What to do with our big squad?

[carpediem991]

Our squad is so large especially in the midfield section, so what would your decisions be?

Options:
Keep as starters
Lloris
Vertonghen
Walker
Capoue
Lamela
Eriksen
Adebayor
(+ Schneiderlin, Davies, CB + 1 squad player)

Keep as squad players
Friedel
Archer
Kaboul
Chiriches
Fryers
Fredericks
Dawson*
Vejlkovic*
Falque*
Ceballos
Sandro
Bentaleb
Paulinho*
Chadli
Townsend
Holtby
Kane
Soldado

Keep mainly for the U21
McGee
Voss
Walker-Peters
Onomah
Lameiras
Winks
Oduwa

Loan out PL
Carroll*

Loan out Championshiop
Vejlkovic*
Ogilvie

Loan out League 1
Coulthirst
McEvoy

Loan out abroad

Sell
Rose
Dawson*
Naughton
Assou-Ekotto
Mason
Falque*
Carroll*
Dembele
Paulinho*
Lennon
Sigurdsson
Obika


* = undecided

 

[Flashspur]

Thanks for the research Carpe , I didnt realise it was that large. However in terms of the first 25-30 players, I think you will need them all because its such a demanding fixture list etc. Remember we have Europa plus the two domestic cups on top of the PL. I expect a good cup run with Poch this season too and that means more attrition with injuries, loss of form, staleness and exhaustion etc creeping into the equation.

 

[Blake Griffin]

sorry but when did capoue become a nailed on must start for us? he hasn't done anything to warrant the adulation he gets on here.

 

[easley91]

Every pre-season we see youngsters playing, yet when it comes to the season most are loaned out. That immediately cuts the squad down. Wouldn't be surprised to see a few loaned out again. I believe there was ITK previously stating we are looking to trim the numbers to allow the younger players better chances. If we have an injury crisis akin to last season, the majority will undoubtedly be needed at various points.

 

[carpediem991]

sorry but when did capoue become a nailed on must start for us? he hasn't done anything to warrant the adulation he gets on here.

Debatable...agree. more a wish when i saw what he can do.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

The last thing I'd do after building a strong squad would be to dismantle it again.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

sorry but when did capoue become a nailed on must start for us? he hasn't done anything to warrant the adulation he gets on here.

I think people (including me) expect he will be perfect for Poch's style of play

 

[carpediem991]

The last thing I'd do after building a strong squad would be to dismantle it again.

In my calculation i end up with 28 Players. That surely is enough and if we keep that amount now there will be lots of unhappy faces. And we cant allow to pay lots of wages for players not playing any minutes. As well i want abit space for our u21 s. At least in the early cup rrounds

 

[Blake Griffin]

I think people (including me) expect he will be perfect for Poch's style of play

but why? i see this as being more out of hope based on hearsay than anything.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

but why? i see this as being more out of hope based on hearsay than anything.

Well you can see from his Southampton team that he wants players like Capoue to start as a CDM- he's big, strong and a good passer.

Poch seems to like all-rounders starting in Centre Midfield and hence, Capoue would suit his style of play.

 

[michaelden]

I think the headings should be

Squad

Youth we want to ease into Squad

Loans if possible

Sells if not needed

Aside from Lloris, no one should be a "nailed on starter"

 

[Blake Griffin]

Well you can see from his Southampton team that he wants players like Capoue to start as a CDM- he's big, strong and a good passer.

Poch seems to like all-rounders starting in Centre Midfield and hence, Capoue would suit his style of play.

i think he's big and strong. not sure what he's got in the way of finesse and on-the-ball ability though, i've not seen any evidence of this supposed passing range and i'm sure it's just people repeating bus conductor's views from the summer, in fact there were a couple of games last season when he was coughing the ball up at an alarming rate. off the ball i think he'll struggle against the small mobile types whizzing around him. capoue gets lauded on here and dembele gets killed, i fail to see why.

 

[mpickard2087]

Just needs someone to have the bollocks to cull certain members of the squad.

Khumalo
Naughton
Dawson
Ekotto
Lennon
One of Dembele/Paulinho. Possibly both if we bring in a central midfielder.
Sigurdsson
Falque - If he isn't part of the plans. He's 24, give him a shot or move him on.

That is 7/8 players cut straightaway without impacting on the strength of the squad. I could still jot down two players for every position from those still left.

I haven't even got started on, and neither will I go into, the possible outs such as Rose, Townsend, Kaboul (still looks a shadow of his former self), Soldado (will he ever be suited to the league) et al and possible replacements.

Then we have the likes of Obika and Mason who are stuck in limbo.

It's way too bloated a squad.

 

[Kendall]

i think he's big and strong. not sure what he's got in the way of finesse and on-the-ball ability though, i've not seen any evidence of this supposed passing range and i'm sure it's just people repeating bus conductor's views from the summer, in fact there were a couple of games last season when he was coughing the ball up at an alarming rate. off the ball i think he'll struggle against the small mobile types whizzing around him. capoue gets lauded on here and dembele gets killed, i fail to see why.

I thought he looked very accomplished in the first couple of games last season, in a position which is ordinarily quite difficult to get going in when you first join the Prem. He got injued and then came back having to play CB. Plus, Sandro was poor last year IMO and is going to miss a lot of pre season.

I personally think he's going to be like a new signing.

 

[Snarfalicious]

Sales:
- Dawson: Not quite good enough any more.
- Siggy: I'm just listing him here because it sounds like he's most definitely gone as part of the Davies purchase.
- Lennon: Good Lord, he's regressing like he's 37, not 27.
- Rose: I'd like to get rid of him because I see him becoming an issue when Davies arrives.
- Dembele: Can be fun to watch, but simply doesn't do enough things above average apart from dribbling past his man.
- Assou-Ekotto: No real explanation needed.
- Khumalo: I'd try to bring up a reason to sell him, but if he hasn't been sold by this point, what's the point in even trying to say why we should sell him anymore? Make this dude a club ambassador or something.


Overall: It's going to be tough to get rid of the first 4 given they are part of our homegrown quota. But, I do believe we could find players that can fill that void (Davies, Schneiderlin?) and perhaps locate some other talent such as Eric Dier/Jamaal Lascelles to round out the squad with high upside youth while functioning as 3rd/4th choice.

Fringe-Player Loans:
- Carroll: EPL Loan. It's hard to say, and for me it's down to Bentaleb vs. Carroll for being loaned out. I believe Bentaleb is ready to contribute now and he's got the benefit of having size/physicality on his side. He's also capable of playing multiple positions from midfield. Carroll is a bit different from anything we have, but I think that with the possible emergence of Holtby in a deeper position it could mean Tom can go out on loan and get the much needed experience against physical PL opponents.

- Ceballos: Everyone's "hot prospect" after his start yesterday. He looked great, and if he can continue to perform throughout the preseason then I may rethink this given his versatility and him being able to provide cover at multiple positions. If he fades, I think he should definitely be given the opportunity to go out on loan, preferably to an EPL/upper Championship side. Still only 21 years old (feels strange since I think we all remember him from when he was like 8 years old and being linked to Barcelona).

- Ryan Mason: Not even sure he's worth loaning at this point, though. Could perhaps just keep him around and hope he can provide some adequate backup.

 

[idontgetit]

Could anyone put up the squad and homegrown rules, maybe even sticky to the OP.

 

[Syn_13]

Overall: It's going to be tough to get rid of the first 4 given they are part of our homegrown quota. But, I do believe we could find players that can fill that void (Davies, Schneiderlin?) and perhaps locate some other talent such as Eric Dier/Jamaal Lascelles to round out the squad with high upside youth while functioning as 3rd/4th choice.

This is a very good point, Snarf. I was thinking this the other day. People often forget about the homegrown quota. We have to make sure that 8 out of the 25 are homegrown and in Europe 4 out of the 25 have to be homegrown by the club. It's the reason why I can't see us making a lot of foreign purchases and looking to promote youth and try to bring in players like Davies who are homegrown as well. Is Schneiderlin HG? Don't know how long he's been in the UK for.

 

[Snarfalicious]

This is a very good point, Snarf. I was thinking this the other day. People often forget about the homegrown quota. We have to make sure that 8 out of the 25 are homegrown and in Europe 4 out of the 25 have to be homegrown by the club. It's the reason why I can't see us making a lot of foreign purchases and looking to promote youth and try to bring in players like Davies who are homegrown as well. Is Schneiderlin HG? Don't know how long he's been in the UK for.

He is homegrown, yeah.

 

[Syn_13]

He is homegrown, yeah.

In that case it makes it even more of a sensible buy. Siggy and Rose could be on their way, whilst Davies and Schneiderlin are brought in. Kids like Mason, Fredericks and Carroll may be used to get past the Europa HG restrictions but it might mean leaving out a couple of first team squad players.

 

[Snarfalicious]

In that case it makes it even more of a sensible buy. Siggy and Rose could be on their way, whilst Davies and Schneiderlin are brought in. Kids like Mason, Fredericks and Carroll may be used to get past the Europa HG restrictions but it might mean leaving out a couple of first team squad players.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing Schneiderlin brought in at the expense of Dembele. Essentially, we could recoup the fee for Schneiderlin (and homegrown quota number) by selling Dembele and Livermore. Also helps to trim the squad a bit. Makes complete sense to me. I would love to see a midfield three of Holtby, Schneiderlin and Capoue/Sandro just once.