Who would you have in a modern day Pearson styled team?

[ian__marshall]

I was reading the Pearson thread discussing past versus current LCFC players and had a thought: is it possible to assemble a starting eleven with a modest budget and the right player characteristics today?

 

Here's an attempt at a modern day era LCFC starting XI formed in the mould of a Big Nige side, focusing on cost effective and realistic (ish) options. 

 

Just a bit of fun nothing too serious, and let's assume we live in a miraculous world where we survive (we won't but that's a different conversation) Here goes:

 

GK: Mads – Similar to a younger Kasper, one of the best in the league.

RB:Trippier – Solid and disciplined, like Simpson. Matty Cash alternate option.

CB: Michael Keane – Resembles Huth, experienced, decent pedigree, limited time to make the most of his career.

CB: Ben Nelson – Untested but full of potential, adds youth to the backline.

LB: Chilwell – Technically decent, has a point to prove.

CM: Jobe Bellingham – Energetic, needs to emerge from the shadow of his brother. 

CM: El-Khannouss – A star in the making.

CM: Morgan Whittaker – One of the best outside the PL (ignoring that he recently joined Boro). 

LW: Will Alves – High potential, showing promise at Cardiff.

RW: Fatawu – Destined for bigger things.

CF: Callum Wilson – Great finisher, good for a couple of seasons.

 

It proved more challenging than I expected. I'd love to see others suggestions. Over to you... 

Edited 26 February by ian__marshall

[urban.spaceman]

Yes. 

[jayfox26]

We'll be in the championship next season with very little money to spend so other than Nelson, Alves and Fatawu, none of them players would be attainable and Mads and Bilal will most likely be sold. 

[Chelmofox]

2 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

We'll be in the championship next season with very little money to spend so other than Nelson, Alves and Fatawu, none of them players would be attainable and Mads and Bilal will most likely be sold. 

‘Just a bit of fun’ 🤪

[Stadt]

4 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

We'll be in the championship next season with very little money to spend so other than Nelson, Alves and Fatawu, none of them players would be attainable and Mads and Bilal will most likely be sold. 

Who is buying Bilal? He’s talented but he’s done very little in the PL. £25m+ for somebody with strikingly few goals or assists is too much in the PSR and we’re not selling for a loss 

[Mark_w]

I’d have never guessed that was what you were trying to do just looking at that lineup.

[westernpark]

If Chilwell can’t take throw ins at Millwall, he’s not a player for Nigel.

[Bettsj2]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

Who is buying Bilal? He’s talented but he’s done very little in the PL. £25m+ for somebody with strikingly few goals or assists is too much in the PSR and we’re not selling for a loss 

This.

 

I like him and he does have obvious talent but he really hasn't produced anything yet that justifies the adoration he gets on here.

 

[jayfox26]

3 hours ago, Chelmofox said:

‘Just a bit of fun’ 🤪

Nothing fun about our club right now 🤣

[Xen]

1 hour ago, Bettsj2 said:

This.

 

I like him and he does have obvious talent but he really hasn't produced anything yet that justifies the adoration he gets on here.

 

I'd disagree; he's clearly got the individual skill and he's got the work ethic to go along with it. The lack of output is less of an indictment on Bilal and more on the rest of the squad. You could put prime Mahrez in this side and his numbers wouldn't be anywhere near what they were back in the post-title seasons for us. In a side with a bit more of an identity/structure, he'd excel. Even the other relegation battlers would be a better environment for him individually than we are.

[Stadt]

28 minutes ago, Xen said:

I'd disagree; he's clearly got the individual skill and he's got the work ethic to go along with it. The lack of output is less of an indictment on Bilal and more on the rest of the squad. You could put prime Mahrez in this side and his numbers wouldn't be anywhere near what they were back in the post-title seasons for us. In a side with a bit more of an identity/structure, he'd excel. Even the other relegation battlers would be a better environment for him individually than we are.

I agree he looks better elsewhere but if you have £25m available for a signing (probably only 30 or so clubs do), why would you buy Bilal? You’d buy Cunha. If you couldn’t land Cunha you’d look elsewhere.
 

Other clubs don’t think, oh he’s just playing in a really bad team that doesn’t score - they’ll assess him in his own merit and slightly caveat his output instead.

 

Any data driven side (most with that sort of money to spend) looks at a 1st percentile non pen xG+xA per 90 and completely swerves.

 

We know he’s far better than this but scouts who’d watch perhaps 5 or so games and the analysts with the data wouldn’t recommend 25m on him.

[MrsJohnMurphy]

BDCR is a Pearson type signing..........See Solano, Phillips, Powell, Fuchs, Wasyl, Upson, Taylor-Fletcher, Dean Hammond,  etc

 

Experienced and free

 

but then we'd also have a few exciting youngster from the big clubs Drinky, De Laet, James, Tom Lawrence, Jack Hobbs (Kane, Cleverley, Spearing, Lingard on loan) etc

Edited 26 February by MrsJohnMurphy

[StanSP]

Definitely not Michael Keane. 

[slymunn]

56 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Definitely not Michael Keane. 

Pearson did take him on loan for Leicester, so I understand him in this type of line up.

 

Michael Keane: Pearson eager to keep Man Utd defender - BBC Sport

[funkyrobot]

2 hours ago, Stadt said:

I agree he looks better elsewhere but if you have £25m available for a signing (probably only 30 or so clubs do), why would you buy Bilal? You’d buy Cunha. If you couldn’t land Cunha you’d look elsewhere.
 

Other clubs don’t think, oh he’s just playing in a really bad team that doesn’t score - they’ll assess him in his own merit and slightly caveat his output instead.

 

Any data driven side (most with that sort of money to spend) looks at a 1st percentile non pen xG+xA per 90 and completely swerves.

 

We know he’s far better than this but scouts who’d watch perhaps 5 or so games and the analysts with the data wouldn’t recommend 25m on him.

Cunha is worth quite a bit more than £25m tbf. He has buyout a clause of just over £60m on his new contract 😂. If you think we paid nearly  £25m for Skipp, it’s entirely possible that someone might cough up that amount for the much better player that ELK is. 

[Stadt]

5 minutes ago, funkyrobot said:

Cunha is worth quite a bit more than £25m tbf. He has buyout a clause of just over £60m on his new contract 😂. If you think we paid nearly  £25m for Skipp, it’s entirely possible that someone might cough up that amount for the much better player that ELK is. 

I know he’s worth more than that but at £50 or £60m Cunha is still better value than Bilal at £30m.

 

We’re the worst negotiators in football, nobody else was in for Skipp, let alone pay that much for him.

[Fox92]

1 hour ago, MrsJohnMurphy said:

BDCR is a Pearson type signing..........See Solano, Phillips, Powell, Fuchs, Wasyl, Upson, Taylor-Fletcher, Dean Hammond,  etc

 

Experienced and free

 

but then we'd also have a few exciting youngster from the big clubs Drinky, De Laet, James, Tom Lawrence, Jack Hobbs (Kane, Cleverley, Spearing, Lingard on loan) etc

I think people forget Pearson liked experience in the squad. Difference is they were free or minimal cost.

[Dan]

4 hours ago, MrsJohnMurphy said:

BDCR is a Pearson type signing..........See Solano, Phillips, Powell, Fuchs, Wasyl, Upson, Taylor-Fletcher, Dean Hammond,  etc

 

Experienced and free

 

but then we'd also have a few exciting youngster from the big clubs Drinky, De Laet, James, Tom Lawrence, Jack Hobbs (Kane, Cleverley, Spearing, Lingard on loan) etc

Yep. The balance was very different with Pearson. There's a world where De Cordova-Reid actually works out for a newly promoted side. The problem is playing him, Ayew and Vardy is absolute lunacy.