How many players do you guys have?

[LetsNotScoreGoals]

I typically have 22 players, first 11 plus another 11 players who can directly replace and are really good. I play in Italy where matches are super congested, although I also had the same struggles in England where I did the same.

I'm wondering if this is the norm? Feels weird to bench a wonderkid every other game just to get that sweet 95% match condition. And also to completely rotate the entire roster. At the same time, every time I start a game the squad seems ridiculously larger. I started with Palermo and they had like close to 30 players?

I haven't really had complains about playing time, and the odd player that does complain I'll just field for a period until he stops whining.

[Dagenham_Dave]

Usually between 25-28 players. I like to have three players for every position, but a 33-man squad would be difficult to balance, so I usually have a first XI, a backup XI, then around 4-5 younger players who can play in multiple positions. It's not always possible to have that type of squad but it's what I try to aim for. The important thing is making sure when signing players to give them a realistic squad status. I've fallen into the trap before of promising game time to players just so they will sign and then not play them as much. Rarely ends well...

[LetsNotScoreGoals]

4 minutes ago, Dagenham_Dave said:

Usually between 25-28 players. I like to have three players for every position, but a 33-man squad would be difficult to balance, so I usually have a first XI, a backup XI, then around 4-5 younger players who can play in multiple positions. It's not always possible to have that type of squad but it's what I try to aim for. The important thing is making sure when signing players to give them a realistic squad status. I've fallen into the trap before of promising game time to players just so they will sign and then not play them as much. Rarely ends well...

Wow I'm sweating thinking about 28 players! I don't like having youths hanging around, I like to play them right away... I've personally never fiddled with the squad status haha it hasn't given me any trouble so I never bothered learning about it :P Are your youths OK with being benched? Do their potential/stats drop after years of being benched?

[Touristas3]

I line up in a 442 formation so i must have

3 GKs

5 CBs

6 FBs

5 CMds

6 WMds

5 CFs

30 players in total

First and second XI are fairly equal  and there are 8 youngsters with first team potential

i can rotate or not worry about any injury crisis

[99]

My max is 27, 28 players... Two 11s ready to play plus the best, most promising youngsters.

But this is one area that I spend more time trying to find the best way to manage... because at each pre-season I promote "all" the most promising youngsters and end up having squads of 40+ players haha...

[ferrarinseb]

First 11 to play 4-1-2-3. With 7 subs to be reserves. My first 11 will have composition of 4 important players with 4 or 5 regular starters. With other 2 or 3 will be key players. 

Then the second one will come to play depend on how they fit than my prefered 4-1-2-3. With 6 will be squad players with gk being backup. The 6 will be players who can play multiple positions. 

The other will be depended up on who is best youth prospects in the club to play with training. These will be training with first team but play most of u23 matches. I keep them to 7 at max to get to 25 squad. If any youth player is turning to be good then I will sell the rotational player to replace him. If he turns out to be starter then he will replace the starter who will be sold or he will be on loan to play first team. 

Some times this works , some times it doesn't but this is how I keep the team to make sure that players doesn't get into way of good ones. If I can't get the player to follow this then I will either not buy him or sell him if he is my player. 

[Phillybear]

I have 22 for first team in which team A and team B rotate every match or so.

Reserve team is composed of U21. This team would have 11 wonderkids, some from academy, some loaned from other clubs. With max training facility, they develop pretty well over the season, and usually reach first team level the next season.

[ajt]

First 11 of the best players I can scramble together, followed by some decent subs. Usually 20 players max in the first team squad.

I currently play 4-2-3-1, so I like to have multiple players that can play AML/AMC/AMR, to provide depth that way. Same with the LB/RB, I have one player that can play both, so he is my backup. I find keeping the squad as small as possible helps stop the players complaining.

Sadly in my current save I don't really have the finances to buy anyone anyway, so my team is pretty dire.. 

[Marko1989]

24 always. Starting 11 + 11 backups for the first team + 2 more players, one that can play everything in defence and one that can play almost everything in the midfield in case that first player and the backup are both injured.

[Draakon]

Max 25 in total. I usually start my season with 20-22 players and add youngsters as they develop. 

Edited October 10, 2020 by Draakon

[FrazT]

23-25.  2 players for each position and 2/3 that can play in multiple positions.  I rotate heavily so in a 60 game season, the top players will play about 45 games and the least used will play about 15-20.  Never had more than 2 GKs but will give them both game time over the season- say 40-20

[tyro]

25. 2 per position and some jokers as there will always be someone injured.