Jump to content

Squad & tactics (2024/25)


LoveItIfWeBeatU

Recommended Posts

I wonder if there'll ever be any scenario where Almiron might get played as a number 10 again rather than out wide? Just taking into account many fans seem to think he's not been given much of a crack in his favourite position, and also a nod to his two goals in the friendly against Burnley.

Link to post
Share on other sites

With Krafth extending and Shelvey's contract almost certain to renew for an additional year, the current contract expiry picture is...

 

2023 

 

Ritchie

Longstaff

Fede

Dummet 

Gillespie 

 

2024

 

Wilson

Miggy

Trippier 

Burn 

Wood 

Lascelles 

Schar 

Krafth 

Manquillo 

Shelvey 

 

2025

 

Big Joe 

Longstaff

Fraser 

Lewis 

Dubs

Darlow 

 

2026

 

Bruno

ASM

Targett 

Pope 

 

2027

 

Botman 

Willock

Murphy

 

I don't think there will be too many difficult choices next summer and we'll happily bin all of those players.

 

2024 looks a bit more tricky. By the time it comes round all of the players on that list bar Krafth will have turned 30. You'd hope by then we will have already shifted (as a minimum) Miggy, Shelvey, Wood, Lascalles and Manquillo. It does suggest a significant turnover of players over the next two years. 

 

Other than that I forgot Murphy had signed a six year contract. Grim.

 

 

Edited by The Prophet

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

On tactics, but with three games played, ASM is leading the league in short and goal creating actions, equal to or higher than KDB. He also leads on carries into the opposition third and into the opposition box, and probably on forward distance carrying the ball. That is not ranked on fbref.

 

Trippier is third in the league in progressive (=forward) passing distance. He's our new deep-lying playmaker, the role we associate with Shelvey and Schar. 

 

Bruno has been fouled nine times, third most in the league. ASM has been fouled seven times, or at least seven of them have been given.

 

Its not tactics, but Pope is third in save percentage.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

Pope

Trippier

Botman

Bruno

St Maximin

Joelinton

Isak

 

There’s some serious quality with those 7 players. We’re halfway to a very talented and exciting first team. 

 

Tripper aside, the great thing about that list of players is their ability to have longevity in our squad, they could all be in our starting 11 in 3 years time and you'd not be all that surprised.

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Mazzy said:

 

Tripper aside, the great thing about that list of players is their ability to have longevity in our squad, they could all be in our starting 11 in 3 years time and you'd not be all that surprised.

I expect (and hope) Trippier will still be here as a coach.

Link to post
Share on other sites

As I see it:

 

Pope - Unlikely to do better

Trippier - Captain fantastic, unlikely to do better

Botman - Likely to grow into a top drawer CB

Burn - Very good, but will likely be upgraded next year and become backup

Targett - solid, but as per Burn.

Willock - Looking good, could be upgraded and become a bench option

Jur - Nailed on place in the team

Bruno - Top class

ASM - Looking like he'll grow into our top level winger

Pedro - Could be decent. Might also end up as squad depth

Isak - Likely to be our other top winger.

 

That means that we have 7/11 top players, so 4 big signings away from genuinely challenging for trophies. The rest become our depth. Marquee LB, CB, CM and CF signings means that our next 11 would be:

 

Dubs

Krafth

Burn

Scharr

Targett

Willock

Shelvey

Longstaff

Almiron

Wilson

Anderson

 

Of those, only CM and one winger need looking at.

 

We're not far away from having a top squad...

Link to post
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, JumpersForGoalposts said:

As I see it:

 

Pope - Unlikely to do better

Trippier - Captain fantastic, unlikely to do better

Botman - Likely to grow into a top drawer CB

Burn - Very good, but will likely be upgraded next year and become backup

Targett - solid, but as per Burn.

Willock - Looking good, could be upgraded and become a bench option

Jur - Nailed on place in the team

Bruno - Top class

ASM - Looking like he'll grow into our top level winger

Pedro - Could be decent. Might also end up as squad depth

Isak - Likely to be our other top winger.

 

That means that we have 7/11 top players, so 4 big signings away from genuinely challenging for trophies. The rest become our depth. Marquee LB, CB, CM and CF signings means that our next 11 would be:

 

Dubs

Krafth

Burn

Scharr

Targett

Willock

Shelvey

Longstaff

Almiron

Wilson

Anderson

 

Of those, only CM and one winger need looking at.

 

We're not far away from having a top squad...

Isak's no winger man.

Can play on the left in a front three, but not his best position.

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 23/08/2022 at 11:05, Stottie said:

Trippier is third in the league in progressive (=forward) passing distance. He's our new deep-lying playmaker, the role we associate with Shelvey and Schar. 

 

This was obvious last night at Tranmere. They eventually cottoned on and started pressing him hard, leading to turnovers. Our lads should have done more to give him short options once Tranmere switched tactics. At that point, we were winning and simply needed to keep possession, not work it downfield to create chances.

Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, jonny1403 said:

Newcastle United may already be part of elite in England, data suggests - BBC Sport https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62665269

The link is just points per game in 2022. I think if you look at other metrics, goals conceded etc. they will also suggest we're near top 6. That's if beating Arsenal, nearly beating Man City, and being denied a clear penalty and probably lead at Chelsea away aren't enough for you.

 

We have a number of easier home games coming up, so the near two points a game streak of 2022 may well continue.

Link to post
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Toon No9 said:

Isak's no winger man.

Can play on the left in a front three, but not his best position.

 

Imagine splashing 60m on a striker and playing him on the wing. If he hits the ground running while Wilson recovers from his latest niggle, Isak will demote Wilson to bench duty, which considering how dependable Wilson is physically may be for the best.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If we really are done and dusted, who misses out on people's 25-man squads?

 

1. Pope
2. Darlow
3. Gillespie
--
4. Trippier
5. Krafth
6. Manquillo
--
7. Schär
8. Lascelles
9. Fernandez
--
10. Botman
11. Burn
12. Watts
--
13. Targett
14. Lewis
15. Dummett
--
16. Guimarães
17. Willock
18. Shelvey
19. S. Longstaff
20. Joelinton
XX. Anderson
21. M. Longstaff
--
22. Almirón
23. Murphy
24. Ritchie
25. Saint-Maximin
26. Fraser
--
27. Isak
28. Wilson
29. Wood

Anderson doesn't need to be registered, so four need to be culled. Krafth (?), Watts, and M. Longstaff are easy enough, but the last one is a bit tricky.

Either Shelvey's not going to be back soon enough to be registered, which will make the decision for Howe, or it looks to be Fernandez vs. Dummett vs. Ritchie.

 

I'd probably go Ritchie, just because it feels like we've got enough cover in the positions he can (barely) play these days, and he'd probably be able to find a deadline-day loan move due to being fully fit. (Pompey?)

Link to post
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Rich said:

If we really are done and dusted, who misses out on people's 25-man squads?

 

1. Pope
2. Darlow
3. Gillespie
--
4. Trippier
5. Krafth
6. Manquillo
--
7. Schär
8. Lascelles
9. Fernandez
--
10. Botman
11. Burn
12. Watts
--
13. Targett
14. Lewis
15. Dummett
--
16. Guimarães
17. Willock
18. Shelvey
19. S. Longstaff
20. Joelinton
XX. Anderson
21. M. Longstaff
--
22. Almirón
23. Murphy
24. Ritchie
25. Saint-Maximin
26. Fraser
--
27. Isak
28. Wilson
29. Wood

Anderson doesn't need to be registered, so four need to be culled. Krafth (?), Watts, and M. Longstaff are easy enough, but the last one is a bit tricky.

Either Shelvey's not going to be back soon enough to be registered, which will make the decision for Howe, or it looks to be Fernandez vs. Dummett vs. Ritchie.

 

I'd probably go Ritchie, just because it feels like we've got enough cover in the positions he can (barely) play these days, and he'd probably be able to find a deadline-day loan move due to being fully fit. (Pompey?)

Tough to call. Krafth [obviously] and Watts are nailed on. Then it's between Fernandez, Dummett and Shortstuff. If there is any chance Shelvey makes it then he stays, and Shortstuff is out. If not then Shortstuff will probably be called upon as sub, leaving it between Dummett and Fernandez. Neither are particularly reliable fitness-wise, so I'd go with Dummett for the lerkle lad effect.

Link to post
Share on other sites

3x GK: Pope, Darlow, Gillespie
2x RB: Trippier, Manquillo  Krafth

5x CB:  Botman, Burn, Lascelles, Schär, Dummett 
2x LB: Targett, Lewis
5x CM (Anderson) Guimarães Willock, Longstaff Joelinton - Shelvey?
5x Wingers: Almirón, Fraser, Murphy, Ritchie, Saint-Maximin
3x Strikers: Isak, Wilson, Wood

 

We hit the allowed 25 if we include Jonjo (26 in reality with Anderson). I guess Jonjo might recover quicker than expected so why not. Small squad but that is what Eddie likes. 

 

Likely see the likes of Dummett, Gillespie, Ritchie, Murphy and Wood on the chopping block for a squad place come January. Reckon we will get the RW we want in January, maybe another forward and CM, full backs too over the next two windows. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I see absolutely no point in including Shelvey in the squad keeping our fingers crossed he might play two or three games, I really hope Howe was just suggesting it to keep the player's morale up. Shelvey usually takes longer than others to get up to speed with fitness as well, he's never been the best trainer. Do we actually need to lose any more players now Fernandez and Shortstaff are gone?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Would like us to try a 5-3-2 when everyone is fit. I'd like to see Isak and Wilson together. Only thing is there's no room for ASM. 

 

        Isak Wilson

     Joe bruno Willock

Targett.                  Trips

      Burn Bot schar

             Pope

Link to post
Share on other sites

We need to see what sort of defensive shifts Isak puts in before we can visualise a ASM----Calum----Isak front line.

Knowing maxi only does half shift at best, we would need Miggy levels of ceover from Isak if we were to play that front three.

 

Would be a friggin blast though seeing the thre of them... with Big Joe, Bruno and Billy boy threading them the assists

 

-------------------------Pope----------------------------

Tripps------Schar------------Botman----------Target

-----Elliot---------Bruno---------Big Joe--------

      Isak----------Calum---------Maxi

 

:pedro:

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...