Is our Squad that Bad now? (1 Viewer)

[johnwillomagic]

Looking at 16 selected yesterday and comparing to Middlesboro I thought our 16 looked stronger? I certainly think we now have a squad of mid-table standard if they stay injury free - I did not think we were worst even before new additions?

Considering that McPake, Bigi, Hussey & arguably McDonald & Rod not in 16 think our squad is reallynot too bad.

I think Thorn should be given till end of season to get us out of this mess. I think if he is good manager he should be able to get enough out of players above to keep us up. If he does not then I think maybe we should look to a new manager. I am a big fan of Thorn though and believe he can achieve mission impossible.

What are peoples thoughts on squad now and where positionally you think our squad should be - obviously not where we are positionally.

Cheers PUSB buzzing about yesterday still shame we are not playing in the fa cup next weekend! :claping hands:

 

---

[We'll_live_and_die]

I think that our squad has always been missing a PROPER centre forward. Juke is a mis firing one in my opinion. Nimely Is the missing link.

 

[Macca]

Its been an ok squad all season

 

[Mary_Mungo_Midge]

Its been an ok squad all season

Absolute rubbish!

 

[Macca]

Absolute rubbish!

Oh ok sorry about that

 

[Otis]

The 16 did look a lot stronger yesterday. it was nice to have on the bench Baker, Wood, Eastwood and Clarke. Bet that's as strong a bench as we've had all year.

 

[Astute]

I got fed up of saying we were missing the link from midfield to the goal. It looks as though the missing link has been found. Mid table finish for me now.

 

[Stevec189]

Still a bit thin and everyone will need to be on top of their game from now on. A decent midfielder is a priority. The starting three in the middle are all to defensive minded. Bell made a big difference when he came on and was able to offer a forward out as well as carrying the ball forward. I am not sure ROD, Fat Freddy and MacDonald are anywhere near as good as Platt Nimley and Mc Sheffers. Good win though and confidence will make a big difference. PUSB

 

[Otis]

I got fed up of saying we were missing the link from midfield to the goal. It looks as though the missing link has been found. Mid table finish for me now.

My god i hope you're right. Wish I had the same optimism.

Let's hope can get in a further two loan players. We need quality but we also need numbers.

 

[la-ccfc]

For the first time this season, I actually thought that our subs would have the ability to change the game if we needed to, I would like to see another striker brought in though.

 

[Otis]

Still a bit thin and everyone will need to be on top of their game from now on. A decent midfielder is a priority. The starting three in the middle are all to defensive minded. Bell made a big difference when he came on and was able to offer a forward out as well as carrying the ball forward. I am not sure ROD, Fat Freddy and MacDonald are anywhere near as good as Platt Nimley and Mc Sheffers. Good win though and confidence will make a big difference. PUSB

Saying that though, the back to back wins at Christmas should have brought that same confidence and it all went immediately pear-shaped after that didn't it.

 

[Marty]

The team have all hit a bit of form at the same time, our team is still 3-4 players short of staying up imo, we are carrying to many players, people like McSheffrey, Baker, Platt & Bell, throw into mix the occasional errors from Murphy, Clingan and Christie (can be forgiven due to his age) and it's a recipe for disaster.

 

[Grendel]

I got fed up of saying we were missing the link from midfield to the goal. It looks as though the missing link has been found. Mid table finish for me now.

Well I think that is way too optimistic and survival will still be a miracle. What no one mentions here is the away form which is shocking. The team will not win every home game
which it would need to get to 50 points. The new found confidence does not extend to away games. We have worst away record in the country and that needs to change.

 

[andrew.roberts]

What a difference a win makes !
Although one win will not ensure our salvation, it certainly builds a steady platform for optimism. In my opinion the results of the next two or three games will be key to the eventual outcome, and isn´t it strange, we lose our top scorerand then put three away...

 

[Astute]

Have we not just won our last 3 home league games? Other teams at the bottom have been picking up a few points at the same time, but we are getting closer to several teams. There are only a few points between 17th and the teams above us. There will be a lot of worried fans out there.

 

[Otis]

isn´t it strange, we lose our top scorerand then put three away...






It's because Juke was never in his rightful position when he played. He was always drifting out to the wings and chasing lost causes, leaving gaps in the middle of the field. We played much tighter yesterday and Nimely and Sheff and Platt were much closer together.

When Juke used to win headers there was invariably no-one within about 15 yards of him

 

[skybluegod]

isn´t it strange, we lose our top scorerand then put three away...






It's because Juke was never in his rightful position when he played. He was always drifting out to the wings and chasing lost causes, leaving gaps in the middle of the field. We played much tighter yesterday and Nimely and Sheff and Platt were much closer together.

When Juke used to win headers there was invariably no-one within about 15 yards of him

juke was great with his head but when it came to shooting with his feet he wasn'y all that great.

 

[Macca]

I got fed up of saying we were missing the link from midfield to the goal. It looks as though the missing link has been found. Mid table finish for me now.

Not sure on that but it's game on for survival. We have some momentum while others are slumping

 

[Otis]

Don't think Juke will ever be a natural goalscorer. He does spurn a number of chances for sure and quite often snatches at shots.

 

[johnwillomagic]

Cheers Folks for comments agree with most views on here.

I know sisu are getting slaughtered and I am not defending them at all but we have 21 players above on books plus Jordan Clarke and a few others. Most championship clubs have about this level of resource/wages bill..

Therefore for players to come in I do not think it is unreasonable to expect players need to go out as well. With the exception of maybe West Ham no-one can really carry a squad of 30 proven experienced players on hefty wages!

Regarding Thorn if he keeps us up in my book he earns a new contract, if he does not then I think a new man should come in. Personally I do not think our squad was the weakest in division so did not expect us to be rock bottom half way into season.

However players are coming back from injury, players are hitting form and there is at least a bit of genuine competition for places.

Interesting to see some people changing their tune on Juke I got slaughteredlast week and accused of being a wum when I said £2m was good business. It seems the same people are now putting new threads on saying losing Juke could be a good thingnow! :facepalm:

Anyhow I am feeling positive I think the new protest of all going to Reading away and supporting the team in numbers is a far betteridea - though I would prefer to trun up in numbers without the protest necessarily. Our away form has to change andif more of us can get to more away games it can only be a help!

Cheers, have good weekends what's left of it!

 

[Mary_Mungo_Midge]

John, I have to say you're giving SISU too much credit for the squad size they're carrying. Due to the real lack of squad depth we've given squad numbers to players just to make up benches. When the youth team were playing on the same day as the Saints cup game and Carsley was allowed to keep his squad, Thorn couldn't even make up a full bench, remember?

I share some of your hopeful optimism, and too am looking forward to the Reading game; plus the hugely important February games against Ipswich and Forest!

 

[stupot07]

A great win yesterday to go a long with our previous 2 league home wins but I completely disagree with the view that we have a midtable squad. When was the last time we finished midtable (10-15th)?

 

[Astute]

9 points from us to 17th place now. Not long ago we needed 9 points to 22nd. We are now hitting a bit of form. We now have a proper goalscorer and experienced LB who will give his experience to our defence. Nearly half a season to go. 3 home wins on the trot.

My reasons for us to climb the table

 

[covcity4life]

i said at the start of the season i thought this squad was ok and capable of mid table

i misjudged kings absence,IF nimely can keep up the performances the maybe we can turn these 0-1 losses into 1-1 draws and 2-1 wins!

at the same time lets not forget boro could have been 2 up in first 10-15 mins, we still need more steel and our off the ball movement is poor

but....we are not the worst team in the championship imo and its time to start moving upwards

 

[Jack Griffin]

SISU work on strict budgets. At the moment they are still trying to bring down the salaries for next year, but it appears they are prepared to support the current level of salary we have till the end of season, after the summer Clingan, Cranie & Eastwood are off the books.

It will be interesting to see what budget they will sanction next year, it'll depend on which division we are in, I still expect it to be Tier 3.

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

The fear is that AT keeps us up this season and SISU then think that the current budget is sufficient for next season.

 

[superskyblue]

Think we're getting a little bit over excited. Yes, we've won 3 home games in a row, but let's face it, in those 3 games the opposition were very poor on the day. We've only won 5 games this season, so to say that our squad is now good enough is not quite on the mark. Nimely looked good, but he is still the same bloke who couldn't get in Middlesbrough's team and ultimately he's only had 1 good game. If in 5 games time we've won another 3 and Nimely still looks class, then we can reconsider.

 

[Astute]

Think we're getting a little bit over excited. Yes, we've won 3 home games in a row, but let's face it, in those 3 games the opposition were very poor on the day. We've only won 5 games this season, so to say that our squad is now good enough is not quite on the mark. Nimely looked good, but he is still the same bloke who couldn't get in Middlesbrough's team and ultimately he's only had 1 good game. If in 5 games time we've won another 3 and Nimely still looks class, then we can reconsider.

Opposition very poor? You only get what is put in front of you. Also, could it be that we played well and stopped our opponents from playing well? So if we play badly the other team is better and if we play well it is because the other team was poor, nothing else? :thinking about:

 

[superskyblue]

Opposition very poor? You only get what is put in front of you. Also, could it be that we played well and stopped our opponents from playing well? So if we play badly the other team is better and if we play well it is because the other team was poor, nothing else? :thinking about:

We have played well but equally the opposition on all 3 occasions have been poor maybe in part due to us, but also perhaps having an off day.

And we have played the opposition put in front of us all season; and have only won 5 games.

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

If the opposition in the rest of the league are poor, then it means we will win. It's the way the game works.

 

[Astute]

We have played well but equally the opposition on all 3 occasions have been poor maybe in part due to us, but also perhaps having an off day.

And we have played the opposition put in front of us all season; and have only won 5 games.

We have been in need of a player to connect the midfield to the goal though. A player that also knows where the goal is and gives confidence to the rest of the team to go forward. We have loaned this player. We have played well for half a game several times this season. Just missed the link to score goals. We would lose because in the half we were not as good our opponents kept taking advantage.

We have won 100% of the games he has played for us. This one is for the statistic lovers

 

[ccfcway]

we are carrying to many players, people like McSheffrey, Baker, Platt & Bell, throw into mix the occasional errors from Murphy, Clingan and Christie (can be forgiven due to his age) and it's a recipe for disaster.

How can we be carrying 3 goals in 3 home games McSheffrey ?

 

[ccfcway]

We now have a proper goalscorer.

LOL, 1 goal in 11 games

The next Shearer isnt he !

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

LOL, 1 goal in 11 games

The next Shearer isnt he !

Errm 1 in 1 in his proper position and 1 in 2 starts this season. That's better than Juke.

 

[Astute]

LOL, 1 goal in 11 games

The next Shearer isnt he !

Did I miss his first 10 games for us?

Either you did not see him play for us or you are waiting for him to fail.

He has scored in every game he has played for us. We have won every game he has played for us. He has been involved in the buildup for every goal we have scored where he was not the scorer. So far I have not seen anything to say he is not a good striker. He takes players on and goes past them. He has very good vision. Decent at passing and a very good touch.