The Squad planning thread

25 MAN SQUAD how they fit and spaces

BOLD are new players

Probably going Kev, Gundo, Silva, Eddie(his choice), Jack, McAtee(contract)

Poss going to create squad places Kova, Nunes

17 FOREIGN

1 Rodri
2 Marmoush
3 Nico
4 Savinho
5 Dias
6 Josko
7 Doku
8 Haaland
9 Ortega
10 Akanji
11 Khus
12 Kova
13 Nunes
14 Cambiaso RB
15 Wirtz AM
16 Keeper
17 CAM

8 HOMEGROWN

18 Bobb
19 Ake
20 Foden
21 Stones
22 Carson
23 Lewis
24 Branthwaite or Guehi (if Stones or Ake go)
25


U21
Doyle LB, LCB
Reis
Echimessi
O'Reilly
McKenzie
 
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25 MAN SQUAD how they fit and spaces

BOLD are new players

Probably going Kev, Gundo, Silva, Eddie(his choice), Jack, McAtee(contract)

Poss going to create squad places Kova, Nunes

17 FOREIGN

1 Rodri
2 Marmoush
3 Nico
4 Savinho
5 Dias
6 Josko
7 Doku
8 Haaland
9 Ortega
10 Akanji
11 Khus
12 Kova
13 Nunes
14 Cambiaso RB
15 Wirtz AM
16 Keeper
17 CAM

8 HOMEGROWN

18 Bobb
19 Ake
20 Foden
21 Stones
22 Carson
23 Lewis
24 Branthwaite or Guehi (if Stones or Ake go)
25


U21
Doyle LB, LCB
Reis
Echimessi
I think there will be more in and out.
 
Allegedly, Grealish tops the exit list. Very unlikely for him to stay beyond this season. Presumably his agents have already been working hard to find a new club for him.
 
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So the list of potential exits from the club has been published by the media, a few of which have recently been in the squad and playing regularly.

Would imagine it has affected the changing room harmony and probably affected the players performances.

Walker obviously jumped ship before he was pushed….Saw the writing on the wall…..

Like in any job if you know you’re on the way out it must affect your performance, it’s only natural.

Maybe the reason for this seasons poor team performances?

To lose 5 or 6 regular team players in one go is down to bad planning and poor management……

2 or 3 of those players should never have been given new contracts, they should of been moved on before their value dropped….most of them will probably be off to Saudi for top wages and we’ll get little transfer fees for them.

With better recruitment at the end of the season and hopefully with Pep at the helm we can regroup and come back stronger next season?
 
Speaking of attacking players other than Wirtz...

1740104997706.png

Rayan Cherki continues to be an obscene creative talent.

Would probably cost WAY less than Wirtz.

And continues to be the only player who gets close to Kevin's creative output (but still not close)

Cherki at 0.47 xAG/90, for reference:

Phil at 0.26, Savio at 0.29
Wirtz at 0.27
Musiala at 0.32
Yamal at 0.31
Saka at 0.35
Olise at 0.36
Palmer at 0.37
...

Kevin is at 0.62

Unfortunately Kevin's legs are gone, but I'm not fully sold on the idea of blowing the budget on Wirtz.

I think Cherki would be half the cost, and while maybe a slightly worse goal scorer, is actually a better creative force than Wirtz.
 
25 MAN SQUAD how they fit and spaces

BOLD are new players

Probably going Kev, Gundo, Silva, Eddie(his choice), Jack, McAtee(contract)

Poss going to create squad places Kova, Nunes

17 FOREIGN

1 Rodri
2 Marmoush
3 Nico
4 Savinho
5 Dias
6 Josko
7 Doku
8 Haaland
9 Ortega
10 Akanji
11 Khus
12 Kova
13 Nunes
14 Cambiaso RB
15 Wirtz AM
16 Keeper
17 CAM

8 HOMEGROWN

18 Bobb
19 Ake
20 Foden
21 Stones
22 Carson
23 Lewis
24 Branthwaite or Guehi (if Stones or Ake go)
25


U21
Doyle LB, LCB
Reis
Echimessi
For the LCB I think we should go for Nico Schlotterbeck.

Been consistently one of the best defenders in Germany.

Is left-footed, which I think is very important for us because Ake is the only left footed CB we have and he is broken (and Gvardiol is a LB now).
 
My attempt at next season's squad.

GK - Costa, back up GK?

OUT: I am assuming both Ederson and Ortega leave, unsure on that situation



LB - Gvardiol, O Reilly, Mfuni
LCB - Schlotterbeck, Ake or Stones
RCB - Dias, Khusanov, Reis
RB - Diomande or Singo, Akanji, Lewis

OUT: Walker and one of Stones and Ake. My assumption with this back 4 is the LB either inverts or goes wide, and it makes a typical back 3, the RB may invert as well for a more aggressive shape.

We need a left footed defender, hence Schlotterbeck, and went for a more defensive right back than an attacking one so we stop leaking goals.


LW - Doku, Nunes
LAM - Marmoush, Echeverri
CM - Rodri, Nico, Camara
RAM - Foden, Cherki
RW - Savio, Bobb

ST - Haaland, McAtee

OUT: Kevin, Gundogan, Bernardo, Kova

I am basing this on a 4141 with a defender joining the CDM most of the time, in a 4231 I have Camara if we use a more typical 8. If we use a 4231 more strictly (Pep does, but I prefer 4141), we probably need another defensive midfielder, and can ship out Nunes.

It's quite attacking, but I don't see why the LAM and RAM can't be asked to defend when we lose the ball in the half spaces. Then when we attack, they are naturally in the best spot to attack in the 325.

That's a squad I'd be happy challenging next season, defensively solid, strong midfield, and a youthful attack with plenty of skill.
 
Speaking of attacking players other than Wirtz...

View attachment 147481

Rayan Cherki continues to be an obscene creative talent.

Would probably cost WAY less than Wirtz.

And continues to be the only player who gets close to Kevin's creative output (but still not close)

Cherki at 0.47 xAG/90, for reference:

Phil at 0.26, Savio at 0.29
Wirtz at 0.27
Musiala at 0.32
Yamal at 0.31
Saka at 0.35
Olise at 0.36
Palmer at 0.37
...

Kevin is at 0.62

Unfortunately Kevin's legs are gone, but I'm not fully sold on the idea of blowing the budget on Wirtz.

I think Cherki would be half the cost, and while maybe a slightly worse goal scorer, is actually a better creative force than Wirtz.

cherki has off the field issues, nasri like, it is said
 
We seem to be going for Cambiaso for his versatility and technical ability which is fine by me but he is another defender the pace of Dias
 
Speaking of attacking players other than Wirtz...

View attachment 147481

Rayan Cherki continues to be an obscene creative talent.

Would probably cost WAY less than Wirtz.

And continues to be the only player who gets close to Kevin's creative output (but still not close)

Cherki at 0.47 xAG/90, for reference:

Phil at 0.26, Savio at 0.29
Wirtz at 0.27
Musiala at 0.32
Yamal at 0.31
Saka at 0.35
Olise at 0.36
Palmer at 0.37
...

Kevin is at 0.62

Unfortunately Kevin's legs are gone, but I'm not fully sold on the idea of blowing the budget on Wirtz.

I think Cherki would be half the cost, and while maybe a slightly worse goal scorer, is actually a better creative force than Wirtz.
Been extremely good since Fonseca arrived, and given Lyon’s financial difficulties would be a relatively low-risk signing in terms of cost: less than half. However, as @footballmanager alludes, there is the age old problem that Cherki has an entourage and that means baggage and that should discourage. Might be worth it but might end up the next Aouar.
 
I can say with confidence that there's zero chance we are dumping 8 first teamers in one window. This isn't football manager.
I agree. We aren’t getting rid of eight first team players. That would cost a ridiculous amount of money to replace and we’d be losing most of our experience and proven winners. I think we’d be weaker
 
25 MAN SQUAD how they fit and spaces

BOLD are new players

Probably going Kev, Gundo, Silva, Eddie(his choice), Jack, McAtee(contract)

Poss going to create squad places Kova, Nunes

17 FOREIGN

1 Rodri
2 Marmoush
3 Nico
4 Savinho
5 Dias
6 Josko
7 Doku
8 Haaland
9 Ortega
10 Akanji
11 Khus
12 Kova
13 Nunes
14 Cambiaso RB
15 Wirtz AM
16 Keeper
17 CAM

8 HOMEGROWN

18 Bobb
19 Ake
20 Foden
21 Stones
22 Carson
23 Lewis
24 Branthwaite or Guehi (if Stones or Ake go)
25


U21
Doyle LB, LCB
Reis
Echimessi
O'Reilly
McKenzie
Echemerri and Reis need to be in the 17 for the C/L squad and it's very unlikely we go into next season with different squads.We would probably need to let Nunes and Kovacic both go,or just 1 of them and only buy 1 midfielder.
 
Players we should sell or will release in my opinion:

Nunes
Kovacic
Bernardo (love him but it’s time)
KDB
Gundogan
Grealish
Ederson

That would mean we’d require quite a few signings in the summer and a good number of those need to be world class first teamers. This is how I see us lining up:

New GK
New RB Kus Dias Gvardiol
Nico Rodri
Silvinho Marmoush New RW
Haaland

Feel bad for Foden but just don’t think he’s in Pep’s mind as a first teamer any more and also I don’t know if he naturally fits into this new formation. He’ll get minutes don’t get me wrong but can’t see him starting over Marmoush or Silvinho.

Marmoush might be shifted out to RW if we sign Wirtz
 
Players we should sell or will release in my opinion:

Nunes
Kovacic
Bernardo (love him but it’s time)
KDB
Gundogan
Grealish
Ederson

That would mean we’d require quite a few signings in the summer and a good number of those need to be world class first teamers. This is how I see us lining up:

New GK
New RB Kus Dias Gvardiol
Nico Rodri
Silvinho Marmoush New RW
Haaland

Feel bad for Foden but just don’t think he’s in Pep’s mind as a first teamer any more and also I don’t know if he naturally fits into this new formation. He’ll get minutes don’t get me wrong but can’t see him starting over Marmoush or Silvinho.

Marmoush might be shifted out to RW if we sign Wirtz
Also need 2 more midfielders to complete the squad unless we consider mcatee and oreilly as full members
 
Players we should sell or will release in my opinion:

Nunes
Kovacic
Bernardo (love him but it’s time)
KDB
Gundogan
Grealish
Ederson

That would mean we’d require quite a few signings in the summer and a good number of those need to be world class first teamers. This is how I see us lining up:

New GK
New RB Kus Dias Gvardiol
Nico Rodri
Silvinho Marmoush New RW
Haaland

Feel bad for Foden but just don’t think he’s in Pep’s mind as a first teamer any more and also I don’t know if he naturally fits into this new formation. He’ll get minutes don’t get me wrong but can’t see him starting over Marmoush or Silvinho.

Marmoush might be shifted out to RW if we sign Wirtz
Agree with the majority of that.

But... How can you write such a well reasoned post yet call Savinho 'Silvinho' twice? Ha.
 
Feel bad for Foden but just don’t think he’s in Pep’s mind as a first teamer any more and also I don’t know if he naturally fits into this new formation. He’ll get minutes don’t get me wrong but can’t see him starting over Marmoush or Silvinho.
God knows where you get that idea from, foden has been shite this season yet pep has played him every time he has been fit
 

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