A new season is supposed to bring a fresh slate, but the injury bug had other plans. With Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram both out until 2027, Kenan Yıldız likely out until November or December, and Jérémie Boga out for at least a month — on top of various smaller injuries around the team — the depth chart is being tested before autumn even arrives. It is a grueling start to a long campaign, forcing us to lean heavily on squad depth before the season has even found its rhythm.
The most glaring
headache sits on the left flank. Losing both your primary choice and primary backup in the same position leaves a massive tactical vacuum. Do you rely on the 18-year-old you signed to be a rotation piece or do you continue easing him in by playing other attackers out of position? Every option comes with a tradeoff, especially while trying to integrate new arrivals upfront who are still adjusting to the movement and demands of the side.
Central midfield offers no easy answers, either. Without Locatelli, Thuram, McKennie, or Sarr, protecting the backline becomes a delicate balancing act — particularly when neither of the two healthy midfielders is naturally a defensive player. Overworking the few healthy options risks escalating small niggles into long-term absences, but rotating too heavily threatens to destroy team cohesion when points are most critical.
Navigating a stretched squad is where tactical flexibility becomes a necessity rather than a luxury. When options are limited, every selection is a compromise between individual talent and structural stability. Do you shift to a back three to cover a thin midfield? Do you pack the center and rely on overlapping wingbacks, or keep the existing structure and ask bench options to step into unfamiliar roles?
If you were sitting in Luciano Spalletti’s chair today, how would you configure this side to weather the storm over the next few weeks?
