Possible squad/starting XI next season?

[Stiff Little Wingers]

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.

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]

The same as usual, but with Haaland instead of false 9.

 

[Tolmie scores]

The same as usual, but with Haaland instead of false 9.

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..

 

[Dax777]

With that team the bench would look like:

Steffen
Zinchenko
Laporte
Ake
Fern/Lavia/new signing
Gundogan

Mahrez
Sterling
Jesus
Palmer
McAtee
Alvarez

We are going to sell a forward almost certainly.

Or 2

 

[Tolmie scores]

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.

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

 

[mj1991]

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..

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.

 

[oldius]

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===

 

[luckyadeel78]

--------------------------------------- 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

 

[Gray]

We have to play more direct and pacey football with Haaland.

Ederson to Haaland, will that do?

 

[el wey]

Ederson to Haaland, will that do?

I do believe Ederson will get some assists next season with Haaland up front