Our 23 man PL squad

[Modo]

Let's look at our squad like a world cup or Euro squad. Is it good enough? Do we actually have at least two decent players per position? We usually play a version of a 4-3-3 line up. If I pick 23 players based on that line up, I get this:

Keepers:
Allison
Mignolet
Karius
(Grabara, Kelleher)

Right back:
Clyne
TAA

Left back:
Robertson
Moreno

CB:
Van Dijk
Lovren
Matip
Klavan
(Gomez)

DM:
Fabinho
Hendo

CM:
Milner
Keita

AM:
Wijnaldum(Shoehorned)
Lallana

RW/LW:
Mane
Shaqiri
Salah
Camacho
(Markovic)

ST:
Firmino
Sturridge
(Origi, Ings)

Pretty obvious where we need to strengthen the team.

 

[tombrown]

RM:
Mane
Markovic
Shaqiri

LM:
Salah

Salah plays from the right, Mane from the left (although he can also play the right)

 

[Modo]

Salah plays from the right, Mane from the left (although he can also play the right)

Just going by their preferred foot

 

[davud graham]

TAA wouldn't count as he's young enough to qualify as a under 21 player and they don't need to be in the 23 man squad. Not sure about Gomez as he's 21 but I don't know what the cut off date is.

 

[Modo]

TAA wouldn't count as he's young enough to qualify as a under 21 player and they don't need to be in the 23 man squad. Not sure about Gomez as he's 21 but I don't know what the cut off date is.

No it's not that type of squad. It's just like a regular championship squad just like national teams do.

 

[Frogfish]

Just going by their preferred foot

But that's not where they play so it's not relevant.

Markovic?!? We all know he's gone. Ditto Ings and likely Origi. Look to one or two youngsters to fill the gaps.

Brewster and Camacho. Any others not going on loan.

 

[Modo]

Yeah I regret having Markovic there.
I'm gonna put Camacho there.

 

[SummerOnions]

Think Gomez goes in as 3rd choice CB this season

 

[davud graham]

No it's not that type of squad. It's just like a regular championship squad just like national teams do.

Oh yeah I see what you mean now. The good thing about so many of our players is that they can play in a number of positions so that really helps strengthen the depth. Milner can play both full back positions if necessary , Fabinho can also play right back, Mane could play in Firmino's position as he's really developed his passing range in the last year or so. Gomez can play anywhere in defence and Clyne can also play left back.
If you could swap Pulisic or Fekir for Lallana then it looks a really good squad. I'd prefer another quality striker but Firmino's fitness and stamina are that good that it wouldn't be easy to convince anyone good enough that they would play enough games.

 

[Modo]

Oh yeah I see what you mean now. The good thing about so many of our players is that they can play in a number of positions so that really helps strengthen the depth. Milner can play both full back positions if necessary , Fabinho can also play right back, Mane could play in Firmino's position as he's really developed his passing range in the last year or so. Gomez can play anywhere in defence and Clyne can also play left back.
If you could swap Pulisic or Fekir for Lallana then it looks a really good squad. I'd prefer another quality striker but Firmino's fitness and stamina are that good that it wouldn't be easy to convince anyone good enough that they would play enough games.

Yep and to add to your fine assessment Shaqiri can play as an AM as well. So yeah there's a lot of versatility but as you say we're still a signing or two from being superb and I'm also looking at the AM position.

 

[Hyena]

Yep and to add to your fine assessment Shaqiri can play as an AM as well. So yeah there's a lot of versatility but as you say we're still a signing or two from being superb and I'm also looking at the AM position.

Things is, both Cpt Hendo and Fabinho probably have a legitimate expectation that they will play more than 50% of matches.

So we might see Hendo-Fabinho-Keita pretty often.
And Milner, Wini and Lallana as back up, maybe Shaqiri. Do we really have this Fekir-sized hole to fill?

 

[Modo]

Things is, both Cpt Hendo and Fabinho probably have a legitimate expectation that they will play more than 50% of matches.

So we might see Hendo-Fabinho-Keita pretty often.
And Milner, Wini and Lallana as back up, maybe Shaqiri. Do we really have this Fekir-sized hole to fill?

It's more about quality than quantity.
I reckon a Fabinho, Keita, Fekir midfield would be better than the first two with Hendo.

 

[Frogfish]

Things is, both Cpt Hendo and Fabinho probably have a legitimate expectation that they will play more than 50% of matches.

So we might see Hendo-Fabinho-Keita pretty often.
And Milner, Wini and Lallana as back up, maybe Shaqiri. Do we really have this Fekir-sized hole to fill?

It's not a case of 'do we have a hole to fill'? Its 'can we improve on what we've got'? The clear Fekir/Pulisic answer is yes.

 

[Oncy]

Things is, both Cpt Hendo and Fabinho probably have a legitimate expectation that they will play more than 50% of matches.

So we might see Hendo-Fabinho-Keita pretty often.
And Milner, Wini and Lallana as back up, maybe Shaqiri. Do we really have this Fekir-sized hole to fill?

If you bought them all on Fifa youd get them telling you they arent arent happy on a regular

 

[Hyena]

It's not a case of 'do we have a hole to fill'? Its 'can we improve on what we've got'? The clear Fekir/Pulisic answer is yes.

Fair enough.

Is it an improvement that we need to throw 60m at though?


Or am I too stuck in a Benitez-era mentality ???

 

[Fabio]

I think keita will play most advanced of the 3 a lot of the time

Gini or hendo as cm

Shaqiri as backup for the 10

 

[Frogfish]

Fair enough.

Is it an improvement that we need to throw 60m at though?


Or am I too stuck in a Benitez-era mentality ???

Personally I don't care about the money. We have it. Let's get cover and strength in depth and one of those two would go a long way towards that goal.

 

[Dreambeliever]

That squad doesn't look strong enough to win a title.

Some major gaps.

CB and up top being the primary ones.

 

[rurikbird]

Here's how I would classify the current squad:

GK: very strong
1. Alisson
2. Karius
3. Grabara
Mignolet will be gone by the end of the week, I think.

Right back: brimming with young talent, do we even need Clyne?
1. Trent
2. Clyne – could be sold?
3. Gomez
Camacho and Fabinho can also play there

Left back: OK
1. Robertson
2. Moreno
Milner and Gomez can also cover if needed

CBs: OK, but some question marks over Matip and Lovren
1. Van Dijk
2. Lovren
3. Matip
4. Klavan
5. Phillips
Gomez can also play there

DM (#6): Fine, but I wish we got a DLP
1-2. Fabinho
1-2. Hendo
3. Grujic – to be loaned out?
Gini and Milner can also cover there in a pinch, Keita probably as well

CM (#8): Major upgrade with Keita
1. Keita
2. Wijnaldum
3. Milner
Hendo and Fabinho can also play this position

Attacking CM (#10): A weakness, unless Lallana plays a blinder of a season
1. Lallana
2. Shaqiri
Milner played in this position last season, Keita did too at times, Gini did very rarely under Klopp. Trent's long-term future might be here.

Front 3 forwards: (all interchangeable in our system, so no need to distinguish between centre-forwards and wingers)
1. Salah
2. Mane
3. Firmino
4. Sturridge
5. Solanke
6. Brewster
7. Camacho
Shaqiri and Lallana can also play here

============

Overall it looks quite good with the amount of quality and tactical flexibility built-in the squad. The only clear question mark is once again Sturridge's fitness – if we had a physically reliable player of Sturridge's quality as a fourth-choice attacker and then a bunch of talented kids lying in wait behind him in pecking order, that would be totally fine – similar to how Barca constructed their squad in recent years for example. But because Sturridge's fitness is such a question mark, then we are thinking about how Solanke or Brewster might look replacing Salah or Firmino, which is not a comfortable thought. Add Fekir or Pulisic to that list and it becomes almost perfect.

 

[Oncy]

That squad doesn't look strong enough to win a title.

Some major gaps.

CB and up top being the primary ones.

Here he is. Our little black cloud.

 

[MomoWASright]

Here he is. Our little black cloud.

He must be a joy to be around on Christmas Eve.

 

[FoxForceFive]

He must be a joy to be around on Christmas Eve.

"I bet you I'm getting fucking socks again. Mum will have got you a shite present again. Bet you've got her a worse one though. Oh fuck, uncle nobhead is coming too isn't he. Can't fucking wait for boxing day"

 

[Dreambeliever]

"I bet you I'm getting fucking socks again. Mum will have got you a shite present again. Bet you've got her a worse one though. Oh fuck, uncle nobhead is coming too isn't he. Can't fucking wait for boxing day"

Are you coming out on Boxing Day? Newcastle at home. Can't wait.