I have seen allot of posts with people talking about 2 teams and a 1st XI etc. I think we need to get this though out of our head. AVB will have a squad of 22-23 players with no real first team. Like all elite sides he will have a core group from that 23 of about 17 who will rotate depending on fitness, form but most of all based of tactics depending on the opposition.
Lets say this is our squad at the end of the window;
Home Grown
1. Kyle Walker - 23
2. Kyle Naughton - 24
3. Danny Rose - 23
4. Michael Dawson - 29
5. Andros Townsend - 22
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6. Hugo Lloris - 26
7. Brad Friedal - 42
8. Heurelho Gomes - 29
9. Fabio Coentrao - 25
10. Younes Kaboul - 27
11. Jan Vertonghen - 26
12. Vlad Chirchiles - 23
13. Sandro - 24
14. Etienne Capoue - 25
15. Paulinhio - 25
16. Mousa Dembele - 26
17. Lewis Holtby - 22
18. Nasir Chadli - 24
19. Roberto Soldado - 28
20. Rodrigo - 22
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Under 21
• Christian Eriksen - 21
• Erik Lamela - 21
• Alvaro Vadillo - 18
All of the following players can play these positions to a certain level.
GK - Lloris, Friedal, Gomes
RB - Walker, Naughton, Chirchiles, Kaboul
LB - Coentrao, Rose, Vertonghen, Naughton
RCB - Kaboul, Dawson, Chrichiles, Capoue
LCB - Vertonghen, Chirciles, Kaboul
DM - Sandro, Capoue, Paulinhio
CM - Eriksen, Paulinhio, Holtby, Dembele, Sandro
AM - Eriksen, Dembele, Holtby, Paulinhio
RW - Lamela, Townsend, Chadli, Vadillo, Rodrigo
LW - Chadli, Vadillo, Townsend, Rodrigo, Dembele
SS - Lamela, Rodrigo, Chadli, Eriksen
ST - Soldado, Rodrigo, Lamela
There may be a game away from home against Chelsea and AVB choses to play 4-2-3-1 with 2 holding midfielders in Sandro & Capoue,. The next week we could be at home to Cardiff and he will play 4-3-3 with Paulinhio holding and Eriksen, Dembele or Holtby either side to create as much as possible. We might be at home in Europe and want to keep a clean sheet is the 1st leg so Chirchiles or Vertonhen play at full back. Players coming on the bench will also play a key role. Instead of making like for like subs, bringing on a Holtby for Paulinhio in the last 20 when its 0-0 at home to create a chance, or bring on Capoue for Eriksen to make sure we don't let a lead slip in the last 10 minutes.
This is how the big teams have worked for the past 20 years. Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Juve, Inter, Munich, United, Chelsea and Arsenal when they were on top. They all had a solid squad of 23 with 16-17 players every game and rotate. Remeber how Fergie used to play Park in every big match. Thats how AVB will be runing the squad from now on.
You have Lloris, Walker, Coentrao, Rose, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Chirchiles, Sandro, Capoue, Eriksen, Paulinhio, Holtby, Dembele, Lamela, Townsend, Chadli & Soldado as your 17 with Friedal/Gomes, Naughton, Dawson, Validi & Rodrigo as back ups.
Lets say this is our squad at the end of the window;
Home Grown
1. Kyle Walker - 23
2. Kyle Naughton - 24
3. Danny Rose - 23
4. Michael Dawson - 29
5. Andros Townsend - 22
-------------------------
6. Hugo Lloris - 26
7. Brad Friedal - 42
8. Heurelho Gomes - 29
9. Fabio Coentrao - 25
10. Younes Kaboul - 27
11. Jan Vertonghen - 26
12. Vlad Chirchiles - 23
13. Sandro - 24
14. Etienne Capoue - 25
15. Paulinhio - 25
16. Mousa Dembele - 26
17. Lewis Holtby - 22
18. Nasir Chadli - 24
19. Roberto Soldado - 28
20. Rodrigo - 22
------------------------
Under 21
• Christian Eriksen - 21
• Erik Lamela - 21
• Alvaro Vadillo - 18
All of the following players can play these positions to a certain level.
GK - Lloris, Friedal, Gomes
RB - Walker, Naughton, Chirchiles, Kaboul
LB - Coentrao, Rose, Vertonghen, Naughton
RCB - Kaboul, Dawson, Chrichiles, Capoue
LCB - Vertonghen, Chirciles, Kaboul
DM - Sandro, Capoue, Paulinhio
CM - Eriksen, Paulinhio, Holtby, Dembele, Sandro
AM - Eriksen, Dembele, Holtby, Paulinhio
RW - Lamela, Townsend, Chadli, Vadillo, Rodrigo
LW - Chadli, Vadillo, Townsend, Rodrigo, Dembele
SS - Lamela, Rodrigo, Chadli, Eriksen
ST - Soldado, Rodrigo, Lamela
There may be a game away from home against Chelsea and AVB choses to play 4-2-3-1 with 2 holding midfielders in Sandro & Capoue,. The next week we could be at home to Cardiff and he will play 4-3-3 with Paulinhio holding and Eriksen, Dembele or Holtby either side to create as much as possible. We might be at home in Europe and want to keep a clean sheet is the 1st leg so Chirchiles or Vertonhen play at full back. Players coming on the bench will also play a key role. Instead of making like for like subs, bringing on a Holtby for Paulinhio in the last 20 when its 0-0 at home to create a chance, or bring on Capoue for Eriksen to make sure we don't let a lead slip in the last 10 minutes.
This is how the big teams have worked for the past 20 years. Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Juve, Inter, Munich, United, Chelsea and Arsenal when they were on top. They all had a solid squad of 23 with 16-17 players every game and rotate. Remeber how Fergie used to play Park in every big match. Thats how AVB will be runing the squad from now on.
You have Lloris, Walker, Coentrao, Rose, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Chirchiles, Sandro, Capoue, Eriksen, Paulinhio, Holtby, Dembele, Lamela, Townsend, Chadli & Soldado as your 17 with Friedal/Gomes, Naughton, Dawson, Validi & Rodrigo as back ups.
