Discussion: Squad Development Strategy

vendredi 20 janvier 2023

You get a lot of time to think when you are a wildlife photographer sitting in the cold Fens…

A few posters often say we have no strategy or plan, but it did occur to me that there is one. I’ll caveat all this by saying everyone can disagree, and that the comments below on young players are theoretical, no one on here knows the real view of the club on their future projected career.

Anyway - we know the wage/turnover ration is out of kilter, equally we know that until the new stand (or new owners) arrive, we are not exactly flush. So, my thinking led me to this conclusion…

The club could be working on the following basis until the stand investment is done.

A core of regular starters or ready to play back ups, around 18-20, with the following currently in place…

Guaita, Johnstone, Mitchell, Richards, Andersen, Guehi, Doucoure, Hughes, Olise, Eze, Edouard.

Probable renewals for one of Clyne or Ward, Schlupp, Ayew
Question marks over Jairo, Mateta, Ferguson & McArthur (due to fitness)
Likely leavers - one of Ward or Clyne, Tomkins, Luka, Butland, Matthews, Zaha

The departures significantly reduce wages, massively in the case of Zaha, and fund filling the starter gaps at CM & RB and maybe an additional striker, plus Zaha’s replacement.

I genuinely believe that the remainder of the squad will be Academy promotions. Several have had debuts, several are regularly training with the squad or on the bench, and others are enjoying decent loans. If you have 18-20 senior first teamers of the required quality, having younger players on the bench is far easier and it’s also easier to give them minutes.

Right now, there is a significant group hoping to step up (and I’m sure some will say they aren’t ready or will never be)..

Goodman/Whitworth, Adaramola, O’Brien, Balmer, Ozoh, Phillips, Wells Morrison, Gordon, Ebiowei, Plange, Rak Sakyi, maybe Boateng

I might be completely wrong, but I’m pretty sure Coach suggested something similar.

If that is the strategy, plus bringing in other good youngsters, and one or two older start ready players, I think that could set us up very well.


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