The Squad planning thread

WallyA said:
I would call that more of a 4231 but thats fine.

I dont think we need any extra attackers as I also forgot Echeverri is joining and likely to br a squad player next season.

I also included McAtee, but you removed him, so now I see why you are down a forward from my list.

Honestly, even if McAtee leaves, I dont see why the depth cant be one of our very talented academy players, it woulf just be for a backup spot.

Also, O Reilly and Nunes can also fill in those spots in a pinch.

I want us to focus on GK, LB and RB.
Click to expand...
Agreed. 451 works for me.

RB and GK being the most needed. I don't think LB is that needed. 1. Because we have a fantastic starter in Gvardiol. And i like what i saw of O'Reilly playing there in the cup. Then we got the McFarlane kid. So for me, those 2 can serve as backup. Plus Ake ( when healthy) can also plat there.


So RB is the most important need. With GK being 2nd if Ederson leaves. Totally forgot Echeveri. Yep, he can be the final guy.


Yes, i don't think McAtee will be here next season. I expect a loan or sale.
 
Dax777 said:
Agreed. 451 works for me.

RB and GK being the most needed. I don't think LB is that needed. 1. Because we have a fantastic starter in Gvardiol. And i like what i saw of O'Reilly playing there in the cup. Then we got the McFarlane kid. So for me, those 2 can serve as backup. Plus Ake ( when healthy) can also plat there.


So RB is the most important need. With GK being 2nd if Ederson leaves. Totally forgot Echeveri. Yep, he can be the final guy.


Yes, i don't think McAtee will be here next season. I expect a loan or sale.
Click to expand...
Im hoping Robinson will not be too expensive but yeah its probably 3rd in priority.

Nico looks good at LB, so im fine with that, I out him in the midfield, but he can play many positions.

My squad is stacked with 26 players as well.
 
Wonder if, with this Gonzalez signing, we might go back to that narrow 4-2-2-2 system we had under Mancini.

Under Mancini it was:
lineup (1).png

Under Pep it might look like:
lineup (2).png

We tried something similar last year when De Bruyne was out at the start of the season. Alvarez would take Kevin's place in the line-up but he'd be playing a sort of hybrid role, staying close to Haaland with the ball but dropping into midfield when we were out of possession. Foden, Julian, and Haaland basically kept us going last season up to the point when Kevin came back. Would be interesting to see if Marmoush has the stamina and work ethic to play that same role as Alvarez next season.

Gonzalez coming in as a sort of #6/#8 hybrid in the old Gundogan style allows us to have two sitting midfielders like we did during the 22/23 season and the 23/24 season as well. In the treble season it was Stones and Rodri with Gundogan moving between the midfield and forward line, and last season it was Rodri and Kovacic holding with Foden, Alvarez and one of Grealish/Doku up supporting Haaland. Next year it seems we can have Gonzalez playing a hybrid role, just further back.
 
The squad planning has to take into account whether any of the players currently on loan will be integrated into the squad.
I think we have 6 with European clubs plus those on loan with the English clubs.
We will probably be better off squad wise at the start of next season but we could have done with one or two of our loanees staying at the club at the start of this season.
 
Playing around with the squad and there’s some very easy (in theory) plug and plays by letting some obvious players leave. Maybe we’re an out an out full back short, but Cambiasso can play both flanks so he would make a lot of sense. Versatility, so a lot of players would get optimal game time:

Current: leaves us with full capacity on foreign quota from July.
GK

  • Ederson
  • Ortega


Rb:

  • Lewis


Cb:

  • Khusanov
  • Dias
  • Ake
  • Akanji
  • Reis


LB:

  • Gvardiol


DM:

  • Rodri
  • Gonzalez


CM:

  • Bernardo
  • Nunes
  • Kovacic
  • Gundogan
  • O’Reilly


CAM:

  • Foden
  • McAtee
  • Kdb


RW:

  • Bobb
  • Savinho


LW:

  • Doku
  • Grealish


CF:

  • Haaland
  • Maramoush
__________________________

Hopeful.



GK

  • Costa (Ederson)
  • Ortega


Rb:

  • Lewis
  • Cambiasso (Nunes)


Cb:

  • Khusanov
  • Dias
  • Ake
  • Akanji
  • Reis


LB:

  • Gvardiol


DM:

  • Rodri
  • Gonzalez


CM:

  • Bernardo
  • Kovacic
  • Stiller (Gundogan)
  • O’Reilly


CAM:

  • Foden
  • McAtee
  • Baena (KDB)


RW:

  • Bobb
  • Savinho


LW:

  • Doku


CF:

  • Haaland
  • Maramoush




Realistic: 5 out, 4 in.

Outs - Ederson, Nunes, Gundogan, KDB, Grealish

IN - Costa, Cambiasso, Stiller, Baena
 
JimmyGrimble10 said:
Playing around with the squad and there’s some very easy (in theory) plug and plays by letting some obvious players leave. Maybe we’re an out an out full back short, but Cambiasso can play both flanks so he would make a lot of sense. Versatility, so a lot of players would get optimal game time:
....

Outs - Ederson, Nunes, Gundogan, KDB, Grealish

IN - Costa, Cambiasso, Stiller, Baena
Click to expand...
switch Stiller and Nico in position but like the list.
 
JimmyGrimble10 said:
That would mean one of three things:

Akanji goes and replaced with a HG CB - not likely.
Cambiasso becomes a HG player at full back
Or Ederson is replaced with a HG goalkeeper - Trafford probably.
Click to expand...
they could lose someone else or not buy 4. Pure gut feeling is Wharton instead of Stiller on what they would do next summer. Depends how his fitness goes post surgery now. (pure on what i think they will do, not what i would do)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Vanderson & Lamine Camara from Monaco would be massive additions to the squad.

Add a world class player like Wirtz and maybe a new goalkeeper if Ederson wants out and we’re suddenly back on top again.

Rodri, Nico Gonzalez, Camara would be a serious set of defensive midfielders, but all 3 have a knack for goals and assists so any of them could play as a centre mid or even further forward.
 
If we don’t go for a real RB after this season they are ruining the squad on purpose.
 
Jeez where do we start we need to inject energy and pace right through the team but the key word is quality.What we don't want is mediocre players coming in we need speed at fullbacks and centre back.and at least 1 world class wide player.Also creativity at attacking mid and another keeper massive job ahead.
 
We reached our peak in the 4 nil game against Madrid 2 years ago.
Since then they've bought Mbappe and Bellingham.

We've bought Kovacic and Nuñes.

At the same time some of our great players have fallen off a cliff performance wise and some have become permacrocks.

I have high hopes for our January intake. Just hope Pep plays them!
 
robbieh said:
We reached our peak in the 4 nil game against Madrid 2 years ago.
Since then they've bought Mbappe and Bellingham.

We've bought Kovacic and Nuñes.

At the same time some of our great players have fallen off a cliff performance wise and some have become permacrocks.

I have high hopes for our January intake. Just hope Pep plays them!
Click to expand...
Bit unfair. We also bought Gvardiol but I concede your point. Our investment has been poor and our development questionable. I’m just hoping this month will be our Rubicon and that we begin the transformation in spring, but it’s more a hope.
 
Gabriel said:
Bit unfair. We also bought Gvardiol but I concede your point. Our investment has been poor and our development questionable. I’m just hoping this month will be our Rubicon and that we begin the transformation in spring, but it’s more a hope.
Click to expand...
Forgot about Josko who is fantastic.
 
King Jay said:
If we don’t go for a real RB after this season they are ruining the squad on purpose.
Click to expand...
With 2 days to go to the end of the summer transfer season, we had Couto , Kabore, Lewis and Walker.
Maybe not everyone's 1st choices but now we have only Lewis.
Throwing a centre half like Akanji in every now and again is not helping.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top