Our second team?

[Modo]

Mamardashvili

Bradley
Gomez
Leoni
Robbo

Endo
Jones
Nyoni

Chiesa
Szobo
Ngumoha

Obviously its not set in stone and players like Robbo, Szobo and Bradders could arguably be starters in the "first team".

So my question is, what's missing? Except Harvey who, I purposely left out because I don't think he's staying.

The defence looks OK, but other than that it looks like a team that wouldn't score against Plymouth.

It's glaringly obvious that we need another striker.

We have "bodies" in every position, but to me the drop in quality is significant.

 

[Holle]

Strikers. Strikers. Strikers.

 

[jan]

Probably should have included us signing Isak if excluding Harvey - it seems obvious it's going to get done baring an unexpected u-turn

In any case, we're definitely getting in another attacker (Slot publicly said so himself) + possibly a winger or/and Guehi (we might Madrid him next year instead, depends on how much Palace need the money from a potential sale)

 

[Dreambeliever]

Mamardashvili

Bradley
Gomez
Leoni
Robbo

Endo
Jones
Nyoni

Chiesa
Szobo
Ngumoha

Obviously its not set in stone and players like Robbo, Szobo and Bradders could arguably be starters in the "first team".

So my question is, what's missing? Except Harvey who, I purposely left out because I don't think he's staying.

The defence looks OK, but other than that it looks like a team that wouldn't score against Plymouth.

It's glaringly obvious that we need another striker.

We have "bodies" in every position, but to me the drop in quality is significant.

Simply put that’s not a team that means we can challenge on all fronts. Prioritise the league and CL and see where we are in Feb.

 

[Squiggles]

We need a striker/attacker by the end of the window, Isak or otherwise. That's bare minimum in attack.

Gomez and Leoni as back up CBs feels risky. I really do feel we should be offering Gomez plus cash for Guehi, or just buy him outright, and just get it done. Konate looks frazzled.

Next summer we need to be finding a better six replacement then Endo, but the midfield we have for now is good enough to compete and win things with some tactical tweaks and less kamikazee positioning.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Our first team is strong enough to win any competition, as long as we're lucky with injuries, as that second team is pretty poor or unproven even if you include Elliott in it. I think its weakest up front, ideally we get one or two more attackers. One of them could be Rio, if we trust him to play a material role.

And if we can add a top CB and maybe a younger version of Endo, and we'll be in a decent spot for a few years.

 

[binomial]

We have "bodies" in every position, but to me the drop in quality is significant.

It’s supposed to be.

Not every club are Chelsea where you can wilfully spend 40-50m+ on 862 players.

 

[FullStop]

Replies: 6
Views: 164

I see a definite room for growth. But it might require smartening up.

 

[Modo]

Mods FFS...

 

[The Nomad]

Is it blitz... again?

The man is craaaazy.

 

[MomoWASright]

Mamardashvili

Bradley
Gomez
Leoni
Robbo

Endo
Jones
Nyoni

Chiesa
Szobo
Ngumoha

Obviously its not set in stone and players like Robbo, Szobo and Bradders could arguably be starters in the "first team".

So my question is, what's missing? Except Harvey who, I purposely left out because I don't think he's staying.

The defence looks OK, but other than that it looks like a team that wouldn't score against Plymouth.

It's glaringly obvious that we need another striker.

We have "bodies" in every position, but to me the drop in quality is significant.

Now do it for Arsenal, City and Chelsea.

As some of us will point out, you don’t need 22 super boss “world class” players.

Even when the games are thick and fast it’s subtle changes.

For the cup games it’s a sprinkling of kids and those who need fitness up to quarter/semi final time.

 

[FullStop]

Now do it for Arsenal, City and Chelsea.

As some of us will point out, you don’t need 22 super boss “world class” players.

Even when the games are thick and fast it’s subtle changes.

For the cup games it’s a sprinkling of kids and those who need fitness up to quarter/semi final time.

What a refined thought, even though the full weight of intricacies are hard to discern.

 

[MomoWASright]

My eyes hurt after reading that.

 

[Modo]

Now do it for Arsenal, City and Chelsea.

As some of us will point out, you don’t need 22 super boss “world class” players.

Even when the games are thick and fast it’s subtle changes.

For the cup games it’s a sprinkling of kids and those who need fitness up to quarter/semi final time.

Who said anything about world class superstar players? I just think we look a bit thin in midfield and attack.

 

[MomoWASright]

You’re asking what’s missing but all top sides will say the same. All will have a drop in quality (your words)

 

[Judge Jules]

What a refined thought, even though the full weight of intricacies are hard to discern.

*Is* hard to discern.

 

[Modo]

You’re asking what’s missing but all top sides will say the same. All will have a drop in quality (your words)

There's always a drop in quality, it's about how big the drop is. But fair enough, you're fine with it, I'm not. That's not a quad squad.
Our squad during the last quad attempt was imo better.

 

[Judge Jules]

I'm not sure I want us to go hard for the quad anyway TBH. It's barely achievable (if it's achievable at all) and is more likely to lead to our best players burning out. I'd deliberately play squaddies and youngsters in the domestic Cups and I wouldn't be that fussed about the outcome.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

We don't need to be going for a quad, nor worry about how good other teams second team is, to want to have a high quality squad. We were fairly fortunate with injuries last year, we may not be this year.

If one of our CBs is injured, we have Gomez who is usually injured, and a new unproven young CB. That's a risk.

If Gravenberch is injured, we're light in midfield, as I think we saw on Friday. That's a risk.

If Salah or Ekitike is injured, we're lacking proven goal scorers, and that's a risk.

We should be hoping to reduce the amount of risks for the season. Hopefully we're reasonably lucky with injuries and it won't matter.

 

[MomoWASright]

Adding Isak and Gueye makes a massive difference as well as the “another forward” Slot alluded to.

The quad isn’t about smashing our first team game in and game out. There’s some luck, like getting home ties against sides who are either aren’t arsed (those fighting to stay in the prem) or those from a lower division. Get to play those first teamers who need games for whatever reason and the up and coming. They are vital to our current business model too. They need these games so we can blag millions when we sell them.

 

[Whaddapie]

Bradley's not a back-up... He'll get plenty of time at RB, when he's fit again. And we f@#$ing need him back there!

 

[Frogfish]

Mamardashvili

Bradley
Gomez
Leoni
Robbo

Endo
Jones
Nyoni

Chiesa
Szobo
Ngumoha

Obviously its not set in stone and players like Robbo, Szobo and Bradders could arguably be starters in the "first team".

So my question is, what's missing? Except Harvey who, I purposely left out because I don't think he's staying.

The defence looks OK, but other than that it looks like a team that wouldn't score against Plymouth.

It's glaringly obvious that we need another striker.

We have "bodies" in every position, but to me the drop in quality is significant.

As far as 'second teams' go it looks pretty good! Add Gakpo (for Isak) and Guehi or Konate to it.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

If we add two more players for 150m or so, it'll be far better yeah, it's currently not good enough for the season we hope to have, without a hell of a lot of good luck. Shouldn't be that hard to see that.

 

[StevieM]

I think if we make the Guehi & Isak signings then Leoni & Nyoni don’t even make the reserve team and you’re probably have Ekitike as the 2nd No 9.

Tsimikas & Elliot wouldn’t even be included as they’re likely off - but that would be even more death.

I think Balagazi, Rhys-Williams & Ramsay are still at the club as well - don’t know for how much longer.

You’d have to be borderline certifiably to think that our “2nd team” isn’t capable of progressing in domestic cups.

In that scenario, we not only have a 2nd team pretty close to being able to challenge for domestic trophies in its own right but also a team of players classified as U21 that could hold its own, when you consider we have Pesci, Nallo, Leoni, Stephenson, Chambers, McConnell, Badger, Nyoni, Rio, Danns & Kone-Doherty, plus Wright, Koumas, Figueroa & Gordon.

I’ve put Rio in there because, I do like the idea of another forward that can play on the left and I’m not sure we should be pushing him too fast to get first team minutes outside of domestic cups.

We are probably close to having too bloated a squad where we won’t be able to keep everyone happy and the team consistent - which is where these domestic cup games will be so important.

 

[Richey]

That's not a bad side, you know. There's four international captains in there, plus some fairly experienced players and a few prospects.

If that team were to play together regularly (and here's the point- it wouldn't have to) it would probably do alright.

The point about forwards is a fair one though.

 

[bluebell]

Robbo and Endo are probably two players who are weak links. Robbo showed he no longer has the pace but he needs to show football IQ and there is no evidence he uses it at all.
Endo is just too old and it shows. However, there is nothing more I would like to do is post an "apology thread to... " both these guys. Slot has kept them, but he has to train them

 

[YNWA]

Once we sign Guehi & Isak than the team will be

Marmadashvili, Bradley, Gomez, Guehi, Robertson, Endo, Jones, Szobso, Chiesa, Hugo & Rio. That's 9 internationals out of which 6 /7 (Jones debatable) currently are starters of their national team and the remaining two (Hugo & Rio) are at the minimum will be part of their respective U21 squads. That's a pretty solid squad where maybe an argument can be made about the quality / experience in the wide forward areas.

 

[binomial]

Our 2nd team will play about 3 games this season.

2 of them will see us go out the cups early against Wrexham and Swansea, everyone will be labelling how shit they are and all need to be sold.

 

[StevieM]

Our 2nd team will play about 3 games this season.

2 of them will see us go out the cups early against Wrexham and Swansea, everyone will be labelling how shit they are and all need to be sold.

By everyone, do you mean you?

 

[Shay_K]

Mamardashvili

Bradley
Gomez
Leoni
Robbo

Endo
Jones
Nyoni

Chiesa
Szobo
Ngumoha

Obviously its not set in stone and players like Robbo, Szobo and Bradders could arguably be starters in the "first team".

So my question is, what's missing? Except Harvey who, I purposely left out because I don't think he's staying.

The defence looks OK, but other than that it looks like a team that wouldn't score against Plymouth.

It's glaringly obvious that we need another striker.

We have "bodies" in every position, but to me the drop in quality is significant.

Szobo ????