Our squad - good enough or not?

[enigmamedusa]

There seems to be quite a few people who think that AI should be replaced. Partly due to the 'HMS wee wee the league' taking on an awful lot of water, partly due to certain results where we've simply been outplayed and partly due to his style of play/tactics.

At the same time there are plenty of people saying we are not good enough in certain positions. Central defence? Full-backs? Central midfield? Wingers (Teale is probably a cert for a place, but is JJ a winger or a striker or too inconsistent for either).

MM has announced that we are looking to make signings. Instantly, we can make a good guess of what positions we need.

So trying to put personal feelings to one side, where does our main issues stem from? From a squad under performing due to a manager under performing, or is it that we on the whole we like our players and are over-rating our squad with our high expectations?

[Wednesday-Wonderland]

I'd replace Spurr, Purse, Beevers, JOC, Potter. Need a striker to fill Tudgay's place and get in a left winger so that Teale can start playing on the right.

[JoshTheOwl]

I don't think teale will suit right wing. He relies to much on cutting in.

[Wednesday-Wonderland]

I don't think teale will suit right wing. He relies to much on cutting in.

Hasn't he played on the right his whole career?

[Goatboy]

There seems to be quite a few people who think that AI should be replaced. Partly due to the 'HMS wee wee the league' taking on an awful lot of water, partly due to certain results where we've simply been outplayed and partly due to his style of play/tactics.

At the same time there are plenty of people saying we are not good enough in certain positions. Central defence? Full-backs? Central midfield? Wingers (Teale is probably a cert for a place, but is JJ a winger or a striker or too inconsistent for either).

MM has announced that we are looking to make signings. Instantly, we can make a good guess of what positions we need.

So trying to put personal feelings to one side, where does our main issues stem from? From a squad under performing due to a manager under performing, or is it that we on the whole we like our players and are over-rating our squad with our high expectations?

Are our expectations too high?

It seems like most of the opposition managers that come to Hillsborough comment on how good our squad is for the division. So it's not just the fans. There are certain players who aren't producing the goods. Is that because they are under-performing or just not good enough? Maybe a bit of both?

End of the day, I expect us to win promotion this season and anything short isn't good enough from the Manager or the players IMO

[JoshTheOwl]

Hasn't he played on the right his whole career?

Haven't got a clue mate, I saw him play on the right once against us when he was at derby.

I just get the impression that his main asset is to cut in and let the LB overlap.

[FAT OWL]

I'd replace Spurr, Purse, Beevers, JOC, Potter. Need a striker to fill Tudgay's place and get in a left winger so that Teale can start playing on the right.

Sounds pretty reasonable to me

[enigmamedusa]

I'd replace Spurr, Purse, Beevers, JOC, Potter. Need a striker to fill Tudgay's place and get in a left winger so that Teale can start playing on the right.

How many of the replacements would be in the first team though?

I'm only playing devil's advocate but if we need say, 4 first team players replaced, is our squad as good as we think it is?

Edited January 6, 2011 by enigmamedusa

[swfcGibbo]

I like Teale but we need further options because i think at 32 he's not effective over every game and tires easily. Problem is at the moment we don't have a plan B.

Having another winger would allow us to have Teale or Johnson as an impact player from the bench and that would be an asset to any team.

People are missing the point with all these signings. We have older senior players who's contracts are up in the summer. For the sake of extra wages for 4 months you might as well get the players you want now, get out of the league and then release the senior players in the summer. Mandaric knows he'll be losing 16k a weeks worth of wages from O'Connor,Purse and Miller alone.

This is the way i see it going anyhow.

[Guest Bournemouth Owl]

Our problem is centre Midfield, it has no bite and it creates very little for our forwards, get that right this month and we will go up easy, but the real building starts when we go up to the championship.

[Wednesday-Wonderland]

How many of the replacements would be in the first team though?

I'm only playing devil's advocate but if we need say, 4 first team players replaced, is our squad as good as we think it is?

Well if it was upto me Spurr isn't a first teamer, I'd start Jones at LB every game. Beevers I'd probably keep unless we get an offer we can't refuse, let's just see how he develops in the next few years (if at all). Potter and JOC should also never be near the first team in my eyes, Coke and Miller every time.

[Guest Distraught!]

It depends on whether you see signing young players as a necessity for now or investment for the future. If promising young players are available at the right price, it is surely a good policy to sign them and develop them. The future is more than the next six months.

[Rogers]

There seems to be quite a few people who think that AI should be replaced. Partly due to the 'HMS wee wee the league' taking on an awful lot of water, partly due to certain results where we've simply been outplayed and partly due to his style of play/tactics.

At the same time there are plenty of people saying we are not good enough in certain positions. Central defence? Full-backs? Central midfield? Wingers (Teale is probably a cert for a place, but is JJ a winger or a striker or too inconsistent for either).

MM has announced that we are looking to make signings. Instantly, we can make a good guess of what positions we need.

So trying to put personal feelings to one side, where does our main issues stem from? From a squad under performing due to a manager under performing, or is it that we on the whole we like our players and are over-rating our squad with our high expectations?

It's currently not in the top 3 squads in league 1. So it needs to be improved. Central Midfielder and full backs required initially. JJ is inconsistant - if Forest wanted to pay 300 - 400K for him, could be replace him with someone more effective. Probably.

[Guest Bournemouth Owl]

Beckham is free, it could be you know?

[jonnyowl]

I'd replace Spurr, Purse, Beevers, JOC, Potter. Need a striker to fill Tudgay's place and get in a left winger so that Teale can start playing on the right.

Or get a natural LB and use Jones there! I think a left winger would be 10 th on the list of priorities!

[The Batman]

Well if it was upto me Spurr isn't a first teamer, I'd start Jones at LB every game. Beevers I'd probably keep unless we get an offer we can't refuse, let's just see how he develops in the next few years (if at all). Potter and JOC should also never be near the first team in my eyes, Coke and Miller every time.

Totally agree.

One of our biggest problems is bar Miller, Teale & Coke we have a seriously poo poo midfield. It lacks creativity and "no bite" is the term people keep using. Mind you JOC offers "bite" but very little else!

If Coke & Miller had been available together for more games would that've made a difference? What about Buxton in defence? As few as 5 more points and we'd be in the top 2 right now.

There is a fine line between what us fans perceive as success or failure.

I think Milan stating he's making 6 signings indicates he thinks the squad isn't as strong as some seem to think it is.

We have players at a good age like Spurr, Jones, Semi & Beevers at the back for example so bringing in another 3 young defenders is not just about their future potential or resale value, IMO they'll go straight into the team because MM & AI feel they're needed.

[Guest bigblue]

I'd replace Spurr, Purse, Beevers, JOC, Potter. Need a striker to fill Tudgay's place and get in a left winger so that Teale can start playing on the right.

This (ish).

Spurr has been replaced by Jones, Irvine just keeps forgetting to tell them both

We only really need 1 central midfielder - to play alongside Coke

We could do with a right back though. I prefer Buxton at CB personally

Definitely agree with bringing a left winger in so Teale can play on the right

[enigmamedusa]

Totally agree.

One of our biggest problems is bar Miller, Teale & Coke we have a seriously poo poo midfield. It lacks creativity and "no bite" is the term people keep using. Mind you JOC offers "bite" but very little else!

If Coke & Miller had been available together for more games would that've made a difference? What about Buxton in defence? As few as 5 more points and we'd be in the top 2 right now.

There is a fine line between what us fans perceive as success or failure.

I think Milan stating he's making 6 signings indicates he thinks the squad isn't as strong as some seem to think it is.

We have players at a good age like Spurr, Jones, Semi & Beevers at the back for example so bringing in another 3 young defenders is not just about their future potential or resale value, IMO they'll go straight into the team because MM & AI feel they're needed.

This is what I am starting to think. It seems strange for MM to splash the cash on players if he thinks the manager is under performing., he must think it's a squad issue. So now I've started to doubt my own expectations based on our squad.

Edited January 6, 2011 by enigmamedusa

[Guest Bournemouth Owl]

Apparently M M and Irvine went through all the players on who was good enough for the championship, They had everyones name on a piece of paper and crossed the names out one by one. By the time they had done there was only Irvine's name left on the top of the piece of paper who hadnt been crossed out, but M M had put a question mark against it.

[davey_wells]

I think we've been found out a bit in key areas because of a combination of unfortunate injuries and players simply not being up to scratch.

Weaver

Jameson

Buxton

Otsemobor

Hinds

Spurr

Jones

Purse

Beevers

R.Johnson

M.Morrison

J.Johnson

Sedgwick

Miller

Coke

Teale

JOC

Potter

Palmer

Mellor

C.Morrison

Heffernan

Take out the players in bold, who are either recently missing through injury, are new, unused players or practically a youth teamers are we're left with a fairly threadbare (and not particularly great) squad.

Given that the injured players (Buxton / Coke) are also unfortunately the ones who can play multiple positions, I can see why we need to strengthen to this extent.