The Squad planning thread

[Blue Bogey]

If we can’t get any player signings in January can we at least sign up some plasters, bandages and walking frames and bring in some therapists.

 

[Semper aggressus]

This isn’t a video game. I’d bet good money we don’t sign any of those players.

The problem we’ve had over the past 2 years is that the top class players that we were prepared to pay the big money for have either chosen to go elsewhere (Bellingham, Rice) or are unobtainable (Musiala, Wirtz).

Then the tier of players who we’d hope to develop into top class players by playing under pep (Bruno G, Paqueta) we are being quoted over £100mil for and won’t pay it.

I don’t see us doing any meaningful business in Jan, it’ll be work towards hopefully having an active summer, but even that will require us unearthing some gems as it’s hard to see who we can buy that will be good enough.

And therein lies the problem. To stay at the level we were at, we needed to spend. Any of those players could have been obtainable if we’d paid enough, in transfer fees, signing on fees and wages.

It really pisses me off this reluctance to spend at the big boys table, and now it’s likely to cost us a lot more by missing out on the title and next year’s CL, and all the income those things generate.

Everyone has a price. We need to start paying what it takes to be Centurions level again. This net spend bullshit is fucking killing the team and Pep’s last years in charge here.

 

[Blue Maverick]

And therein lies the problem. To stay at the level we were at, we needed to spend. Any of those players could have been obtainable if we’d paid enough, in transfer fees, signing on fees and wages.

It really pisses me off this reluctance to spend at the big boys table, and now it’s likely to cost us a lot more by missing out on the title and next year’s CL, and all the income those things generate.

Everyone has a price. We need to start paying what it takes to be Centurions level again. This net spend bullshit is fucking killing the team and Pep’s last years in charge here.

Yep arguing over £5 million when the potential benefits of winning something out weighs it massively, Tixi is leaving us in the shit. We aren’t signing anyone if significance in January and we need about 5 new faces in summer that’s around £400 million in todays prices. We have a war chest it’s about time we flexed our buying power, I’ve written this season off, hoping for sone exciting games to see me through until next august.

 

[Dazzle84]

Let's be honest, we're looking at a near total rebuild in the next two years. Absolutely certainties to keep would be Dias, Gvardiol, Rodri, Foden & Haaland - nobody else is untouchable. That's a hell of a lot of turnover, which will cost a fortune and will need a lot of luck. Considering the lack of faith in academy players, we're going to be reliant on some pretty spectacular scouting and negotiations from Viana & team

 

[Kinkladze 1]

What squad planning?? This has been coming for 3 seasons and no one at the club seems to have realised.

 

[Blue Bogey]

What squad planning?? This has been coming for 3 seasons and no one at the club seems to have realised.

Kind of agree, feels like rather than building a team we have been watching a dismantling of the team.

 

[RayCTID]

We did try for the likes of Bellingham and Rice and they decided Real Madrid and Arsenal were more to their liking. We decided to add the likes of Gvardiol, Savinho, Doku. I would call that planning ahead but I wouldn't them top quality either. And going off our recent form I would say the first two wouldn't have totally improved it either and Bellingham's petulance wouldn't be the best solution.

 

[brian the blue]

Kind of agree, feels like rather than building a team we have been watching a dismantling of the team.

When that team has just won the treble and 4 titles in a row, it’s hard to look at the market to see who we can replace those players with, when we clearly already have the best.

Easy to sit here now when it’s all unravelling at once, and look in hindsight and say we should have been replacing Ederson, Walker, De Bruyne and Bernardo 2 years ago. When 2 years ago they were still the absolute best in their positions.

You only have to look at our poor run of results this time last season, when there were a lot of complaints about us not offering Gundogan a renewal as we were missing his control in midfield while drawing games 3-3 and 4-4. Only now we have brought him back, do we realise it was probably the right call the let him go when we did. (Although he hasn’t been helped this year by playing without Rodri next to him, in a massively exposed midfield)

I just think it’s inevitable that you’re only going to know when it’s time to move a world class player on once you’ve kept them on for one too many seasons. We’re just unfortunate that it applies to 5 members of our squad at the same time this year.

 

[Gumzy97]

Let's be honest, we're looking at a near total rebuild in the next two years. Absolutely certainties to keep would be Dias, Gvardiol, Rodri, Foden & Haaland - nobody else is untouchable. That's a hell of a lot of turnover, which will cost a fortune and will need a lot of luck. Considering the lack of faith in academy players, we're going to be reliant on some pretty spectacular scouting and negotiations from Viana & team

It’ll take longer if we don’t show intent. January now we should go and get a midfielder at least, maybe two.

Then get the other priorities in the summer. We don’t need to spend loads, for quality.

 

[Dazzle84]

It’ll take longer if we don’t show intent. January now we should go and get a midfielder at least, maybe two.

Then get the other priorities in the summer. We don’t need to spend loads, for quality.

Agreed, we need two signings in January & then need to be around the mid-20s range. The type of age we bought people like Kev and Walker when they came in as immediate first choice players

 

[hertsblue]

As well as a squad overhaul, we have lost some of our backroom staff in recent seasons and i wonder if Pep is too loyal to who we have left.
Our fitness levels, our finishing, our set pieces, defending etc are all poor and have massively regressed over the last 2 years and it looks like we do next to nothing on them in training. Wonder if they are all yes men and no one strong enough to stand up to him/tell him he is wrong at times

 

[Nellies left peg]

What squad planning?? This has been coming for 3 seasons and no one at the club seems to have realised.

If you stand still you go backwards. Refreshing the squad over the last couple of years has not happened and we are regressing at an alarming rate. Walker, KDB ,Bernie and Stones as well as gundogan should have been replaced

 

[Haaland94]

DM, RB, LB, world-class attacking threat/creative outlet (Wirtz, Musiala) and we are the best team in the world again.

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

DM, RB, LB, world-class attacking threat/creative outlet (Wirtz, Musiala) and we are the best team in the world again.

wonder if pep goes to a four with fb's or they just buy them with the succession in mind already.

 

[Paul1970]

If you stand still you go backwards. Refreshing the squad over the last couple of years has not happened and we are regressing at an alarming rate. Walker, KDB ,Bernie and Stones as well as gundogan should have been replaced

We are in a real mess now and it’s gonna be very difficult to sort this out in 4 windows let alone 2 and don’t forget if we are found guilty we could get a transfer ban which would probably cripple us . Make no mistake we have got major problems and pep will need to really pull this one off .

 

[King Jay]

DM, RB, LB, world-class attacking threat/creative outlet (Wirtz, Musiala) and we are the best team in the world again.

Yeah and 2 CM replacements for Kovacic and Gundogan.

 

[bell_mcfc]

DM now that can rotate and play alongside Rodri.

Need to work out Fodens long term role here and then work on a KDB replacement. Talks of Muisala or Wirtz but could easily see Kev sign another year and Foden play through the middle as well.

Right back. Walker is done. He has been great for us I’ll never insult him like some. But we need to work out a succession plan here and take pressure of Rico.

I think a CB is needed in Jan to cover injuries and allow rotation. Stones is up for renewal. Dias/Ake/Akanji all coming off injuries as well and Gvardiol has been struggling but can’t rotate him.

We have a lot to do but the players could all have a great season next year. It’s the price of being the best for so many years. We are burnt out physically but also mentally, look at the constant barrage on this club. We could see 10 changes or 0 I wouldn’t be surprised with either.

 

[WallyA]

Considering how well we do with players from the Bundesliga in attacking roles (Kevin, Sane, Gundogan), Wirtz is the marquee statement signing to replace Kevin that we need.

Wirtz and Foden working in the half spaces would be a dream to see.

Then with a supporting cast of defensive steel behind them (Buy Zubimendi, Ederson, and 3 Defenders to replace the aging guard), and we are perfectly set up for the next period.

That's about 6 players I'd like to see over the next 2 windows.

 

[Roachy]

If you stand still you go backwards. Refreshing the squad over the last couple of years has not happened and we are regressing at an alarming rate. Walker, KDB ,Bernie and Stones as well as gundogan should have been replaced

According to some posters it's massively disrespectful to name players who need replacing because of the part they've played in our recent successes. The bottom line is when your time's up, that's it. It's likely too late for this season but let's not make that mistake again by not doing what needs to be done. Refresh, rejuvenate, become great again.

 

[Tier2Blue]

Think we need to learn to take opportunities in the market as well as working to a defined strategy. We seem to be very fixed in our thinking which is good in many ways but would like us to respond to opportunities better.