How big should out squad be, how many players are ideal for each area of the pitch?

Member 125352

Guest
2 goalkeepers - I really don’t see the need of having 3
4 centre back
4 full backs
4 centre midfielders
4 wingers
2 strikers
+ 2 all round players, like O’Shea, McTominay, players who are comfortable at most positions

That’s 22 in total for the EPL, Europe and the FA cup. I would also let 4 young players + a young keeper train with the first team so that in an injury crisis they could be called up.

I’m not a big fan of squad that have close to 30 players or more
 
I think we’ll end up having a few players who can play multiple roles, like having Shaw for LB and CB. Sabitzer if he’s signed permanently.

We aren’t going to sign 8 players this summer, so I can see us signing a big name striker and 2-3 utility players.
 
wangyu said:
2 goalkeepers - I really don’t see the need of having 3
4 centre back
4 full backs
4 centre midfielders
4 wingers
2 strikers
+ 2 all round players, like O’Shea, McTominay, players who are comfortable at most positions

That’s 22 in total for the EPL, Europe and the FA cup. I would also let 4 young players + a young keeper train with the first team so that in an injury crisis they could be called up.

I’m not a big fan of squad that have close to 30 players or more
Click to expand...

If that's for the 3 midfield positions we use, that's nowhere near enough. This season we've used Casemiro, Eriksen, Bruno, Fred, Sabitzer, McTominay and Mainoo there and I don't think anyone is saying we've had too many midfielders available at any given stage of the season.

And of course you need more than two keepers. Say the first keeper gets injured or is suspended. Who's promoted to the bench? In one of those matches your starting keeper gets injured or is sent off. Are you trusting your academy keeper to come and save the day? Yes it's rare but you don't want your season to be ruined just because you didn't have an extra backup. It's too important of a position to not have a couple of reliable backups.
 
Last edited:
3 keepers, 2 for every other position and 2 or 3 utility players that can fill in a few others, like a defender that can fill in cb and right/left back or a midfielder than can fill in 2 or 3 roles quite comfortably.

That's plenty.
 
3 Keepers
2 Right Backs
2 Left Backs
4 Centre Backs (ideally 2 of these will be able to cover a full back position each)
5 Centre Mid
4 Wingers
3 Centre Forwards (Starter, Deputy, Youngster)

23 + Youngsters to cover injury crisis.
 
Who are our current utility players? I’d say Bruno for all attacking positions and Shaw for defensive positions and McFominay for all positions
 
Stobzilla said:
3 Keepers
2 Right Backs
2 Left Backs
4 Centre Backs (ideally 2 of these will be able to cover a full back position each)
5 Centre Mid
4 Wingers
3 Centre Forwards (Starter, Deputy, Youngster)

23 + Youngsters to cover injury crisis.
Click to expand...

I'd say 5 centre mids is not enough. Say this season we had Casemiro, Eriksen, Bruno, Fred & Sabitzer. We only had one long-term injury and a couple of bans for one player and yet we still would've played Bruno, Fred & Sabitzer in every single match on a Sun-Thu-Sun rhythm for all those weeks, in every competition. With no midfield subs on the bench. Add another injury, which is easily realistic, and we'd only have two midfielders left. To play three positions. With no midfield subs on the bench.
 
Last edited:
3 GK (3rd keeper is insurance)
2 RB
2 LB
4 CD
2 DM
3 CM
2 AM
2 RW
2 LW
3 ST

That’s the official first team squad numbers but I’d also keep around a few 18s (and under) like Mainoo, Lacey etc.
 
top1whoisman said:
I'd say 5 centre mids is not enough. Say this season we had Casemiro, Eriksen, Bruno, Fred & Sabitzer. We only had one long-term injury and a couple of bans for one player and yet we still would've played Bruno, Fred & Sabitzer in every single match on a Sun-Thu-Sun rhythm for all those weeks, in every competition. With no midfield subs on the bench. Add another injury, which is easily realistic, and we'd only have two midfielders left. To play three positions. With no midfield subs on the bench.
Click to expand...

I think your 6th option at that point should be coming from the youth sides. I prefer squads to be as lean as possible in order to facilitate minutes to academy players.
 
Stobzilla said:
I think your 6th option at that point should be coming from the youth sides. I prefer squads to be as lean as possible in order to facilitate minutes to academy players.
Click to expand...

In that case we would’ve probably done much worse in some competitions. Mainoo would’ve started some games and been the only midfielder to come off the bench in some big games. Not that I wouldn’t have loved to have seen more of him.

Actually considering how he’s been injured too for a few weeks now we would’ve had Iqbal doing that.

Guess it depends. I love seeing our academy players get their chances. But the midfield positions are very cruel and unforgiving positions to give a lot of responsibility to young players making their way to first team football.

Would’ve been nice to see Mainoo & Iqbal play more but if they played the minutes Fred & McTominay played, I don’t think we’d necessarily be in the FA Cup Final, having won the Carabao Cup, reached QFs in the Europa League and looking to finish in the top 4.
 
top1whoisman said:
In that case we would’ve probably done much worse in some competitions. Mainoo would’ve started some games and been the only midfielder to come off the bench in some big games. Not that I wouldn’t have loved to have seen more of him.

Actually considering how he’s been injured too for a few weeks now we would’ve had Iqbal doing that.

Guess it depends. I love seeing our academy players get their chances. But the midfield positions are very cruel and unforgiving positions to give a lot of responsibility to young players making their way to first team football.

Would’ve been nice to see Mainoo & Iqbal play more but if they played the minutes Fred & McTominay played, I don’t think we’d necessarily be in the FA Cup Final, having won the Carabao Cup, reached QFs in the Europa League and looking to finish in the top 4.
Click to expand...

I think we would have maybe done about the same, probably sans Europa but I wouldn't be too sad about that and I think the long term benefits of having young players get those high quality and quantity of minutes would be better for the overall health of the squad in the long term.
 
Stobzilla said:
I think we would have maybe done about the same, probably sans Europa but I wouldn't be too sad about that and I think the long term benefits of having young players get those high quality and quantity of minutes would be better for the overall health of the squad in the long term.
Click to expand...

It’s a fine balancing act for sure. I do agree with you to an extent. I’m not sure most modern fans have the patience to see it that way. Getting knocked out of a competition in the latter rounds because of lack of depth or a youth graduate making a mistake - all hell breaks loose.
 
Ideally 2 players for every spot, but an extra winger, extra fullback and extra centre back is a must IMO. And a 3rd keeper I guess.

So 3 keepers, 5 fullbacks, 5 centre backs, 6 (and maybe a 7th youth player) midfielders, 5 wingers and 2 strikers (Rashford could also play ST if needed with added wing depth). If you get caught by an unlucky injury spell rely on academy players.
 
Ideally you should optimize for Premier League registration rules - 17 + 8 homegrown, that's 25 players plus a few (ideally 5-6, for each group) under-21s outside that list ready to step in if we are depleted by injuries or going for a deep rotation. Assuming we continue to play 4-3-3:
2 keepers
4 fullbacks
4 CB
7 midfielders
7 forwards/wide attackers/strikers
+ one slot for John O'Shea type of squad player that's beyond such classifications and can cover LB, RB, CB, DM, CM and a fecking GK if needed.
 
In terms of numbers the squad size we have at the moment seems fine. Less bloated than some previous seasons but better than under Van Gaal when one or two injuries saw youngsters being desperately thrown in. I'm not including Axel, Williams and Jones in that assessment though as I think I'm right in saying they haven't played a minute between them.

When you play two games a week, over the season you'll inevitably have several games where you have two or three players from one position who are either injured, out of form, carrying a knock or in need of a rest, and you still want options on the bench, so you need multiple options. Having players like Shaw, Dalot, Bruno, Sabitzer, Sancho and Rashford who can play more than one position helps keep the squad size less bloated. Even Fred has played 6, 8 and 10 at times this season. Obviously the squad needs a bit of rebalancing, another DM as we have plenty of 8s, an upgrade at CF, improved competition for RW and CB.
 
wangyu said:
2 goalkeepers - I really don’t see the need of having 3
4 centre back
4 full backs
4 centre midfielders
4 wingers
2 strikers
+ 2 all round players, like O’Shea, McTominay, players who are comfortable at most positions

That’s 22 in total for the EPL, Europe and the FA cup. I would also let 4 young players + a young keeper train with the first team so that in an injury crisis they could be called up.

I’m not a big fan of squad that have close to 30 players or more
Click to expand...

I think you probably want to have that third GK in the squad, because it eases the transition if you need to call on him. Also I don't think you're getting someone decent and experienced to sign up for that role if he's not even part of the squad. He'll be part of pretty much every match day squad, so why wouldn't you have him with the squad?

Otherwise, I think this is about the size of it. Obviously the degree of positional versatility in players also matters, so you could phrase it like this:

3 GK
8-9 defenders
4 central midfielders
7-8 attackers (including the #10)

22-24 players, and composed so that for each position, you ideally have a clear-cut first choice playing in his natural best position, a backup who is fully comfortable in that position and a third choice whose primary position may be a different one.

If your squad gets much bigger than that, you have a problem. As Chelsea is discovering.
 
Last edited:
Trequarista10 said:
In terms of numbers the squad size we have at the moment seems fine. Less bloated than some previous seasons but better than under Van Gaal when one or two injuries saw youngsters being desperately thrown in. I'm not including Axel, Williams and Jones in that assessment though as I think I'm right in saying they haven't played a minute between them.

When you play two games a week, over the season you'll inevitably have several games where you have two or three players from one position who are either injured, out of form, carrying a knock or in need of a rest, and you still want options on the bench, so you need multiple options. Having players like Shaw, Dalot, Bruno, Sabitzer, Sancho and Rashford who can play more than one position helps keep the squad size less bloated. Even Fred has played 6, 8 and 10 at times this season. Obviously the squad needs a bit of rebalancing, another DM as we have plenty of 8s, an upgrade at CF, improved competition for RW and CB.
Click to expand...

Williams have played a few minutes, in one of the cup fixtures I think? Jones haven't even been training with the squad, apparently.
 
DutchSerb said:
Ideally 2 players for every spot, but an extra winger, extra fullback and extra centre back is a must IMO. And a 3rd keeper I guess.

So 3 keepers, 5 fullbacks, 5 centre backs, 6 (and maybe a 7th youth player) midfielders, 5 wingers and 2 strikers (Rashford could also play ST if needed with added wing depth). If you get caught by an unlucky injury spell rely on academy players.
Click to expand...

That's too many in my view - it's halfway to Chelsea. You'd have probably 4 or 5 players who basically don't play, and more likely than not become centers of discontent. You don't need 10 defenders. Even with the level of injuries we've had this season, we haven't used more than 8. Also I don't think you need 13 midfielders/attackers for 6 positions, given that many of those players will have the versatility to play in several positions.
 
wangyu said:
2 goalkeepers - I really don’t see the need of having 3
4 centre back
4 full backs
4 centre midfielders
4 wingers
2 strikers
+ 2 all round players, like O’Shea, McTominay, players who are comfortable at most positions

That’s 22 in total for the EPL, Europe and the FA cup. I would also let 4 young players + a young keeper train with the first team so that in an injury crisis they could be called up.

I’m not a big fan of squad that have close to 30 players or more
Click to expand...

This is not McTominay bashing, but where is he comfortable except “box to box”? Definitely not DM, he looks extremely uncomfortable there. He’s not an AM. He can’t play up front or in defence.

Wing? Doubt it. Defence? I wouldn’t risk it.
 
justsomebloke said:
That's too many in my view - it's halfway to Chelsea. You'd have probably 4 or 5 players who basically don't play, and more likely than not become centers of discontent. You don't need 10 defenders. Even with the level of injuries we've had this season, we haven't used more than 8. Also I don't think you need 13 midfielders/attackers for 6 positions, given that many of those players will have the versatility to play in several positions.
Click to expand...

Maybe you're right about defense and I should be wanting quality over quantity, hopefully we get Kim. I will die on the 5 winger hill though. With Garnacho out for so long we have 0 options up front and overplay the same guys constantly. If they're tired (Rashford) or out of form (Sancho) their performances show, but we can't rotate anyone right now. I like Pellistri but realistically he's not good enough yet although could be the fifth one. 5 is the sweet spot in my eyes considering we play 4 competitions, especially since Rashford can play 9 if/when a striker *cough* Martial falls out and we're left with only one, talking about the one we will hopefully recruit in the summer window.

6 midfielders is also a must IMO. A new CM/Fred, Casemiro/New backup CDM and Bruno+Eriksen at the 10 would be really good for next season. They could all play everywhere in midfield as well so gives ETH lots of options.
 
Spaghetti said:
This is not McTominay bashing, but where is he comfortable except “box to box”? Definitely not DM, he looks extremely uncomfortable there. He’s not an AM. He can’t play up front or in defence.

Wing? Doubt it. Defence? I wouldn’t risk it.
Click to expand...

Put him at the 9! ;)
 
DutchSerb said:
Maybe you're right about defense and I should be wanting quality over quantity, hopefully we get Kim. I will die on the 5 winger hill though. With Garnacho out for so long we have 0 options up front and overplay the same guys constantly. If they're tired (Rashford) or out of form (Sancho) their performances show, but we can't rotate anyone right now. I like Pellistri but realistically he's not good enough yet although could be the fifth one. 5 is the sweet spot in my eyes considering we play 4 competitions, especially since Rashford can play 9 if/when a striker *cough* Martial falls out and we're left with only one, talking about the one we will hopefully recruit in the summer window.

6 midfielders is also a must IMO. A new CM/Fred, Casemiro/New backup CDM and Bruno+Eriksen at the 10 would be really good for next season. They could all play everywhere in midfield as well so gives ETH lots of options.
Click to expand...

Sure you need five wingers. But at least one of them can be someone who has a different primary position. Same with the 6 midfielders. As long as the overall squad size gives you enough room to tweak and absorb injuries, and you have the positional versatility to cover each position adequately, it's fine.

Also, it's a question of playing time distribution in a given position. For instance, barring injuries, we know that Bruno will play basically almost the whole time at #10. It'd be wasteful to have a player in the squad who is only effective in that position as his backup. So, better to address that by having other midfielders or wide forwards who are able to step into that role when needed, but who primarily fill other functions in the team.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.