Refreshing the Squad

You rejoin me in 2037, calmly navigating a period of transition from one great team to the next. Declan Rice retired last summer, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Jurriën Timber have entered the ‘last dance’ era of their careers, and a new generation is emerging.

This is a follow up to my previous post - Succession Planning - which described the process of replacing club legends like Declan Rice and planning ahead for the next generation.

This post provides a case study for my Structured Squad Rotation and introduces the next generation, where they have come from, and how they have developed.

Structured Squad Rotation has been the foundation of the success throughout my career so far; managing game time to maximise elite players in their prime, youth development, and extend elite-level performance beyond typical prime years.

The principles of Structured Squad Rotation have remained consistent throughout.

Over recent years, we have maintained a slightly larger squad - 18 outfield players playing 2,000+ minutes - due to limiting older key players to ~3,000 minutes in order to extend elite-level performace as long as possible, which therefore results in more game time for a greater younger players.

We maintain a consistent tactical approach; positive, proactive football, pressing intensely, and controlled possession, tapered with a degree of freedom and transitional threat.

The main change since the Declan Rice retirement is shifting from a double pivot in midfield to two ‘Number 10s’, in order to accommodate an additional attacking profile.

Guns blazing. Seven players with over 100 international caps. Three multiple-time Balon d’Or winners.

Epitomy of a Rolls Royce defender; quick, powerful, intelligent, and technically secure. Displaced Jorrel Hato as William Saliba’s centre back partner, and long-term replacement.

Scouting on this one was not complicated; if a 17-year old breaks into Ajax team, you sign him. That’s more or less it.

Carlos Nkoumo is the next iteration of the hybrid fullback; a fullback comfortable overlapping, inverting into midfield, or tucking into a back line.

Fairly big money for an 18-year old, but Carlos Nkoumo broke through in a struggling Valencia side and offered a complete, tactically flexible profile.

Gradually took over from Carlos Baleba over the last few years and exploded over the last season or so.

Ékené signed as a striker and retrained as a winger in order to find game-time away from our competitive Centre Forward spot. Played predominantly on the left wing for his first few seasons, and shifted to the right after Théo Léon joined.

End result is a versatile two-way winger who plays on either flank or up front.

Joined directly from Right2Win Academy after playing alongside Daniel Daga for Nigeria and evolved into an extremely useful, versatile profile.

Clearly the most talented young player in the squad; Bukayo Saka heir.

In the long-run Léon is clearly a striker, but he is bedding in on the left wing due to broader squad dynamics.

Primed to explode after a big money move.

Full throttle. Virtually the same team, with just Keïta coming in for Ékené.

Ibrahima Keïta is another two-way winger; either foot, either flank. In case it’s not clear, this is a profile I really value as it’s so tactically versatile.

Keïta broke through at Toulouse, scoring 18 goals in his debut season, so it wasn’t rocket science to snap him up.

Now we bring in the squad and alternate key players: Myles, Nwaneri, Dowman, and Léon.

Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Jurriën Timber sit out to save themselves for the biggest games against the toughest opposition.

Amadou Diakhaté is an elite ‘Wide Centre Back’ type fullback who can do a job at Centre Back, Inverted Wingback, or traditional Wingback.

Another French import; breakthrough season in France, signed early, given time to play and develop.

Raw but powerful and abundantly talented Centre Back profile. Potential partner for Sjors Thijssen when William Saliba retires.

First Hale End product to consistently establish themself in Arsenal first team since Dowman.

Uche Emenike is a powerful wide centre back or inverted wingback profile; currently under-study to Jurriën Timber and likely successor.

Another Hale End academy product.

Jayden Roberts is another hybrid wingback profile; seems capable of inverting, overlapping, or tucking in.

Newest addition to the squad, signed after breakthrough season at West Ham and already on the fringes of the England squad.

Similar team, with Léon replacing Nwaneri and getting some game time up front, Dowman in for Myles, and Keïta interchanging with Ékené.

Complete squad rotation with all key players sitting out to manage minutes and focus on the bigger prizes.

During the first few seasons, my plan was to rely predominantly on academy graduates, but unfortunately the quality in each intake was simply not possible.

A handful of academy graduates are making careers for themselves in the Premier League, but not at the level the squad requires. In fact, it was 9-years between Max Dowman (obviously not a newgen anyway) and Uche Emenike as the first academy product to reach the squad.

By far our most successful recruitment method has been signing players immediately after their breakthrough season and then allowing them to integrate with 2,000-3,000 minutes per season to develop.

Spurs enjoyed another afternoon at Hale End Stadium joining us celebrating another Premier League crown in front of a bumper 111,182 crowd.

We regained the Champions League after a blip last season.

..and the squad players enjoyed a summer Club World Cup, getting a bit of extra game-time and experience.

Thank you very much - as always - for reading and supporting my writing. I hope you enjoyed and found some inspiration for your own saves!

Until next time.