The Squad - position by position

I've been thinking about our squad and the intention that we will have at least two in every position. When you look at the squad positions it makes interesting reading. Find my approximation below with apologies for times where I have mixed up right and left sided players...

* Goalies - Forster, McCarthy, Taylor

* Left back - Bertrand, McQueen, Targett

* Right back - Pied, Cedric, Jones

* Centre Back - Van Dijk, Yoshida, Wood

* Centre Back - Stephens, Bednarek, Gardos

* Defensive Midfield - Romeu, Hojbjerg

* Midfield - Davis, Ward-Prowse, Clasie

* Right Wing - Redmond, Sims

* Left Wing - Tadic, Boufal, Hesketh

* Striker - Austin, Long

* Striker - Gabbiadini, Gallagher

I recognise that these positions imply one particular tactical formation and I that at times we may play in a different tactical formation, but I hope nevertheless that it is helpful.

Also, I've put Sims as right wing here, but personally I prefer him as a striker.

Have I missed anyone? Does it throw any further light on where our squad is weak or strong?

I think if we play a formation that is less based around wingers then the midfield is potentially lacking one or two players, though with this formation it is fine.

It's an impressive looking squad with a high proportion of players of international standard. Makes you appreciate the difficulty of keeping so many quality players content with the amount of first team game time they can be given. Last year's rotation policy is unlikely to be used this year to the same extent, except perhaps for the EFL Cup (Caraboa Cup this year). Even with the massive pay that footballers get it must be frustrating for a quality player who could be turning out every week for another club to spend his week training and match-days sitting on the subs' bench at best. The manager will always play what he considers is the right line-up at any given time which will mean some changes for tactical reasons. Players who aren't currently first choice must wait for an injury or a loss of form to give them an opportunity and I suppose that competitive element helps to raise standards on the pitch but does it also foster team-spirit? Keeping this many players happy must be quite a challenge.

First 18 is likely to be something like....

Forster,

McCarthy

Cedric

VVD

Yoshida

Stephens

Bertrand

Targett

Romeu

Hojbjerg

Davis

JWP

Redmond

Boufal

Tadic

Gabbiadini

Austin

Long

Still leaves....

Taylor

Gazzanigi

McQueen

Bednarek

Clasie

Sims

Hesketh

Gallagher

Take the two keepers out, factor in 3 or 4 outfield injuries at any given time and that's not over generous.

Take the two keepers out, factor in 3 or 4 outfield injuries at any given time and that's not over generous.

How big a squad are you saying we should have? You can only have a max of 25 over 21 year old players.

How big a squad are you saying we should have? You can only have a max of 25 over 21 year old players.

I also think centre back is potentially a weak area if Van Dijk remains unavailable but suspect we have made our choice there to trust the development of Stephen's and Bednarek.

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The real question mark over our squad is in terms of quality rather than quantity, especially in the centre midfield area, where we are over-reliant on Romeu.

 

I also think centre back is potentially a weak area if Van Dijk remains unavailable but suspect we have made our choice there to trust the development of Stephen's and Bednarek.

 

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Completely agree - which makes it a pretty odd decision to bring in Bednarek unless we think he's going to be brilliant (also ignores Gardos!)

Would have been logical to bring in a first choice CB and have Yoshida and Stephens as backup. Think the bolds count towards the squad so think we have room for 1 more player over 21.

Forster

McCarthy

Cedric

VVD

Yoshida

Stephens

Bertrand

Targett

Romeu

Hojbjerg

Davis

JWP

Redmond

Boufal

Tadic

Gabbiadini

Austin

Long

Taylor

Gazzaniga

McQueen

Bednarek

Clasie

Sims

Hesketh

Gallagher

The real question mark over our squad is in terms of quality rather than quantity, especially in the centre midfield area, where we are over-reliant on Romeu.

 

I also think centre back is potentially a weak area if Van Dijk remains unavailable but suspect we have made our choice there to trust the development of Stephen's and Bednarek.

 

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This.

Why people keep saying we have lots of players so we don't need signings is odd we have lots of average players who we could surely find upgrades for.

Think the bolds count towards the squad so think we have room for 1 more player over 21.

 

Pied?

Think the bolds count towards the squad so think we have room for 1 more player over 21.

 

Forster

McCarthy

Cedric

VVD

Yoshida

Stephens

Bertrand

Targett

Romeu

Hojbjerg

Davis

JWP

Redmond

Boufal

Tadic

Gabbiadini

Austin

Long

Taylor

Gazzaniga

McQueen

Bednarek

Clasie

Sims

Hesketh

Gallagher

Bednarek is classed as under 21 (he turned 21 in April), so we have at least 2 spaces if needed. I assume that Gazza will still go out on loan

It's glaringly obviously that we could be doing with a second top quality centre half and defensive midfielder. Utilised properly we should be alright offensively.

We have enough in the squad to finish 8-17

Im guessing thats the clubs objective. Once you accept thats our target and probably maximum potential ( until a takeover) you get less frustrated with the ins/outs at the club.

Pied?

What I was thinking, thought he had a good game on Saturday but everyone seems to have missed him out.

We have enough in the squad to finish 8-17

 

Im guessing thats the clubs objective. Once you accept thats our target and probably maximum potential ( until a takeover) you get less frustrated with the ins/outs at the club.

It certainly seems like it. We'll know by the end of the transfer window.

Well from what we have heard, VVD staying seems to be linked with use signing some quality players, so I'd expect they will need to sign two players for the first team to meet that promise to him.

Well from what we have heard, VVD staying seems to be linked with use signing some quality players, so I'd expect they will need to sign two players for the first team to meet that promise to him.

Why do they need to make him promises? He signed until 2022, if they tell him no for a summer 2017 move he has to live with it. Just like Schneiderlin & Wanyama did when they were forced to stay another season. When September comes, if van Dijk is still at Saints, he isn't going to strike. When in world football has a player gone on strike after the transfer window has closed? If he wants to play for the Netherlands, going on strike from Septemebr to January or May isn't going to help him.

Why do they need to make him promises? He signed until 2022, if they tell him no for a summer 2017 move he has to live with it. Just like Schneiderlin & Wanyama did when they were forced to stay another season. When September comes, if van Dijk is still at Saints, he isn't going to strike. When in world football has a player gone on strike after the transfer window has closed? If he wants to play for the Netherlands, going on strike from Septemebr to January or May isn't going to help him.

They don't have to and I really don't think it will make any difference.

For me signing a couple of good quality players is not going to convince VVD of anything. He has decided he wants to leave, and if we sign two decent players, we still wont be anywhere near the size of club that Liverpool is (or Chelsea/City), have the quality of player they do, pay the wages they do or be in the Champions League.

What will make him stay is us making him stay. he won't like it, but will have to suck it up for a season if that is the path we go down, as others have said.

At the moment we have 25 players that qualify as over 21s for the coming season:

Forster

Soares

Yoshida

Classie

Gardoș

Stephens

Long

Davis

Austin

Tadić

McQueen

McCarthy

Romeu

Gallagher

Ward-Prowse

van Dijk

Targett

Boufal

Gabbiadini

Bertrand

Redmond

Højbjerg

Taylor

Gazzaniga

Pied

Reed is also over 21 but on loan to Norwich City for the whole season so will be excluded from 25 man squad.

So for anyone over 21 we bring in we will need to loan out or omit the equivalent number of players from the 25 man squad. It seems inconceivable that we will name 4 'keepers so it seems likley that Gazza (possibly McCarthy?) will be loaned. But not obvious who else. Gardos, perhaps. Anyway we're now in the position of 1 in needs to be offset by 1 out. We've largely been doing for a while anyway (without having to do so before).

But not obvious who else. Gardos, perhaps.

If anyone wants him, he seems an obvious choice. Next in line probably Clasie (although I'm hoping he can still have a great season), Gallagher, Targett.

You've put hojbjerg in cdm but he's actually a real box to box midfielder, but because he's young and we're short in that area it looks like the clubs tryinf to mould him into that role. Clasie is the actual cdm there but his lack of height, strength or pace means he can't play there alone. We all already knew that that's the weak part of our squad so I'm not going to go on about it anymore.

Someone mentioned it in another thread, but I have a feeling that us not signing a midfield partner for Romeu is going to be like us not signing a striker last year till it was too late. Painfully obvious after a few games but with no urgency to rectify it until at least January.

At the moment we have 25 players that qualify as over 21s for the coming season:

 

Forster

Soares

Yoshida

Classie

Gardoș

Stephens

Long

Davis

Austin

Tadić

McQueen

McCarthy

Romeu

Gallagher

Ward-Prowse

van Dijk

Targett

Boufal

Gabbiadini

Bertrand

Redmond

Højbjerg

Taylor

Gazzaniga

Pied

 

Reed is also over 21 but on loan to Norwich City for the whole season so will be excluded from 25 man squad.

 

So for anyone over 21 we bring in we will need to loan out or omit the equivalent number of players from the 25 man squad. It seems inconceivable that we will name 4 'keepers so it seems likley that Gazza (possibly McCarthy?) will be loaned. But not obvious who else. Gardos, perhaps. Anyway we're now in the position of 1 in needs to be offset by 1 out. We've largely been doing for a while anyway (without having to do so before).

Useful info mate. If the Telegraph article from Friday is anything to go by, we are still looking for 1 or 2 signings, so good to see we've got some obvious options to make room with within the 25.

At the moment we have 25 players that qualify as over 21s for the coming season:

 

Forster

Soares

Yoshida

Classie

Gardoș

Stephens

Long

Davis

Austin

Tadić

McQueen

McCarthy

Romeu

Gallagher

Ward-Prowse

van Dijk

Targett

Boufal

Gabbiadini

Bertrand

Redmond

Højbjerg

Taylor

Gazzaniga

Pied

 

Reed is also over 21 but on loan to Norwich City for the whole season so will be excluded from 25 man squad.

 

So for anyone over 21 we bring in we will need to loan out or omit the equivalent number of players from the 25 man squad. It seems inconceivable that we will name 4 'keepers so it seems likley that Gazza (possibly McCarthy?) will be loaned. But not obvious who else. Gardos, perhaps. Anyway we're now in the position of 1 in needs to be offset by 1 out. We've largely been doing for a while anyway (without having to do so before).

I would expect to totally discount those in bold from the named squad and would expect Gazzaniga to gone on loan again assuming McCarthy is fit. This would allow for 3 players, one CB, one DCM and an attacker of some sorts. Unless anyone else leaves that would be a decent looking squad if those brought in are quality rather than potential!

I would expect to totally discount those in bold from the named squad and would expect Gazzaniga to gone on loan again assuming McCarthy is fit. This would allow for 3 players, one CB, one DCM and an attacker of some sorts. Unless anyone else leaves that would be a decent looking squad if those brought in are quality rather than potential!

Could be argued that McQueen / Gallagher could depart on loan as well.

Could be argued that McQueen / Gallagher could depart on loan as well.

Indeed. Think McQueen would probably benefit mostly from a loan IF Targett is seen as better; I'm not sure there is much between them. Gallagher I would suggest should only go if he gets an opportunity at a team that is challenging for promotion in the Championship to see how he handles more pressure.

You've put hojbjerg in cdm but he's actually a real box to box midfielder, but because he's young and we're short in that area it looks like the clubs tryinf to mould him into that role. Clasie is the actual cdm there but his lack of height, strength or pace means he can't play there alone. We all already knew that that's the weak part of our squad so I'm not going to go on about it anymore.

I'm glad someone has picked up on this as it was certainly one of the issues in my mind when I started this thread. I actually think Hjobjerg is a better prospect there than Clasie. Whether he is the right player to provide that cover and whether that is the best way to develop his talent are other questions that need to be considered though too.

I feel that we have a lot of general/'box-to-box' midfield players in Davis, Ward-Prowse, Clasie and Hjobjerg and if we can continue to develop the last three then that will be great; we shouldn't in that case need to buy others who are that type of player... Unless someone of the right age and greater ability should become available at the right cost (eg Ever Banega... highly unlikely!!)

The big issue is definitely who can provide the cover for Romeu if he should become injured. The other issue is that those midfield players are not yet delivering enough in an attacking sense.

I therefore agree that we need to find cover for Romeu at least plus cover for Van Dijk and if we can find someone of suitable ability a Schneiderlin-style box-to-box midfielder. To allow that sort of space in the squad I think we need to omit Taylor, Gazzaniga and Gardos from the final 25.

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* Goalies - Forster, McCarthy, Taylor

* Left back - Bertrand, McQueen, Targett

* Right back - Pied, Cedric, Jones

* Centre Back - Van Dijk, Yoshida, Wood

* Centre Back - Stephens, Bednarek, Gardos

* Defensive Midfield - Romeu, Hojbjerg

* Midfield - Davis, Ward-Prowse, Clasie

* Right Wing - Redmond, Sims

* Left Wing - Tadic, Boufal, Hesketh

* Striker - Austin, Long

* Striker - Gabbiadini, Gallagher

 

.

Staggering that we are prepared to go into a season with only those options for GK - Fraser, the permanently injured Mc Carthy, and the bloke who has barely played in the last 15 years.

Someone mentioned it in another thread, but I have a feeling that us not signing a midfield partner for Romeu is going to be like us not signing a striker last year till it was too late. Painfully obvious after a few games but with no urgency to rectify it until at least January.

Yep. I have mentioned it at some point but not sure if it was my post you saw, as I expect others have said it too! The difference was last summer, although we "knew" we were light in attack, it was also based on a few assumptions - JRod wouldn't rediscover his touch, Long wouldn't maintain his form from the prior year, and Austin wouldn't adequately replace Pelle. As well as the fact we only had three strikers, they were reasonable concerns, but still unproven.

The current midfield problem has been evident for an entire season with this exact group, so the only way we sit here next summer and say "hats off to the club, they got it right" is if at least two of our four central midfield players step up a level this season, as well as Romeu avoiding any lengthy injuries. It could happen, but does seem a bit of a risk.