Who is good enough next season? (1 Viewer)

[Ashdown]

I dont buy into that we are all of a sudden a dreadful squad. A few weeks back we looked like we could beat anyone in this league.
Sometimes its just that a team can really look disjointed when all of your cogs are not in place. Sheaf is a huge loss as is now Tats. Allen offers more than is credited too. COH is absolute class but is better with Sheaf in the team.
Its the unforced decisions that baffle me
Wilson for Collins and Binks for Kitching , Da Silva for Bidwell seem very odd.
Our weakness has consistently been up front, we need a proper centre forward .

 

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[steve101]

The odd thing for me is that Wright and Simms both look like they have some physical potential. Both tall and quick. However both look like they are new to the game and haven't received much coaching in their lives. Compared to Godden who doesn't have the physical attributes but clearly knows how to play and where to be. He knows how to shoot rather than just whack it!
If Wright and Simms are with us next season, we will be able to see whether they have developed. They will need to considerably to be close to the money spent. The Plymouth game was an example of the difference between a good all-round forward in Morgan Whittaker, who was very comfortable on the ball, took up good positions, and looked like he wanted it at every opportunity. Yet as I understand was nowhere the cost.
I think Van Ewijk will be a target in the summer due to his incredible pace and acceleration.
When we get to a point that we have nothing to play for, I hope O'Hare is no longer used.

 

[Marty]

I'd cut our losses on Wright and Simms. Would get 6 mill for the pair I'd have thought. Invest in a proper left winger and leave the Vik cash to fund a proper striker.

I think MVE will be better with better players around him, so I could see him move on.

Sheaf may want to move on if he doesn't see any real progress in the squad.

I think we have the basis of a half decent squad, it's just filling gaps and bulking out other positions.

 

[Flying Fokker]

Unfortunately my gut feeling is we will look back on the Wright, Simms signings as the biggest mistake Robins made at the club. Wasting a large chunk of the windfall money we got, including associated wages.
The only hope is we can sell probably Wright on for half decent money.

I’m not with you on this. Who will buy them if they are that bad? Their tallies are not bad given the number being scored elsewhere.

The biggest squad problem is that we a shooting at seats rather than between the posts.

 

[Flying Fokker]

The odd thing for me is that Wright and Simms both look like they have some physical potential. Both tall and quick. However both look like they are new to the game and haven't received much coaching in their lives. Compared to Godden who doesn't have the physical attributes but clearly knows how to play and where to be. He knows how to shoot rather than just whack it!
If Wright and Simms are with us next season, we will be able to see whether they have developed. They will need to considerably to be close to the money spent. The Plymouth game was an example of the difference between a good all-round forward in Morgan Whittaker, who was very comfortable on the ball, took up good positions, and looked like he wanted it at every opportunity. Yet as I understand was nowhere the cost.
I think Van Ewijk will be a target in the summer due to his incredible pace and acceleration.
When we get to a point that we have nothing to play for, I hope O'Hare is no longer used.

Godden is a bigger disappointment than Simms or Wright this season. Whittaker hit the ground running for Plymouth. Good player. We’d do well to put a bid in for him.

 

[alexccfc99]

I am so indifferent to Binks - He could stay or he could go and I wouldn't bat an eyelid either way

 

[Otis]

Collins - Number 2 for me
Wilson - get rid to anyone
Moore - He will be gone
MVE - needs to sort his shit out
Burroughs - I think theres a player there
Thomas - in the air hes Maldini. On the floor he's sometimes Kevin Malaga
Kitching - good player
Latibeaudiere- jack of all trades. Master of none
Binks - cant see him staying
Bidwell - will be off and i dont see why
DaSilva - shite
Torp - good player
Sheaf - best player
Eccles - just never seems to push on does he? Fine as a squad player
Kelly - will be gone
Allen - will be gone
O'Hare - will be gone but id let him rot now the leagues over. Try get your prem move now ballbag
Palmer - one minute hes messi, the next hes just messy
Tats - fantastic player
EMC - Great rep lets see
Wright - i still think he will be a very good player for us and he's a lot better than Simms
Godden - Will be gone
Simms - utter dross, stealing a living
Tavares - will be gone


A lot of people are saying we can give it a 'proper go' next season. My response to that is can we? Really? Hence the above. We STILL need major surgery to give it a real go.

Simms, stealing a living?

Seriously? That's an utterly outrageous thing to say, Saddlebrains.

I hate to hear posters talk like that about one of our players.

Fine if you don't think he's good enough, but to say he is stealing a living is just not acceptable to my mind.

And anyway, so very often you are completely wrong, so I hope he makes you eat your words.

 

[chiefdave]

I dont buy into that we are all of a sudden a dreadful squad

Last night we were apparently 2 loan players away from guaranteed promotion this season yet overnight the squad now only has 5 good players and 6 who may be good enough to be squad players

 

[Flying Fokker]

I'd cut our losses on Wright and Simms. Would get 6 mill for the pair I'd have thought. Invest in a proper left winger and leave the Vik cash to fund a proper striker.

I think MVE will be better with better players around him, so I could see him move on.

Sheaf may want to move on if he doesn't see any real progress in the squad.

I think we have the basis of a half decent squad, it's just filling gaps and bulking out other positions.

I’m just wondering why anyone would want them if they are so bad? Proper strikers cost £20 million unless we risk some money on lower league players.

Mve certainly needs to improve.

I think our squad is still physically small and easily bullied. The likes of Simms and Wright need some serious coaching on this aspect of their game. Vik G is an example of a player learning the game. I’d sent them away and tell them to study top players in the premier and Europe.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

An interesting point is that you’ve put Simms and haji as squad players

hajis numbers are very good

this is a point I raised, we’ve spent loads on EMC but wright is best on the left and we need a number nine, wright is far better off the left

I said this to my old man last night, to for us to be crying out for a striker after spending x amount on haji and simms, is slightly concerning

Was a difficult decision but ultimately both need to improve greatly if they want to be first team players in a team who are going to finish in the play offs and get promoted

 

[CCFCSteve]

Last night we were apparently 2 loan players away from guaranteed promotion this season yet overnight the squad now only has 5 good players and 6 who may be good enough to be squad players

welcome to the weird and wonderful world of SBT

most are young and improving but some maybe just starting to flag a bit. The reactions on here are mental

 

[Deity]

Of course it is likely that most of our young players and our foreign signings will be better next season for a year in the Championship. We ignore that.

We see this a lot in football even with huge signings in the Premier League.

 

[Macca]

Last night we were apparently 2 loan players away from guaranteed promotion this season yet overnight the squad now only has 5 good players and 6 who may be good enough to be squad players

I’d say we are 2 strikers a creative midfielder and a left sided defender away from top 6 contenders

 

[SBbucks]

Godden is a bigger disappointment than Simms or Wright this season. Whittaker hit the ground running for Plymouth. Good player. We’d do well to put a bid in for him.

And how much do you think Plymouth are going to be asking for a 20+ goal a season striker with 3 years left on his contract?
His goals/assists this season are already almost as good as Vik’s last season with 12 games still to play. He’s currently the main reason they’re not in a relegation battle so nothing less than a silly bid will make them sell.

 

[Deity]

And how much do you think Plymouth are going to be asking for a 20+ goal a season striker with 3 years left on his contract?
His goals/assists this season are already almost as good as Vik’s last season with 12 games still to play. He’s currently the main reason they’re not in a relegation battle so nothing less than a silly bid will make them sell.

We were linked with him in the summer and yet some on here queried why we would want a player that hadn’t ripped up any trees at Swansea.

 

[SBbucks]

We were linked with him in the summer and yet some on here queried why we would want a player that hadn’t ripped up any trees at Swansea.

Yes we were linked with him but we have missed that boat now, he will be well outside our budget.

 

[shmmeee]

The players I would keep / will stay / will be here…

Collins
Bidwell
Kitchin
Lati (mainly for his versatility)
Thomas
MVE
Eccles
Sheaf
Torp
Wright
Palmer
Sakamoto
Ephron Clark

Cal will obviously be off. DaSilva seems unfit and has had his confidence knocked. Simms still appears to be very raw, I could be swayed for him to stay on another season because he is still very young.

I would be looking to bring in two good quality centre mids that can control games and help us to retain possession and also allow us to rotate in a demanding position without a significant drop in quality.

Also, two attacking mids, preferably with flexibility to play in a few positions across the front line.

Maybe look at bringing in a hard man central defender who is no older than 30 and again, competition for MVE and Bidwell.

Seems like a lot…

A squad of 18 is bold!

 

[shmmeee]

Think we finish 8th or 9th now

That’s plus a FA CUP QF is a great transition season whatever way you slice it.

 

[shmmeee]

The players are fine. People are just doing the at thing where we lose a game and suddenly everyone is conference level and needs to be sold. We are struggling because we have no alternatives for our forwards (Godden and Tavares are not options), our AM has signed off, and our players are tired. A better balanced squad with a bit more quality solves that.

 

[mark82]

The hyperbole around Simms is ridiculous. Difficult to argue that he didn't start the season poorly, but the last few games before last night he'd started playing really well. We change formation, he has a poor game and suddenly he's the worst player to ever wear a City shirt again.

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

Collins - Number 2 for me
Wilson - get rid to anyone
Moore - He will be gone
MVE - needs to sort his shit out
Burroughs - I think theres a player there
Thomas - in the air hes Maldini. On the floor he's sometimes Kevin Malaga
Kitching - good player
Latibeaudiere- jack of all trades. Master of none
Binks - cant see him staying
Bidwell - will be off and i dont see why
DaSilva - shite
Torp - good player
Sheaf - best player
Eccles - just never seems to push on does he? Fine as a squad player
Kelly - will be gone
Allen - will be gone
O'Hare - will be gone but id let him rot now the leagues over. Try get your prem move now ballbag
Palmer - one minute hes messi, the next hes just messy
Tats - fantastic player
EMC - Great rep lets see
Wright - i still think he will be a very good player for us and he's a lot better than Simms
Godden - Will be gone
Simms - utter dross, stealing a living
Tavares - will be gone


A lot of people are saying we can give it a 'proper go' next season. My response to that is can we? Really? Hence the above. We STILL need major surgery to give it a real go.

For me its crucial that Vik moves on this summer. £12 million could get us the striker, O'Hare replacement and LB we so sorely need

If he doesn't, well. I fail to see whos going to bring us any serious money in from a sale

Robins said there will be plenty of activity this summer. Will be another exodus.

Out of all the signings in the summer and in Jan the only players who have impressed me or you can see the potential are:

- Tatsu (best player/value by miles for what we paid)
- Torp (worth the money and will be a class operator for us)
- Wright (will show his best for us next season)
- Simms (genuinely think he will get better, and not helped with not having the right players or formation to suit him)
- MVE (there’s a player there but he needs to start expressing his best on the pitch. At the moment he is inconsistent for £3.5m)
- Lati (fine as a utility/squad player not sure he’s the future)

Other who I don’t think are good enough from the signings

- Kitching (no where near what I expect from a £4.5m defender and been a liability )
- Thomas (blows hot and cold and not worth £2m and also a liability at times)
- Collins (number 2 material)
- JDS isn’t good enough
- Binks average and will be gone anyway

We are nowhere near having a squad that can compete.

 

[shmmeee]

Robins said there will be plenty of activity this summer. Will be another exodus.

Out of all the signings in the summer and in Jan the only players who have impressed me or you can see the potential are:

- Tatsu (best player/value by miles for what we paid)
- Torp (worth the money and will be a class operator for us)
- Wright (will show his best for us next season)
- Simms (genuinely think he will get better, and not helped with not having the right players or formation to suit him)
- MVE (there’s a player there but he needs to start expressing his best on the pitch. At the moment he is inconsistent for £3.5m)
- Lati (fine as a utility/squad player not sure he’s the future)

Other who I don’t think are good enough from the signings

- Kitching (no where near what I expect from a £4.5m defender and been a liability )
- Thomas (blows hot and cold and not worth £2m and also a liability at times)
- Collins (number 2 material)
- JDS isn’t good enough
- Binks average and will be gone anyway

We are nowhere near having a squad that can compete.

Compete with what? We’re in the last 8 of the cup and until the last two games we’ll in the mix for the playoffs.

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

Compete with what? We’re in the last 8 of the cup and until the last two games we’ll in the mix for the playoffs.

To sustain any play off run. We’ve had easy games in the FA Cup.

 

[shmmeee]

To sustain any play off run. We’ve had easy games in the FA Cup.

Still got to win them. We went out to Wrexham last season. And those “easy games” were a top L1 side, a fellow Championship side and a team that whole it was easy on the day had just put out a team above us in the league.

We need more players. That’s not a slight on the ones we’ve got. The ones we’ve got got us basically to the top of the non-Ipswich/parachute clubs after a dreadful start for a host of reasons (mostly also lacking players). Injuries fatigue and agents have meant that hasn’t been sustained. But that doesn’t mean the players aren’t good enough. They clearly are. We lost 1 in 17 or whatever.

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

Still got to win them. We went out to Wrexham last season. And those “easy games” were a top L1 side, a fellow Championship side and a team that whole it was easy on the day had just put out a team above us in the league.

We need more players. That’s not a slight on the ones we’ve got. The ones we’ve got got us basically to the top of the non-Ipswich/parachute clubs after a dreadful start for a host of reasons (mostly also lacking players). Injuries fatigue and agents have meant that hasn’t been sustained. But that doesn’t mean the players aren’t good enough. They clearly are. We lost 1 in 17 or whatever.

The biggest thing missing is leaders and fighters on the pitch. We are a very nice bunch of lads and no aggression. Any signings we do in the summer really needs to address this. Sometimes it’s not about skill and flair in this league but passion and fight. We need to address that balance.

 

[Ashdown]

I’m just wondering why anyone would want them if they are so bad? Proper strikers cost £20 million unless we risk some money on lower league players.

Mve certainly needs to improve.

I think our squad is still physically small and easily bullied. The likes of Simms and Wright need some serious coaching on this aspect of their game. Vik G is an example of a player learning the game. I’d sent them away and tell them to study top players in the premier and Europe.

You can show players how they need to work and take up better positions and how to make better decisions but you cant do much for a player who cant trap, hold and making a simple pass with the ball.

 

[Ashdown]

The biggest thing missing is leaders and fighters on the pitch. We are a very nice bunch of lads and no aggression. Any signings we do in the summer really needs to address this. Sometimes it’s not about skill and flair in this league but passion and fight. We need to address that balance.

We definitely could use a Dennis Wise

 

[steve101]

Binks is still only 22 which is nothing for a centre back. Needless fouls is easy enough to cut out; physicality will come with age. What I like about him, which is where he is better than Kitching, is his comfort on the ball. Kitching sometimes can have a clumsy touch, which on occasions has led to conceding good chances. Kitching is no doubt stronger and a very good one on one defender. He reminds me of Harry Maguire. Knowing how difficult it has been to get LCBs, I would sign Binks but certainly not as one of our higher earners.

 

[Jamesimus]

A squad of 18 is bold!

By my count it would be 20! But obviously we’d also need back up for Collins which would make it 21!

I was getting told off for wanting two more centre mids! I also forgot Allen who I think we should keep.

So 22. Over to you Doug…

 

[Boicey]

You can show players how they need to work and take up better positions and how to make better decisions but you cant do much for a player who cant trap, hold and making a simple pass with the ball.

Not sure how you can coach in aggression either.
An aside from that is we have no attacking player who can head a ball. I guess heading involves getting in the mix and imposing yourself physically. Which our attackers struggle with.

 

[theferret]

Robins said there will be plenty of activity this summer. Will be another exodus.

Out of all the signings in the summer and in Jan the only players who have impressed me or you can see the potential are:

- Tatsu (best player/value by miles for what we paid)
- Torp (worth the money and will be a class operator for us)
- Wright (will show his best for us next season)
- Simms (genuinely think he will get better, and not helped with not having the right players or formation to suit him)
- MVE (there’s a player there but he needs to start expressing his best on the pitch. At the moment he is inconsistent for £3.5m)
- Lati (fine as a utility/squad player not sure he’s the future)

Other who I don’t think are good enough from the signings

- Kitching (no where near what I expect from a £4.5m defender and been a liability )
- Thomas (blows hot and cold and not worth £2m and also a liability at times)
- Collins (number 2 material)
- JDS isn’t good enough
- Binks average and will be gone anyway

We are nowhere near having a squad that can compete.

I'm what way has Kitching been a liability? The sending offs? That can happen. One or two iffy moments, but he was a regular starter during our best spell this season. His absence in recent games is showing.

 

[shmmeee]

To change the flavour a little bit, been thinking about what we need to add in terms of player qualities. Said before I think we need 8 to round out the squad: GK, LB, RB, CB, CM, AM, RW, ST

GK - Someone who can command their box. Genuine think it would make a huge difference. Though I do really like Collins distribution and shot stopping.
LB - Mirror MvE. A modern fullback who can defend like Bidwell and attack/is comfortable on the ball like Dasilva
CB - New Fadz. Some experience and leadership. And a threat at corners.
RB - A more defensive minded player for cover and holding out games
CM - Someone who can ping a pass. It’s literally all I want. Pick it up deep, head up, pick out a ball over the top or out wide or switch the play. Miss is so much since Hamer left.
AM - A better Palmer rather than a new O’Hare. Someone who will track back like O’Hare (used to), can beat a man, but most importantly has Palmers ability to see and execute a forward pass, something O’Hare is really poor at.
ST - Someone who can strike a ball. That’s it. That’s the requirement.
RW - Saka clone

 

[Jamesimus]

I'm what way has Kitching been a liability? The sending offs? That can happen. One or two iffy moments, but he was a regular starter during our best spell this season. His absence in recent games is showing.

He’s been generally very good for a young centre back. Been a bit iffy since coming back from suspension, but certainly still a good player and I personally think worth the quoted fee.

 

[napolimp]

First team
Mve
Kitching
Sheaf
Torp
Sakamoto
EMC

Means we need a goalkeeper, left back, centre back, striker and attacking midfielder of sufficient quality to push for the play offs

Squad
Collins
Haji
Simms
Eccles
Bidwell/dasilva (get rid of one, presumably bidwell will be gone)
Latibaudiere
Thomas

Then need some cover at right back, central midfield and right wing as a minimum

Wow! Wright is a squad player but Mason-Clark, a player who hasn't played a minute for us or in the Championship, goes straight into the team.

Absolutely no credibility, just delete your account.

 

[shmmeee]

By my count it would be 20! But obviously we’d also need back up for Collins which would make it 21!

I was getting told off for wanting two more centre mids! I also forgot Allen who I think we should keep.

So 22. Over to you Doug…

Fairly sure we used 25 or 26 most seasons and are in the bottom three of players used. I think you need 22 you are happy to play plus three or four fringe players if you want to avoid what’s happened this season.