The Squad planning thread

[theholysmurf]

Most managers would die for a big squad of players, let's hope dad's army doesn't continue

Was definitely causing issues behind the scenes though. A fair few would be annoyed and kicking off.

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

...I cant help thinking the comments last night are Pep basically saying if you sell my favourite boys then i`ll quit.

personally think its the 'if i have to tell 8 players a week, they aren't even making the bench' he'll quit. Always been the part of the role he hates most.

 

[Bluearmy]

Mulling over Pep’s squad size comments from yesterday I looked at our first team roster. Including the two lads out on loan (Kalvin and Perrone) we have 17 midfielders in the first team squad, completely mental.

Worryingly still, all the players we’re linked with seem to be midfielders. Suspect a fair few had their last home match for us yesterday.

And 9 centre halfs… were so unbalanced its embarrassing. Zero full backs. And no wingers that score!! Huge job to rectify and these comments are concerning, not all is well I fear!!

 

[richards30]

I'd keep Bernardo. Ake should go, same as Stones, he's always injured.

May need to keep one for homegrown though mate? Ake playing LCB maybe more helpful as we have Dias, Khusanov and Akanji for the RCB?

 

[Bluearmy]

Being realistic we need.

Two midfielders
Two full backs, left back and a right back
Goalkeeper.

And 2 wingers that score

 

[supercity88]

Looks like Pep has already made Viana's job harder by saying he wants a small squad or he'll quit. Puts Hugo on the back foot a bit

Makes sure we buy quality not quantity. We've signed some dross, we've signed players we haven't used... need to make sure we buy quality that comes in and improves our first team immediately. Not ones for the future, ones that will work now and will get better and better over the course of their time with us. Much like how we used to operate.

 

[YatesA]

I don't think Akanji is a world beater but he still looks twice the player that Khusanov is imo. Coming back from his first decent injury since arriving here, Akanji was always going to be a touch rusty. Only 29, he's got a few more years left. He's played 48, 48 and 35 games over 3 seasons, that's reliable enough to stick around.

I agree on Ake and Stones, 1 has to go but I don’t think both, both levels ahead of Khusanov but can't say fit. We still need to meet the homegrown quota and have to be wary about losing that winning mentality within the squad. Ake has averaged 28.6 games a season over 5 years, Stones has managed 28.8 games over the past 5 years. It's a tough call on those 2.

Of course home grown qouta matters but you can't send away a younger cb who looked absolutely fine before being dropped to rely on players who haven't been reliable in which pep and every one else highlighted either. You may as well just fill the homegrown qouta with youngsters or kalvin Phillips.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

May need to keep one for homegrown though mate? Ake playing LCB maybe more helpful as we have Dias, Khusanov and Akanji for the RCB?

He's always injured though.

I don't see the point if he can't stay fit.

677 mins in the league this season, the equivalent of 7 1/2 games.

 

[theholysmurf]

And 9 centre halfs… we’re so unbalanced it’s embarrassing. Zero full backs. And no wingers that score!! Huge job to rectify and these comments are concerning, not all is well I fear!!

We’ve got more Goalkeepers than forwards haha

 

[Gumzy97]

And 2 wingers that score

I don’t think we will play wingers next season.

Marmoush and Haaland up top Midfield of Gibbs white , Rodri and Reijnders and wing backs so it’s resembles a 3-5-2 that’s what we looked like last night

 

[Gorbachev]

Most managers would die for a big squad of players, let's hope dad's army doesn't continue

Think Pep just wants quality over quantity.

He has a lot of players this year who are not good enough and can't be trusted so therefore have to be left out most weeks.

Pep doesn't want another season where he has to go to training on a Monday and justify again again to the same bunch of players why they are not playing, promising them something that won't occur.

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

We have too many CBs, something has gotta give on those numbers if he wants a smaller squad.

 

[strudelslol]

We have too many CBs, something has gotta give on those numbers if he wants a smaller squad.

Not to mention, if we do bring 2 fullbacks in, the minutes for the 800 centre backs we have will be reduced (the ones that are fit enough to play anyway).

Id imagine we keep Josko, Ruben, Stones OR Aké, Akanji and Khusanov but even then, I wouldn't be surprised to see Khusanov loaned out until either Stones or Aké who remain at the club, eventually leave

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

Not to mention, if we do bring 2 fullbacks in, the minutes for the 800 centre backs we have will be reduced (the ones that are fit enough to play anyway).

Id imagine we keep Josko, Ruben, Stones OR Aké, Akanji and Khusanov but even then, I wouldn't be surprised to see Khusanov loaned out until either Stones or Aké who remain at the club, eventually leave

Im leaning on Stones and Akanji going tbh, depending how far along in fitness and English Khusanov is but changes from day to day right now. (and assuming LB+RB are added to the mix)

 

[TB369]

The comments about getting a smaller squad come off mard arsey to me. If he wants a small squad then he has to give up his often injured and aging favourites but he won't. This seems like he is slightly pushing back against Viana's january signings and summer plans.

 

[Bluemoon has risen]

The comments about getting a smaller squad come off mard arsey to me. If he wants a small squad then he has to give up his often injured and aging favourites but he won't. This seems like he is slightly pushing back against Viana's january signings and summer plans.

I'm wondering if it's a bit of a dig at January's recruitment. We signed 2 defenders who were both young and unproven and now our other defenders are back were overstocked. We also didn't resolve the full back issues which will need to be resolved this summer so we'll have even more defenders. There will inevitably have to be casualties to the squad and I suspect Pep will want 4 or 5 proven quality players rather than projects like Echeverri and Reis.

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

I'm wondering if it's a bit of a dig at January's recruitment. We signed 2 defenders who were both young and unproven and now our other defenders are back were overstocked. We also didn't resolve the full back issues which will need to be resolved this summer so we'll have even more defenders. There will inevitably have to be casualties to the squad and I suspect Pep will want 4 or 5 proven quality players rather than projects like Echeverri and Reis.

it what it is, can do all the deals in order. As long as the final squad has the right balance and numbers, it'll be fine.

 

[dhruvblue]

I'm wondering if it's a bit of a dig at January's recruitment. We signed 2 defenders who were both young and unproven and now our other defenders are back were overstocked. We also didn't resolve the full back issues which will need to be resolved this summer so we'll have even more defenders. There will inevitably have to be casualties to the squad and I suspect Pep will want 4 or 5 proven quality players rather than projects like Echeverri and Reis.

stones Ake are injured
Dias and Akanji too can get prone and be out

We need to now build around Reis Khusanov and whoever 2 stay fit

 

[robbieh]

I don't think Akanji is a world beater but he still looks twice the player that Khusanov is imo. Coming back from his first decent injury since arriving here, Akanji was always going to be a touch rusty. Only 29, he's got a few more years left. He's played 48, 48 and 35 games over 3 seasons, that's reliable enough to stick around.

I agree on Ake and Stones, 1 has to go but I don’t think both, both levels ahead of Khusanov but can't say fit. We still need to meet the homegrown quota and have to be wary about losing that winning mentality within the squad. Ake has averaged 28.6 games a season over 5 years, Stones has managed 28.8 games over the past 5 years. It's a tough call on those 2.

Khusanov played excellently against Newcastle, Real Madrid, and in several other games so at 20 years old not sure Ake, Akanji or even Stones were at his level.

 

[King Jay]

Thats the problem we have. Vianna is a "project player" guy. Pep is not. This is not Sporting , where u only have to be better than Benfica to win the league.. this is the big dogs. We are not Brighton taking on "punt" signings. We need top quality if we want to compete, or accept going backwards while we see if these project players echeverri reis khusanov wesley are good enough.. but pep is not a manager who will be disrespected by being given unproven potential to try and win things it will end in us not competing. So If him and Viana arent aligned. I could see how he would walk

The older ones get replaced by the January guys while we go for 4 top players this summer. I don’t think Viana is doing anything wrong if Reijnders, MGW, Kerkez and whatever RB arrive. I feel like pep will only do 1 year and doesn’t wanna sell the guys he had for the last years . He knows he has power and it will fuck us up if we allow that shit for another year. We already got fucked this year by not buying and listening to him not needing any new players all that for him to not use subs to the max. I want 18 players but I will use the same ones forever and will only sub when I ABSOLUTELY have to.