Is our 1st team squad too small?

This squad is still a bunch of high quality player but we need some pace and athleticism, we have looked leggy in the big games and have struggled to get through packed defences.

I can see quite a big refresh this summer.
 
Probably just 1 attacking player short. Oscar Bobb could have done that job but he's just a bit short on experience at the moment. The Madrid game, once Doku was on, we just needed to be able to make 1 more attacking change.

The rest is a quality issue. We signed 2 midfielders last season and Rodri still needs to play pretty much every game.
 
It’s a balance between a tight knit squad in which most players get decent minutes and a larger squad catering for all eventualities. Proof of the pudding and all that, it works. There will be even more games next year so maybe we have to increase it.
 
The squad is fine, but when you are competing at the highest levels, in all competitions, there will be times it looks a bit weary. A bigger squad comes with a loss of quality because the best players won't sit on the bench every week, and it can be disruptive in terms of spirit.
 
MCFC1993 said:
Probably just 1 attacking player short. Oscar Bobb could have done that job but he's just a bit short on experience at the moment. The Madrid game, once Doku was on, we just needed to be able to make 1 more attacking change.

The rest is a quality issue. We signed 2 midfielders last season and Rodri still needs to play pretty much every game.
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Our buys usually take a year to embed. We slowly introduce players after they improve physically., technically and most importantly, mentally. Anyone who gets to the pinnacle of the first eleven has had to really prove themselves. Always look short in the dev't year. I think thats why we dont bother with a Jan window. Sets the dev programme out of kilter.
 
ChicagoBlue said:
They’re all over the world. He doesn’t need to be an already world class talent, but if we are going to compete on 4 fronts every season, with the CL & CWC only getting bigger and more & more games at Intl tournaments, we are going to need options for the one “big lad” we have upfront and the one “little lad” that deputizes for him. Additionally, it would be nice to have some continuity in a transition if Haaland decides to seek warmer pastures at some point. I don’t even mind if it’s a homegrown talent, but we need to blood someone.
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it was the "hold up" part of the description that I was wondering about. There are plenty of big and strong strikers around but the back to goal hold up strikers like Niall Quinn, Mark Hughes, Mick Harford etc. seem to have disappeared.

The last player that we had that fitted that description was Wilfried Bony about whom no more needs to be said. I can see the potential value in such a player - Quinn was great at holding the ball and laying it off - but it would be a change of style from how Haaland (currently) plays.
 
jamesha said:
it was the "hold up" part of the description that I was wondering about. There are plenty of big and strong strikers around but the back to goal hold up strikers like Niall Quinn, Mark Hughes, Mick Harford etc. seem to have disappeared.

The last player that we had that fitted that description was Wilfried Bony about whom no more needs to be said. I can see the potential value in such a player - Quinn was great at holding the ball and laying it off - but it would be a change of style from how Haaland (currently) plays.
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It’d just be nice, if we are going to try to play a target man, to be able to get the ball to him and then have the time and ability to support him.

As we’ve seen, EH’s first touch is Dzeko-esque, and the ball often comes straight back, unless it’s slid through the channel for him to run into.

No biggie. Txiki is always out buying the ever-popular “next Messi,” so big and strong is not something we seem to look for in a forward.
 
The future fixture schedule is increasing numerically and in intensity.

Rico,Bobb,Docu & potentially Nunes should be better next season and will need to be if they are to shoulder more of the load.

IF....Bernard,Kyle,Stefano & Gomez leave there are 3 senior players and 1 squaddie to replace.

Apparently we are interested in Musiala,Paqueta & Guimares and we have a number of loanees returning.

However we may probably need another couple of experienced additions to provide the cover for a 70,70,70 game season !!
 
Tolmie scores said:
Our buys usually take a year to embed. We slowly introduce players after they improve physically., technically and most importantly, mentally. Anyone who gets to the pinnacle of the first eleven has had to really prove themselves. Always look short in the dev't year. I think thats why we dont bother with a Jan window. Sets the dev programme out of kilter.
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Aymeric Laporte and Julian Álvárez say hi.
In fairness though, you're right. From memory, they're the exceptions (and Álvárez didn't play a competitive game until the following season).
 
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