We have a big squad now, but we have also had big squads before. We have been overloaded in certain areas and very short in others. Imbalanced.
You'd have to say this is a very balanced looking squad - we have (at least) two specialists for every position, enabling us to field two XIs without losing balance or shape.
In addition to that we also have a quite versatile bunch. Below is a list of players we could field in each position, if we had a major crisis in any of them:
GOALKEEPER
Lloris
Friedel
Gomes
CENTRE BACK (TWO POSITIONS)
Dawson
Vertonghen
Kaboul
Chiriches
Capoue
Fryers
RIGHT BACK
Walker
Naughton
Kaboul
Chiriches
LEFT BACK
Rose
Fryers
Naughton
Vertonghen
CENTRE MIDFIELD (TWO POSITIONS)
Paulinho
Dembele
Sandro
Capoue
Holtby
Eriksen
Siggy
ATTACKING MIDFIELD / #10
Eriksen
Siggy
Holtby
Lamela
Paulinho
Dembele
Chadli
LEFT MIDFIELD / FORWARD
Townsend
Chadli
Lamela
Lennon
Siggy
Holtby
RIGHT MIDFIELD / FORWARD
Townsend
Chadli
Lamela
Lennon
STRIKER
Soldado
Defoe
Ade
The VERSATILE squad
posted on 26/9/13
Its so much more cohesive than any squad we've had before and not the disjointed mass of players that we've had in the past.
By taking the cups seriously we've seen that a lot of players on the fringe of the first team have been able to step in and do a job - essential for when injuries occur.
As a result we are begining to see a team that is growing and developing together as more players are able to get their share of game time. Too often in the past we've relied on the same 11-15 players and then when injuries have occured we've looked in trouble either because we didnt have the quality to fill the posistions or that when the players were called on they took a while to slot into the team.
In addition to the list above, we've still got emerging youth prospects in the likes of Carrol, Lancaster etc. So the future looks bright.
posted on 26/9/13
By taking the cups seriously we've seen that a lot of players on the fringe of the first team have been able to step in and do a job - essential for when injuries occur.
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See i'd take issue with 'taking the cups seriously'
We made 8 changes for Tuesday, and probably would have made 11 if it wasn't for injuries.
It's not a case of taking them any more seriously, it's just that even with 8 changes and several injuries we have quality and balance and aren't a mish-mash of players
posted on 26/9/13
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