Squad Analysis 2019/20

[hydrofluoric acid]

The more I drink the more I'm behind losing Lacazette and Aubameyang. It's really a swings and round abouts way of thinking.

I think if we went and moved Saka to the left of a midfield 3 and brought Martinelli to the left of a front 3 we become better balanced.
Ceballos Xhaka Saka
Pepe New Cf* Martinelli

I think that gives us enough momentum through the middle of the park and gives us more natural width. Probably means less of a rebuild as we would only be signing Ceballos and a new CF.

Lolza!!! When your phone auto correct still dont know if you meant to type think or drink!

 

[14Henry]

Championship manager stuff this but had a quick look at the squad. What we need and how we can get it.

For me priority is CB, CM and an attacking midfielder.

Leno
Bellerin/Soares
Saliba
CB Upamencano
Tierney
Xhaka
CM Partey
Pepe
ACM Buendia
Saka
Auba.

Now if Partey really wants to come to us that sorts out CM.

Talk of Upamecano. What would he cost 30-40m?

And for attacking midfield I'm going go for someone who may be good enough but is abit risky. Buendia of Norwich who could be got for maybe 20m.

So that's an outlay of 100m.

How do we get that?

Sell:

Kolasinac
Mustafi
Holding
Sokratis
Torreria
Guendouzi.

I feel the above players even at worst case scenario would bring in close to 60-70m.

Would also leave us a bench of:

Martinez
Luiz
Mari
Chambers
Willock
AMN
Nelson
Martinelli
Eddie
Laca.

If Auba stays sell Laca. If Auba goes maybe keep Laca.

We will have no Europe so we can deal with a reduced squad and what I would like is the same 11 more or less every week. Look at Wolves basically same team and formation week on week. Leciester had the same when they won the league. Chelsea the same when Conte went 5 at the back.

Will it be hard shifting all those players? Yes. But I dont think it will be hard shifting the players that would bring in the most money for example Matteo and Lucas.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Unrealistic to think Upa will be signed now.

 

[Aevi]

A new AM might be as important as a new CB

This is what I've been saying, but it's not even just a problem with our CMs. Our wingers, Pepe and Auba specifically, are devoid of creativity in passing as well. In that sense it doesn't have to be a pure AM; a winger with a more technical profile like Benrahma would do us wonders too.

Considering Özil is declining/done, we don't really have a player bar maybe Ceballos on a good day that'll consistently make progressive, riskier passes into the box. It urgently needs addressing, and like some have said, I'd prioritize that over a new CB given we have several bodies coming back (Saliba, Mari, Chambers) next season who I still have some hope could do well.

 

[14Henry]

This is what I've been saying, but it's not even just a problem with our CMs. Our wingers, Pepe and Auba specifically, are devoid of creativity in passing as well. In that sense it doesn't have to be a pure AM; a winger with a more technical profile like Benrahma would do us wonders too.

Considering Özil is declining/done, we don't really have a player bar maybe Ceballos on a good day that'll consistently make progressive, riskier passes into the box. It urgently needs addressing, and like some have said, I'd prioritize that over a new CB given we have several bodies coming back (Saliba, Mari, Chambers) next season who I still have some hope could do well.

Henderson nor Winjaldum are creators. Fabinho neither but the front 3 create their own goals a lot. Our front 3 are not creating enough as a 3. Its basically 3 individuals whereas liverpool front 3 play as a 1. Watching United here Rashford and Martial as well as Greenwood look like theres definately some chemistry there. Fernandes does help.

 

[Aevi]

Henderson nor Winjaldum are creators. Fabinho neither but the front 3 create their own goals a lot. Our front 3 are not creating enough as a 3. Its basically 3 individuals whereas liverpool front 3 play as a 1. Watching United here Rashford and Martial as well as Greenwood look like theres definately some chemistry there. Fernandes does help.

Liverpool's front 3 get a good bit of help from Robertson and Alexander-Arnold, whose official "chance created" numbers are quite impressive. If we wanted to replicate Klopp's system we'd need to upgrade on the likes of Bellerin who I think is solid but not technically-precise enough to be consistently involved in our attack.

But I take your point that our midfielders don't necessarily need to be big chance creators, the problem is seemingly none of our players are.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Salah, Mane, Firmino, Trent and Robbo provide all the chances in that team.

 

[14Henry]

Salah, Mane, Firmino, Trent and Robbo provide all the chances in that team.

Exactly. Not the midfield. Our front 3 create nothing. Our fullbacks even less. Tierney cant beat a man. Bellerin doesnt look like hes got the energy anymore to get up and down. He is only coming back from injury but hard to see.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Exactly. Not the midfield. Our front 3 create nothing. Our fullbacks even less. Tierney cant beat a man. Bellerin doesnt look like hes got the energy anymore to get up and down. He is only coming back from injury but hard to see.

Tierney is the only one who could potentially replicate it. Bellerin no, auba isn't a creator. Pepe maybe but he's more of a cut in and score as well.

Its so unbalanced.

 

[lomekian]

Henderson nor Winjaldum are creators. Fabinho neither but the front 3 create their own goals a lot. Our front 3 are not creating enough as a 3. Its basically 3 individuals whereas liverpool front 3 play as a 1. Watching United here Rashford and Martial as well as Greenwood look like theres definately some chemistry there. Fernandes does help.

Fernandes more than helps. he's totally transformed that team. Utd's record since he signed is excellent. Beforehand they were bang average

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Going back to Artetas comments in April...

"Depending on the 3 scenarios we can do more, less or nothing"

More being CL, less Europa and nothing no european football. Its quite worrying. Nothing probably means sell to buy but that doesn't help us all that much.

 

[MutableEarth]

This is what I've been saying, but it's not even just a problem with our CMs. Our wingers, Pepe and Auba specifically, are devoid of creativity in passing as well. In that sense it doesn't have to be a pure AM; a winger with a more technical profile like Benrahma would do us wonders too.

Considering Özil is declining/done, we don't really have a player bar maybe Ceballos on a good day that'll consistently make progressive, riskier passes into the box. It urgently needs addressing, and like some have said, I'd prioritize that over a new CB given we have several bodies coming back (Saliba, Mari, Chambers) next season who I still have some hope could do well.

Out of the wingers, arguably the most technical is an underperforming Reiss Nelson. He'd be better from the left but that's not happening any time soon.

I think it's definitely worth bringing in a more technical wide player - we also have to think about how we're going to use the 8s in our team.

 

[boonthegoon]

We really need a creative mid. None of our mids bar 1, who is not going to play, is creative. Even if partey comes, he's also not creative.

 

[The_Playmaker]

Why do we need a specialist creative midfielder. If that player gets injured we are right back where we started. We need to revamp the squad and buy the right profile of player.

CB- needs to be fast, strong and tall. Good enough to deal with the best wingers in the league.

Full backs- need to be good enough in 1v1 vs the best wingers and have an excellent first touch that can take them on the outside.

Cms - Need to be able to run with the best. Need to be agile. Need to be able to step past their man and drive.

CF- needs the be good in the air, able to run in behind, strong enough to bully defenders, good shooting technique.

Is honestly blow this nonsense squad up. Too many players are not good enough and if we dont qualify for Europe we need to sell and replace as many as we can. There is no point in keeping the likes of Xhaka and spend the entire summer haggling to get Partey. A player we can't afford and shouldn't be buying.

We need the cheaper options. They are out there ffs. We need to accept our standing and take the risks. Buy the Osimhen before he has a good season. In point spending money on Partey. We need the next Partey.

We need to find the next big striker. We need to find cms who are technically gifted. Not ****ing Marc Roca who is a Xhaka clone. If that's Artetas idea of making us competitive than what's the point?

 

[pikey2000]

Anyone know enough about Smith-Rowe to suggest whether he could be the creative force we are missing?

Is he a wide man, AM, CM?

 

[dashsnow17]

This is what I've been saying, but it's not even just a problem with our CMs. Our wingers, Pepe and Auba specifically, are devoid of creativity in passing as well. In that sense it doesn't have to be a pure AM; a winger with a more technical profile like Benrahma would do us wonders too.

Considering Özil is declining/done, we don't really have a player bar maybe Ceballos on a good day that'll consistently make progressive, riskier passes into the box. It urgently needs addressing, and like some have said, I'd prioritize that over a new CB given we have several bodies coming back (Saliba, Mari, Chambers) next season who I still have some hope could do well.

Benrahma could really be that guy. He not only makes 3.2 dribbles a game, he makes 2.4 key passes too. Plus he's played centrally before.

https://smarterscout.com/articles/p...rahma-brentford-efl-championship-josip-ilicic

https://www.whoscored.com/Articles/...uld-rival-Chelsea-in-pursuit-of-Said-Benrahma

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Tierney is the only one who could potentially replicate it. Bellerin no, auba isn't a creator. Pepe maybe but he's more of a cut in and score as well.

Its so unbalanced.

Lacazette is poor as a creative 9 as well no matter how many times his fanboys compare him to Firminho.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Why do we need a specialist creative midfielder. If that player gets injured we are right back where we started. We need to revamp the squad and buy the right profile of player.

CB- needs to be fast, strong and tall. Good enough to deal with the best wingers in the league.

Full backs- need to be good enough in 1v1 vs the best wingers and have an excellent first touch that can take them on the outside.

Cms - Need to be able to run with the best. Need to be agile. Need to be able to step past their man and drive.

CF- needs the be good in the air, able to run in behind, strong enough to bully defenders, good shooting technique.

Is honestly blow this nonsense squad up. Too many players are not good enough and if we dont qualify for Europe we need to sell and replace as many as we can. There is no point in keeping the likes of Xhaka and spend the entire summer haggling to get Partey. A player we can't afford and shouldn't be buying.

We need the cheaper options. They are out there ffs. We need to accept our standing and take the risks. Buy the Osimhen before he has a good season. In point spending money on Partey. We need the next Partey.

We need to find the next big striker. We need to find cms who are technically gifted. Not ****ing Marc Roca who is a Xhaka clone. If that's Artetas idea of making us competitive than what's the point?

Thats one of the most stupid things I've ever seen. Its like saying why buy a top CB if he gets injured we are back to square one. Why sign auba up if he gets injured we are back to square one... we need a creative mid? Don't blow the squad up there's no need. We just need 3 to 4 players in different areas.

 

[MikelHadADream]

It looks like no Europe next season. We should look at this as a positive. We really have to reduce the size of the squad and bring in 3/4 quality first 11 players.

Build around: Leno, AMN, Saliba, KT, Saka, Xhaka, Pepe, Auba.
Look to sell: Lacazette, Bellerin, Torreira, Guendouzi, Nelson, Mustafi, Sokratis.

 

[Dutch D]

Everyone seems to want to recreate Liverpool's setup. Unsurprising given their success, but it's not a formula I particularly enjoy. In my opinion they've also outperformed their actual level. Lots of things have gone their way this season, due to exceptional individual class (Salah, Mané, VVD, Firmino, TAA, Robertson) and some luck with refs.

In order to recreate their setup you need three exceptional attackers. We barely have one, and Auba's not one to create something out of nothing like Mané or Salah (not to take anything away from Auba). You also need two exceptional fullbacks (we have one). Lastly, you need three service men with huge engines in midfield (we arguably have two with Willock and Maitland-Niles albeit with significantly less experience). VVD is just icing on the cake, saving their asses plenty of times at CB.

I don't think their system is one that is optimal without exceptional individual players either.

A 4-3-3 with a more creative and mobile midfield, as well as creativity on the left seems much more attainable for us and it's a proven system.

We simply need either a playmaking LW (Benrahma/Grealish/Depay) or a creative CM (Aouar/Szoboszlai/???) and an all-action midfielder (Partey/Willock/vdBeek/Golovin) to make the switch to this system.

Then it's a matter of upgrading our current ****ty personnel, which is glaringly obvious. The system is in place, though. Even with just one of the two aforementioned signings we could play the system if we trust our youngsters (not saying we should, but we could).