The Squad planning thread

[richards30]

Didnt realise that Eze has a £68m release clause this summer? Better deal than MGW?

 

[Semper aggressus]

It would be absolute insanity to back an unproven (at top level) Viana over the manager that is widely known as the best in the world and has dominated English football while winning everything because of a bad season.

It doesn’t seem too smart crossing our fingers and hoping we don’t get many injuries across 60 or so games next season either.

There has to be balance. A small squad works if you can guarantee almost no long term injuries, which of course is impossible to know.

I’m surprised that Pep didn’t think a small, ageing squad was what caused us problems this season. Especially as he admitted he was wrong to tell the club he didn’t want a rebuild last summer.

Are we going to repeat last summer’s mistake?

 

[Roachy]

We’ve been needing those for a few seasons

I think the 2 main mistakes from us last night came from players in those positions.

 

[Semper aggressus]

I think the 2 main mistakes from us last night came from players in those positions.

Exactly, as quite often this season because we don’t have any actual fullbacks.

 

[Vester]

It doesn’t seem too smart crossing our fingers and hoping we don’t get many injuries across 60 or so games next season either.

There has to be balance. A small squad works if you can guarantee almost no long term injuries, which of course is impossible to know.

I’m surprised that Pep didn’t think a small, ageing squad was what caused us problems this season. Especially as he admitted he was wrong to tell the club he didn’t want a rebuild last summer.

Are we going to repeat last summer’s mistake?

We have dominated English football while having a small squad, proving that having a small squad in itself is not a problem. It does however become a problem when that small squad has to many aging players combined with letting several elite serial winners leave and replacing them with much worse players making the quality of that small squad drop significantly. We used to be able to rotate 4-5 players each game without any significant drop in quality, something that is far from the case today. The solution should be to make sure that small squad has better players rather than focusing on quantity over quality. In my opinion.

 

[Gumzy97]

I don’t think Viana will care what Pep wants, Viana is known to be ruthless. Signed a striker at sporting that Amorim loved he got injured during the season Amorim said he derserves a second chance and Viana sold him and then signed Gyokeres.

 

[mancboy]

He added, in other quotes comments along the lines of if he gets injuries like this year so be it he'll have to deal with it, but needs a smaller closer tight knit squad

he hasnt dealt with it this year tho has he, so how is he going to deal with it next year by doing nothing different

 

[Semper aggressus]

We have dominated English football while having a small squad, proving that having a small squad in itself it's not a problem. It does however become a problem when that small squad has to many aging players combined with letting several elite serial winners leave and replacing them with much worse players making the quality of that small squad drop significantly. We used to be able to rotate 4-5 players each game without any significant drop in quality, something that is far from the case today. The solution should be to make sure that small squad has better players rather than focusing on quantity over quality. In my opinion.

I certainly agree with that. Quality not quantity. But we don’t want a massive drop off when the first choice is injured.

 

[richards30]

he hasnt dealt with it this year tho has he, so how is he going to deal with it next year by doing nothing different

If "his boys" are still here next year then we will play the same pedestrian way

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

he hasnt dealt with it this year tho has he, so how is he going to deal with it next year by doing nothing different

Probably just hoping for less injuries
Its a gamble, but seems he really doesn't want a 24/25 man squad

 

[mancboy]

If "his boys" are still here next year then we will play the same pedestrian way

i will always appreciate what those players and pep have done for this club but thigs need to adapt and change, gundogan and silva cannot be the mainstays of our midfield, we cant have no fullbacks again, john stones cant play 3 games a season again.

 

[mancboy]

Probably just hoping for less injuries
Its a gamble, but seems he really doesn't want a 24/25 man squad

hope is what kills you unfortunately and if he doesnt want a 24/15 man squad okay BUT he then must change the makeup of the small squad that he does have.

 

[richards30]

i will always appreciate what those players and pep have done for this club but thigs need to adapt and change, gundogan and silva cannot be the mainstays of our midfield, we cant have no fullbacks again, john stones cant play 3 games a season again.

KDB, Gundo, Bernie are legends not only of City but the Premier League, history makers in fact! But the truth is we need to refresh and they need to go.

 

[Gumzy97]

KDB, Gundo, Bernie are legends not only of City but the Premier League, history makers in fact! But the truth is we need to refresh and they need to go.

Wages as well, you sell them the wage Bills drops dramatically

Kev who’s gone was on 400k a week
Bernardo is on 300k a week
Jack Grealish is on 300k a week
Stones 250k a week and he’s never playing
Gundo 230k a week

 

[deano ou812]

Wages as well, you sell them the wage Bills drops dramatically

Kev who’s gone was on 400k a week
Bernardo is on 300k a week
Jack Grealish is on 300k a week
Stones 250k a week and he’s never playing
Gundo 230k a week

Bar Kev they’ll all be at the club for the start of next season..

 

[Gabriel]

We have dominated English football while having a small squad, proving that having a small squad in itself it's not a problem. It does however become a problem when that small squad has to many aging players combined with letting several elite serial winners leave and replacing them with much worse players making the quality of that small squad drop significantly. We used to be able to rotate 4-5 players each game without any significant drop in quality, something that is far from the case today. The solution should be to make sure that small squad has better players rather than focusing on quantity over quality. In my opinion.

We have dominated domestically but have arguably underperformed in Europe. A small squad of high quality will take us far in the league, but it’s often going to leave us short in spring. A balance needs to be found.

 

[richards30]

Bar Kev they’ll all be at the club for the start of next season..

Then Viana and Txiki will have failed.

 

[svennis pennis]

Could see this coming a mile off. We don’t buy in January, let alone 4 players.

The squad really isn’t going to change much for next season, I’ll be stunned if we sign more than 1 or 2 players.

Pep isn’t going to spend next season bleeding in the 4 signings from January alongside a load of new players. The club World Cup makes our summer even more difficult.

The return of Rodri, Bobb and the emergence of O’Reilly gives us a lot more options on top of those January signings already.

 

[bellsouth]

In light of Pep’s comments, maybe this thread should be re-named ‘Squad thinning thread’

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

Fine as long as they are all trusted and available. 24/7