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Current state of the squad

Ashley

Steve Chettle
Well if we do go down, we'll be in a good position to return a bit quicker than last time.
That's what makes me laugh about the "doing a Fulham" accusations as if it'd be some kind of disaster; so what if we do end up like Fulham? They went down with a squad far better than anyone else in the Championship and came straight back up. Obviously I'd rather Forest stay up this season, but "doing a Fulham" is hardly a disaster.
 

Omar Devone Little

Mr Realistic
Squad overall is looking much stronger now, with the additions of Freuler and Maupay to come.

What's the team going go look like then when everyone is here and fully fit? There are some real dilemmas now probably for the first time in Cooper's reign. It's difficult as we have no idea how good some of these are but basing it on data, snippets of info and backgrounds it could be something like this.

----------------------Henderson‐-------------------

------Worrall-------Niakhate-----McKenna------

Williams-----Freuler----Mangala-----Richards

-----‐-------------------Lingard----------------------------

--------------Maupay--------------Dennis-------------

Subs: Johnson, Cook, Kouyate, Awoniyi, O'Brien, Toffolo, Hennessey, Yates, Biancone
 

DapperDan

Steve Chettle
I imagine Yates will play the majority of away games at the very least. Johnson will probably start most games also.
 

Morpeth

John Robertson
It feels a little midfield and forward to heavy right now, especially bringing in Maupay and Frueler but don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind that at all as I’d imagine this is a longer term, maybe two year plan. We’ll be playing the 3412 for most of the season but transitioning to a 433. That shifts the balance required to fewer defenders, which is what we’ve got now and that’s possible as defenders to nowt anyway. Lazy buggers.

Who will actually play is beyond me now though!
 

valspoodle

Steve Chettle
We're starting to get a good squad together. Nowhere near world beating, but there's time for that in the next few seasons. If we survive.

Coops now has to earn his money and get the disparate pieces of the puzzle into some sort of order to stay in the Prem for next year.
 

Ste

First Team Squad
it's how long it takes for everyone to gel that's the worry!
Seems a shame that Yates and Johnson wouldn't be in a first-choice team, and bizarre that we signed Awoniyi for him to be a backup striker.
 

Kjetil Osvold's Cat

Kingsley Black
Squad overall is looking much stronger now, with the additions of Freuler and Maupay to come.

What's the team going go look like then when everyone is here and fully fit? There are some real dilemmas now probably for the first time in Cooper's reign. It's difficult as we have no idea how good some of these are but basing it on data, snippets of info and backgrounds it could be something like this.

----------------------Henderson‐-------------------

------Worrall-------Niakhate-----McKenna------

Williams-----Freuler----Mangala-----Richards

-----‐-------------------Lingard----------------------------

--------------Maupay--------------Dennis-------------

Subs: Johnson, Cook, Kouyate, Awoniyi, O'Brien, Toffolo, Hennessey, Yates, Biancone
If this came to fruition too (but Freuler is still finding a pen or something and will sign shortly also)


Maybe a 4-2-3-1?

Henderson; Williams, Worrall, Niakhate, Richards (eventuallly);
Yates, Sow (could change to Sow, Mangala if really going for it at some points?)
Johnson, Aouar, Lingard;
Dennis

Subs: Hennessey, McKenna, Biancone, Freuler, Mangala, O'Brien, Aguilera or Scarpa but until then Julian Larsson or someone?, Maupay, Awoniyi

Something like that?

Wouldn't rule out a winger or flexible attacking midfield/supporting forward being added too, plus a right and/or left full back/wing back though still, but we can still use loans obviously.

With 3 CBs I guess McKenna would be in, but difficult for Lingard and Aouar to be on the pitch at the same time?
 

incident

Viv Anderson
it's how long it takes for everyone to gel that's the worry!
Seems a shame that Yates and Johnson wouldn't be in a first-choice team, and bizarre that we signed Awoniyi for him to be a backup striker.
Given that most (if not all) of our attacking players are likely to be routinely substituted after an hour or so once we've got replacements on the bench, I'm not sure backup is quite the right word. With 5 subs it becomes about roles - the starting striker may not have the same instructions as the player coming on to replace him, and the game plan will likely call for different attributes.
 

Ste

First Team Squad
yeh i guess the 5 sub element does change things, especially in the attacking department. Johnson and Dennis coming off the bench against tiring defenders could be an interesting one!
 

MaxiRobriguez

Bob McKinlay
Squad as it stands.

GK: Henderson, Hennessey, Horvath
RCB: Worrall, Mbe Soh
CB: Niakhate, Cook
LCB: McKenna, Panzo
RWB: Williams, Biancone, Laryea
RCM: Mangala, Yates, Kouyate
LCM: Freueler, O'Brien,
LWB: Richards, Toffolo
AM: Lingard, Aguilera
RF: Johnson, Awoniyi, Mighten
LF: Dennis, Surridge

Stranded and needing to find a new club: Colback, Cafu, Taylor.

For this season probably need to find another AM and forward - loans might do. Might want to send Mighten on loan too.

Big question mark is if we get relegated, who do/will we retain. I don't think players like Niakhate, Mangala, Freueler, Williams, Lingard, Johnson or Dennis will want to play a season in the Championship. Squad in the unfortunate relegation scenario going into summer transfer window would therefore be:

GK: Hennessey, Horvath
RCB: Worrall, Mbe Soh
CB: TBC?, Cook
LCB: McKenna, Panzo
RWB: Biancone, Laryea
RCM: Yates, Kouyate
LCM: O'Brien, TBC?
LWB: Richards, Toffolo
AM: TBC?, Aguilera
RF: Awoniyi, Mighten
LF: TBC?, Surridge

Pretty strong already that is, and we'd probably be in receipt of c.£50-100m for those players being sold, recouping lots of our outlay this year meaning a transfer budget which could be quite high still - maybe as high as the figure mentioned in this sentence. Would also have more flexible loan market to explore as well if wanted to go down that route.
 

Kjetil Osvold's Cat

Kingsley Black
If this came to fruition too (but Freuler is still finding a pen or something and will sign shortly also)


Maybe a 4-2-3-1?

Henderson; Williams, Worrall, Niakhate, Richards (eventuallly);
Yates, Sow (could change to Sow, Mangala if really going for it at some points?)
Johnson, Aouar, Lingard;
Dennis

Subs: Hennessey, McKenna, Biancone, Freuler, Mangala, O'Brien, Aguilera or Scarpa but until then Julian Larsson or someone?, Maupay, Awoniyi

Something like that?

Wouldn't rule out a winger or flexible attacking midfield/supporting forward being added too, plus a right and/or left full back/wing back though still, but we can still use loans obviously.

With 3 CBs I guess McKenna would be in, but difficult for Lingard and Aouar to be on the pitch at the same time?
The interesting thing is with none of those 3 (Sow, Aouar, Maupay) yet having come to fruition, we were on the verge of shelling out getting close to around 60 million (in pounds, or at least in Euros).

I think if Sow became available in January or something it'd probably be possible to structure a deal that comes out of next summer's budget mainly, so at this point I'd be very much in favour of using the money (or a high percentage of it) on Garner since he's become available.

It seems a bit uncertain whether Aouar is definitely going to say yes (with a slight possibility Forest/Cooper still prioritise MGW too even?). The Ukrainian Gheorghe Hagi (ok, not for general skills on the ball, agility etc, but maybe for the shooting at least by the looks of it!) might be going to Tottenham too then, even though they're not really playing a number 10 are they so it seems a bit curious, and for me it remains a shame we couldn't have loaned McAtee but it is what it is. If the 'new Zidane' French Bohinen.....erm 'Algerian' Raddy Majewski (I thought it was best not to mention Joao Carvalho even though I still say he was playing well for six months or so initially!) didn't come, and MGW is not realistic, then I'd still go back to my previous idea of Roland Sallai who I'd reckon might be gettable within the budget that was set to be spent, from Freiburg. He could be backup/alternative to Lingard in the system we're playing with currently, or in the team alongside him in the 4-2-3-1 (able to play on the right and left too) - I'm not going to ask for any commission if you go ahead and sign him Forest....although I guess it won't happen even if he plays in the Bundesliga!

I'm guessing in contrast to last season, with the squad filling up with quality options of similar standard, and varying attributes, even the starting/first choice line-up might be not be set in stone exactly, especially if we still did bring in 3 players this window (plus a wing-back or two on loan maybe?).

For the time being, with Toffolo in for Richards, and no Aguilera or Scarpa to factor in, maybe this would be the 4-2-3-1 line-up though, if adding in those two I mentioned but still assuming Maupay was to arrive (I mean if it was somehow possible to loan Morata as a striker or something I might prefer that leaving more money to spend up front elsewhere even if I guess he'd require a higher wage from Forest than Maupay would - maybe Maupay is more a Cooper type player though in terms of work-rate and game involvement?):
Henderson;
Williams, Worrall, Niakhate, Toffolo;
Yates, Garner;
Johnson, Lingard, Sallai;
Dennis

O'Brien could easily be in for either Yates (IMO at least, but since Cooper did play Mangala and O'Brien together I'm not sure why Garner and O'Brien wouldn't be an option necessarily) or Garner potentially, but even as a LB (left wing-back might seem more reasonable though, and with Toffolo having done as well as could be expected at both ends of the pitch vs West Ham it'd seem harsh to not pencil him in there at the moment, even though Niakhate at left back could be an option too I guess, meaning McKenna in alongside Worrall making sure not to play a high line - maybe McKenna alongside Niakhate is an option too though anyway - just seems obvious to include the captain and the one who has been lined up as the right centre back already).

Sallai's versatility could allow for a fluid 4-3-3 even at times:
Henderson;
Williams, Worrall, Niakhate, Toffolo;
Sallai, Yates/Garner, O'Brien/Garner;
Johnson/Dennis, Maupay, Dennis/Lingard


Maybe the 'Algerian' Majewski will still come though, and then it's back to the 4-2-3-1 in my other post, or alternating between him and Lingard in our current set-up I'd guess (until Aguilera, maybe Scarpa might join the fray too).
 
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TommyT

Jack Burkitt
Slap me for saying this...such is the weird world of being a Forest fan... but are we now a tad light in central defence?

Edit : One can only presume (which I have all along) that Mbe Soh is absolute mustard)
 

Omar Devone Little

Mr Realistic
Slap me for saying this...such is the weird world of being a Forest fan... but are we now a tad light in central defence?

Edit : One can only presume (which I have all along) that Mbe Soh is absolute mustard)
If he was he'd have featured more in the Championship, only 2 appearances last season and both were under Hughton. I don't recall too many bench appearances either, especially once we signed Cook.

He may turn out to be decent but at the moment he's arguably not at Championship level nevermind PL level. He desperately needs a loan as he's in danger of Panzo overtaking him in the pecking order once he's back if he's not already.

As for the defence, I agree. If McKenna had been sent off on Sunday we'd have really been struggling with the potential injury to Niakhate. Cook is an able deputy but do we really want to be relying on him week in week out in the top flight? I'm not so sure.

The jury is very much out on Biancone from what I've seen and I'm going to say it even though some won't like it, Worrall has struggled massively with the step up so far. Hopefully this is just an adjustment period.

There is no point buying MGW, Lingard, Awoniyi, Dennis etc etc if the defence is leaking like a sieve, they (and us) are really lucky to have Henderson who is absolutely class. One of the best keepers in the league for me.
 

Morpeth

John Robertson
Slap me for saying this...such is the weird world of being a Forest fan... but are we now a tad light in central defence?

Edit : One can only presume (which I have all along) that Mbe Soh is absolute mustard)
I had thought that but suspect that Kouyate will be cover there. That’s 7 centre halves which is more than enough (even allowing for Biancone to be RWB and Kouyate to be DM. Until January anyway.
 

TommyT

Jack Burkitt
If he was he'd have featured more in the Championship, only 2 appearances last season and both were under Hughton. I don't recall too many bench appearances either, especially once we signed Cook.

He may turn out to be decent but at the moment he's arguably not at Championship level nevermind PL level. He desperately needs a loan as he's in danger of Panzo overtaking him in the pecking order once he's back if he's not already.

As for the defence, I agree. If McKenna had been sent off on Sunday we'd have really been struggling with the potential injury to Niakhate. Cook is an able deputy but do we really want to be relying on him week in week out in the top flight? I'm not so sure.

The jury is very much out on Biancone from what I've seen and I'm going to say it even though some won't like it, Worrall has struggled massively with the step up so far. Hopefully this is just an adjustment period.

There is no point buying MGW, Lingard, Awoniyi, Dennis etc etc if the defence is leaking like a sieve, they (and us) are really lucky to have Henderson who is absolutely class. One of the best keepers in the league for me.

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just another thing on Kouyate is that he did play centre back multiple times at Palace over the last few seasons so good to know he can do a makeshift job there in the PL (More so than maybe Colback at LWB in the PL)
 
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