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Our squad compares unfavourably with Derby, Leeds & Villa

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The Bridge Lad said:
I agree. Villa will be clear favourites, a bit like Newcastle were at the start of the season and you'd be stunned if they missed out on automatic. Too many good players have been bought, they will probably invest further in the summer and now have a good manager in place to get out of this league.

Big decision for Norwich regarding their new manager, but keep that squad, add one or two and improve that away form and they will be there or there abouts in terms of automatic.

You weren't sure about Derby, but i think they will be up there. Decent manager in Rowett and the likes of Keogh, Hughes, Ince, Johnson and Pearce have been there a while now, plus the likes of Bent, Butterfield, i think they are solid and will certainly be up there

Sheff Wed are in fine form and will now have made back-to-back playoff, they do have money as shown with the soon to be permanent sighing of Rhodes and again a lot of that squad has been around for a while so hopefully they go up this year, but if not, they will be a huge threat.

Boro could be a bit like Burnley the first time, go up, not go crazy with their spending, Negedo has big wages but was just on loan, they will pocket the Premier League money, lose one or two like Gibson, Negredo etc but keep the majority and the likes of Gestede, Bamford, Leadbitter, Clayton, Friend etc will all be more than fine at this level, they will be in a better financial position than us, a couple of decent additions and they will be up there.

I'm not going to analyse every squad, but Fulhan will be up there if they fail in the playoffs, Wolves have financial clout behind them now, plus the third relegated side. Leeds will be very interesting but i'm also not convinced they will do as well as next season. There will of course be the surprise packages like Hudd and Reading this season, maybe Sheff Utd, @HarrogateMackem mentioned they have a rich co owner and it does look like they have a Saudi prince who owns 50% of the club so will they start throwing money around?

Very interesting season ahead.
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well thought out write up, can't disagree at all with it.
 

Wise Man Says said:
Who is John Wardle? And we is he paid to compare squads that will bear little resemblance to next season?
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Extract:

Howe sampled the Championship when Bournemouth were soaring through the leagues;
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return there for the first time in 10 years on a totally different flight path.

Yet he insisted: “I would bank on them coming straight back up with David in charge. They’re going through a tough time, but there is enough quality and David is the sort who can come back from this.”

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Impossible to tell.. Who knows who will be left, and of those who have under performed under this durge of a manager..what a bit of confidence might do..and who we could bring in once we are shot of a few.

Win a few games early on and we could do very well..or course the opposite is also true.

But Moyes needs shifting
 
Perseus said:
Extract:

Howe sampled the Championship when Bournemouth were soaring through the leagues;
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return there for the first time in 10 years on a totally different flight path.

Yet he insisted: “I would bank on them coming straight back up with David in charge. They’re going through a tough time, but there is enough quality and David is the sort who can come back from this.”

You must be logged on to see external links
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On reflection it looks like the Managers Union (Howe) harnessed to support Moyes. Journo is skeptical.
 
joedurham said:
and they haven't made the play-offs.

This is what Telegraph journo John Wardle says about our perspectives for next year - and even suggests another relegation fight

However some of our resident experts talk of us walking the league and enjoying winning again.

I am not so positive. We have to start by sorting out the managerial situation - and if we haven't got it right over the last 10 years - why should we strike gold this time?
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Champions!
 
Perseus said:
On reflection it looks like the Managers Union (Howe) harnessed to support Moyes. Journo is skeptical.
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.
Rightly so.

I decided it was time to get rid when people like Osman were backing him - when the old boys's network is called into use - then it is time to get very worried.
 
ExileBFG said:
So at least very similar? Proven by your own statistics there. Yet they've looked like f***ing Juventus in the championship mate :lol: Even when playing terrible they've not found it too difficult to shut out teams. Lascelles team of the year man, so there is hope for papy yet.
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Just looked it up though & 56 of their 64 goals conceded came before Benitez. They only conceded 8 in his 12 games so the signs were there that he was organising them. Said it before but they were going into the championship on a totally different footing to us.
 
MrBraithwaite said:
I don't think Oviedo will be a problem - his injury was a broken leg, he just could not get back in the side ahead of Leighton Baines. Would worry more about Cattermole - is his injury properly healed now with the op? Rodwell too seems criminally injury prone, which is a shame as he should actually shine down there.
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Since he broke his leg he's had the following injuries:

Hamstring - Missed 67 days
Metatarsal fracture - 95 days
Torn ligament - 21 days (?)
Thigh injury - 69 days
Current injury

Total: 252 (not including time out now)

In that same time period of time Rodwell has missed 70 days
 
What is the love in with villa, everyone is wanking over them. Their team is pretty rank. They've only won 1 in their last 5 yet everyone thinks they'll win the league.

Some people are mental!!
 
We have a lot of players who will be among the best in the league in their positions

Might not be good enough for the prem but players

Jones, mcnair, djilibodgy ( maybe optimistic) oviedo, cattermole, rodwell, gibson, ndong, watmore, anichebe and pickford are easily good enough to have us challenging towards the top of that league

We'll make quite a bit off transfers aswell id imagine. Its just whether we invest wisely.
 
Our current squad shouldn't have even been relegated. A good manager makes all the difference

Regardless of whoever we enter next season with on the playing side - Moyes must go before all else.
 
No way we will win the league or get promoted next season in my opinion. 3 things we need in that league in order to win or get promoted.
1. Strength in depth
2. Guts
3. A big mobile fit striker and defender that stays fit all season. Considering most teams play route 1 footie down there. We may aswell copy off them
 
Ward1973 said:
No way we will win the league or get promoted next season in my opinion. 3 things we need in that league in order to win or get promoted.
1. Strength in depth
2. Guts
3. A big mobile fit striker and defender that stays fit all season. Considering most teams play route 1 footie down there. We may aswell copy off them
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Add to that at least one class winger who can run down the side, get a good ball in front of/into the box and also score goals.
 
Strength in Depth

Brighton used 35 players on the pitch because of the injury toll, 29 in the Championship, Hughton tends to have a settled side rather than rotation, but will not include too many players that are not fully fit. Wage bill upwards of £27 million (which is downwards of £83 million).

Brighton failed in previous seasons at the last hurdle because of injuries. A large squad seems to be essential, although it is conceivable a smaller club like Huddersfield or Brentford could hang in there with a bit of luck on the injury front. Long term injuries are the killer as players take ages to get back up to pace and most likely will not.

So the ideal is two players for every position and five utility players left over for contingencies. e.g. Brighton used six different left backs on the playing field during the season, played the beginning of the season with two out of three centre-backs injured, and ended the season with two out of five injured.

Toon nearly ballsed it up by not having a reserve defensive midfielder when Hayden got injured.

I don't think Villa are that good but they have gone for strength in depth to the tune of £40 million wasted. Sheff Wed have strengthened from a strong position in squad numbers.
More than one winger needed as they get injured more often. Toon had one on loan. Brighton had six wingers at the start and one striker that could play as a winger. Even with seven would be wingers, Brighton only have three fit to play in the last game.

It is arguable whether a fresh new side could be assembled in one summer and gel together in time i.e. Villa.
Keeping the same players doesn't work either i.e. Norwich

 
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