What a season. Hopefully same again next season. Fingers crossed
I do hope soā¦I donāt like all this changeā¦it worries me that new players need time to integrate and will they fit inā¦I know I sound like an old ladyā¦well I suppose this is trueā¦but it does unsettle meā¦
For me, it feels like a new series of your favourite TV show when there are a load of new cast members and you wonder how they are going to fit in.
As long as the opening scene isnāt Roy Hodgson emerging from a shower, declaring that the last 15 seasons were all a dream, I think we will be fine.
Mods, do something about this. Thereās no need for this sort of imagery on here
So far weāre yet to sell much of last seasonās starting eleven, or the immediate core around it, so i dont think we are forced to play the new players from day one if they dont appear to be ready.
That may change of course over the summer
There has been significant turnover in the coaching stuff too.
I wonāt be surprised if there are some hiccups, at least in the beginning of the season.
That looks about right, or possibly the same back 7 then Mo and Wirtz in a 2 behind a new striker? With the width coming from the fullbacks who will bomb forward, and as they do, Grav will tuck in to give us three at the back.
It is going to be a heck of a season.
I think it goes without saying that this preseason will be unlike others.
They are meant to starting on Tuesday, but I suspect Slot will just want to get them together and make sure they have whatever support they need.
I can imagine a football squad operates well as a support network, but for most of the lads this will be the first time that one of their friends and contemporaries has died.
No doubt the club will ensure that there is counselling for whoever needs it, but itās going to be an odd few games for everyone.
I know weāve said it in Jest but this is probably Arne Slotās biggest test.
The first group of Arne Slotās squad were scheduled to attend the clubās AXA training complex on Friday for the opening round of physical tests after their summer break.
However, the PA news agency understands that has been postponed.
Totally understandable. A lot of the lads are in Portugal for the ceremony. They need time to process all of this, and the actual training will probably start sometime next week.
Sparing a moments thoughts for all those at the club having to park their grieving and sadness to have the kind of practical discussions that have to follow things like this.
There are the public and immediate things like how it changes pre-season plans, transfer business and ensuring players and staff have the support they need.
But there will be loads of smaller but no less uncomfortable conversations too. Do you remove him from any of the kit launch materials already produced? When do you remove related merch from stores, take his profile off the website, remove things from lockers? What do you do with his space in the changing rooms?
All these discussions will have to be had and handled with the utmost care to ensure things are done the right way. Itās incredibly tough on all those involved because it requires emotions to be set aside at a time when things are still very raw.
I think the best thing for them is to get them together and get them doing something together. The emotional support network will flow from that.
I suspect that there are a few transfers incoming and outgoing in the next few days, so that will have to be handled tactfully as well.
Itās also going to an incredibly weird start for the likes of Wirtz, Kerkez, Frimpong and Mamardashvili. New lads coming into the dressing room for the first time, keen to get to know new teammates and stuck into pre-season ready to make their mark.
Will be hard for them coming in under these circumstances. Ultimately life goes on and everyone will eventually go back to business as usual but the first couple weeks will be hard, then again when we reach that first game of the season.
Itās going really hard for Kerkez and Mara.
At least Frimpong has those friendship groups from the national team and he has Wirtz as does Wirtz.
Kerkez has Szoboszlai to help.
Ah yeah I forgot that connection.