All About The Squad
This season of the English Premier League 2022/23 will not be like any other we have seen in the past due to the manner in how the matches have been scheduled. Forget the name players and super stars as the squad depth is going to be the biggest telling factor on who finishes in the top 4 at the end of the season.
This season the fixture list has been turned on it's head due to the World Cup kicking off on the 20th November and finishing with the final on the 18th December. Due to this the EPL started one week earlier and will stop on the 12th November. The 6 week break will then resume with matches on the 26th December and continue until match 38 on the 28th May.
More games being played by players condensed over shorter time periods is the perfect scenario for picking up more injuries. The league position will demand how the mangers manage the workloads which could backfire.
The Christmas rush will be as hectic as ever with Boxing day,31st December and 2nd January. 3 games in 7 days is a proper test of who is match fit. The schedule leading up to the World Cup will take no prisoners as October sees 6 Fixtures for each team excluding Carbaro Cup matches sandwiched in between.
We have seen how injuries affect the best with Liverpool missing 8 players currently and literally have no chance to cover all positions with the same talent that is missing. If one looks around at what each team has as it's squad depth removing 3 or 4 key players and they all look vulnerable.
source
Squad depths look fine until you start removing first team picks and all of a sudden the season can change very quickly.
The teams that don't have international players as key members of the team actually could do far better than most. If you look at Newcastle or Brentford they could shock a few along with Nottingham Forest. Will we see the top teams rotating their key players as this will be crucial to saving the squad from injury. I suppose results will determine how each team manages the work load of each player as everyone in the squad will have to pull their weight.
There is 1 week remaining in the transfer window and my thinking is the squads need more depth being added and not necessarily top names. Names that have proven their value who have no international commitments is what clubs should be looking for covering certain positions they are light on.
The Carbaro Cup games start tonight and I am sure many of the Premiership teams would like to skip this event this year as injuries to anyone in the squad will be on their minds. The FA CUP at least kicks off for the Premier League teams only on the 7Th January next year which is not an added pressure until then.
The fancied top 6 may not be what we expect when we watch the matches being played on the 28th May next year as this is going to require a lot of luck. We have seen how competitive the League is after only 3 matches with a few major upsets and nothing going to script.
The other difference that we have forgotten is the allowing of the referees allowing the players to contest for 50/50 balls and letting the play continue. This is a contact sport after all and over the last decade one could have questioned how much contact was actually happening as it was all play acting. Whoever wins the League this season would have managed their squad the best as it is going to take far more than seasons before.
And many upsets, such as the Man UTD-Liverpool results can be expected. I don't think that any team is untouchable thus far, but it is early days.
Laughed when United won as that should stop any changes happening and another season will be wasted in rebuilding and fixing things. This season is wide open and expect more upsets this weekend. Liverpool are missing so many players currently so this was not part of their plan.
Hahaha, yes it was indeed a big surprise. I don't think Arsenal will stay up there for long, but if they can keep it together, who knows. The thing that I like for a change is that the normal big names are not up there as usual. So you are right, it is going to be a topsy turvy season.
Good night mate and I leave you with a !BEER
View or trade
BEER.Hey @cryptoandcoffee, here is a little bit of
BEERfrom @papilloncharity for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER.When you look at the way the likes of Leeds and Man Utd won this weekend, you’ve got to wonder if those styles of play are going to be sustainable game in game out really from now on. Some teams are going to play 3 games in 6 days next week. Squad depth will be important but so will tactics and the ability to keep the ball
We know they aren't as something is going to break and it will be the players. Leeds will try and do a Brighton and bank as many points as quickly as possible making them safe. I am amazed each year how they are doing so well at the mid way point.
I think that’s a psychological thing as well for some of those smaller clubs where the ultimate aim is to survive. Once they reach that point then they tend to lose focus and aren’t able to push on.
I remember Charlton during their time in the Premier League had that exact problem. They’d get to 40 points with maybe 8 - 10 games left and then just act as though it was already the summer break! They never finished higher than 7th when they won 53 points
I still cannot fathom that Qatar gets a World Cup considering the impact it has on the biggest league on the world. Rant over now, there is the "winter break" in the Bundesliga as an example where there is a midway break point in a major league. Even then, it's only 2-and-a-half week break.
Following the World Cup and as you suggested, it will be whoever manages the squad the best and will rely on a really deep talented squad and some luck with young homegrown talent.
EPL is very stout a league, compared to the Spaniard divisions. Even mediocre teams throw challenges that seems as very tough for the famous teams to prove their worth. In recent times, my little view over the Liverpool team made me think that, its all about think subtle change in tactics and the formation, the squad set -up could be handy on average basis, which results in to win the league trophy.
Thats a big deal!
I share the opinion that the major team in the English Premier League will be greatly affected by the pressure of the matches and the resulting injuries that will greatly affect the league and Champions League competitions.
Since covid, all the seasons have been congested, and this seems like the worst one yet. Now I see why teams are buying more players, even some that don't look necessary. It'll be interesting to see how the season pans out
It will be interesting this season as teams are purchasing players as cover just in case of injuries.
I think the Premier League was always about the most constant team trough out the season. Nowadays you will need at least 18-20 high level players to be able to compete in the top 4. With this being said, I can see some outleirs if they are luck enough to not have many games (being out of the cups early) and not having a lot of itnernational-squad players.
This season will be very itneresting due to the WC in the middle of the season. Let's see how this turns out :D
Yes there are going to be a couple of teams who sneak up into the top half that we wouldn't normally expect. Luck will play a huge part along with no international players and no injuries or a few.
100% that's what it will come down to and I don't think City will run away with it. I reckon it'll be close at the top with plenty of twists n turns..
Definitely twists and turns as every team will have a bad patch to overcome that will test them.