Possible squad/starting XI next season?

Damanino said:
get rid of Mendy and replace him with a LB not a midfielder who will play LB.
nice sendoff for Dinho, replace him with someone who can offer Rodri more rotation maybe even a bit if pressure in trainings for the first 11. and proper cover if Rodri gets a bad injury...


thats two most important imo.

then we need to see how it turns out for Gundo, Bernardo, Jesus, Mahrez, Sterling. if Gundo/Bernardo stays, I am happy with midfield if we get a young DM instead of Dinho.

if Jesus leaves I am ok wih Alvarez/Haaland coming in without further transfers.
if Mahrez or Sterling leaves too on top of Jesus, we need a top winger talent with speed and an eye for a goal.
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Definitely agree about central defensive midfielder. Great as he has been, we kept Ferna too long. Rodri has been immense this season but he needs rest and at times we may even play with 2 CDM.
The biggest issue for me is the unknown caused by a WC in November in 40 degree heat. Most of our players will be there and a lot may go a long way.
Consider for example KDB with his last chance of a major tournament win playing such huge games assuming Belgium get towards ghe final and then coming back certainly mentally and probably physically tired? Bernardo will no doubt run himself into the ground etc.
I don't know the answer really other than
1. Get off to the fastest possible start
2. Move heaven and earth to get Haaland read, fit and firing so he can take us though Christmas and beyond
3. Trust younger players more and use subs far more
 
mj1991 said:
The same as usual, but with Haaland instead of false 9.
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That dies mean we have to play the ball quickly through the lines..my concern is that Haaland may be caught offside a fair bit until we get used to playing forward instead of manipulating the opposition ..big change re style ..its not going to be wasy..4 or 5 years of ine definitive style..
 
peps bald head said:
Pep is managing to keep them happy now, what do you think will happen when we have 2 new players coming with Alva + Haaland taking the CF spot? Before we could manage to keep everyone happy because they were rotating between 3 roles (LW, False 9 spot, RW), now that F9/striker spot is gonna be occupied by primarily Alva + Håland. 3 possible spots becomes only 2 now.
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I agree its going to be a challenge. If the CF doeasnt click straight away..then what? Revert back to false 9 and gradually introduce ..can only drop 14 to 20 pts all season now. Slow starts will put you out of it. I think false 9 with slow introduction of a CF will be wise
 
Ian Blake said:
That dies mean we have to play the ball quickly through the lines..my concern is that Haaland may be caught offside a fair bit until we get used to playing forward instead of manipulating the opposition ..big change re style ..its not going to be wasy..4 or 5 years of ine definitive style..
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We have to play more direct and pacey football with Haaland

Ederson
Walker
Stones
Dias
Cancelo/Cucurella
Rodri
Bernardo
De Bruyne
Sterling/Mahrez
Foden/Grealish
Haaland/Alvarez

Hopefully, in 2023 we would replace Gundogan with Bellingham, but if Sterling wants to go, we need to buy a good winger in the summer.
 
This would be mine. I would always choose Dias and Stones as central defenders. A new player has to compete with Cancelo before winning the right to play. Bernardo is a regular alternative to Grealish AND KDB, so is really another first team player with Gundo (assuming he stays for the year). McAtee is introduced for regular sub appearances. We introduce Palmer, properly, as a Mahrez competitor. Alvarez is the front line cover, as is Edozie, who I would bring in, with Borges fast tracked. Grealish and Foden interchange, as do Palmer and KDB.

==================Ederson================
Walker=====Stones=========Dias=====Cancelo
=====KDB=========Rodri=======Grealish=====
Palmer===========Haaland=========Foden===
 
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--------------------------------------- Ederson ----------------------------------------

Walker/Porro -- Stones/Dias -- Laporte/Bastoni/Pau ----Cancelo/Cucurella

---------------------------------- Rodri/Phillip/Konrad Laimer---------------------------------

---------Bernardo/ Foden------------ Kevin/Nunes ------------Grealish/Nkunku

------------------------------------Haaland/Alvarez/Delap---------------------------


Options:

Nkunku for Sterling
Nunes for Gundogan
Phillip/Konrad Laimer - for Fernandinho
Bastoni/Pau Torres - Ake
Cucurella for Zinchenko

Proposed formation : 4-2-3-1
 
Goalkeepers Ederson, New GK

Defenders Walker, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Laporte, Ake, Zinchenko, New RB/LB

Midfielders Rodri, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Grealish, New DM

Forwards Haaland, Alvarez, Mahrez, Sterling, Foden, Palmer
 
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David El Mago Silva said:
Goalkeepers Ederson, New GK

Defenders Walker, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Laporte, Ake, Zinchenko, New RB/LB

Midfielders Rodri, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Grealish, New DM

Forwards Haaland, Alvarez, Foden, Sterling, Jesus, Mahrez
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Has Steffan decided to leave? Not sure that we will need Sterling & Mahrez. Where is Palmer & McAtee?
 
David El Mago Silva said:
Goalkeepers Ederson, New GK

Defenders Walker, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Laporte, Ake, Zinchenko, New RB/LB

Midfielders Rodri, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Grealish, New DM

Forwards Haaland, Alvarez, Foden, Sterling, Jesus, Mahrez
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We have been linked with Pau Torres fairly consistently so there could be a chance we are losing a CB.

After listening to a Laporte interview on Monday, he is definitely staying, so the only one I could see going is Ake.

If Newcastle come in and offer good money he may well want to go, he needs regular football, especially in a World Cup year.
 
Keeper! said:
We have been linked with Pau Torres fairly consistently so there could be a chance we are losing a CB.

After listening to a Laporte interview on Monday, he is definitely staying, so the only one I could see going is Ake.

If Newcastle come in and offer good money he may well want to go, he needs regular football, especially in a World Cup year.
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City ended their interest in Pau as he is close to the rags. I see zero defensive players going, let alone Steffen who extended.
And even if Aké went City wouldn't replace a HG player with a 50-60m spanish international.
 
DeBlueLou said:
City ended their interest in Pau as he is close to the rags. I see zero defensive players going, let alone Steffen who extended.
And even if Aké went City wouldn't replace a HG player with a 50-60m spanish international.
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Personally think 100% Steffen will go, even if it's a loan, he needs to play and he needs to repair that confidence after the semi-final.
 
Keeper! said:
Personally think 100% Steffen will go, even if it's a loan, he needs to play and he needs to repair that confidence after the semi-final.
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There has been no indication that he wants a move, at all. And who would even City be looking at as replacement? Been no noise at all on this topic.
 
DeBlueLou said:
There has been no indication that he wants a move, at all. And who would even City be looking at as replacement? Been no noise at all on this topic.
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Rumours in the USA, he has been told he needs to play to get his place back, his is stagnating with us, also the young Irish kid is a huge talent, maybe he will take Zak's place.
 
Keeper! said:
Rumours in the USA, he has been told he needs to play to get his place back, his is stagnating with us, also the young Irish kid is a huge talent, maybe he will take Zak's place.
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Steffen is without contention the best keeper USA has without him even starting more than 10 games a season. Bazunu aint coming here to sit on then bench and he himself has said that plenty of times, so he wont be an option.
 
Keeper! said:
If Newcastle come in and offer good money he may well want to go, he needs regular football, especially in a World Cup year.
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Unless there is an injury crisis in the Netherlands team, he’s only ever likely to be a squad player at best. He’s far behind the other central defenders and there is now genuine talent and healthy competition for the left-back spot.

He may choose to leave for more domestic football, but I’d like to see him have an injury-free season with us and see if he can improve playing some games with a settled, left-footed fullback.
 
GK: Ederson/Steffan

FB: Walker, Cancelo, Zinchenko, Cucurella

CB: Dias, Stones, Laporte, Ake

CM: KDB, Bernardo, Rodri, Gundogan, Phillips (McAtee?)

WG: Foden, Grealish, Mahrez, Raz, Palmer

ST: Haaland, Alvarez (Delap?)

Would be pretty happy with that

I'd like us to go for someone better than Phillips but meh, he's coming as depth and I'm OK with that as long as he doesn't cost £50mil as for that price we could get real quality

If we let go off any of Raheem, Mahrez and Gundogan they need to be replaced

Likewise I can see us accepting a bid for Ake, he would need replacing unless we promote Harwood-Belis but it's probably too soon for him

We should keep Bernardo at all costs......and I wouldn't like us selling Laporte....although in Laportes case I can see players out there we can replace him with whereas Bernardo is a lot more difficult

I won't lie but I'd love us to make a cheeky bid for Gavi, he's exceptional and we aren't going TOO big this summer

In:
Haaland £51mil
Cucurella £35mil
Phillips £35mil
Alvarez £17mil
 
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