The Squad planning thread

[Gabriel]

Wow thats definitely the worst transfer of all time

Of recent times, indubitably.

 

[sh249]

I’d probably aim for something like this:

Donnarumma
Trafford
Bettinelli

New RB
Nunes
Lewis
Khusanov
Dias
Guehi
Gvardiol
Reis
Ake? (Mfuni)
O’Reilly

Rodri
Gonzalez?
New No. 8
Foden
Cherki
Reijnders

New RW
Semenyo
Haaland
Doku
Savinho

—-——Donnarumma/Trafford————
——-Khusanov—Dias—Gvardiol———-
—————NewRB——Rodri—————
NewRW-Cherki/Foden-New8-Doku
—————-——-Haaland——————-

Out
Bernardo
Stones
Kovacic
Marmoush
Ait-Nouri
(Plus Akanji, Grealish, Phillips)

Plenty on the list who could also easily go, and that I’d have no qualms about losing (Lewis, Gonzalez, Reijnders, Savinho). But just not sure how realistic it will be to bring in 6 or 7 in one summer.

Obviously others who might choose to leave and need replacing (Trafford, Rodri …)

All based on the assumption that Maresca is likely to aim for something similar (in terms of setup / style) to City 2017-23.

 

[Lord Blue]

it's possible we don't need to change much. midfield needs a boost but with the rest it might be about tactics.

 

[JewelZee]

I’d probably aim for something like this:

Donnarumma
Trafford
Bettinelli

New RB
Nunes
Lewis
Khusanov
Dias
Guehi
Gvardiol
Reis
Ake? (Mfuni)
O’Reilly

Rodri
Gonzalez?
New No. 8
Foden
Cherki
Reijnders

New RW
Semenyo
Haaland
Doku
Savinho

—-——Donnarumma/Trafford————
——-Khusanov—Dias—Gvardiol———-
—————NewRB——Rodri—————
NewRW-Cherki/Foden-New8-Doku
—————-——-Haaland——————-

Out
Bernardo
Stones
Kovacic
Marmoush
Ait-Nouri
(Plus Akanji, Grealish, Phillips)

Plenty on the list who could also easily go, and that I’d have no qualms about losing (Lewis, Gonzalez, Reijnders, Savinho). But just not sure how realistic it will be to bring in 6 or 7 in one summer.

Obviously others who might choose to leave and need replacing (Trafford, Rodri …)

All based on the assumption that Maresca is likely to aim for something similar (in terms of setup / style) to City 2017-23.

There's no way on God's green earth we'll retain Lewis while moving on from Ait Nouri. Viana would have to be sentenced to 10 years of hard labor...

 

[ALDN_Ko]

There's no way on God's green earth we'll retain Lewis while moving on from Ait Nouri. Viana would have to be sentenced to 10 years of hard labor...

The hate for RAN is overboard imo. When he’s played LB, he’s played well.

 

[sh249]

There's no way on God's green earth we'll retain Lewis while moving on from Ait Nouri. Viana would have to be sentenced to 10 years of hard labor...

Hardly an either/or.
If Maresca sees himself using a wide attacking full back, then it obviously stands to reason to keep Ait-Nouri. If he doesn’t, then there is very little point of having him around.
Lewis has been crap for the past three seasons. He’s also been horribly ill-suited to the role of our RB through that period - i.e. to play wide and get up and down the pitch or to move across to become a third centre half.
The one role he’s shown he can play passably is at RB going in to join the No. 6 in a team that dominates possession - i.e. exactly what he was doing when he first broke through. If, as seems likely, Maresca wants to use his full back in that way, I have no great issue with keeping him - as a fairly distant, homegrown squad option. Not with so many others possibly leaving.
Like I said, all depends on what, exactly, Maresca has in mind.

 

[ashleycaulcott1]

I hope Palmer doesnt come back here cant stand the arrogant twat

 

[JewelZee]

Hardly an either/or.
If Maresca sees himself using a wide attacking full back, then it obviously stands to reason to keep Ait-Nouri. If he doesn’t, then there is very little point of having him around.
Lewis has been crap for the past three seasons. He’s also been horribly ill-suited to the role of our RB through that period - i.e. to play wide and get up and down the pitch or to move across to become a third centre half.
The one role he’s shown he can play passably is at RB going in to join the No. 6 in a team that dominates possession - i.e. exactly what he was doing when he first broke through. If, as seems likely, Maresca wants to use his full back in that way, I have no great issue with keeping him - as a fairly distant, homegrown squad option. Not with so many others possibly leaving.
Like I said, all depends on what, exactly, Maresca has in mind.

Distant being the key word : )

 

[decmancity]

There is no chance Viana had carte blanche on the transfers with no thought of who comes after Pep and I believe he has known for a long time that Pep was off.

Maresca can absolutely use players like RAN.

 

[JewelZee]

The hate for RAN is overboard imo. When he’s played LB, he’s played well.

Agree. No hate from me. I'm keeping him, simple as...

 

[sh249]

Distant being the key word : )

of course :-)

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

I hope Palmer doesnt come back here cant stand the arrogant twat

I think you're fairly safe there.

 

[The Blue Eh]

i think maresca will be given plenty of money to spend , could be a very interesting summer

Easy to forget that in Pep’s first season, he was forced to play Kolarov as CB with Clichy and Sagna as fullbacks. This was precisely because the club did not agree to all of his asks, and insisted that the squad build happen over multiple seasons.

 

[bell_mcfc]

The hate for RAN is overboard imo. When he’s played LB, he’s played well.

I do think it’s over the top.

Kyle Walker recently on talksport said it took him 2 years to understand what pep demands from a full back, he got humiliated in training every day and pep even told him how bad he was but his pace, physicality and understanding of the league meant he played well in games and training and understanding pep’s tactics didn’t matter to a degree.

Let’s see how Ait Nouri does next season under Maresca.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Bournemouth our new feeder club?

 

[LongsightM13]

Spurs may be back in for Savinho, according to this…

https://archive.ph/o2taZ

 

[City_Sean]

I hope Palmer doesnt come back here cant stand the arrogant twat

Personally I'd love it. I think he's a massive upgrade on Savinho and can play both on the right and centrally.

Scores and creates. No chance it happens though.

 

[Dax777]

I hope Palmer doesnt come back here cant stand the arrogant twat

Where would he even play?

 

[Lkzerinho]

I’d probably aim for something like this:

Donnarumma
Trafford
Bettinelli

New RB
Nunes
Lewis
Khusanov
Dias
Guehi
Gvardiol
Reis
Ake? (Mfuni)
O’Reilly

Rodri
Gonzalez?
New No. 8
Foden
Cherki
Reijnders

New RW
Semenyo
Haaland
Doku
Savinho

—-——Donnarumma/Trafford————
——-Khusanov—Dias—Gvardiol———-
—————NewRB——Rodri—————
NewRW-Cherki/Foden-New8-Doku
—————-——-Haaland——————-

Out
Bernardo
Stones
Kovacic
Marmoush
Ait-Nouri
(Plus Akanji, Grealish, Phillips)

Plenty on the list who could also easily go, and that I’d have no qualms about losing (Lewis, Gonzalez, Reijnders, Savinho). But just not sure how realistic it will be to bring in 6 or 7 in one summer.

Obviously others who might choose to leave and need replacing (Trafford, Rodri …)

All based on the assumption that Maresca is likely to aim for something similar (in terms of setup / style) to City 2017-23.

I think Ake is going to go this summer, Wouldn't be surprised if Dias is off as well especially With Gvardiol coming back from injury, Guehi just brought in, and Khusanov emerging. IF Reis doesn't go back out on loan it seems there is an odd man out here. I think we should look to keep RAN, we already don't have a ton of depth, he's a solid depth piece that can do a job and offers us something a bit different at LB. We defenitely need a natural RB this summer. Nunes has done a decent job filling in, but there are still too many lapses from him to be the clear cut first choice.

Agree with the rest of this though.

 

[TonyM]

I'm very happy with defense. Maybe a new RB option if we can get one. Ideally an academy English player or Reis returning.

I'd definitely sell Lewis and Kovacic.

I'd be hopeful that Maresca could boost the form of Reijnders, Marmoush, Savinho and Foden. But it's probably only wishful thinking.

More wishful thinking would be to replace one of the above with some amazingly fast and deadly attacking talent (like Mbappe at his best) but seems unlikely.

Anderson seems perfect to replace Bernardo and its a big bonus that he is English, so hopefully we are in for him.

I'm also hoping that all our midfielders (new or existing) engage in much more long distance low thunderblast shooting - imo football needs more of this.

As much as I think our squad is good and only needs a few tweaks, I also think our attacking mechanics are jammed and it'll need some clever moves by Vianna and Maresca to fix it.