The Squad 2019/2020

[HKP90]

We still need an actual breathing DM in the team. Not sure why things have stalled there, it’s the crucial position for me. Hope to christ Douglas is in the bag. It’s concerning both with this transfer as it was with Phillips that a lack of progress might signal that things are not getting over the line.

If we start the season with Thor there, things will get ugly real fast. Conor even more so.

I wonder if DS sees either Engels or Hause as being able to do a job there? We have a few ballplaying CBs now.

[sir_gary_cahill]

Just now, villan-scott said:

I think Mings and Engels will be first choice and Konsa will be eased in this season. Smith was very much talking about potential and the future with him. Engels however, he was talking about chasing him for 18 months etc. 

The flip side is that Engels might not hit the ground running and Konsa seizes the opportunity. The beauty of competition. 

Then there’s Chester too...

Ok, I can see your point of view but I think Mings and Konsa will be our centre back partnership on the opening day. I agree that competition for places is only a good thing, I trust Smith to manage the squad accordingly

[skarroki]

So just looking through the list of our current players, after signing Trezeguet and Douglas we'll have 26 players eligible for our 25 man squad, with almost everyone on here expecting further signings after. There are some obvious choices for who is let go first, but we seem to be at capacity now and it'll surely be a 1 in, 1 out situation to avoid players having no chance of getting into the squad? I would be worried that a few more additions, coupled with not being able to be moved on, will create a "bomb squad v3.0"

This doesn't even include players such as Green, Davis, O'Hare and RHM as they are too young to be in the squad.

[HKP90]

4 minutes ago, skarroki said:

So just looking through the list of our current players, after signing Trezeguet and Douglas we'll have 26 players eligible for our 25 man squad, with almost everyone on here expecting further signings after. There are some obvious choices for who is let go first, but we seem to be at capacity now and it'll surely be a 1 in, 1 out situation to avoid players having no chance of getting into the squad? I would be worried that a few more additions, coupled with not being able to be moved on, will create a "bomb squad v3.0"

This doesn't even include players such as Green, Davis, O'Hare and RHM as they are too young to be in the squad.

Does that squad count include Hogan?

[terrytini]

So, early days, just 2 friendlies.

But based on what I’ve seen so far we are going to play some very good football, we have skilful ball players all over the place.

On the other hand ( on that limited showing) we need a bit more pace ( which may well be Trezeguet of course) and a goal scorer ( which may well be Wesley of course)....

....But most of all I think we need some power/ strength in Midfield.......we have a very soft underbelly at present.

[Vive_La_Villa]

9 hours ago, skarroki said:

So just looking through the list of our current players, after signing Trezeguet and Douglas we'll have 26 players eligible for our 25 man squad, with almost everyone on here expecting further signings after. There are some obvious choices for who is let go first, but we seem to be at capacity now and it'll surely be a 1 in, 1 out situation to avoid players having no chance of getting into the squad? I would be worried that a few more additions, coupled with not being able to be moved on, will create a "bomb squad v3.0"

This doesn't even include players such as Green, Davis, O'Hare and RHM as they are too young to be in the squad.

Are you sure? I think it’s time for another list.

[useless]

Off the top of my head I can only think of Steer, Kalinic, Taylor, Targett, Elmohamady, Guilbert, Chester, Mings, Hause, Engels, Hourihane, McGinn, Lansbury, Bjarnason, Grealish, El Ghazi, Jota, Trezeguet, Hogan, Kodjia,  and Wesley who would  fill up the senior positions, that's only twenty-one players, and some of those may well not even feature next season, so still rule for four more signings at the very least, unless I've missed anyone... Bree, Konsa, Douglas, Hepburn-Murphy, Davis, Ramsey, Bree and O'Hare are all 21 or under.

Edited July 21, 2019 by useless

[Eastie]

57 minutes ago, terrytini said:

So, early days, just 2 friendlies.

But based on what I’ve seen so far we are going to play some very good football, we have skilful ball players all over the place.

On the other hand ( on that limited showing) we need a bit more pace ( which may well be Trezeguet of course) and a goal scorer ( which may well be Wesley of course)....

....But most of all I think we need some power/ strength in Midfield.......we have a very soft underbelly at present.

Treazeguet , luiz, heaton and Maupay would give us a very good squad with strength in depth - I hope we can get those 4 in .

[skarroki]

1 hour ago, useless said:

Off the top of my head I can only think of Steer, Kalinic, Taylor, Targett, Elmohamady, Guilbert, Chester, Mings, Hause, Engels, Hourihane, McGinn, Lansbury, Bjarnason, Grealish, El Ghazi, Jota, Trezeguet, Hogan, Kodjia,  and Wesley who would  fill up the senior positions, that's only twenty-one players, and some of those may well not even feature next season, so still rule for four more signings at the very least, unless I've missed anyone... Bree, Konsa, Douglas, Hepburn-Murphy, Davis, Ramsey, Bree and O'Hare are all 21 or under.

Bree, Konsa and Douglas I believe are 22 before January 1st and therefore will have to be put into the senior 25 I believe. 

[VillaFaninLondon]

On 17/07/2019 at 00:24, Villarocker said:

How do people fancy this starting lineup if the Heaton and Trezeguet deals can go through?

I still hope we can sign either Butland or Dubravka over Heaton, looks like Butland may be too expensive but Dubravka at the same price as Heaton I think is better value.

 

The rest of the team looks decent, not sure why people think Trezeguet won't start as I think he might end up being the signing of the summer for the price we've paid. Looks to have all the right attributes to do well here imo. 

 

If we could get someone like Maupay or Leao (or both) as another striker option that would help us a lot. I really couldn't say how many goals that team is going to score and unless Wesley comes out with 20 which is unlikely we'll be relying a lot on the midfielders to chip in with goals. Grealish, McGinn and El Ghazi all were capable of doing this in the Champ to an extent, but the Prem is completely different. So hopefully at this time next week we'll have some extra firepower signed up, particularly as the season is less than three weeks away now.

[cyrusr]

So does squad look like this now: 

 

Steer/Kalinic/Nyland

Guilbert/Elmohamady/Bree - Engels/Konsa/Chester - Mings/Hause - Targett/Taylor

Hourihane/Bjarnason/Tshibola

Grealish/O'Hare - McGinn/Lansbury/Doyle-Hayes

Trezeguet/Jota                                                               El Ghazi/Green

Wesley/Kodjia/Davis/Hogan/Hepburn-Murphy

 

If/when Douglas signs that will look much better. Clearly the weakest position, but other than competition for GK, DM and ST, I think that is looking pretty good   now just need to start clearing a few of those at the bottom of the lists... 

[Vive_La_Villa]

18 minutes ago, cyrusr said:

So does squad look like this now: 

 

?/Steer/Kalinic

Guilbert/Elmohamady - Engels/Konsa  Mings/Hause - Targett/Taylor

Hourihane/Luiz

Grealish/McGinn/Lansbury

Trezeguet/Jota                                                               El Ghazi/?

Wesley/Kodjia/?

 

If/when Douglas signs that will look much better. Clearly the weakest position, but other than competition for GK, DM and ST, I think that is looking pretty good   now just need to start clearing a few of those at the bottom of the lists... 

I think by the end of the window it needed to look like this in terms of first team competition.

3 more signings after Luiz probably unlikely though. 

I still think the squad is weak.

[Demitri_C]

On paper this looks a lot stronger than last year.

 

[cyrusr]

36 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I still think the squad is weak.

I don't. Yes, there is a lot of unproven players in there, but they have all clearly bought with purpose and intent and with specific way to play. As @Demitri_C's post shows, the players that we have brought in are far superior to what we have let go. There is also natural competition which means if 1 player doesn't perform, then there is someone already there to replace. 

There is also a clear team mentality, which we have lacked for a very, very long time. This is a team that is going to go out and try and win every game, and you know what, I think they can*. 

 

 

 

*they won't, obviously, but the fact that they will try is refreshing. 

[Stevo985]

40 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

On paper this looks a lot stronger than last year.

 

Yeah but it's slightly misleading because Mings, Hause and El Ghazi were effectively here last season anyway.

[Condimentalist]

5 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Yeah but it's slightly misleading because Mings, Hause and El Ghazi were effectively here last season anyway.

Yes - to be meaningful they should be excluded and Abraham and Tuanzebe should be added to the Outs.

[Vive_La_Villa]

I feel considering the circumstances we’ve done amazingly well in the summer. Better than I could have imagined. But I think the task was so big even after spending 100m+ we will still be in a relegation scrap. 

This isn’t being negative, I really think staying up will be a massive achievement. Then after that we can really kick on. 

[villa89]

Talk about a list of dogshit players in that out list, 10 of them in it and not one decent player amongst them. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

52 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

On paper this looks a lot stronger than last year.

 

But how many of those players properly featured last season? Whelan and Adomah? Hutton before we turned good.

[Demitri_C]

19 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Yeah but it's slightly misleading because Mings, Hause and El Ghazi were effectively here last season anyway.

But they were not our players though so I'd say it's a accurate assumption as all those were players despite playing very little permanent players at the club.