02 Mar 2026 06:07:40
These are all players who I don't think we should be starting or playing significant mins for a team looking to finish top 4/5 in the EPL.
Sanchez
Jorgenson
Tosin
Badiashile
Chalobah
Sarr
Hato
Neto
Garnacho
Gittens
Delap
Guiu
I'm sure some will disagree with some of the players, lots think Neto has been on of our best players, which is a concern when you look at his end product across the season. For me it highlights the clear clack of depth pretty much everywhere, except RB and CM, and shows how poor the general squad building has been. We're over reliant on Caicedo, Enzo and Palmer being above the required level and carrying the rest through a season. The cracks in that have (see Palmer's injuries this season) or are (Caicedo's drop in form) starting to show.
02 Mar 2026 08:34:55
J, any list I put out would change from game to game.
I think Chalobah has been our most consistent defender this season, and deserves to be in the squad, but I wouldn't say he is top class. I think Hato will prove to be a smart buy, and I can see his progression this season.
I didn't want us to sign Delap, but to my eyes he has improved as the season has gone on. Gittens has disappointed me so far, but he is a good player. Sarr, to me, looks like a good player.
02 Mar 2026 10:18:09
If you ever reread your list in 5 years' time, there will be a couple in there that will be really good.
Hato and Sarr in particular look like top players of the future to me.
02 Mar 2026 10:27:34
So you would play young Teddy in goal for the rest of the season? Who plays at centre back if Josh or Fofana are injured? Who plays up front if Joao Pedro is injured? Surely, it is best to wait until the summer before moving that lot into your bomb squad?
02 Mar 2026 10:28:50
I also think Chalobah has generally been v good for us this season, and he was, for me, in the running for our MoM yesterday. So I would definitely want to keep him.
I also think that, despite his brain freeze yesterday, Neto has been generally impressive this season, though perhaps in comparison with other options on the left side wing attack. Gittens is well below the required standard - so far at least at CFC - and also not enough from Garnacho.
Jury still out on Hato and Sarr, perhaps, but I think both could be v good players in time. The same might be said for Delap, but he needs to improve a heck of a lot too. I haven't seen enough of Guiu to judge the lad!
We do need a GK upgrade. We must hope that we can improve, particularly the left wing side attack and striker support, and must hope that Ermegha can keep fit when he arrives, and/or we may need another option if Delap does not improve.
Must also hope that Lavia can keep fit for the majority of a season! Our midfield options are pretty darn good, if.
But a major part of the problem for whoever was/is head coach this season is that the SDs have been planning (with their buy young with great potential policy) for the future - perhaps 2030? - not for success in terms of a serious EPL challenge now. They did not, last summer window, provide sufficient quality cover at left CB, or indeed for Cucurella at LWB, given Hato's lack of EPL experience coming from a far weaker Dutch league - though there have been flashes of a v good player in him, and he may yet star for us as Tom believes he will, and may be right to do so. I can also see something of the same in Sarr, who has had to adapt having come back from a Strasbourg French league loan.
02 Mar 2026 10:54:38
J, I would be hoping for a squad and coach that can actually challenge for the title. A few months back, I posted a list of 7 players who I believe give us the foundation of a top class squad: nothing has changed. As for your list, I can't make a strong argument for any of them.