The State Of Next Season's Squad

[weststandfruitloop]

People talking on various threads about what we need next season, assuming now (as many seem to) that we’re staying up.

I thought maybe a dedicated thread, tweakable based on individual performances over our last eight games, might perhaps be useful?

Starting point: A squad of around 28 is generally needed in this division (it’s what most L1 clubs, other than us with our 50-odd, have used!).

Sidestepping the keeper situation (I personally hope we can tempt Christian Walton, out of contract at Ipswich in the summer, to be our number one number one) here’s what a balanced squad (with cover for injuries etc) requires to play 3-5-2 and how close we are to that for next season:

7-8 CENTRE HALVES
Edmonds-Green
Gillesphey
Jones
Mitchell (squad player or loan out?)
*we’re clearly very short of numbers here and a commanding new first choice captain type is definitely needed. Perhaps a one year squad role offer to Thomas and/or Ness also?

7-8 MIDFIELDERS
Coventry
Anderson
Taylor (NJ seems not to fancy him so will probably go)
Henry (think we’ll move him on)
*assuming the millions of loans in and out also go along with the bottom two on the above list, suddenly the position we’re overloaded in this season we’re a whopping 5-6 short in next year! Are perm offers to Bakinson and/or Camara (if he uninjures for a run of games this season) worth a go? I’m not sure paying off the Hungarians for Dobson will work. Even if so we’ll still need three incoming imho, at least one a box-to-box type and one or two AMs. I like Dan Kemp or Joe Powell (both free agents in July) for the latter.

5-6 WINGBACKS
Ramsay
Small
T Watson
Edun
Asiimwe (squad player or loan out?)
*conversely the one area we were most worried before NJ arrived is now the one where we actually seem sorted imho. Obviously if NJ wants the option of dedicated wingers as well as wingbacks that changes things.

5-6 FORWARDS
Leaburn
May
Kanu
Aneke
*we’re almost there here. Think we need six including Aneke and another crock (maybe Wickham?) to alternate cameo appearances between them. Another elite player needed - does JCH defo have a pre-contract in Mexico or might he be an option? Maybe either Knibbs or Smith from the ongoing Reading fire sale otherwise?

Bear in mind a handful of the overall squad of 28 will be incoming loans or surprise academy step-ups. Sorting out five more or less first choices (a reliable GK, commanding CB, box-to-box CM, creative AM and experienced uncrocked CF) is key for me.

[kings hill addick]

Are you suggesting that we need between 24 and 28 players plus goalkeepers? That’s between 27 and 31 players.

I’m sure that the Premier League have a limit of 25 players in total.

I’m not sure that Nathan Jones idea of a reduced squad doesn’t mean 31 players, personally.

[weststandfruitloop]

Mar 10, 2024 16:29:33 GMT kings hill addick said:

Are you suggesting that we need between 24 and 28 players plus goalkeepers? That’s between 27 and 31 players.

I’m sure that the Premier League have a limit of 25 players in total.

I’m not sure that Nathan Jones idea of a reduced squad doesn’t mean 31 players, personally.

28 players in total including goalkeepers. My above list represents 26 outfielders (the midpoint of 24-28, the variance being for chosen balance, ie we might want six strikers but only seven midfielders) with two keepers making up the 28.

28 is literally the average squad size across L1 so complain to the other clubs not me! We've fielded 47 players in the first team - that's EXCLUDING unused subs - so far this season (with rumours of LuaLua and Fosu potentially making that up to 49) so 28 is quite a cut!

You're allowed up to 22 overage outfield players in L1. The average across the clubs currently is 19, which again is my expectation re the above. The goalkeepers and half a dozen U21s make up the 28.

This is like I say the normal size of a L1 squad. How few do you want us to have? Given how shit we've done using 47+ this season (and our historic propensity for injuries) I'm not sure I'd want us to drop much below the typical size of 28 personally!

As regards the PL, again anyone aged under 21 (on Jan 1st, eight months before the season starts) doesn't count towards the 25. Their 25 is thus more or less the same as L1's limit of 22 (goalkeepers are included in their 25 but not in our 22).

This is an average sized squad I'm suggesting, rather than the ridiculous bloated one we had this season.

[reamsofverse]

Nathan Jones has already said he wants to streamline the squad so I think it will be 25 players max.

[weststandfruitloop]

Mar 10, 2024 16:49:16 GMT reamsofverse said:

Nathan Jones has already said he wants to streamline the squad so I think it will be 25 players max.

We've used 47 players this season already, so I doubt he means as low as 25 when he talks about streamlining.

Portsmouth (top of the table) have used 33 players thus far. Carlisle (bottom of the table) have also used exactly 33. This brings home how ridiculous our total of 47 is and should be born in mind when NJ talks about 'streamlining the squad'.

[bexleyboy]

2 players for every position ..

[aaronaldo]

Mar 10, 2024 16:58:54 GMT weststandfruitloop said:

Mar 10, 2024 16:49:16 GMT reamsofverse said:

Nathan Jones has already said he wants to streamline the squad so I think it will be 25 players max.

We've used 47 players this season already, so I doubt he means as low as 25 when he talks about streamlining.

Portsmouth (top of the table) have used 33 players thus far. Carlisle (bottom of the table) have also used exactly 33. This brings home how ridiculous our total of 47 is and should be born in mind when NJ talks about 'streamlining the squad'.

Pretty sure 25~ is exactly what he means actually.

There’s no way we are getting the numbers you mention. 7-8 Centre halves?!

[weststandfruitloop]

Mar 10, 2024 18:11:45 GMT aaronaldo said:

Mar 10, 2024 16:58:54 GMT weststandfruitloop said:

We've used 47 players this season already, so I doubt he means as low as 25 when he talks about streamlining.

Portsmouth (top of the table) have used 33 players thus far. Carlisle (bottom of the table) have also used exactly 33. This brings home how ridiculous our total of 47 is and should be born in mind when NJ talks about 'streamlining the squad'.

Pretty sure 25~ is exactly what he means actually.

There’s no way we are getting the numbers you mention. 7-8 Centre halves?!

7-8 centre halves is probably standard to play three at the back. Two for each position plus one or two (usually academy kids) to cover for injuries.

We currently have six (excluding Mitchell) and have played I think nine people there over the season.

It's not a position we're considered overstacked in. Bear in mind they are often needed to cover at wing back or DM too (as the likes of REG and Thomas have done several times this season).

I don't think seven CBs is overkill when playing 3-5-2. In fact I think the lack of decent cover in that position has been a main factor in this car crash of a season.

[weststandfruitloop]

Mar 10, 2024 17:46:41 GMT bexleyboy said:

2 players for every position ..

More like 2.5 for every position.

On average a team will (at any one time) usually have 5-7 players out injured, suspended, on international duty or compassionate leave.

A squad of 28 thus means you'll usually have 22 ('two for every position' as stated) actually available. Basically a matchday squad with the four most out-of-form punted to the U23s.

We have fielded 47 players in our first team this season. Including unused subs we've named 55 players in our matchday squads.

Having an actual squad of half that really doesn't seem extreme to me (and is as I say average sized for L1).

Not sure why everyone except me seems happy for us to try getting by with less. Seems like going from one extreme (this season's ridiculous squad churn) to another (less human beings than we can realistically mount a promotion challenge with).