Our present squad

My ideal final weeks of the window would be;
Nketiah sold and the money reinvested in a better prospect.
Same for Esse.
A strong centre mid that's ready to play brought in (a signing of similar ilk to Jedinak, Milivojevic, Doucoure)
A new centre back brought in. Again, another dynamo that's not shy about "adjusting"

Without at least those last two I'm feeling a little nervous.
 
Looks like Sage has a hotch-potch squad of varying ability and as of yet no definable style, character, or presence. It appears normal for the club to go into a new season not fully prepared.
 
park the bus said:
Looks like Sage has a hotch-potch squad of varying ability and as of yet no definable style, character, or presence. It appears normal for the club to go into a new season not fully prepared.
Click to expand...
It was impossible to be fully prepared with so many of the 1st team starting XI only back over the last two weeks. Several other clubs who had a significant number of players reaching the latter stages of the WC will also be a similar state.

Let's reassess in October when there should be signs that the team should be fully up to speed.
 
We have some very good and reliable players where you know what you're going to get week to week.
I would put players like Henderson, Richards, Mitchell, Wharton, Mateta (when fit) and Sarr in that category.
Two more in this category would be Lacroix and Guehi who we've lost and another would be Munoz who we also look to be losing.

We then have inexperienced players of potential in Canvot and Riad, but it could be asking a lot of them to form the cornerstone of our defence at the moment because of that lack of experience at Premier League level.
A mistake at this level is likely to result in a goal being conceded.

We then have the new signings where it's difficult to speculate what they may bring. Anything is based on guesswork and hope.

We then have a bunch of forwards who all have question marks against them.
Franca's difficulties have been well documented, Nketiah has not really convinced and encountered injuries.
Esse and JRS don't seem wanted.

And then there's the hugely expensive Larsen.
This may sound harsh, but frankly I think we wildly overpaid for a dud, at least operating in our system.
I know we bought him as we thought Mateta was going and the intentions were good.
I also know that Newcastle had supposedly bid in excess of £50 million for him to replace Isac which Wolves had rejected, so that set the benchmark of the type of fee to get him.
However, in our current system he just doesn't work.
The opposing defenders find him very easy to defend against (unlike Mateta) and he offers no thrust, power or hold up play. We can't build moves around him and I don't think he even wins headers to bring teammates into the game.
He's provided a few adept finishes for his goals, but that's not enough when so much more is required as the focal point of the attack in our system.
Like Johnson, should we cut our losses or am I overreacting?
 
PatrickA said:
We have some very good and reliable players where you know what you're going to get week to week.
I would put players like Henderson, Richards, Mitchell, Wharton, Mateta (when fit) and Sarr in that category.
Two more in this category would be Lacroix and Guehi who we've lost and another would be Munoz who we also look to be losing.

We then have inexperienced players of potential in Canvot and Riad, but it could be asking a lot of them to form the cornerstone of our defence at the moment because of that lack of experience at Premier League level.
A mistake at this level is likely to result in a goal being conceded.

We then have the new signings where it's difficult to speculate what they may bring. Anything is based on guesswork and hope.

We then have a bunch of forwards who all have question marks against them.
Franca's difficulties have been well documented, Nketiah has not really convinced and encountered injuries.
Esse and JRS don't seem wanted.

And then there's the hugely expensive Larsen.
This may sound harsh, but frankly I think we wildly overpaid for a dud, at least operating in our system.
I know we bought him as we thought Mateta was going and the intentions were good.
I also know that Newcastle had supposedly bid in excess of £50 million for him to replace Isac which Wolves had rejected, so that set the benchmark of the type of fee to get him.
However, in our current system he just doesn't work.
The opposing defenders find him very easy to defend against (unlike Mateta) and he offers no thrust, power or hold up play. We can't build moves around him and I don't think he even wins headers to bring teammates into the game.
He's provided a few adept finishes for his goals, but that's not enough when so much more is required as the focal point of the attack in our system.
Like Johnson, should we cut our losses or am I overreacting?
Click to expand...

As you said we have a great spine to the team. Canvot and Riad has shown they can step up. (Lacroix and Guehi has no prem experience before steppign straight in). We've also brought in 2 very experienced defenders to help.

In Sarr, Guessand, Pino and McNeil we have 4 pretty experienced fowards. Nketiah when fit knows where the goal is and Franca has shown that he can score. More than enough experience/ability there. Esse and JRS aren't worth speaking about, they might not even make the matchday squad if they are still here.

You are right in that JRS is a different type of player to Mateta. What we do know, is that JSL can score. Did we pay a bit too much, maybe. Most likely. (But now a decent prospect from the Championship costs £30m). But he's a International, with goals everywhere he's played, including a lot in the Prem. £40 would have been fairer, but with Mateta we had to be decisive. (imagien the hate Parish would have got if Mateta had gone and we refused to pay for JSL, and had the back end of the season with no striker)

IF, we play how I think Sage will get us playing, I think JSL will be a good fit. Forwards will spend more time out wide, doubling up with the wing backs and looking to get crosses in. JSL's role will be more akin to Haaland, basically getting on the end of stuff.
 
PatrickA said:
...

And then there's the hugely expensive Larsen.
This may sound harsh, but frankly I think we wildly overpaid for a dud, at least operating in our system.
I know we bought him as we thought Mateta was going and the intentions were good.
I also know that Newcastle had supposedly bid in excess of £50 million for him to replace Isac which Wolves had rejected, so that set the benchmark of the type of fee to get him.
However, in our current system he just doesn't work.
The opposing defenders find him very easy to defend against (unlike Mateta) and he offers no thrust, power or hold up play. We can't build moves around him and I don't think he even wins headers to bring teammates into the game.
He's provided a few adept finishes for his goals, but that's not enough when so much more is required as the focal point of the attack in our system.
Like Johnson, should we cut our losses or am I overreacting?
Click to expand...
I think we need to see him in Sage's version of 3-4-3. It may take time as Sage said yesterday that he'll probably switch to "Glasnerball" for the start of the season to give late returning players and new players time to adjust to his system. I am not saying the next bit with 20-20 hindsight but I was flabbergasted when we bought him - not just the price but the fact we wanted him. To me he was a panic buy not so much to please Glasner as to replace the thought-to-be-departing Mateta. Had Mateta gone how would we have fared had we not bought Strand Larsen? We'll never know but we could well have dropped through the trapdoor instead of the Spammers.

Having said all that, I doubt that Strand Larsen will prove to be a success.
 
PatrickA said:
We have some very good and reliable players where you know what you're going to get week to week.
I would put players like Henderson, Richards, Mitchell, Wharton, Mateta (when fit) and Sarr in that category.
Two more in this category would be Lacroix and Guehi who we've lost and another would be Munoz who we also look to be losing.

We then have inexperienced players of potential in Canvot and Riad, but it could be asking a lot of them to form the cornerstone of our defence at the moment because of that lack of experience at Premier League level.
A mistake at this level is likely to result in a goal being conceded.

We then have the new signings where it's difficult to speculate what they may bring. Anything is based on guesswork and hope.

We then have a bunch of forwards who all have question marks against them.
Franca's difficulties have been well documented, Nketiah has not really convinced and encountered injuries.
Esse and JRS don't seem wanted.

And then there's the hugely expensive Larsen.
This may sound harsh, but frankly I think we wildly overpaid for a dud, at least operating in our system.
I know we bought him as we thought Mateta was going and the intentions were good.
I also know that Newcastle had supposedly bid in excess of £50 million for him to replace Isac which Wolves had rejected, so that set the benchmark of the type of fee to get him.
However, in our current system he just doesn't work.
The opposing defenders find him very easy to defend against (unlike Mateta) and he offers no thrust, power or hold up play. We can't build moves around him and I don't think he even wins headers to bring teammates into the game.
He's provided a few adept finishes for his goals, but that's not enough when so much more is required as the focal point of the attack in our system.
Like Johnson, should we cut our losses or am I overreacting?
Click to expand...

At the time I thought it was an awful buy - paid way too much for a player with a fairly mediocre skillset. I don't see him ever being the right fit unless we switch to a 4231 but I don't think that's ever going to happen.

As with Johnson, I think if we're made an intriguing proposal by another club I think we'd be open to it... Come on random Saudi club, you know you want him.

I'd love to be wrong and he starts banging them in and doing everything a centre forward should do but as yet I'm yet to be convinced... And again like with Johnson, every game that goes by I'm more convinced he won't be the answer.

Currently Mateta is so far ahead of him it's barely a competition. I'd even have Nketiah and França ahead of him.
 
It goes back to the idea of team fitting players or players fitting team:
Henderson
Mingueza Canvot Richard’s Mitchell
Pino Kamada Wharton McNeil
Larsen Sarr
That line up plays to everybody’s strength and is nicely balanced, pace and heading strength up front, wingers on the correct side, both hardworking, Wharton and Kamada a good pair, but it will never be used, because picking a team to fit the players doesn’t seem to be in any young managers thoughts.
 
doombear said:
I think we need to see him in Sage's version of 3-4-3. It may take time as Sage said yesterday that he'll probably switch to "Glasnerball" for the start of the season to give late returning players and new players time to adjust to his system. I am not saying the next bit with 20-20 hindsight but I was flabbergasted when we bought him - not just the price but the fact we wanted him. To me he was a panic buy not so much to please Glasner as to replace the thought-to-be-departing Mateta. Had Mateta gone how would we have fared had we not bought Strand Larsen? We'll never know but we could well have dropped through the trapdoor instead of the Spammers.

Having said all that, I doubt that Strand Larsen will prove to be a success.
Click to expand...
The hope must be that Larsen benefits from McNeil's vaunted crossing ability - if not it's hard to see how he fits in. It'll also be tricky trying to sell him for anything but a huge loss.
 
Lanzo-Ad said:
It goes back to the idea of team fitting players or players fitting team:
Henderson
Mingueza Canvot Richard’s Mitchell
Pino Kamada Wharton McNeil
Larsen Sarr
That line up plays to everybody’s strength and is nicely balanced, pace and heading strength up front, wingers on the correct side, both hardworking, Wharton and Kamada a good pair, but it will never be used, because picking a team to fit the players doesn’t seem to be in any young managers thoughts.
Click to expand...
I think 442 is unlikely as nobody plays it anymore, although I'm not sure why as if played properly it can be extremely effective both defensively and offensively as well as allowing full use of the width of the pitch and avoiding being outnumbered in midfield.

My 'dinosaur' 442 system,
Henderson,
Tomiyasu, Richards,Riad/Canvot/new, Mitchell,
Khalaili, Wharton, Kamada, McNeil/Pino
Sarr, Mateta

This assumes Munoz leaves and puts in the experience and defensive nous of Tomiyasu in at right back and allows Mitchell to revert to his more defensive left back role.
Khalaili looks rapid, can play right wing, and has the athleticism to bolster the midfield.
McNeil can play in his more natural position wide on the left to demonstrate his crossing ability.

Oh well....back to playing Football Manager...
 
PatrickA said:
And then there's the hugely expensive Larsen.
This may sound harsh, but frankly I think we wildly overpaid for a dud, at least operating in our system.
I know we bought him as we thought Mateta was going and the intentions were good.
I also know that Newcastle had supposedly bid in excess of £50 million for him to replace Isac which Wolves had rejected, so that set the benchmark of the type of fee to get him.
However, in our current system he just doesn't work.
The opposing defenders find him very easy to defend against (unlike Mateta) and he offers no thrust, power or hold up play. We can't build moves around him and I don't think he even wins headers to bring teammates into the game.
He's provided a few adept finishes for his goals, but that's not enough when so much more is required as the focal point of the attack in our system.
Like Johnson, should we cut our losses or am I overreacting?
Click to expand...

I think we need patience and see what Sage does first. I agree, HUGE price, but unfortunately in the PL EVERYONE wants a striker. He is £48m for 1 goal in 3 games, any more and he'll be £75m at his age. If he can bring other things into his game like JP has then good. JSL unfortuantely is still in the potential category, like JPM was.
 
Teddy Eagle said:
The hope must be that Larsen benefits from McNeil's vaunted crossing ability - if not it's hard to see how he fits in. It'll also be tricky trying to sell him for anything but a huge loss.
Click to expand...
The problem there Teddy, if McNeil is playing as a No10 and not LWB/winger he will not be in the position to cross the ball, his chief asset
 
Updated

Henderson/Benitez/Matthew's

Muñoz/khalaili

Riad/Mingueza
Richards/Tomiyasu
Canvot/Disasi

Mitchell/Sosa

Wharton/Doucoure/Lerma
Kamada/Hughes/Devenny

Sarr/Guessand/Gozo
Mateta/Strand Larsen/Nketiah
Pino/França/McNeil

Possible outgoings:
Mateta
cardines loaned to Bristol City
Rak-sakyi
Ozoh
Esse
Muñoz

Possible incomings
Le Guen
March
Camara
Njie
 
Last edited:
DANGERCLOSE said:
Updated

Henderson/Benitez/Matthew's

Muñoz/khalaili

Riad/Mingueza
Richards/Tomiyasu
Convott

Mitchell/Sosa

Wharton/Doucoure/Lerma
Kamada/Hughes/Devenny

Sarr/Guessand/Gozo
Mateta/Strand Larsen/Nketiah
Pino/França/McNeil

Possible outgoings:
Mateta
cardines loaned to Bristol City
Rak-sakyi
Ozoh
Esse
Muñoz

Possible incomings
Disasi
Le Guen
March
Camara
Click to expand...
We don’t have a player called Convott.
 
Lanzo-Ad said:
It goes back to the idea of team fitting players or players fitting team:
Henderson
Mingueza Canvot Richard’s Mitchell
Pino Kamada Wharton McNeil
Larsen Sarr
That line up plays to everybody’s strength and is nicely balanced, pace and heading strength up front, wingers on the correct side, both hardworking, Wharton and Kamada a good pair, but it will never be used, because picking a team to fit the players doesn’t seem to be in any young managers thoughts.
Click to expand...
I'd absolutely love to see Palace line up like that, and remain of the opinion that a conservative 442, where the wide players are midfielders who offer width rather than attackers, could work.

I doubt many premier league managers agree, though, and I doubt Sage is considering it, sadly.

Funny thing is, if you said 4231 with Pino, Sarr, and McNeill behind Larsen, suddenly that would be considered normal!
 
So as far as I see it, so far it's:

Clyne (maybe Munoz) out for Khalaili/Mingueza
Lacroix out for Tomiyasu
Johnson out for McNeil
+ Gozo

We 100% need a marquee centre back as basically haven't replaced Guehi or Lacroix. However, other than that squad wise we're looking a lot stronger.

CB and, ideally, a decent CM and I think it's been a great window. Even if Munoz goes we have decent options.
.
 
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