The Squad planning thread

Front 4 is quality

Savinho---------Foden---------Marmoush
----------------------Erling--------------------------

I'd keep Doku, Bobb and one of Echeverri or McAtee..Sell Grealish, loan O'Reilly or convert to LB fulltime. Bring in a Starter(Wirtz) who allows for rotation/different formations with no drop in quality or an older No9 as Marmoush isn't a lone striker imo

--------Rodri--------Nico G--------

Could be a game dominating partnership, both good at getting forward so could pivot.
Get rid of Gundo, Kova, Nunes..Keep one of Bernie or Kev for their experience. Bring in a box to box mid or a pure 6 that allows other 2 lads to focus more on attacking/control if paired with.

New RB------Khusanov-----Dias------Gvardiol

Need a RB for sure, though would keep Rico as the 2nd option then Khusa as back up if defensive option needed. Move Reis up the pecking order and buy a left footed ball playing CB. Keep ONE of Ake, Stones or Akanji with view of being replaced by Bah after he has another loan.

Keep one of Ederson/Ortega and buy a younger keeper to replace. Extend Scott Carsons contract.

5 in
8 out

Promoting the roles of O'Reilly & Reis, and having Bobb back covers the extra 3 out.
 
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richards30 said:
Costa
Frimpong (HG as well?)
Cambiasso
Baena
Wirtz

Josko to CB to bolster there?
Click to expand...
Costa is not very good, and no chance we sign two AMs with Foden, Echeverri and Marmoush (and Bobb) being able to play there. Will be maximum one. We need at least one more CM/DM
 
As usual I think evolution rather than revolution will be the way forward. Given we've already just purchased 4 players then ignoring the goalkeepers I'd go with 3 new outfield signings. Quite a lot of the defenders have had injury issues but hopefully with fewer games now they can come back stronger next year. The biggest concern is Stones. But we've just signed 2 young CBs and at those prices we'd expect them to start. We also have the American LB.

We are stacked with wingers and have 2 strikers.

So the 3 new players should be a RB and 2 midfielders. Our midfield would then comprise of Rodri, Nico, Phil, Lewis and 2 new guys.

Players to leave

Grealish will be gone unless we get a new manager. He's getting zero minutes which is no use to him or us at this stage of his career.

I'd add Gundogan and Bernardo as they sadly contribute little. I'd keep Kevin as unlike the previous 2 he still has some magic left if used as an impact sub.

Phillips and Walker have gone so 2 more needed to leave. For me that's Kovacic, who at his age doesn't need to be bench warming and Nuñes who Pep obviously doesn't trust.
 
Delphinho said:
Costa is not very good, and no chance we sign two AMs with Foden, Echeverri and Marmoush (and Bobb) being able to play there. Will be maximum one. We need at least one more CM/DM
Click to expand...

Not sure Echeverri stays with us for a couple of years mate.
 
GK1/Ortega/GK3
Lewis/Frimpong/Cambiaso/Ake
Gvardiol/Reis/Dias/Khusanov/Akanji
Rodri/Nico/O'Reilly/Wharton
Ederson/Nunes/Foden/Wirtz
McAtee/Bobb/Doku/Savio/Echeverri?
Haaland/Marmoush

Out:
Ederson
Carson
Walker
Stones
Gundo
Kovacic
KDB :(
Bernado
Grealish

In:
1st choice keeper
3rd choice keeper (Either academy or similar to Carson as a HG veteran)
Frimpong
Cambiaso
Wharton
Ederson
Wirtz
 
robbieh said:
As usual I think evolution rather than revolution will be the way forward. Given we've already just purchased 4 players then ignoring the goalkeepers I'd go with 3 new outfield signings. Quite a lot of the defenders have had injury issues but hopefully with fewer games now they can come back stronger next year. The biggest concern is Stones. But we've just signed 2 young CBs and at those prices we'd expect them to start. We also have the American LB.

We are stacked with wingers and have 2 strikers.

So the 3 new players should be a RB and 2 midfielders. Our midfield would then comprise of Rodri, Nico, Phil, Lewis and 2 new guys.

Players to leave

Grealish will be gone unless we get a new manager. He's getting zero minutes which is no use to him or us at this stage of his career.

I'd add Gundogan and Bernardo as they sadly contribute little. I'd keep Kevin as unlike the previous 2 he still has some magic left if used as an impact sub.

Phillips and Walker have gone so 2 more needed to leave. For me that's Kovacic, who at his age doesn't need to be bench warming and Nuñes who Pep obviously doesn't trust.
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Don't disagree with that at all, but if Grealish goes intead of KDB or Kovacic then one of the RB or 2 midfielders will need to be homegrown.
 
Are there fresh links with Frimpong or am I missing something?

As long as Pep’s our manager, I don’t see us signing him. He’s nowhere near good enough as a defender.
 
Unless we add more pace and physicality in defence, especially at fullback, we’ll continue to get picked off by the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona, which could be curtains if we draw them in the playoff rounds. I remember we shredded Feyenoord in de Kuip in 2017, when Guardiola had Walker and Voldemort on either side, and that, for me, remains the most balanced we’ve looked. Back to that blueprint.
 
Rammy Blue said:
I wouldn’t blink twice if we got rid of any or all of following in the summer…

Kev
Gundo
Bernie
Kova
Grealish
Nunes
Stones
Akanji
Ake
Walker
Eddie
Click to expand...
By christ that's some list, and to varying degrees on each player I'm not saying you're wrong. Kev,Gundo, Bernie, Walker definitely. The others all have issues with injury, ability and maybe other distractions. No room for sentiment come the summer either way.
 
Rammy Blue said:
I wouldn’t blink twice if we got rid of any or all of following in the summer…

Kev
Gundo
Bernie
Kova
Grealish
Nunes
Stones
Akanji
Ake
Walker
Eddie
Click to expand...
Thats too many out at once and for that reason I think Akanji and Ake won't go, Nunes might and could be used in a deal for someone. Cant see a straight up buyer for what we'd want to recoup and Saudi always look to undercut us.

Kev can see going to MLS, Gundo to Turkey, Bernie to sure to be honest, Kova to Saudi, Grealish I think will drag out with Spurs wanting him on loan without obligation/options that sort of deal, Stones im not actually sure like Bernie but he has 1 year left so if he doesn't go just becomes a squad player, Eddie to Saudi, Walker to Milan, Saudi or Sheffield.
 
WallyA said:
He may not hit the ground running, but he is only 19, in like a year or so in the squad, adding fresh young energy, he will be a good addition.
Click to expand...
Looking back over the season so far, a key missing ingredient has been energy in so many games. Will be so happy to see it return.
 
This is my prediction for the summer 25. If you disagree with me its not a big deal, Im probably totally wrong on Haaland by the way (i was getting worried listening to Peps press conference today..) but if Im right I believe Delap will be brought back for a season and they will see what he can do and asses him for potentially letting him go the summer after.
I believe Nunes and Kovacic will stay, the rest will go.

Positions is just to show cover not for showing the squad numbers, hence people in double positions.

In:
Wirz
Trafford
Delap
Aina
Cambiaso?
Miguel Guiterrez winter 2026

-------Haaland/Marmoush/Liam Delap

Silvinho/Doku/Marmoush>-------<Foden/Doku/<McAtee/Bobb


-------Wirz/Foden/McAtee/Marmoush

Nico/Kovacic/Nunes------Rodri/Nico


Miguel26>÷/Gvardiol≥÷/≥Ake----Ake/Akanji/Gvardiol----Dias/Khusanov/Akanji----Aina?÷/≤Kusanov/Nunes÷<

-------Trafford/Ortega

≤≥ Means inverting in/to a back 3.
>< Means inverting into centre midfield/AM
÷ means stay wide

young:
Reis CB - Loan Europe
Juma Bah CB
Nico O'Reilly - loan
Haaland ACL?

Out:
Stones - loan PL
Grealish - PL loan Spurs
Bernado Silva - POR- Benfica perm
Rico Lewis - loan?
De Bruyne - MLS perm
Gundogan - Turkey perm
M Nunes? PL
Ederson - Saudi
Walker - perm
 
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