Blue Bogey
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Maresca plays 4-2-3-1 or, at least he did at Chelsea.
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The Squad planning thread
- Thread starter HaalandEffect
- Start date
blueparrot
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Not sure it’s that anti Maresca, Nunes can and has played as a full back back with 2 centre backs before and the right back we seem to want could be chosen for that, O’Reilly is ideal for the inverted full back role. Anderson ,Rodri, Gonzalez are all fits for the 2 CM, maybe Foden too. The 10 could be Cherki or Foden.I still struggle to see the logic in selling Savinho unless we buy much more players than I realized.
Our current squad, strangely, is kind of anti-Maresca built.
We are loaded with attacking fullbacks who are good at holding the width, with many many central attacking players including "striker" type profiles in Marmoush and Semenyo who can play in a partnership
Whereas Maresca, atleast so far like Pep, wants wide wingers, 1 fullback back and 1 tucked in.
If you start all 4 of Haaland, Doku, Cherki and Semenyo who are the backups?
Savinho is literally THE only backup to the 2 wide players.
And then we have like 3 options to rotate the middle 2 (Foden, Reijnders, Marmoush) which is overkill.
If we played 4222/4321 the squad is made for it, but we aren't built for 3241, and selling Savinho puts us even further behind having a squad for it.
It’s the forward that seem least suited to me, if Savinho goes we don’t really have wide wingers and Haaland isn’t really the player drop deep,Marmoush doesn’t seem to fit at all. So will be interesting who we replace Savinho with and whether we replace Marmoush or how we use him if not.
Like him. So will have no complaints. That said, I think its just speculative bull crap
We'd look great so long as Doku is available to play wide on one side. Bur assuming he goes down for a few weeks (hope not) we'd have zero true wide players. Semenyo, Foden, Cherki and Akliouche can all play wide but they aren't true wingers like Doku/SavioAgreed. I don’t think there will be anywhere near the churn demanded by some.
Anderson
Porro for Savinho (undisclosed fees)
Reis replaces Ake
Assuming all others remain (Lewis/Kovacic depart), which I anticipate, then all that remains is a winger. Given how established Doku and Semenyo are, we either go with someone experienced but expecting fewer minutes, or we carry a project, which is in keeping with recent windows.
I found the Detourbet deal with AS Monaco intriguing, particularly its timing and announcement. Just a hunch, but my half a crown would be on us signing Akliouche and giving him a season to develop to the English game.
Anyone who’s watched Cherki and Akliouche for France knows that they share an almost telepathic understanding on the pitch.
Anderson
Porro
Reis
Akliouche
It might still work with us overwhelming teams with an unbelievably individually talented attacking quartet in Cherki, Foden, Semenyo and Akliouche....
Last edited:
richards30
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Been having a play around with team selections today and really cant work out how the defence is going to look in big games without someone being consistently pissed off that they arent playing? Dias, Guehi And Gvardiol with defo expect to start and Khusanov has the aggression and high line pace that we need? Then you have NOR as well? What system does Enzo normally play?
handsofstone
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Disagree our squad is anti-maresca.... I'd even go as far to say the oppositeI still struggle to see the logic in selling Savinho unless we buy much more players than I realized.
Our current squad, strangely, is kind of anti-Maresca built.
We are loaded with attacking fullbacks who are good at holding the width, with many many central attacking players including "striker" type profiles in Marmoush and Semenyo who can play in a partnership
Whereas Maresca, atleast so far like Pep, wants wide wingers, 1 fullback back and 1 tucked in.
If you start all 4 of Haaland, Doku, Cherki and Semenyo who are the backups?
Savinho is literally THE only backup to the 2 wide players.
And then we have like 3 options to rotate the middle 2 (Foden, Reijnders, Marmoush) which is overkill.
If we played 4222/4321 the squad is made for it, but we aren't built for 3241, and selling Savinho puts us even further behind having a squad for it.
Do think that its a bit tricky playing BOTH Nunes and NOR as full backs under his system as neither want to form part of a back 3
Individually though, both Nunes and NOR being natural midfielders are more than capable to invert into the midfield
The to supplement that Gvardiol can the the LB when Nunes plays as RB or Khusanov can be the RB when NOR plays as LB
Also Doku is a perfect Maresca winger, he has Individual brilliance which is key for his wingers
Semenyo isnt quite as good a fit on the right but hes a good option
Foden/Cherki as the #8/#10 around Haaland is ideal
Think we are a Nico Anderson away for having the perfect Maresca squad as he can start as the CM then move into the #8 position as hes shown he can be lethal further up
Been having a play around with team selections today and really cant work out how the defence is going to look in big games without someone being consistently pissed off that they arent playing? Dias, Guehi And Gvardiol with defo expect to start and Khusanov has the aggression and high line pace that we need? Then you have NOR as well? What system does Enzo normally play?
I’d advise watching Nobbins video, he’s goes in depth into what Maresca might play and his system.
Gabriel
Well-Known Member
It's one of the reasons I've always been wary about rushing Savinho to the exit door. People are constantly bleating on saying 'not good enough' and 'we can do better', yet they never offer league-tested replacements who can step in on either side.We'd look great so long as Doku is available to play wide on one side. Bur assuming he goes down for a few weeks (hope not) we'd have zero true wide players. Semento, Foden, Cherki and Akliouche can all play wide but they arent true wingers like Doku/Savio
It might still work with us overwhelming teams with an unbelievably individually talented attacking quartet in Cherki, Foden, Semenyo and Akliouche....
Do we go back to Grealish? Does Semenyo shift back to the left, where he has played before? Do we maybe look at using Ait-Nouri in a more attacking sense? All possible solutions but none of them are convincing. Maybe you're right. Maybe we're going to trust in fluidity to shift teams.
Im referring to 4231 with a fullback inverting to make a 3241 with 2 wide wingers.Maresca plays 4-2-3-1 or, at least he did at Chelsea.
Currently, the backup to Doku and Semenyo is... Savinhio, and we want to sell him?
I mean okay, but we needed a winger already, now I think we need 2.
Which could happen, I just didnt think it would.
I still struggle to see the logic in selling Savinho unless we buy much more players than I realized.
Our current squad, strangely, is kind of anti-Maresca built.
We are loaded with attacking fullbacks who are good at holding the width, with many many central attacking players including "striker" type profiles in Marmoush and Semenyo who can play in a partnership
Whereas Maresca, atleast so far like Pep, wants wide wingers, 1 fullback back and 1 tucked in.
If you start all 4 of Haaland, Doku, Cherki and Semenyo who are the backups?
Savinho is literally THE only backup to the 2 wide players.
And then we have like 3 options to rotate the middle 2 (Foden, Reijnders, Marmoush) which is overkill.
If we played 4222/4321 the squad is made for it, but we aren't built for 3241, and selling Savinho puts us even further behind having a squad for it.
Yep. If Savinho goes (when) then we need to replace him with another winger. I presume Viana knows that and has somebody lined up. We're light in that area anyway but Savinho and Bernie (who could play RW) both leaving means we're short there.
Unless Jack is coming back...
If you read everything I wrote I made it clear what sense I meant anti Maresca.Disagree our squad is anti-maresca.... I'd even go as far to say the opposite
Do think that its a bit tricky playing BOTH Nunes and NOR as full backs under his system as neither want to form part of a back 3
Individually though, both Nunes and NOR being natural midfielders are more than capable to invert into the midfield
The to supplement that Gvardiol can the the LB when Nunes plays as RB or Khusanov can be the RB when NOR plays as LB
Also Doku is a perfect Maresca winger, he has Individual brilliance which is key for his wingers
Semenyo isnt quite as good a fit on the right but hes a good option
Foden/Cherki as the #8/#10 around Haaland is ideal
Think we are a Nico Anderson away for having the perfect Maresca squad as he can start as the CM then move into the #8 position as hes shown he can be lethal further up
Yes the fullbacks suit him perfectly well.
But we have Doku as a starting touchline winger, who likes to drift inside lately.
And the other starting winger, in the 4231 Maresca likes, is Semenyo, who also prefers drifting inside.
But okay fine, they start, literally the only backup to these 2 positions is one player, Savinho.
So my argument was, does it make sense to sell this player?
We probably needed another winger on top of Savinho already.
Unless the system changes, like I said, or Cherki is no longer a 10 (which I doubt), I find a Savinho transfer very unlikely unless 2 wingers come in.
That fee of 31m sounds very reasonable.
I think we are light in wide depth as well.Yep. If Savinho goes (when) then we need to replace him with another winger. I presume Viana knows that and has somebody lined up. We're light in that area anyway but Savinho and Bernie (who could play RW) both leaving means we're short there.
Unless Jack is coming back...
I prefer Savinho staying AND another wide player coming in.
If he goes, I dont know which 2 players we get.
Apparently Diomande is very heavily linked to PSG and Liverpool, so I dont think that happens.
Akliouche, Trincao? The options arent supe4 great imo.
I would guess the idea is a Marmoush replacement that can help out wide and a Savinho replacement.I still struggle to see the logic in selling Savinho unless we buy much more players than I realized.
Our current squad, strangely, is kind of anti-Maresca built.
We are loaded with attacking fullbacks who are good at holding the width, with many many central attacking players including "striker" type profiles in Marmoush and Semenyo who can play in a partnership
Whereas Maresca, atleast so far like Pep, wants wide wingers, 1 fullback back and 1 tucked in.
If you start all 4 of Haaland, Doku, Cherki and Semenyo who are the backups?
Savinho is literally THE only backup to the 2 wide players.
And then we have like 3 options to rotate the middle 2 (Foden, Reijnders, Marmoush) which is overkill.
If we played 4222/4321 the squad is made for it, but we aren't built for 3241, and selling Savinho puts us even further behind having a squad for it.
So Doku, Semenyo, New LW/9, New RW and then Foden and Cherki if needed as well.
And thats fair, just didnt expect us to buy 2 attacking options as it requires more outgoings than expected (Savinho, Marmoush).I would guess the idea is a Marmoush replacement that can help out wide and a Savinho replacement.
So Doku, Semenyo, New LW/9, New RW and then Foden and Cherki if needed as well.
All 3 of Ait-Nouri, Nico and Nnes can step inside (two are natural midfielders). They are flexible and ideal players for Maresca. We need an rb inverter or he we wll Khush anf have the attacking outlet on the left.I still struggle to see the logic in selling Savinho unless we buy much more players than I realized.
Our current squad, strangely, is kind of anti-Maresca built.
We are loaded with attacking fullbacks who are good at holding the width, with many many central attacking players including "striker" type profiles in Marmoush and Semenyo who can play in a partnership
Whereas Maresca, atleast so far like Pep, wants wide wingers, 1 fullback back and 1 tucked in.
If you start all 4 of Haaland, Doku, Cherki and Semenyo who are the backups?
Savinho is literally THE only backup to the 2 wide players.
And then we have like 3 options to rotate the middle 2 (Foden, Reijnders, Marmoush) which is overkill.
If we played 4222/4321 the squad is made for it, but we aren't built for 3241, and selling Savinho puts us even further behind having a squad for it.
Doku and Semenyo can hold the width. What we need is another winger like Diomande who can play both wings. McAidoo is perfect as the 4th option.
We need two mobile midfielders hopefully Anderson is one.
Otherwise we are not far off. I don’t think Rogers is the solution to any of our problems, he is a very good player though.
I could also see a world where we keep Marmoush and that reflects the winger we buy. Someone that could play both sides maybe.And thats fair, just didnt expect us to buy 2 attacking options as it requires more outgoings than expected (Savinho, Marmoush).
It is silly season on social media and the management change at City means there is far more speculation than usual.
I would be very surprised if Maresca, Pep, and Viana have not all been involved in squad planning for some time. As such, I doubt we will see as much movement as is speculated. In fact, I would be absolutely shocked if it turns out to be the case.
I suspect we will be very disappointed at what Savinho will achieve if he goes elsewhere. I think it is a mistake to sell, but it is possible that this is because we want to create throughput from the academy as Viana detailed was a priority. With Doku and Semenyo playing the majority of games, and with Foden and Cherki in the ten position, the emergence of McAidoo and R Heskey could be a reality as backup for the wing positions.
That would leave the money for the midfield, which makes absolute sense. If everyone else stays, we still need a Bernardo replacement and a powerful, physical runner. That will cost if they have the technical attributes we need. We could invest the money at full-back, releasing or augmenting Nunes and O'Reilly if we feel they belong in midfield, but I doubt it given they are so able in that position and in joining the centre when required.
I would be very surprised if Maresca, Pep, and Viana have not all been involved in squad planning for some time. As such, I doubt we will see as much movement as is speculated. In fact, I would be absolutely shocked if it turns out to be the case.
I suspect we will be very disappointed at what Savinho will achieve if he goes elsewhere. I think it is a mistake to sell, but it is possible that this is because we want to create throughput from the academy as Viana detailed was a priority. With Doku and Semenyo playing the majority of games, and with Foden and Cherki in the ten position, the emergence of McAidoo and R Heskey could be a reality as backup for the wing positions.
That would leave the money for the midfield, which makes absolute sense. If everyone else stays, we still need a Bernardo replacement and a powerful, physical runner. That will cost if they have the technical attributes we need. We could invest the money at full-back, releasing or augmenting Nunes and O'Reilly if we feel they belong in midfield, but I doubt it given they are so able in that position and in joining the centre when required.
If you read everything I wrote I made it clear what sense I meant anti Maresca.
Yes the fullbacks suit him perfectly well.
But we have Doku as a starting touchline winger, who likes to drift inside lately.
And the other starting winger, in the 4231 Maresca likes, is Semenyo, who also prefers drifting inside.
But okay fine, they start, literally the only backup to these 2 positions is one player, Savinho.
So my argument was, does it make sense to sell this player?
We probably needed another winger on top of Savinho already.
Unless the system changes, like I said, or Cherki is no longer a 10 (which I doubt), I find a Savinho transfer very unlikely unless 2 wingers come in.
If we only had one winger at the club if that winger was Savinho we should be selling him. Absolute crap. Thick as shit and a bottler when he gets into position to shoot or make the final pass and he’s clearly been flirting with leaving publicly and wanting to go for the past year. I’d drive him there myself.