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Our squad compares unfavourably with Derby, Leeds & Villa

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steve30000 said:
I can see you're going to be one of them posters that will be giving it the big un on here when we're in a relegation battle. Few laughy smilies hoyed in as well "I told yers"
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Probably you instead of yers and maybe the wink instead of laughing as that one's my favourite.

In all serious though, I obviously hope the many people saying the standard is absolutely shite will be proved right I just think it will be a struggle and am expecting being between the playoffs and midtable. I'd get no joy if we are languishing despite being 'proved right'.
 
The Bridge Lad said:
Plenty of lazy responses here saying likes of Whitehead has been a key player etc when he's featured very little, probably saw him play at the weekend and against City (when they made 10 changes) thought aye he must play week in week out, same as Sidwell at Brighton, key player apparently but has been in and out of the side all season, it's Dale Stephens who was the key CM with Sid and Kayal rotating.

Also saw Stephen Fletcher is one of the main strikers in the league whereas he hasn't featured that much for Sheff Wed who have Hooper, Fotestieri and 10m Rhodes to choose from.

The thing is, most would have said exactly the same about the likes of Cook and Daniels at Bournemouth - ageing journeyman defenders, made a living in the lower leagues. Boyd, Barnes etc at Burnley. A lot of these teams like Derby have a settled squad, been playing with each of for a long time, a bit like Brighton and they will be strong next year.

Villa, Derby, Norwich etc will all be strong next season and certainly at least on par with us, hence all being shorter odds than us to win the league atm. Boro will also be shorter odds and IMO much better placed to make an immediate promotion challenge than us, Sheff Wed as well definitely, so I hope they go up via the playoffs.

Said it a few times now but I really do think people will be in for a shock next season. This is a team despite having Defoe and Pickford, Kone etc and we have 5 wins and 21 points all season, about 17 points behind modest Burnley.
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Settled and large squads count for a lot because of the inevitable injuries. Norwich, Sheff Wed and Villa have much stronger squads so that cuts out the automatic places. None of the other teams have and Leeds are particularly stingy (pay lower wages and don't buy many players). A few teams can put together a good team if free of injuries. Unsure about Derby as their squad missed out before.

Bournemouth defence was weak (Brighton rejects in Cook and Elphick) when promoted and I thought they would get found out. Brighton's first choice midfield is Dale Stephens (injured in the first half of the season) and Beram Kayal (like Cattermole injured for practically the whole of the season). Sidwell was signed as an older player on a short contract as necessary cover. Recruitment for Brighton (after last season when injuries cost them at least the two goals needed to go up) was increasing the size of the squad to cover for the inevitable injuries. At least 28 players were used (excluding Cups) and nearly the same number of players were used by Newcastle and Huddersfield. Balance the need for a large squad with a risk that non-selected players get discontented. All the contenders play a complete reserve team in the Cups (or a reserve team with a handful of fourth and fifth choice players) . Not to do so would be folly with the number of games played.
 
Walmo said:
The quality in that league is horrendous. We've been mismanaged but a lot of the team we'll be left with next season are good players for that league. People on here going way over the top, you'd think we had non league players the way some on here go on.
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It's not horrendous at all.

We're going to finish the season on 21 points, the quality is dreadful
 
Our current squad when fit and managed by oooooooh plucks name from thin air oooooooh let's say MicMac could be top 6 no bother.
 
Perseus said:
Sunderland: a late run for the play-offs would be a success (better than Norwich and Villa achieved, but like Wigan when they got relegated).
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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.
 
Conclusion: generally a poor standard in the Championship compared to the middle (40 pts to 50 pts) of the PL, but at least 3 teams and probably a many as six teams have comparable squads. Includes Villa, but not Leeds, and possibly Derby?

Outsiders: Brentford.
 
cbwhu said:
not even close

Jus off top of my head Sessegnon, Olsson and Charlie taylor are far better
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Left backs are a sore point for the Championship. In short supply and hence can be a weak point for even the top teams. Ryan Sessegnon is a left winger/forward, Charlie Taylor will be sold (best of the lot), and Malone of Fulham is OK as well. The weakness is exposed when the first choice left back gets injured and there are just not enough decent left backs around for cover. Not that full backs in the bottom half of the Premier League are much cop.
 
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0321safc said:
The quality of the championship is poor relative to the premier league. No one would dispute that, if you were to name every player accomplished in the championship but poor in the premier league you would rack up a portfolio. My fundamental worry though is this summer, we need not just quality players for that level, but fit ones. Take Oviedo, would probably be the best LB in the league but will see him feature in more than 15 games ? Then there is cattermole, Rodwell, Gibson etc. The losing mentality is a worry too, we need a good positive overhaul consisting of a core of players under the age of 26 say as well as 2 of 3 experienced pro's.
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Where does this myth that Oviedo is injury prone come from? He's had two bad injuries but that's totally different from a player like Rodwell, Cattermole, Kirchoff etc
 
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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I've seen Leeds a few times they are poor so are derby. And villa aren't that good either
 
steve30000 said:
Next time get some actual proof to back up your claims, eh?
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If you don't read the smb or understand what some people write, don't come on here, spoiling for an argument, and ask to be spoon fed.

pwsafc said:
I've seen Leeds a few times they are poor so are derby. And villa aren't that good either
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I am not sure how good the Jorno iseither

joedurham said:
If you don't read the smb or understand what some people write, don't come on here, spoiling for an argument, and ask to be spoon fed.



I am not sure how good the Jorno iseither
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He has written for the Sunday Sun and covers games in the North.
 
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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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You slate "resident experts". Then assert a fairly bold analysis of our prospects of your own!
 
Jack Blue said:
You slate "resident experts". Then assert a fairly bold analysis of our prospects of your own!
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Do you feel slated? Anyone who is optimistic at the moment is in their perfect right to be to be so. However, some of the posts on this thread may have shed more light on the case than the "bold" analysis proffered by the Sunday Sun hack John Wardle- albeit his having attended 3000 games.

What is bold, however, about my mentioning our number one problem as appointing the right manager, as if this hasn't been our cross over the last ten years?
 
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