Squad Use

[luvgonzo]

So to start, I'm pretty happy with the first season under Slot and we're very close to a league title so can't ask for much more.

However, I still think that to remain financially viable we don't have the big money to spend on transfers that other clubs miraculously do, we're not exactly skint either though I'm not pleading poverty.

What we do need is a good academy to bring players through and this is my concern. I read that Slot was big on developing players but he's chosen to criminally ignore 2 young players in Elliot and Quansah. Both were looking either future stars or at least valuable squad players a year ago depending on your point of view.

Elliott has at times shown his worth and come on and been influential, Quansah is only getting time through injury.

Last night Salah had a stinker and Elliot could have come on and got valuable game time or maybe even given us a spark to get a second but was left on the bench and I cannot think of a sensible reason for that. If it was an older player and Slot just wants him moved on then fair enough but Slot is very wrong treating Elliot in this way who has taken it well and openly said he'll just keep working hard which is to his credit. Slot needs to look at himself here we should be losing a young talented player in this manner because that's what will happen at some point if he's not playing.

 

[luvgonzo]

You Can add Endo to this and possibly Chiesa when fit.

It's not like we have a huge squad either.

 

[Solid Air]

The one criticism i've had of Slot is the lack of use for some of the "fringe" players and as some of these fringe players may well have to be regulars next season extra game time would hopefully help their progress

 

[Bindiana]

Yeah not been to impressed by Slots squad use. It does seem he has a core of 14 players and wont stray from these apart from giving the odd one 5-10 minutes at the end of a game. I would have liked to see a bit more of Chiesa this season in the brief glimpses we have seen you can see there is something there just needs to be given more of a chance. My worry is the 2 you mentioned are seen as big profit players for PSR rules.

I think we have seen loss in form from some players like Gravenberch because they have been played into the ground, when there is no reason Endo couldn't have started a few games.

 

[luvgonzo]

It's the kind of thing that puts us on a dodgy road. For example Quansah and Elliot decided they want to play so move on we buy replacements and it doesn't work out, we then need replacements for them. Quansah was free FGS and Elliot I forget the fee but for the player he is it's a bargain.

Both could be great servants for years to come but they are being forced out.

I'm not saying they should be starting every game but their playing time throughout a season where we have played a lot of games has not been adequate. It's poor management. As was the throw forwards on because I don't have a clue Vs Newcastle.

I'll celebrate our club's achievements like I always have and I'm not usually negative but I did call Rogers out before most and that was me being quiet as I didn't want to criticise the manager so held back.

What I'm putting in black and white here is that despite a likely league win I have concerns over Slot but understand that they are new to this and I hope that they will learn as a management team and get us more success. I have my doubts already though.

 

[mighty_stevie_g]

A little over the top imo. I do share the concerns, but also remember the first half of the season we were lauded for the substitutions making an incredible difference, and Elliott was a big part of that. Has he been more rigid at the business end? Yes.

But he is also in his infancy with us and working with an entirely inherited squad, it makes the summer exciting rather than nerve racking for me.

 

[luvgonzo]

A little over the top imo. I do share the concerns, but also remember the first half of the season we were lauded for the substitutions making an incredible difference, and Elliott was a big part of that. Has he been more rigid at the business end? Yes.

But he is also in his infancy with us and working with an entirely inherited squad, it makes the summer exciting rather than nerve racking for me.

Yes I get that. I'm concerned more than calling for heads and absolutely hope I'm wrong.

Klopp hangover still in full force.

 

[moreinjuredthanowen]

Look, for me slot has every right to have players that fit what he wants to coach his team to do.

He is seeing gravenberch as a player who can play on the half turn and endo as one that cannot. OK then but not every game and every scenario can be covered by 15 players. You could when do in a gsme take more players off and rest them and get through the 90 but he really doesn't.

For me I see the camp as

Slot team
Alisson
Kelleher (but will go)
Trent (but will go)
Bradley
Konate
Vvd
Gravenberch
Macallister
Szoboszlai
Jones
Gakpo
Diaz
Jota
Salah

That's 14 players.

Players slot uses cos he has to (another 5)

Robertson
tsimikas (barely now)
Gomez?? (Did he only use him due to injury)
Quansah (just about)
Nunez

Players slot has little time for
Elliott
Endo (5 to 10 minutes player)
Morton
Chiesa
Plus every young player we have as slot seems utterly uninterested in bring young players through.

I would actually be moving some players from the uses to the non time for camp.


This will be about what transfers are now done this summer to expand the pool of players slot might actually use.

We have 3 leaving as of today. Probably more.

So instead of talking about improving squad depth (get shut of nunez and buy a new 9 for example) we will likely be looking to trying to get replacements for vvd and salah and cobbling up a squad.

A player like endo is sat on a contract with 1 more year at a certain wage thst he will.never get elsewhere and knows he can go back to Germany. He won't move.

Morton will want to go but could be priced out of a move.

Kelleher will want to go.

Tsimikas won't go unless pushed.

Elliott has expressed a desire to stay.

Cheisa is saying he is happy and then there's loads of agent rumours.

Just.moving who slot has no use for will be difficult.

I really think from here we are looking at a leaner squad as we can't afford to replace everyone.

BTW we are a rich club but we are paying for everyone that other clubs put in separate organisations to get round wages. The commercial staff cost a bomb.

 

[moreinjuredthanowen]

Slot is seeing Elliott as a rw.

He will never be one as he hasn't the pace.

He should be a 10 but slot only wants Szoboszlai there. Again rigid thinking and running Szoboszlai into the ground.

I am willing to bet we will see a massive drop in youth acquisitions soon as slot simply has no real interest in long term development.

He talked up mcconnell then promptly ignored him totally. McConnell is an aquisition and could very easily seek a move to continue his development as a player.

He talked up nyoni. Never see the lad, ever.

Yes they actually have to be good enough but you've a bench of 9 and are not even looking after your senior squad members, youth has no chance.

2 cup games (depending on luck of the draw) a year will not develop youth.

But he's going to win a league and thats all that matters in the short term.

I said years ago that when klopp left all bets would be off. Slot has done very well to start that transition but the medium term picture involves hughes and fsg and slot.

0/6 for transfers and contracts for Hughes. With a massive summer incoming.

0/100 for fsg usually around here but they have put Edwards and ward in to buy new clubs and they have failed to. Sendingn2 or 3 a year to a club to play senior football would be good.

Slot is probably dropping from a 10/10 down prob 8/10 after fa cup, probably 6/10 after cl and league cup final. He also has to show in his second year thst he has what it takes to move the club forward.

Right now we are a cup final worse off and aiming to be a total of 4 points better off in his first year with someone else's squad.

Medium term is next 2 seasons. This summer will frame that.

 

[luvgonzo]

Slot and his team need to realise and adjust to the PL it's not the Dutch league, you need a larger squad tho deal with all the games and even then it might not be enough and there will still be fatigue.
The lack of paying time for important squad players also means they are not up to speed when needed.

Last night was a great example of his issue with Elliot though as he'd have done better than Salah for that last 20 minutes. There's an argument for Chiesa as well but I understand that a little more.

 

[johnsonsbaby]

I don't know where I first read it but I have since seen it a couple more times that Slot likes to work with a 15 man squad. Good luck with that.

It's his first season and he is over delivering on most people's initial expectations. He will learn as he goes that the PL is a different animal and he will have to accommodate to it. The CL format was new for everyone and we know now that flogging the starting XI wasn't the best thing to do. It resulted in us getting the worst possible draw while seriously draining our players for the other competitions.

I've got to say that I've been pleasantly surprised by Slot. The main criticism I have is him seemingly not valuing the youngsters on the verge of making the step up to the first team or the fringe players already in the first team squad. We need them all.

 

[Zanjinho]

Salah always has an off month, it's just come later this year; it's usually around January

 

[InBiscanWeTrust]

My opinion but it seems like Slot has 14/15 players he fully trusts. Then 3/4 he will throw on in certain situations.

To be fair to him, he hasn’t had a chance to put him stamp on the squad. How often do people say managers need 2/3 windows before can judge them - well realistically slot hasn’t had any windows to actually do that despite being here for 2 of them.

He hasn’t different style to Klopp and although is similar enough so majority of players can be kept unlike what’s happening over in Manchester, players like TAA grav szobo gakpo nunez salah are all either player different positions or different type of role.

I think outside of that 14/15 everyone else is open to offers at the right price ans you’d hope that if he can bring in 3/4 of his own type that next year you’ll see a lot more rotation.

Really hard to be critical based on the season so far. Yes we may just about fall over the finish line but he’s exceeded all expectations and I don’t think can say should have done x or y instead

 

[InBiscanWeTrust]

.

Slot is probably dropping from a 10/10 down prob 8/10 after fa cup, probably 6/10 after cl and league cup final.

Erm what

You’re giving slot 6/10 for getting 73/90 points in the prem so far with 1 defeat all season and not losing an away game yet.

Considering we all said top 4 would be brilliant this year, anything over that has to be a 10/10

 

[Sucky]

Not doing this.

It's his 1st season and he sticking with what's worked for him so far. Understandably imo.

It's the business end of a very long season and I can get why he won't take unnecessary risks in playing players he may not rate.

Klopps gone and slots near enough won us the league title.

Credit must be given rather than criticism imo.

Players like elliot and quansa may have to go, thay are Klopps players... This is quite normal for a team under new management.

Hes done nothing but impress me, on and off the pitch.

Let's stay positive instead of picking holes.

And let's remember how Everton play us every time, they always make it difficult, constant fouls and falling over. That tackle on mac yday was disgusting.

Slot will get rid of a few this summer and bring in his own mould.

Let's see how that goes 1st before we create a problem that isn't really a problem yet.

 

[johnsonsbaby]

Not doing this.

It's his 1st season and he sticking with what's worked for him so far. Understandably imo.

It's the business end of a very long season and I can get why he won't take unnecessary risks in playing players he may not rate.

Klopps gone and slots near enough won us the league title.

Credit must be given rather than criticism imo.

Players like elliot and quansa may have to go, thay are Klopps players... This is quite normal for a team under new management.

Hes done nothing but impress me, on and off the pitch.

Let's stay positive instead of picking holes.

And let's remember how Everton play us every time, they always make it difficult, constant fouls and falling over. That tackle on mac yday was disgusting.

Slot will get rid of a few this summer and bring in his own mould.

Let's see how that goes 1st before we create a problem that isn't really a problem yet.

Sometimes the risk is not taking the risk. He's definitely overplayed some players like Gravenberch for instance when he could have rested him. Not trusting the players 'he doesn't like" could be seen as a bigger risk.

This thread is about squad rotation and that's mainly what's being commented on because, as you say, it's unfair to be overly critical of Slot at this point. I think it's fair enough to comment on rotation.

 

[Sucky]

Sometimes the risk is not taking the risk. He's definitely overplayed some players like Gravenberch for instance when he could have rested him. Not trusting the players 'he doesn't like" could be seen as a bigger risk.

This thread is about squad rotation and that's mainly what's being commented on because, as you say, it's unfair to be overly critical of Slot at this point. I think it's fair enough to comment on rotation.

I'm one of ellitos biggest fans.

But if slot don't fancy him or he doesn't fit slots style then so be it.

And gravenbirch

He looked lost under klopp. So slit imo can play him as much as he wants.

I think this is a bit of a hangover from playing those blue leg breaking fuktards yday tbh

I dont see this so called non rotation as a problem really

 

[mighty_stevie_g]

I'm one of ellitos biggest fans.

But if slot don't fancy him or he doesn't fit slots style then so be it.

And gravenbirch

He looked lost under klopp. So slit imo can play him as much as he wants.

I think this is a bit of a hangover from playing those blue leg breaking fuktards yday tbh

I dont see this so called non rotation as a problem really

I agree. It's only really midfield, we know we were hopeful of getting Zubemendi and it didn't happen, that would've taken the burden off some for sure. Outside of that, Bradley, Tsimikas, the front 5 - they are all have many appearances under their belts.
As for the youth, the new management team simply haven't had enough time to assess and don't fancy throwing anyone in the deep end I suppose. Maybe they'd have got some more minutes if we weren't competing for the title this season, it's a pretty big deal.

 

[johnsonsbaby]

I'm one of ellitos biggest fans.

But if slot don't fancy him or he doesn't fit slots style then so be it.

And gravenbirch

He looked lost under klopp. So slit imo can play him as much as he wants.

I think this is a bit of a hangover from playing those blue leg breaking fuktards yday tbh

I dont see this so called non rotation as a problem really

It's probably just a matter of opinion whether you risk burning out the starting XI because you don't fancy any of the subs. which is why I mentioned Gravenberch because he's obviously running on fumes. I think we could have gone further in the CL, for instance, by playing a more hybrid team once the first few games were won and done. Four competitions is a heavy load and needs good squad use. Slot is learning on the job and will have taken this on board.

 

[moreinjuredthanowen]

Erm what

You’re giving slot 6/10 for getting 73/90 points in the prem so far with 1 defeat all season and not losing an away game yet.

Considering we all said top 4 would be brilliant this year, anything over that has to be a 10/10

Yes.

I'm actually giving him.just about 6/10

He's going to deliver about 4 more points and one less cup than a beat up old German

Seriously, look where we were in December and January. All looking absolutely amazing.

10/10

He then goes and ****s the fa cup by underestimating the away trip

He then tries out players and they look woeful in the cl.

He then loses the semi final first leg v the worst spurs side in 10 years and gets through then loses thst final too.

Now the team looks shattered and about to fall over the line so yeah he's had another man's squad and delivered.abiut the same the end.

It can't be a 10/10.

Just cos we under rated him and the squad by saying klopp would get 3rd or be in a title race nobody else could be.

10/10 can only be for perfection.

If you were arguing 8/10 then it's a debate. He clearly has made errors to learn from