Taylor discusses squad building for competing on multiple fronts

Manchester City F.C.

·31 August 2024

Taylor discusses squad building for competing on multiple fronts

Gareth Taylor says he is comfortable that his squad can stand up to the rigours of gruelling campaign.

City are currently in Australia for the Perth International Cup, with a final against Paris Saint-Germain to come on Sunday.

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To reach the final, City overcame Leicester City on penalties on Wednesday night, while PSG got beyond West Ham on Thursday.

In our semi-final, Taylor elected to use 21 of the 23 players in Australia, with only Academy prospect Lily Murphy and Laia Aleixandri, who only joined the group on Monday after the Olympics, sitting it out.

More on our Australia Tour

With several senior stars also working towards full fitness back in Manchester, Taylor believes he has a talented squad that could cope with playing more than once a week.

City will this season play Champions League qualifiers, as well as chasing trophies domestically in the Barclays Women’s Super, FA Cup and League Cup.

With strength in depth comes competition for places and the boss says he is keeping an eye on the star performers during this week’s pre-season clashes.

“What we’re hoping to do this season is go into multiple game weeks where we understand that it’s really difficult to have the same team,” said Taylor in his pre-match interview.

“It’s pretty much impossible, so we have to have a number of options.

“Of course in pre-season, you’re always looking at individual performances, team “performances, cohesion between certain units.

“We’re watching those things all of the time.

“Sometimes things change when you want to make a selection and something, maybe an injury, doesn’t allow you to go that way but we’re comfortable with the squad we have so far and the new players are settling in really well.”

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With that in mind, Taylor says every player on the trip is available to face the French giants at HBF Park, but that the backroom staff are keeping a close eye on how many minutes each player needs.

“I think there are a couple of players who are load compromised and we have to make sure we manage them in the right way,” he stated.

“We’ve had good training numbers, which has allowed us to do a number of different things out here in Perth.

“It’s allowed us to be together, to collaborate, rather than be out the door in the afternoon. It’s a good opportunity to get to know each other really well, staff and players, and this is a really good environment for us to have our pre-season in.”

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Taylor was in attendance on Thursday night to see PSG defeat West Ham and knows the test last year’s Premiere Ligue runners-up and Coupe de France winners will provide.

“They were the slightly better team on the night,” he said when asked to give the lowdown on our opponents.

“They built up in various formations, they’re a decent team with decent individuals and they are similar to us in their own domestic league, fighting to be in the Champions League.

“They have had to qualify twice in the last two seasons and they got to the semi-finals, which tells you everything about the qualification process and the amount of teams that are in there. They’re always pushing Lyon for the titles.

“They’re similar to us with where they’re at in pre-season, with French players being at the Olympics, so it will be an interesting game tomorrow.”