18 Apr 2019 14:18:15
How do you build a squad?
Nowadays we expect a 50 plus games every session.
Given that few oitfield players really start more than 40 games due to injuries and suspensions it means that the best and most successful squads have about 18 players that are genuinely 1st team starters that any of whom can start without reducing the quality very much at all.
Assuming a 433 it means imo we ideally need
2x rb 2 x lb 4xcb 6xcm 2xrw 2xlw 2xcf
Extended cover for cb midfield and forwards can be provided by youth players. Or perhaps in the case of cb 4th choice cover could be tuanzebe or 2nd cf greenwood .
Again a players like jessie martial sanchez and rash are fairly interchangeable across the front 3 so that helps reduce the need for having to dig too deep for cover.
Dalot plus 1
Shaw plus 1
Lindelof smalling tuanzabe plus 1
Fred matic mctom plus 2 ( if pogba goes)
Jessie plus 1
Lukaku and rash
Martial plus 1 if sanchez goes
So to me ed002s list makes sense in terms of positions
Lb perhaps if we buy a rb dalot can cover both sides and young as a last resort if 2 or injured or a youth player.
Then you look at it and think if rash and lukaku compete for a starting position its not ideal as they play so differently.
There is lots for ole to ponder.
But until the summer he has the squad he has and getting them playing well until the end if the season to get top 4 is a must. It will make his job easier next year in many respects.
18 Apr 2019 14:38:12
I think missing out on champions league could be a blessing in disguise.
Its seems as though getting top 4 won't change pogba and de geas mind as they seem adamant they want out.
It could be a good oppurtunity to give the likes of greenwood, gomes, chong, garner and tuanzebe game time at europa league level similar to how kane got started at spurs or hudson odoi has for chelsea this season.
Also looking at the targets ed002 shared i am not sure champions league football will be the deciding factor for them. The likes of AWB, zaha, milenkovic would join regardless.
18 Apr 2019 15:18:44
ed has said dave wants out becuase we ain't paying him the money. just pay the guy the money give him a 5 year contract.
at least then if he does want to leave next year we get what he's worth.
18 Apr 2019 15:25:20
Makes sense DSG.
18 Apr 2019 15:49:53
Overpaying players is a mistake. If we pay well above the going rate for a goalkeeper like De Gea we end up with situations like Herrera asking for the moon and an unhappy squad. He should remember that if he'd signed for one of the other top clubs in England he'd have been shipped out pretty quickly due to an awful first season. If players don't want to be here or are going to hold the club to ransom then they can go elsewhere. There are other goalkeepers out there.
18 Apr 2019 16:45:57
Champions league could be a decisive factor because many teams are rebuilding this summer.
Hopefully we can finish our recruitment early and have a solid pre season.
18 Apr 2019 19:09:48
Ken - Have to agree with your numbers there. ED02 has indicated that we want 5 and if Pogba and Sanchez leave this will increase to 7.
These are BIG Numbers and would leave OLE needing a FULL pre-season with them all to get his style across.
Looking at the names ED02 has said we are interested in then we could be looking at a 1st team containing, Wan-Bissaka, Milinkovic, Rice, Fernandes and Sancho if we can get them all as ED02 some will be harder than others. Then if Pogba leaves possibly Saul too. that's a new right side, and a complete new midfield. On paper it looks mental but it is what is required at this stage in our history. The squad is in such a mis-match state that MAJOR work is required.
18 Apr 2019 19:39:53
Yes pog its a crazy outlook.
Wages have gone out of control so shifting players on is the key.
Rojo darmian mata herrera valencia sanchez are costing us in excess if 40m a year for little or no return on the pitch. After sanchez are 4 highest earners are pogba martial ddg and shaw.
18 Apr 2019 21:09:54
I know Ken. Nearly £42m in wages and the only player in that list that comes close to being a starter is Herrera on 75k a week. We really do need to shift all those players on.
18 Apr 2019 21:19:52
I think the club has to make a stand against stupid wages, admit they have been silly I. The past and say no one will get these massive wages, offload those player on or wanting them and start trying to run the club likes club.
19 Apr 2019 05:44:55
All this news about DDG's demands is really coming at a bad time. In the Barcelona tie he didn't even look like the best goal keeper in the tie, let alone the world.
The is no chance he should get the same money Sanchez is on, Sanchez shouldn't have got the money he is on. Football has got completely out of sync with the real world.