Younger, more dynamic squad

[striker]

It occurred to me after Saturday that this promise was one of my main reasons for optimism this season.

 

Having watched the team struggle to play two games in a week while maintaining any sort of tempo or energy to close down the opposition, got me wondering. 

 

A cursory glance at our starting line up on Saturday has an average age of 27. The youngest player was Dawson at 25. 

 

If I recall correctly, we've only signed two players under 25?

 

I get the need for experience, particularly in our predicament. But, we are quickly reverting to type, not closing down, no movement and wonder where this dynamism is, which was supposed to be the bedrock of our team this season. 

[gurujuan]

1 minute ago, striker said:

It occurred to me after Saturday that this promise was one of my main reasons for optimism this season.

 

Having watched the team struggle to play two games in a week while maintaining any sort of tempo or energy to close down the opposition, got me wondering. 

 

A cursory glance at our starting line up on Saturday has an average age of 27. The youngest player was Dawson at 25. 

 

If I recall correctly, we've only signed two players under 25?

 

I get the need for experience, particularly in our predicament. But, we are quickly reverting to type, not closing down, no movement and wonder where this dynamism is, which was supposed to be the bedrock of our team this season. 

That’s what I was banging on about all through that window. Only two of the signings can be termed as young, and not many have been dynamic

[WalthamOwl]

Yes our squad isn’t young or dynamic. Seems the squad is the same old crap and the majority of players with talent are injury prone. 

[jonnyowl]

Can't be dynamic when one player is signed with a terrible injury record, one player signed who hasn't played in months and one with a broken leg!

[Yellowbelly]

Well, technically they are a younger squad.

Maybe the up-and-comers we were linked with wanted to go elsewhere?
That said, we have plenty of young, dynamic players in the squad, unfortunately they aren’t quite ready for championship football yet. I agree that at some other clubs players like Penney, FDB, Hunt, Shaw etc would get regular starts week on week to develop them. We aren’t in the position to do that - firstly for points deduction and secondly our lack of patience. We knew that the rebuild would take multiple transfer windows - perhaps try looking at this as phase 1.

[WalthamOwl]

2 minutes ago, Yellowbelly said:

Well, technically they are a younger squad.

Maybe the up-and-comers we were linked with wanted to go elsewhere?
That said, we have plenty of young, dynamic players in the squad, unfortunately they aren’t quite ready for championship football yet. I agree that at some other clubs players like Penney, FDB, Hunt, Shaw etc would get regular starts week on week to develop them. We aren’t in the position to do that - firstly for points deduction and secondly our lack of patience. We knew that the rebuild would take multiple transfer windows - perhaps try looking at this as phase 1.

personally I think it would have been more beneficial to the young players you mention to have spent some time on loan at a league one club. FDB especially who has potential but looks off the pace of the Championship. 

[gurujuan]

1 minute ago, Yellowbelly said:

Well, technically they are a younger squad.

Maybe the up-and-comers we were linked with wanted to go elsewhere?
That said, we have plenty of young, dynamic players in the squad, unfortunately they aren’t quite ready for championship football yet. I agree that at some other clubs players like Penney, FDB, Hunt, Shaw etc would get regular starts week on week to develop them. We aren’t in the position to do that - firstly for points deduction and secondly our lack of patience. We knew that the rebuild would take multiple transfer windows - perhaps try looking at this as phase 1.

Technically yes, maybe, but that’s because we’ve promoted players who, as you say, aren’t yet ready for Championship football. Certainly I don’t want to come across as being anti promoting youth, but if they’re in the squad, they have to be of some use, or they’re just taking up a space. You can pack your squad with youngsters from the youth set up, but unless they are ready, and demanding that promotion, then what’s the point. Probably Penney and Hunt should be in the squad, but any others need to do a bit more in the U23s first. 

[Yellowbelly]

Just now, WalthamOwl said:

personally I think it would have been more beneficial to the young players you mention to have spent some time on loan at a league one club. FDB especially who has potential but looks off the pace of the Championship. 

We need them to fill the squad though. My hope is that they get some game time throughout the season, it’s no good bringing these players through if we don’t take the leap of faith and start using them a little more. They aren’t going to develop in sporadic appearances off the bench.

[Yellowbelly]

2 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

Technically yes, maybe, but that’s because we’ve promoted players who, as you say, aren’t yet ready for Championship football. Certainly I don’t want to come across as being anti promoting youth, but if they’re in the squad, they have to be of some use, or they’re just taking up a space. You can pack your squad with youngsters from the youth set up, but unless they are ready, and demanding that promotion, then what’s the point. Probably Penney and Hunt should be in the squad, but any others need to do a bit more in the U23s first. 

Please we agree

[ZicoSterland2]

The transfer window represented what the position is were we are at the moment. Low cost recruitment and the odd youngster who was deemed surplus to requirements at a level above and was willing to join us. The key being who was willing to come here. Even relegation players from Hull City didn't want to come, confirmed by Monk. Peoples expectation of who would sign were way too high as most with other options took them and others linked we couldn't afford. Without a doubt the next 2 seasons are going to be tough as the likes of Bannan and Reach can leave on free transfers at the end of this. 

[Plonk]

Yes but they are hungry?

[gurujuan]

30 minutes ago, ZicoSterland2 said:

The transfer window represented what the position is were we are at the moment. Low cost recruitment and the odd youngster who was deemed surplus to requirements at a level above and was willing to join us. The key being who was willing to come here. Even relegation players from Hull City didn't want to come, confirmed by Monk. Peoples expectation of who would sign were way too high as most with other options took them and others linked we couldn't afford. Without a doubt the next 2 seasons are going to be tough as the likes of Bannan and Reach can leave on free transfers at the end of this. 

Even if you accept those limitations, and sure they will have played their part, we’ve still made a bit of a pigs ear of things. Plenty of promising youngsters have joined clubs in a worse predicament than us this window. It was also not a problem attracting Brown and FDB. If we were limited in what we could pay fee wise, why pay money for Windass or Paterson?  The next few seasons will be tough, if all we’ve got to look forward to is, Monk and his motley bunch of cast offs.

[doubleo]

Please tell me 27 isn't old and past it.

[ZicoSterland2]

1 minute ago, gurujuan said:

Even if you accept those limitations, and sure they will have played their part, we’ve still made a bit of a pigs ear of things. Plenty of promising youngsters have joined clubs in a worse predicament than us this window. It was also not a problem attracting Brown and FDB. If we were limited in what we could pay fee wise, why pay money for Windass or Paterson?  The next few seasons will be tough, if all we’ve got to look forward to is, Monk and his motley bunch of cast offs.

Problem with Brown is he is injury prone so few would take the chance on him, hence why he was at Luton last season and joined us this. FDB was sold as this great talent on arrival but in reality is he or was he overhyped. Windass and Patterson are championship proven players and for what we paid I can't complain. When you look at other targets one joined Birmingham, another Millwall, and one hasn't even got a club yet that to me says we have problems in attracting. Especially when the likes of Millwall can get things over the line that we have been looking at for weeks. 

[0114]

No problem signing players at 26-30 as long as we never put them on the money we have in the past. 
 

The biggest issue was we couldn’t move players on because of the wages we paid. 

[Guest Mcguigan]

16 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

Even if you accept those limitations, and sure they will have played their part, we’ve still made a bit of a pigs ear of things. Plenty of promising youngsters have joined clubs in a worse predicament than us this window. It was also not a problem attracting Brown and FDB. If we were limited in what we could pay fee wise, why pay money for Windass or Paterson?  The next few seasons will be tough, if all we’ve got to look forward to is, Monk and his motley bunch of cast offs.

Because , although it still the vast majority on here still refuse to accept it, they were the type of players that conformed to the restrictions, ie wages and transfer fee, that are currently on us from the EFL.

 

A soft embargo.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Mcguigan

[Plonk]

5 minutes ago, Mcguigan said:

Because , although it still the vast majority on here still refuse to accept it, they were the type of players that conformed to the restrictions, ie wages and transfer fee, that are currently on us from the EFL.

 

A soft embargo.

Yay. A new excuse for Monk. 

[areNOTwhatTHEYseem]

8 minutes ago, ZicoSterland2 said:

Problem with Brown is he is injury prone so few would take the chance on him, hence why he was at Luton last season and joined us this. FDB was sold as this great talent on arrival but in reality is he or was he overhyped. Windass and Patterson are championship proven players and for what we paid I can't complain. When you look at other targets one joined Birmingham, another Millwall, and one hasn't even got a club yet that to me says we have problems in attracting. Especially when the likes of Millwall can get things over the line that we have been looking at for weeks. 

 

Yep - the points deduction will have certainly impacted our prospects in the transfer market.

 

Given the circumstances, I think signing Windass for £500,000 is a sensible bit of business. He's a decent player who knows where the net is, given half a chance.

 

Maybe there were plenty of better strikers out there who we could have signed on a free without having to break the bank on wages, but if there were, I'm not sure who they are.

[ZicoSterland2]

9 minutes ago, areNOTwhatTHEYseem said:

 

Yep - the points deduction will have certainly impacted our prospects in the transfer market.

 

Given the circumstances, I think signing Windass for £500,000 is a sensible bit of business. He's a decent player who knows where the net is, given half a chance.

 

Maybe there were plenty of better strikers out there who we could have signed on a free without having to break the bank on wages, but if there were, I'm not sure who they are.

Agreed Windass and Patterson at 500k each isn't bad business. They might not be world beaters but they are championship standard. The realisation to some on here that we are no longer a big draw and have to cut our cloth accordingly is still not registering. Whether or not Monk can motivate or manage this squad to survive this season is very much open to debate. The next 2 games should tell us much.

[room0035]

All Monk has done is replace quality with lesser players on cheaper wages. Ultimately if he does not play his strongest team, players in the correct position and a formation that works best for the team - he will either lose his job or get us relegated.

 

If we do get relegated it will be many many years before we come back and under the ownership of DC we could continue to fall down the leagues.