thought we had 12 club trained /u21 good enough to play ever week we wouldn't still need 21 registered players, 10 would be enough.
 
Coatigan said:
In numbers alone, still 2 down from last season, even with Gomez. And 2-3 down from every other season under pep. But looks like Pep thinks this is enough, and that's what we are going with.
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Only 18 players players played the equivalent of 5 Prem games or more in minutes last season, so personally, I wouldn’t consider Mendy or Torres as even squad players last season as they only played a total of about 400 mins between them

We have 18 senior pros this season, plus Palmer & Wilson-Esbrand who I’d imagine will all get more than the equivalent of 5 games, so I’d suggest we’re actually better off as we will likely use 2 more players than we used last season

I think we’re good to go with depth in every position & a far more balanced than last season
 
Thing is, I’m not sure any left back in the world would stop Salah scoring if he’s one on one with them.

What we need to do is make sure Haaland and Kev, etc score more at the other end and we limit the opportunities for the likes of Salah to receive the ball in threatening areas. I think we generally do that pretty well in most games.

My only concern is we are very light on options if we get a couple of injuries in defence. Could really have done with a PL proven, reliable full back to step in when the games are coming thick and fast.
 
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