Squad & tactics (2025/26)

[Moose]

On 10/08/2025 at 20:29, The Prophet said:

If Isak does go this summer, I honestly think our style of play lends itself more to a target man with good feet (Woltemade immediately springs to mind).

 

Someone that's capable of holding it up would go a long way to helping us retain the ball a bit more.

 

Aaaaaah, so that's why they call him 'The Prophet'!

[BigValley]

If we had played with 4-2-3-1 with Tonali and Bruno and Gordon, German Wolf and Elanga with a lightening fast striker or Wissa/JSL/Pukeboy would we be to light defensive to carry out this?

 

 

[Sibierski]

Nah, if you’ve got Hall tucking inside to help with build up and Tino staying deep to help with turnovers. 
 

Giving our increasing stature, more sides will treat us with respect and happy to give us the ball. We then need to be better with it and risk it more by having extra man in build up. Yesterday was smelly as we went defensive and it just led to nothing.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2025 by Sibierski

[BigValley]

I can also see this work with what you are saying here with Hall and Tino.

I think it would work better in the offensive part with a lightening fast striker that is not to small. 

 

I dont now how fast Wissa and JSL is, but in my head they are not fast enough to be the main striker if we would try this. 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2025 by BigValley

[buzza]

Wissa IS pretty fast from what I can remember. Kind of hybrid that can play winger or striker

[BigValley]

Ok. Dident now he was fast? But we need a fast striker if we are going to use this in my opinion.  

[jack j]

On 12/08/2025 at 22:46, jack j said:

Pope/Ramsdale

 

Tino/Trippier

Schar/Thiaw/Krafth

Burn/Botman/Lascelles

Hall/ A Murphy (Tino)

 

Bruno/Miley

Tonali

Joelinton/Ramsey

 

Elanga/Murphy 

Wissa/ 

Gordon/Barnes

 

Another centre mid Wissa and another  striker 

Conference league champions 26/27 yhihf

 

Just need the centre mid 

[Sibierski]

Be interesting to see what our team is like when we want Wissa / Woltemade on pitch together.
 

We have two LWs, so if both fit, would be a surprise if Wissa was giving nod as a start / off the bench over one of them, or we go more 4-4-2 as an attacking option and sacrifice one of the CMs. Can think of many different combinations we could end up with in games, so at least opposition won’t be able to know us fully.

 

Could end up with something like this in games - Elanga, Tonali, Bruno, Ramsey: Wissa, Woltemade

 

Where Ramsey provides attack down left and two strikers in box. Or Ramsey slots alongside one of the CMs, and we have Gordon LM. Proper 4-4-2 with little and large up front  

[Rich]

Pope/Ramsdale/Ruddy/Gillespie

 

Livramento/Trippier/Krafth

Schär/Thiaw/Lascelles

Burn/Botman

Hall/A. Murphy

 

Guimarães/Willock

Tonali/Miley

Joelinton/Ramsey

 

Elanga/J. Murphy

Woltemade/Wissa

Gordon/Barnes/Soo

 

This where we land? Looks like the strongest squad we’ve ever had to me. There’s still two PL places going spare in the 25, too…

[relámpago blanco]

       

                

[Rich]

Joelinton says no 

[El Prontonise]

4 minutes ago, relámpago blanco said:

       

                

 

Nah, that midfield is top light.

[r0cafella]

7 minutes ago, Rich said:

Pope/Ramsdale/Ruddy/Gillespie

 

Livramento/Trippier/Krafth

Schär/Thiaw/Lascelles

Burn/Botman

Hall/A. Murphy

 

Guimarães/Willock

Tonali/Miley

Joelinton/Ramsey

 

Elanga/J. Murphy

Woltemade/Wissa

Gordon/Barnes/Soo

 

This where we land? Looks like the strongest squad we’ve ever had to me. There’s still two PL places going spare in the 25, too…

It's the best squad we've had with the caveat of we've never spent so much money.  

 

The encouraging thing is we've still got a lot of room to improve many areas of the squad, but we really do have to be careful with our recruitment in future windows, I know many will disagree but we've been sloppy this window imo.

 

We've improved the floor but the ceiling hasn't been touched. 

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, El Prontonise said:

 

Nah, that midfield is top light.

People will spit feathers at Bruno if we play him in a midfield two. 

[54]

The tactical flexibility with having a squad

 

 

 

 

[HaydnNUFC]

10 minutes ago, Rich said:

Joelinton says no 

To being regularly available?   He’s missed 38 matches from the start of 2023-24 to now. Think we need(ed) another midfielder for that reason as well as needing more creativity from the middle.

[Rich]

3 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

To being regularly available?   He’s missed 38 matches from the start of 2023-24 to now. Think we need(ed) another midfielder for that reason as well as needing more creativity from the middle.

Areet negative Nancy. He’s our talisman.

[HaydnNUFC]

2 minutes ago, Rich said:

Areet negative Nancy. He’s our talisman.

He can’t be if he’s not able to be on the pitch for more than half a season (on average).

[Rich]

Deep down I know you’re right. The sad thing is I know for a fact that he’s played injured plenty as well. Constantly in some sort of duress.

[HaydnNUFC]

1 minute ago, Rich said:

Deep down I know you’re right. The sad thing is I know for a fact that he’s played injured plenty as well. Constantly in some sort of duress.

Think it goes under the radar that he’s a bit of a crock these days. We need another midfielder, ideally a technical one that can offer incisiveness on the ball in attack. Think we sorely lack that so opposition are able to nullify us if they can shut out the wide areas.

[Lotus]

Think we need Botman starting ahead of Burn because we need the passing ability. We lack that in general.

Tough on Burn as defensively he’s been epic. He’s not bad on the ball either, just that Botman is better.

Can’t say for Schar/Thiaw until we see him play.

[The Prophet]

Douglas:

 

"The club are in contract talks with Tino Livramento – Manchester City had overtures rejected this summer – and The i Paper understands there is interest in discussing terms with Sandro Tonali too. Sven Botman is also in line for a new deal."

 

Praise Allah.

[Nucasol]

2 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Douglas:

 

"The club are in contract talks with Tino Livramento – Manchester City had overtures rejected this summer – and The i Paper understands there is interest in discussing terms with Sandro Tonali too. Sven Botman is also in line for a new deal."

 

Praise Allah.

The Anti-Bitchell approach.

[Rich]

Perfect time to get our ducks in a row contract-wise now. We’ve got the funds there.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Can't see us deviating from 4-3-3 too much while we have 2 senior strikers available over a busy autumn/winter calendar. Lovely to have it in the back pocket during games though, especially a legit little/large combo.

 

We've brought some different playing styles in with the new recruits so I expect to see more rotating based on opposition than ever in a few positions.