Two games a week - do we have the current squad for it?

[Nalis]

Loving this season and we've gone beyond most of our expectations but think the last batch of fixtures whereby we've had to play 2 games a week has shown that we need a bit more strength in depth as the current squad are a little inconsistent in the two game a week set up. 

 

We wont have too many midweek games left this season but probably food for thought next season (IF we get into Europe of course  ).

[Tielemans63]

No we don't. Hence why some of the claims that the players aren't up for it etc etc are absolute shit.

[st albans fox]

It looked like we did at West Ham ..... need to trust more of those players mixed in with the ‘first team’ 

[urban.spaceman]

Currently, no we can't. And that's a positive as far as I'm concerned - we're about to move into a world class training facility with a squad that's in obvious need of refreshing over the next couple of windows, a strong stance on our players futures and an extremely ambitious manager and owner.

 

Today was depressing, but we're still second in the league and in both cups. 

 

The fixture pile-up is absurd, though part of that is our fault by wanting to progress in both cups, but on the other hand, this teaches the players what's needed of them if we qualify for Europe next season. A couple of shrewd additions in January and a few more signings in the summer, and we're set for another brilliant season next year.

 

Plenty to be positive and optimistic about, which is why I tend to stay away from the forum after a loss!

[Always Next Year]

Asked my boss if I could work for 90 mins twice a week, won’t tell you what his reply was.

[stix]

I think I heard on the comms today that we have one of if not the smallest squad in the league?

[DerbyshireFox]

Two games in a week yes, three games a week on a regular basis is clearly a tough ask as it stands, we clearly need to strengthen if not in this window then most definitely the summer 

Edited 11 January 2020 by DerbyshireFox

[rachhere]

Time to play the keep or move on game for our current squad?

Kasper - keep (!)

Ward- keep

Jakupovic - he's moving on anyway

 

Justin - keep

Chilwell - keep

Cags - keep

Morgan - move on (sorry  )

Evans - keep

Benkovic - keep 

Amartey - kind of think he might be a good utility player still - but loan out for this season

Ricardo - keep

Fuchs - keep

 

Gray

Albrighton

Barnes - not really sure how to distinguish between them! 

 

Tielemans - keep

Maddison - keep

Hamza - keep

James - move on

Mendy - keep

Ndidi - keep

Praet - keep

 

Vards - keep

Kelechi - keep

Perez - keep

 

We really benefited a while back by having lots of players who were too young to be registered. 

Edited 11 January 2020 by rachhere

[StanSP]

Not quite.

 

We'd struggle next season with CL without vast improvements purely to help with depth.

 

GK - Schmeichel, Ward

 

RB - Pereira/Justin

CB - Evans/Morgan

CB - Soyuncu/Benkovic

LB - Chilwell/Fuchs

 

DM - Ndidi/Choudhury/Mendy

CM - Tielemans/Praet

AM - Maddison

 

RW - Perez/Albrighton

LW - Barnes/Gray

 

ST - Vardy/Iheanacho

 

(some of the positions and players are interchangeable). Haven't included Amartey, Jakupovic, King, James as they're nowhere near the first team.

 

That's quite thin for a squad that wants to challenge for top 4 and compete in domestic cups, let alone adding European football next season.

 

The last month or so has been quite testing on the squad and today epitomised the tiredness filtering through even though there were changes in the West Ham game. Thankfully there's a week break between now and Burnley. 

 

But then we go straight back in to a very busy period - 5 games (Burnley, West Ham, Brentford, Villa, Chelsea) in the space of 13 days.

 

Will be tough and the break in February will be welcome before playing Wolves.

 

We need improvements (not necessarily replacements). It's glaringly obvious we need additions in summer, if not this month. Not in a panicky way but just to safeguard us from being embarrassed throughout next season...

[rachhere]

5 minutes ago, stix said:

I think I heard on the comms today that we have one of if not the smallest squad in the league?

I assume they mean the number of players that are rotated in, as everyone has the 25-man limit? I swear we have played a greater variety of players in the league than Liverpool have. And they aren't exactly doing badly. 

[Manwell Pablo]

It was only a few weeks ago folk weren’t getting enough minutes and we had too many players.

 

At the moment we need a few additions for a full European campaign and to still take every domestic competition reasonably seriously, but given we’ve got a full summer to sort that if we need to I’d say it’s irrelevant and a couple of extra games in the league cup shouldn’t result in meltdowns like today.

[st albans fox]

Need two players for each position and then a utility back up to cover injuries in areas ...... but you have to trust the specific back up players to allow the first choice to have a week off.  So earlier in the season, JJ should, have played some games to allow Ricky a break. Same for Fuchs/chilly and Dennis/Youri, wilf/hamza, madders/perez

 

You don’t make widespread changes in each game, one, possibly two. The CB area is a problem which we know 

 

we are suffering now because too many of the ‘first team’ havent been rotated in the autumn and allowed a week off ....

 

problem now is that there are no free weekends until the feb break and apart from this week we have two games to cope with! 

[turkish14]

With have 8 days now to get the players as ready as possible for Burnley next Sunday.

 

its then 5 games in 13 days...

 

Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday-tuesday-Saturday

 

before a 13 day mid season break.

 

these next 5 games could de rail our season or help propel into the Carabao final, FA cup 5th round, and help cement our place in the top 4.

 

massive 5 games in my opinion 

[rachhere]

3 minutes ago, turkish14 said:

massive 5 games in my opinion 

Burnley Away

West Ham Home

Brentford Away

Villa Away

Chelsea Home

 

Could be far worse. I am at a point now where I would take a gamble with the line up at Brentford - Top 4 and Caraboa final the priority for me at this point in time. 

[turkish14]

Yes im Inclined to agree. Brentford are also on fire at the minute, and will be incredibly tough at home.

 

so free pass in my opinion 

[st albans fox]

2 minutes ago, turkish14 said:

Yes im Inclined to agree. Brentford are also on fire at the minute, and will be incredibly tough at home.

 

so free pass in my opinion 

And given their position in the league they are likely to play a weakened team 

[StanSP]

1 minute ago, st albans fox said:

And given their position in the league they are likely to play a weakened team 

I'd say unlikely. They have a whole week so would be fresh I'd expect. Think they'll go strong as they'll see it as a valuable scalp if they can beat us and create a cup upset. 

Can imagine they'll have Benrahma and Watkins playing for sure.

[st albans fox]

5 minutes ago, StanSP said:

I'd say unlikely. They have a whole week so would be fresh I'd expect. Think they'll go strong as they'll see it as a valuable scalp if they can beat us and create a cup upset. 

Can imagine they'll have Benrahma and Watkins playing for sure.

They have a league game the Tuesday after ....

[StanSP]

21 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

They have a league game the Tuesday after ....

Only against Forest

[moore_94]

2 hours ago, rachhere said:

I assume they mean the number of players that are rotated in, as everyone has the 25-man limit? I swear we have played a greater variety of players in the league than Liverpool have. And they aren't exactly doing badly. 

We have used the joint 2nd lowest amount of players this season at 20, Wolves have used the lowest at 19

 

Kasper, Ricardo, Justin, Soyuncu, Evans, Morgan, Chilwell, Fuchs, Wilf, Mendy, Choudhury, Praet, Tielemans, Maddison, Albrighton, Barnes, Perez, Gray, Iheanacho, Vardy

 

Highest is Spurs with 27, Liverpool have used 22

 

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/eingesetztespieler/wettbewerb/GB1

Edited 11 January 2020 by moore_94

[Leicester_Loyal]

Rest players at Brentford, let the boys have a bit of time off after WHU at home. If we win the next two games we'll be right back on course and looking absolutely fine again for top 4.

Edited 12 January 2020 by Leicester_Loyal

[jmono84]

We haven’t even got the wingers for 1 game a week!!

 

Perez is clearly struggling as a winger/wide forward and Barnes after a promising start is looking completely ineffective in the same position. This is having a knock on effect to our game because it does feel like we’re playing with 9 men!

[MC Prussian]

When you ask this question, somehow the opposition magically disappears in the equation. Why?

 

It's not as if we're then the only team faced with such a loaded fixture list. 

Having a seemingly small squad on its own doesn't explain bad or good performances, it's also down to tactics (manager) and individual attitude, luck and the referee.

 

Somehow, all of these elements never pop up as equally important.

[Deeg67]

While we'll need to fortify the roster for next season with Europe a lock and the CL a probability, I don't think it's as simple an issue as depth.  We have a lot of young players who don't have a lot of experience dealing with the grind of 2X a week matches at the highest level.  The players we have will likely respond better physically to the workload next season than they did this.

 

That said - strengthen, strengthen, strengthen.  And for goc's sake, we need wingers.  

[Bezzanator89]

Currently? No.

 

End of the day, we are currently in the SEMI-FINALS of the League Cup, for which I really don't see the point in two legs, plus the prize money is pathetic for what is supposed to be a major accolade in English football. But still it is silverware and very welcome in our trophy cabinet. We have progressed to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, and BR seems to take cup runs seriously, unlike his predecessor, so we will want to progress there as well. So there's some further workload piled on. We all agree that the fixture schedule for December/January is ridiculous and should have been spread out. But that is without the Champions League, an extra 6 games MINIMUM. So the demand on our players could only get worse, but that ties in with aspirations of the club. Can't have one without the other.

 

Undeniably, the current squad is good, but can be improved in certain areas like CB cover, both wings need looking at, plus there is bit of deadwood to be moved on. Therefore, some more experienced personnel will be required, and to clarify, I am all for youth player development. The demands of the current schedule, hypotheses and conspiracies aside, is taking its toll, that's plain for everyone to see in terms of fitness and confidence. Investment in more senior, experienced figures is a must, to keep those young heads from dropping and maintain good form and performances.