Squad depth and potential lineups

[Graz]

With Daka and Soumare signing, and Bertrand likely to be announced in the next few days, our squad depth is already looking a lot better - as long as we keep all the players we want to keep.

Do we have a first XI? I think we're more likely to see heavier rotation and different systems for different games. I think we're now even in a position where - when everyone is fit - we could name two different strong starting lineups.

I still think 3-5-2 is going to be Brendan's preferred

Kasper
Ricardo, Fofana, Evans, Soyuncu, Justin
Ndidi, Youri
Maddison
Vardy, Daka

Kasper
Castagne, Fofana, Evans, Soyuncu, Bertrand
Soumare, Mendy
Barnes
Vardy, Nacho​

Or to change system

Kasper
Ricardo, Fofana, Evans, Justin
Ndidi, Soumare
Maddison, Youri, Barnes
Vardy

Kasper
Castagne, Soyuncu, Evans, Bertrand
Ndidi
Soumare, Youri,
Maddison
Daka, Vardy
​

That's of course without mentioning Luke Thomas and Praet, who I think are both good enough to add to the squad, but I think Praet will leave and Thomas could go on loan depending on JJ'S return.

Also not mentioned Amartey, Hamza, or Perez who I think aren't good enough and will be surplus to requirements. Amartey I was on the fence about... He might stay as a squad option. Perez probably relies on us getting a replacement first.

There's two reflections I have when looking at our squad still:
1. We definitely need an extra centre back still
2. We still don't have a right winger worth playing there - not a problem if we stick with a back 3 maybe but does limit our options to switch. If we want to play that formation I think our best option is Maddison narrow on the right, otherwise you're leaving out far more talented players for Perez just to fit the system.
2a. If we do stick with a narrower formation, I really think Barnes will start to be used more centrally. Either as a 10 or in a front two. He just doesn't fit either but is too good to not use.

I forgot about KDH too, who's expected to come back in and play a part!

TLDR; the 3 signings all add much needed quality depth that gives us more options to avoid flogging key players in every game

 

[Graz]

I also forgot Marc Albrighton. Shambles.

Add him to the same pot as Thomas, Praet, Mendy, ~Amartey and maybe KDH of being good for the squad but players we don't want to overly rely on this season.

 

[SilverFox]

 

[SilverFox]

In all seriousness I have a good feeling about it. If these guys can play, and you never know until you have seen it, we will potentially be stronger than we were in a certain season when a really big thing happened.

 

[Payne74]

With Daka and Soumare signing, and Bertrand likely to be announced in the next few days, our squad depth is already looking a lot better - as long as we keep all the players we want to keep.

Do we have a first XI? I think we're more likely to see heavier rotation and different systems for different games. I think we're now even in a position where - when everyone is fit - we could name two different strong starting lineups.

I still think 3-5-2 is going to be Brendan's preferred

Kasper
Ricardo, Fofana, Evans, Soyuncu, Justin
Ndidi, Youri
Maddison
Vardy, Daka

Kasper
Castagne, Fofana, Evans, Soyuncu, Bertrand
Soumare, Mendy
Barnes
Vardy, Nacho​

Or to change system

Kasper
Ricardo, Fofana, Evans, Justin
Ndidi, Soumare
Maddison, Youri, Barnes
Vardy

Kasper
Castagne, Soyuncu, Evans, Bertrand
Ndidi
Soumare, Youri,
Maddison
Daka, Vardy
​

That's of course without mentioning Luke Thomas and Praet, who I think are both good enough to add to the squad, but I think Praet will leave and Thomas could go on loan depending on JJ'S return.

Also not mentioned Amartey, Hamza, or Perez who I think aren't good enough and will be surplus to requirements. Amartey I was on the fence about... He might stay as a squad option. Perez probably relies on us getting a replacement first.

There's two reflections I have when looking at our squad still:
1. We definitely need an extra centre back still
2. We still don't have a right winger worth playing there - not a problem if we stick with a back 3 maybe but does limit our options to switch. If we want to play that formation I think our best option is Maddison narrow on the right, otherwise you're leaving out far more talented players for Perez just to fit the system.
2a. If we do stick with a narrower formation, I really think Barnes will start to be used more centrally. Either as a 10 or in a front two. He just doesn't fit either but is too good to not use.

I forgot about KDH too, who's expected to come back in and play a part!

TLDR; the 3 signings all add much needed quality depth that gives us more options to avoid flogging key players in every game

How about


Schmeichel

Ricardo Evans Soyuncu JJ

Soumare Ndidi Tilemans

Daka Vardy Barnes

 

[Miles Away]

Reckon we have to move some players on now.

Hamza, especially, should be pushing to leave.

 

[londonfox]

There’s no way our best 11 in whatever formation doesn’t include a fully fit Harvey Barnes.

 

[homer]

There’s no way our best 11 in whatever formation doesn’t include a fully fit Harvey Barnes.

Or Perez…

 

[sparky79]

looks like we can recoup about 50% of our £40m outlay for Daka and Soumare through the sale of Ghezzal £6m, Choudhury c£10m and Mendy c£5m.
If either Praet or Perez went we would be cost neutral, which is probably why we are still being linked with Berardi, Doku, Tarkowski

 

[Payne74]

looks like we can recoup about 50% of our £40m outlay for Daka and Soumare through the sale of Ghezzal £6m, Choudhury c£10m and Mendy c£5m.
If either Praet or Perez went we would be cost neutral, which is probably why we are still being linked with Berardi, Doku, Tarkowski

Choudhury at £10 Million only Man u would be stupid enough to pay that

 

[camberwell fox]

Choudhury at £10 Million only Man u would be stupid enough to pay that

Don’t be daft, he’s worth that in today’s market.

 

[Micky]

Schmeichel

Soyuncu
Evans
Fofana

Justin
Tielemans
Ndidi
Maddison
Ricardo

Vardy
Barnes

Subs:
Ward
Daka
Bertrand
Castagne
Soumare
Praet
Iheanacho
Albrighton
Thomas
Mendy
Perez

I'm lost....

 

[Payne74]

Don’t be daft, he’s worth that in today’s market.

If Choudhury is worth £10 million in today’s market then Ghezzal @ £6 million and
Mendy @ £5 million well they both must be dog shit poor

 

[Miles Away]

If Choudhury is worth £10 million in today’s market then Ghezzal @ £6 million and
Mendy @ £5 million well they both must be dog shit poor

Or older

 

[Brown Nose]

GK

We have four senior keepers (Schmeichel, Ward, Iversen, Jakupovic) and we need three. If we sold Ward, we'd not send Iversen on loan again. I suspect that Ward won't go anywhere and Iversen will go back to Preston. Irrespective of what goes on, Schmeichel will be number one. No more changes required.

CB

Two or three? I feel that two is best if the rest of the team is strong enough. Three at the back feels like an admittance that we've got vulnerabilities. So I think we need four strong options and accept that we can cover with others if required (Justin, Castagne, Ndidi). Three of those four are Soyuncu, Evans and Fofana. The fourth shouldn't be Amartey or Benkovic - our only existing options. We need a new one and to move on those two.

FB

On paper, we have one too many - Ricardo, Castagne, Justin, Thomas, Bertrand. In reality, Justin has to be counted out until Xmas in terms of playing impact. So we go with the rest. Big question marks for me over these positions. Are we going to get the real Ricardo back? Is Bertrand an inspired move or a stop gap? I hope that Justin returns in time for us to send Thomas on to a lower PL or top Championship club for the second half of the season. No more changes required.

CM

Another one where it is about whether we play two there or three? We all know that Ndidi and Tielemans are excellent together and can cover everything required. However, they are backed up by players nowhere near their standard. So if one is missing we tend to need a third man there. So we have a lot of back up options here: Soumare and Dewsbury-Hall join Mendy, Choudhury and Praet. Of those last three, I think we keep one and move on the other two. We also have the option of using Maddison in this position. No more changes required.

AM

Maddison, Barnes, Sowah, Perez, Albrighton, Ghezzal and the option of using Ricardo there too. Plenty of options but not enough good ones. We need a left footed right sided player - another attempt to replace Mahrez. In 2018, it was Ghezzal (FAILED), in 2019 it was Perez (FAILED) and in 2020 it was Under (FAILED). We have to solve this one. Of the existing options, we don't need Perez or Ghezzal. Neither are even bench players for me if we have everyone available. Albrighton is always useful and I'm sure he'll stay. After all, only Schmeichel, Tielemans and Vardy played in more PL games last season. However, he doesn't fit any system as a starter.

CF

We have three - Vardy, Daka and Iheanacho - and that's all we need. It's fine.

We need a central defender and a left footed right winger. For the purposes of my line ups below, I've inserted Vestergaard and Trincao. Both players have been strongly linked with us previously and both are potentially available.

We don't really need one keeper, two defenders, two central midfielders and two attacking midfielders.

Our best side would be something like this:

Schmeichel, Ricardo, Fofana, Evans, Justin, Ndidi, Tielemans, Barnes, Maddison, Trincao, Vardy

With a back up side of:

Iversen, Castagne, Vestergaard, Soyuncu, Bertrand, Soumare, Dewsbury-Hall, Sowah, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Daka

Plus one back up keeper (Jakupovic), one back up defender (Thomas), and one back up midfielder (Praet, Mendy or Choudhury). There's your squad.

 

[Graz]

Is Sowah any good, and expected to be part of the senior squad for this season? Or will he have a loan probably to a Championship side?

I agree with your summary of the squad BN and where we need to add. With the exception that I'd keep Ward unless we got an offer for more than we paid.

The good thing is, the players who are surplus to requirements should all be capable of commanding a decent fee.

I could see us bringing in £20-30m in transfer revenue this summer if we're able to offload 3-4 players who aren't needed, without selling any key assets. If we sell Praet and Perez - both who are close to the first team but could be improved on - then we'd possibly bring in even more.

 

[Brown Nose]

Is Sowah any good, and expected to be part of the senior squad for this season? Or will he have a loan probably to a Championship side?

For much of last season, he was OHLs best attacking player in a decent top league in Belgium. He's now played first team football for two years.

I watched quite a few OHL games and I don't think he needs another loan. BR got him and Dewsbury-Hall back into first team training when the Belgian league ended which suggested both were being assessed for the coming season.

Right now, I see him as an excellent sub. Someone that can come on and give us some pace and direct threat. We don't have anyone on that side that offers that at the moment so I want him around the squad.

He's only 21 but he's done much more than other young City players such as Leshabela or Eppiah. If he doesn't get much football we can always send him out in January.

 

[Graz]

For much of last season, he was OHLs best attacking player in a decent top league in Belgium. He's now played first team football for two years.

I watched quite a few OHL games and I don't think he needs another loan. BR got him and Dewsbury-Hall back into first team training when the Belgian league ended which suggested both were being assessed for the coming season.

Right now, I see him as an excellent sub. Someone that can come on and give us some pace and direct threat. We don't have anyone on that side that offers that at the moment so I want him around the squad.

He's only 21 but he's done much more than other young City players such as Leshabela or Eppiah. If he doesn't get much football we can always send him out in January.

Sounds promising, cheers BN

 

[sparky79]

Is Sowah left footed?

 

[sparky79]

Just watched his videos. Left footed. Only place I imagine Sowah being used is right wing.