The Squad planning thread

[pavelsrnicek]

I keep seeing talk about how many windows the rebuild will take. Add two quality midfielders in the summer and we’re in a completely different position. Then it becomes more of an evolution, upgrading defenders and bringing in a new keeper.

At the moment almost all of the problems stems from midfield, KDB, Bernardo and Gundogan are done, Grealish doesn’t seem to have a future with us, Kovacic is a stop gap.

Once we can fix the midfield, easy said hard done I know, only concerns I have are about Foden’s form and how we keep a squad that’s going to be broken up firing for the rest of the season.

 

[Roachy]

I keep seeing talk about how many windows the rebuild will take. Add two quality midfielders in the summer and we’re in a completely different position. Then it becomes more of an evolution, upgrading defenders and bringing in a new keeper.

At the moment almost all of the problems stems from midfield, KDB, Bernardo and Gundogan are done, Grealish doesn’t seem to have a future with us, Kovacic is a stop gap.

Once we can fix the midfield, easy said hard done I know, only concerns I have are about Foden’s form and how we keep a squad that’s going to be broken up firing for the rest of the season.

Agree with this. 2 top, mobile MF's in front of Rodri/Gonzalez will make an immense difference.

 

[Bluewonder]

I don't see it like that.

There's no evidence to suggest yet that the three new signings in that team will be good enough for a title winning side.
Wait to see on all of them IMO

Hmm, there's no long-term evidence but Khusanov looks a serious defender, Nico dominated Newcastle's midfield and was the main reason we controlled possession yesterday and Marmoush already has a hat-trick.

We won't know for sure on them until next year but they look promising so far.

 

[strudelslol]

I keep seeing talk about how many windows the rebuild will take. Add two quality midfielders in the summer and we’re in a completely different position. Then it becomes more of an evolution, upgrading defenders and bringing in a new keeper.

At the moment almost all of the problems stems from midfield, KDB, Bernardo and Gundogan are done, Grealish doesn’t seem to have a future with us, Kovacic is a stop gap.

Once we can fix the midfield, easy said hard done I know, only concerns I have are about Foden’s form and how we keep a squad that’s going to be broken up firing for the rest of the season.

I hope this doesn't come across as reactionary as it's not the intention but I feel the time has been forced to fit around Phil a little bit. Even last season when he had a fantastic year, we had to re-align the team structure to do so and fortunately had the players fit enough to make it work.
He's been shoehorned into the wings, we've shifted Josko to get him in the middle, he's played false 9, but all the way through he's not held down a position of his own.
As we seem to be moving to this more mobile, slightly more transitional team, I struggle to see where Phil will really thrive. It's not that he lacks physicality or mobility, it's more that other players are more mobile than he is, more physical than he is and it's almost highlighting him, singling him out if you will.

Point of this being, I looked at Szoboszlai yesterday and noticed the creation ability, the work rate, the physicality and felt as though the profile we need is more of that mold. Unsure who that is really, maybe Wirtz can do it, who knows.

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

Hmm, there's no long-term evidence but Khusanov looks a serious defender, Nico dominated Newcastle's midfield and was the main reason we controlled possession yesterday and Marmoush already has a hat-trick.

We won't know for sure on them until next year but they look promising so far.

True, lets hope so but its hard to tell after 2 or 3 games.

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

I hope this doesn't come across as reactionary as it's not the intention but I feel the time has been forced to fit around Phil a little bit. Even last season when he had a fantastic year, we had to re-align the team structure to do so and fortunately had the players fit enough to make it work.
He's been shoehorned into the wings, we've shifted Josko to get him in the middle, he's played false 9, but all the way through he's not held down a position of his own.
As we seem to be moving to this more mobile, slightly more transitional team, I struggle to see where Phil will really thrive. It's not that he lacks physicality or mobility, it's more that other players are more mobile than he is, more physical than he is and it's almost highlighting him, singling him out if you will.

Point of this being, I looked at Szoboszlai yesterday and noticed the creation ability, the work rate, the physicality and felt as though the profile we need is more of that mold. Unsure who that is really, maybe Wirtz can do it, who knows.

Pep has mentioned this several times about how we can't compete with the physicality of midfielders from the likes of Brighton, Newcastle, Bournemouth etc.

Do you see him changing and buying a player like this?

Is that not what Nunes was meant to be. He's big and can run, but can't get a look in in his natural position.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Good post. Add Rodri to yesterday's team for KDB, a fit Dias and Haaland and we're more or less at a title winning XI again.

We'll still need a couple of high quality players to supplement that, but we aren't far away.

That's the key this summer, quality over quantity. The players to be replaced are iconic legends that have been key to many trophy wins, the players we bring in to replace them have to be of a similarly high standard already and that's unlikely to be cheap.

400-450 on 5 top players

offset by sales of
Ederson, Kova, Nunes, Stones, McAtee, Doku Philips, Perrone Grealish Bernie Doyle Lewis plus academy

If we could move them 200 to 300 net spend

So you're getting rid of 11 of the current first team plus a few others and want them replacing with barely half that number? One of the primary reasons we're so shit this season is too small of a squad and you're proposing we make it considerably smaller?

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

The rebuild is going to take some amount of years.

When you think of the players who are going to leave in the summer, its the bulk of the squad who have dominated English football for the last few years.
You don't just replace those players overnight. If it was that easy then Chelsea or United would be up there challenging given the money they've thrown at it.

When you strip it all back and look at those who are likely to stay next season, its a top 8 squad at best.
And given our recent success rate in transfers the last 2 years or so, there's no guarantee that we get every one right.

Ok, tell me which seven teams have a better spine than ours and their starting elevens, lets also assume that they are all jammy as fuck with injuries.

 

[blueparrot]

That's the key this summer, quality over quantity. The players to be replaced are iconic legends that have been key to many trophy wins, the players we bring in to replace them have to be of a similarly high standard already and that's unlikely to be cheap.


So you're getting rid of 11 of the current first team plus a few others and want them replacing with barely half that number? One of the primary reasons we're so shit this season is too small of a squad and you're proposing we make it considerably smaller?

I doubt we'll get rid of 11,probably around 8, but we can only have the room in the squad to bring in about half that,

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

Ok, tell me which seven teams have a better spine than ours and their starting elevens, lets also assume that they are all jammy as fuck with injuries.

Assuming that Ederson, Walker, Stones, Silva, Gundogan, Kovacic, Nunes, Grealish and De Bruyne leave as a minimum

That leaves us with with a squad of:

Ortega if he wants to stay
Lewis, Akanji, Khusanov, Reis, Ake, Dias, Gvardiol
Rodri, Gonzalenz, Foden, McAatee, O'Reilly
Savinho, Doku, Bobb
Marmoush, Haaland

OK Top 8 may have been an exagerration, but we will definitely need to spend big to bring that squad up to a title winning level, and get most of those transfers right.

 

[Rodri’s ACL]

who dat?

Some random with 2k followers
Claims to be an ex-MEN writer

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

Assuming that Ederson, Walker, Stones, Silva, Gundogan, Kovacic, Nunes, Grealish and De Bruyne leave as a minimum

That leaves us with with a squad of:

Ortega if he wants to stay
Lewis, Akanji, Khusanov, Reis, Ake, Dias, Gvardiol
Rodri, Gonzalenz, Foden, McAatee, O'Reilly
Savinho, Doku, Bobb
Marmoush, Haaland

OK Top 8 may have been an exagerationg, but we will definitely need to spend big to bring that squad up to a title winning level, and get most of those transfers right.

If all those go, it's obvious to a blind man that we will be bringing in quality replacements. Add that to arguably the best academy in the country means we will be challenging right at the top again. Stop being a pessimist. It's now plain to see that the powers at the top, and Pep, realise that major changes, both squad personnel and numbers, are required. It will be done and not over a very long period of time. Look at the response made in the January window.

 

[Matt Diablo]

Assuming that Ederson, Walker, Stones, Silva, Gundogan, Kovacic, Nunes, Grealish and De Bruyne leave as a minimum

That leaves us with with a squad of:

Ortega if he wants to stay
Lewis, Akanji, Khusanov, Reis, Ake, Dias, Gvardiol
Rodri, Gonzalenz, Foden, McAatee, O'Reilly
Savinho, Doku, Bobb
Marmoush, Haaland

OK Top 8 may have been an exagerationg, but we will definitely need to spend big to bring that squad up to a title winning level, and get most of those transfers right.

Still think that squad could win the league with 3 - 4 additions.. Salah and Dyke injured those bustards would struggle too

 

[ManCitizens.]

Assuming that Ederson, Walker, Stones, Silva, Gundogan, Kovacic, Nunes, Grealish and De Bruyne leave as a minimum

That leaves us with with a squad of:

Ortega if he wants to stay
Lewis, Akanji, Khusanov, Reis, Ake, Dias, Gvardiol
Rodri, Gonzalenz, Foden, McAatee, O'Reilly
Savinho, Doku, Bobb
Marmoush, Haaland

OK Top 8 may have been an exagerration, but we will definitely need to spend big to bring that squad up to a title winning level, and get most of those transfers right.

We should not let KDB walk if he’s willing to take a pay cut as a sparingly used squad player. Let him come on for the last 30mins of games when we need a goal if need be.

Modric is still having an impact at Madrid. We just need to make sure we only keep 2 of Bernardo, KDB and Gundogan and only one is ever in the team at the same time.

 

[ManCitizens.]

Still think that squad could win the league with 3 - 4 additions.. Salah and Dyke injured those bustards would struggle too

Salah and Arnold will both potentially be gone next season. That’s the full right hand side the scousers will need to replace, one of which is their whole attack.

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

I think Salah and VVD are nailed on to stay sadly, and that Trent is away.
The only good thing is they can't go on forever and their legs are bound to start to go soon

 

[Keeper!]

We should not let KDB walk if he’s willing to take a pay cut as a sparingly used squad player. Let him come on for the last 30mins of games when we need a goal if need be.

Modric is still having an impact at Madrid. We just need to make sure we only keep 2 of Bernardo, KDB and Gundogan and only one is ever in the team at the same time.

"We should not let KDB walk if he’s willing to take a pay cut as a sparingly used squad player."

I think you need a eye test and a reality one to go with it.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

 

[ManCitizens.]

"We should not let KDB walk if he’s willing to take a pay cut as a sparingly used squad player."

I think you need an eye test and a reality one to go with it.

Well yesterday for the first half at least he ran himself into the ground pressing far more than the front four who were half arsing it. Embarrassing

 

[Damanino]

wow if this is true thats great as the serious rebuild needed is on the way if we push out 6-7 serious players.

but whats the chance we can replace all of them in one window?

also how much will they care of the rest of the season like if we can get CL or not, it will not matter them too much if they wont be here next year.