The 2020 Squad Analysis Thread

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Digne is skating on very thin ice, but I would keep in category 1 in the hope that with a better set of players around him, he'd come good again. I genuinely think the only top quality player we have is Richarlison (and the Digne of last season). DCL is starting to prove his worth, but for me, he has to carry this on for the rest of the season and in to next season to win me over as I still see flaws in his game. Gbamin and Kean haven't been here long enough, and Gordon is only young, but I see some quality there. Delph, Walcott and Iwobi would stay in the squad just to fill the squad out.

Category 1: Digne, Richarlison,

Category 2: Pickford, Holgate, Mina, Sidibe, Gomes, Gbamin, Calvert Lewin, Bernard, Kean, Gordon

Category 3: Stekelenburg, Lossl, Baines, Delph, Walcott, Iwobi,

Category 4: Gibson, Baningime, Adeniran,

Category 5: Michael Keane, Coleman, Martina, Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Davies, Niasse
I'm really confused what people think Digne is doing different this year vs last aside from not scoring any screamers.

Anyway I agree with this largely although Gordon is probably in Cat 4 still and I'd slide DCL up to Cat 1 because at minimum he's a guy we should have as an option for the foreseeable future.
 
I'm really confused what people think Digne is doing different this year vs last aside from not scoring any screamers.

Anyway I agree with this largely although Gordon is probably in Cat 4 still and I'd slide DCL up to Cat 1 because at minimum he's a guy we should have as an option for the foreseeable future.
He was very good last year getting the ball into the box from open play, and was great at set plays and got back and defended well, this year he's been utter tripe, his crosses have been rubbish he can't seem to clear the first man from corners he does get back but hasn't defended as well.. it's like 2 different players one very good and another that looks like he's just started playing. I'm amazed that you can't see the difference.
 
If you looked at this another way and put down a category for leadership skills, how many would you categorise as potential captains?

Maybe Digne at a push?

(and I mean proper leadership skills, not Delph or Pickford style shouting when they do not perform consistently themselves)

I think this is a big gap at the moment - hopefully one we can address soon.
 
Category 1: Holgate, Digne, Mina, Bernard, Gomes, Richarlison, DCL, Moise Kean

Category 2: Sidibe, Iwobi, Gbamin, Kenny, Pickford (though could slip into 5 very easily)

Category 3: Lossl, Keane, Coleman, Delph, Davies (any decent offers for this category however and it's blammo, pull the trigger and sell)

Category 4: Gordon, Gibson (if he signs a new deal), Baningime,

Category 5: Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Walcott (these 3 could slip into category 2 or 3 under Ancelotti but if they could be sold for actual money, let them go!), Baines, Stekelenburg, Niasse, Martina, Dowell (sorry but your race is over gentlemen. get out)

Adeniran, Bowler - haven't got a clue about them to be honest

In reality, every member of the squad could be sold if they were replaced with a better player and/or it strengthened the team overall.
 

Category 1: Richarlison, Holgate, Calvert-Lewin

Category 2: Iwobi, Sidibe, Mina, Digne, Kean, Bernard, Gomes, Gbamin

Category 3: Walcott, Lossl, Coleman, Delph, Baines, Kenny

Category 4: Davies

Category 5: Schniederlin, Sigurdsson, Tosun

Category 6: Keane

Not bothered with the likes of Besic, Niasse, Bolasie etc as they will be gone in the summer regardless. The likes of DCL can bounce between cat 1 and cat 4 depending on my mood. Didn't bother with the kids, its obvious they are a 3 or 4 right now.

I would take any reasonable offers for cat 3. I have no strong feelings on them staying or going either way.
 
I would put them all up for sale, they all have a losing mentality already. Also Holgate may look decent when not under pressure but ask him to do some old style defending like the last few minutes the other night and he gets found out.
 
I would put them all up for sale, they all have a losing mentality already. Also Holgate may look decent when not under pressure but ask him to do some old style defending like the last few minutes the other night and he gets found out.

He got wiped out by his team mate...
 
He was very good last year getting the ball into the box from open play, and was great at set plays and got back and defended well, this year he's been utter tripe, his crosses have been rubbish he can't seem to clear the first man from corners he does get back but hasn't defended as well.. it's like 2 different players one very good and another that looks like he's just started playing. I'm amazed that you can't see the difference.
I really think people overrated him last year because he was knew, a lot of the problems still existed then, and are now going to far with saying he's bad because they've realized he has flaws. To me he's been consistent enough and still pretty good. I'd like him to be a bit less wasteful in the final third that's all.
 
If we sell Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Davies, Delph, Keane, Baines, Davies, Pickford, we are left with 3/8 home-grown players in Iwobi, DCL & Holgate. Think people need to consider this, because finding good first-team players over 21 y/o who are 'home-grown' will not be easy.
 

My tier 1 would be DCL, Richarlison and Digne. I have questions over everyone else. The people who are putting 7 or 8 in the keep list are crazy. Do you actually think our starting XI is close to a CL side? If you don't the list has to be smaller.

I think that's overly restrictive. A player we should "keep" is someone we'd be satisfied with in the matchday 18. They'd be in the rotation to start, but wouldn't necessarily start every game they're available for (less rotation games).

I agree that the three names you listed are the only three that would be no-brainer first choices in a decent fraction of the best squads, but I also think that we need to build around some guys that won't see the pitch as much once we get the right pieces in.
 
Category 1: Definitely keep long term and build around - DCL, Richarlison, Bernard, Iwobi, Kean, Gbamin, Gomes, Digne, Holgate, Sidibe, Coleman, Branthwaite, Gibson, Kenny

Category 2: Keep for now - something to prove to earn long term trust - Mina, Keane, Delph, Walcott, Pickford

Category 3: Keep as a squad player - starting only when desperate - Davies

Category 4: Loan out to gain more experience - Gordon

Category 5: Bin off - (sell/release/end loan etc) - Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Baines, Martina, Niasse, Tosun


From Category 2 some sales may be inevitable because they are on big wages and some would get big fees. We'd need 2-3 home-grown players though as incomings if we did sell them. We need solid backup for Digne, a CB who shames Keane/Mina, a CM and maybe a wonderkid like Soares. The RB situation is interesting as Kenny could bring in some money but is also young and HG & the Sidibe situation is up in the air.
 

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