Vanarama squad sizes.

[Grimboslice]

Just wondering how you LLM managers manage your squad sizes? Do you stick with 2 players per position or use up your full limit?

[Atarin]

It depends. I tend to have two or three for every position for pre-season but a lot of them will be made up of trialists. When the season starts I usually like to have a fairly settled first XI and then six to eight players bench/rotation options. Generally I'd want most areas covered on my bench, so there'd some versatile players there. How I like my jack-of-all-trades to balance out very much depends on my system. At the moment I'm playing a 4-1-2-3/4-1-4-1 and I like to have a fullback who can play left and right, A centre back, a more defensive cm, a more creative CM, A winger who can cover left or right and a centre forward. I usually look for either my CB or my more defensive CM to also cover DM. Its a bonus if there are even more combinations. Any areas that aren't covered are then added as extra cover. In general I like to have three centre forward for a 1 striker system with the third being someone happy to not play. If I can add a third keeper I will but its bottom of my list of priorities.

So as a more visual demonstration I generally look for the following at Level 9 of the English pyramid (you can apply it higher up as well)

GK x2
CB x3
RB x1
LB x1
RB/LB x1
DM x1
CM (def) x2
CM (att)  x2
RW x1
LW x1
RW/LW x1
CF x3

So 18. I generally like a squad on the smaller size to avoid wage bloat and unhappy players. If I need reinforcements there's always the option of loaning in youth players from bigger clubs on short term deals or scouring players out of work or on non-contract. I try to keep a balance of about 18 though. If I need to bring someone else in for whatever reason I tend to like to move my most peripheral player out.

[Grimboslice]

Ah right, that’s an interesting way of doing things I’d be worried with just having the 1 player to cover CB and RB/LB RW/LW but if it works it works I guess.

 

Thanks for the insight. 

[Atarin]

It really relates to budget. Quite often if I'm managing in the Conference North I'll have a squad of 25. An established first XI, five or six senior rotation options and the rest made up of youngsters with the aim of having two players for every position but that means less wages for every player because my budget is spread more thinly.

[Snorks]

I would be driven by budget when it comes to  squad size at any level.

Ideally, two player per position - so a squad of 22-24 - and about the same in the u23s so there is a third-choice in each position. In reality, some of the first-team squad have to cover more than one role/position.

I only spend money on first-team starting players, backup, rotation and lower all come in on free transfers or through the youth system.

[Grimboslice]

Thanks guys.

[Hootieleece]

At whatever level I am managing at I try for the 2 per position and 1-3 extra. I use the idea of the 23 man roster as a base,(Since it is used for World Cup) I always like have a few extra players because someone is out injured. I also rotate a lot so no one really gets pissed about playing time. I am careful to have no more the 3-4 Key players per team and no more than 6-8 First teamers by contract. The rest get rotation at best contracts. That is the best way to keep them from whining about playing time, but then you get them whining for new contracts which is where you need a great Captain with high leadership (that loves you) to talk them out of it.