Average Age of Team (26 years)

IrishRedDevil

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Some good work bringing the average age of the team down.

New additions: Onana (27), Mount (24), Hojlund (20).

FIRST TEAM

Onana (27)
Wan-Bissaka (25)
Varane (30)
Martinez (25)
Shaw (28)
Casemiro (31)
Mount (24)
Fernandes (28)
Rashford (25)
Hojlund (20)
Antony (23)

Average age of above team is 26.00

SECOND TEAM

Heaton (37)
Dalot (24)
Maguire (30)
Lindelof (29)
Malacia (23)
McTominay (26)
Eriksen (31)
Mainoo (18)
Garnacho (19)
Martial (27)
Sancho (23)

Average age of above team is 26.09


We have Henderson (26), but I didn’t include him, as he will most likely be sold. Heaton (37) increases the average slightly, but no issues being a 2nd keeper

Amrabat (26) will likely replace McTominay (26) and Van De Beek (26), so no change to the average there.

Fred (30) likely being sold.

CB needs some attention, as we have a couple of 30 year olds. Hopefully, Maguire (30) is sold and replaced with a younger CB in the 20-25 age range to plan for the future.

Youth players / Acadamy players such as Amad (21), Greenwood (21), Williams (22), Fernandez (20), Mengi (19), Pellistri (21), Hannibal (20), Shoretire (19), not considered in the calculation
 
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Interesting.

It is the older ones that worry me too, I think Varane in particular will be bolstered (not replaced) at the end of next season and with Amrabat and Kobbie it looks as though there’s 1 eye on Casemiro.

Lindelof isn’t a concern, he looks like he’s a few more years in him, Eriksen is on the wane though and again clearly being planned for (although I still expect him to be a big part of the first 11 this year).
 
The two big remaining concerns in the first eleven in that regard are Varane (30) and Casemiro (31). As is we're obviously very dependent on them but we don't really know how long we can continue to be so without decline biting us.

Something that also sort-of underlines the qualms some people had about signing players of their age profile when we did. As good and important as they've been in the short-term, it wouldn't be particularly surprising if one or both are no longer in our starting eleven by the time we win a league title again. And replacing them with similar quality won't be the easiest task in the world.
 
Age-wise I think that we are very well balanced. We have the right amount of young players, players in their early prime, peak and late prime. We don't have any veterans (35+ and experienced), but I think that Casemiro and Varane make up for it with their Real Madrid experience.
 
Yeah just need to replace Maguire with a younger CB (under 24) so we are comfortable when Varane declines, and then address CM further. Mainoo being part of it is a huge boost, but it's still early with him. We need someone for Casemiro the same way we need someone for Varane, while Eriksen I'm questioning how much longer he actually has. Will likely be a position we address somewhat every year the next few summers juts to get the right balance and quality throughout the squad.
 
Quite a few ageing players (29/30+) have left the club since the end of 21/22 season - De Gea, Jones, Telles, Matić, Pogba, Mata, Lingard, Cavani. And another few probably to follow this or next summer: Heaton, Maguire, Bailly, Fred, possibly Lindelof.

As others said above over next several years we'll have to get some younger players in midfield area to replace Casemiro, Eriksen and Bruno in long term, as well as in RCB position as Varane is 30. Also similar can be said about LB position as Shaw is 28 so a young talent there to replace him eventually would be ideal. Other than that, age wise we're looking fine for longer period. It's just about quality of players and if they can deliver success.

I like the fact that it's a mixture of experienced and young players with Varane, Shaw, Casemiro, Bruno, Eriksen being in the 1st group and then Dalot, Martinez, Mount, Mainoo, Sancho, Antony, Amad, Garnacho and Hojlund belonging to the other group of young or at least youngish players.
 
sullydnl said:
The two big remaining concerns in the first eleven in that regard are Varane (30) and Casemiro (31). As is we're obviously very dependent on them but we don't really know how long we can continue to be so without decline biting us.

Something that also sort-of underlines the qualms some people had about signing players of their age profile when we did. As good and important as they've been in the short-term, it wouldn't be particularly surprising if one or both are no longer in our starting eleven by the time we win a league title again. And replacing them with similar quality won't be the easiest task in the world.
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Yup. Agreed. Although it would be nice if, for once, we finally get to see a player we signed age like fine wine, Modric or Fernandinho style. It’s nuts how often we’ve endured good players turn to shite as soon as they turn 30 when there are loads of examples of players at other clubs continue to perform deep into their mid 30s. Some of them playing their best football after they turned 30.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Yup. Agreed. Although it would be nice if, for once, we finally get to see a player we signed age like fine wine, Modric or Fernandinho style. It’s nuts how often we’ve endured good players turn to shite as soon as they turn 30 when there are loads of examples of players at other clubs continue to perform deep into their mid 30s. Some of them playing their best football after they turned 30.
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I think it's easy to do that in good teams. Those bi/tri-annual awful seasons we have suck a lot of drive/motivation out of players who are at that stage of their careers.

Its easy to motivate yourself to win more trophies, rather than motivate yourself for another battle for top 4 after missing out.
 
Skills said:
I think it's easy to do that in good teams. Those bi/tri-annual awful seasons we have suck a lot of drive/motivation out of players who are at that stage of their careers.

Its easy to motivate yourself to win more trophies, rather than motivate yourself for another battle for top 4 after missing out.
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Possibly. We had a few of our own examples of fine wine footballers back when we were winning stuff.
 
sullydnl said:
The two big remaining concerns in the first eleven in that regard are Varane (30) and Casemiro (31). As is we're obviously very dependent on them but we don't really know how long we can continue to be so without decline biting us.

Something that also sort-of underlines the qualms some people had about signing players of their age profile when we did. As good and important as they've been in the short-term, it wouldn't be particularly surprising if one or both are no longer in our starting eleven by the time we win a league title again. And replacing them with similar quality won't be the easiest task in the world.
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I was excited by the prospect of seeing Kim Min Jae at the club and the idea that he'd alternate with Varane but it wasn't meant to be :(. On the plus side you can see a key group of quality players that should be at the club for the next five years.
 
Midfield is the problem, eriksen is 31 but looks like a 40 year old player. Casemiro is also showing signs of declining. We need youth there.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Yup. Agreed. Although it would be nice if, for once, we finally get to see a player we signed age like fine wine, Modric or Fernandinho style. It’s nuts how often we’ve endured good players turn to shite as soon as they turn 30 when there are loads of examples of players at other clubs continue to perform deep into their mid 30s. Some of them playing their best football after they turned 30.
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We used up all our good juju with Scholes and Giggs.
 
Irwin99 said:
I was excited by the prospect of seeing Kim Min Jae at the club and the idea that he'd alternate with Varane but it wasn't meant to be :(. On the plus side you can see a key group of quality players that should be at the club for the next five years.
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Yeh I am still bitter losing out in KMJ, he would be perfect CB for club future. But then we got all the players we wanted for other positions, sometimes you just can’t have them all.
 
Good to see more younger players taking in key roles over from older ones (Onana replaces DDG, Mount replaces Eriksen, and maybe Hojlund replaces Martial), also nice to see some young(ish) players in the main rotation (Mainoo, Garnacho, Malacia, Dalot).

We need experience mixed with youth and the most important thing is the balance, the likes of Varane, Cas & Eriksen are vastly experienced but only hit the 30 just recently, while the likes of Rashford, Martinez, Shaw, Onana, Bruno AWB & Mount are in their prime, and hopefully Antony kicks on this season, and with that, I am not worried about Hojlund given an important role as he will be surrounded with experience and quality.
 
Casemiero and Varane are the two key players to replace over the next few years. It’ll be break if one / both can age incredibly well but I wouldn’t bank on it - Varane has always had fitness issues and Casmiero isn’t technically as good as the players who tend to maintain a super high level.

DDG, Eriksen (somewhat) and Ronaldo replaced is a step forward.
 
amolbhatia50k said:
Casemiero and Varane are the two key players to replace over the next few years. It’ll be break if one / both can age incredibly well but I wouldn’t bank on it - Varane has always had fitness issues and Casmiero isn’t technically as good as the players who tend to maintain a super high level.

DDG, Eriksen (somewhat) and Ronaldo replaced is a step forward.
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Probably not that many years, unfortunately. Also younger players we like now will be injured or lose form, it happens. Replacing both categories will be expensive but achievable, so long as we don't add any more 30+ players. That's the key to the future, don't buy old players.
 
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