How good is our squad?

[Eric the Half a Bee]

After Riza went 6 unbeaten there were mooted talks of being a player or two away from a playoff push. Now, after 3 without a win, we're hoping to avoid relegation again. Such swings and roundabouts in opinion seem more the norm nowadays, that's another story.

Before Riza took over we were playing really dreadful stuff and getting deservedly thrashed week in, week out. Most fans suggested that Bulut was largely to blame for this and our upturn in fortunes under a new interim manager would seem to back this up. A change in attacking personnel, tactics and playing style seemed to suit the players, who were now winning games.

Millwall seemed to be an easy fixture at the time, yet they've not lost since visiting the CCS. Norwich was seen as a very good win, but in truth it was an injury time steal against a side that has been in a bit of free fall of late. Plymouth and Portsmouth were games we were expected to win, though perhaps wouldn't have done so had Bulut stayed. West Brom was a decent point. Our last 3 games have been not very good.

New managers sometimes have a bounce and ours took us away from being cut adrift at the bottom of the table. That shouldn't be overlooked. Things could still be much worse.

Does Riza make you think he's getting the best out of the players at his disposal or could they be doing better? A run of 3 without a win is neither here nor there to me, our unbeaten run had to end and a side down at the bottom of the table is always going to have spells where it struggles. Similarly, most sides down there do have spells of a few games where they win a few.

For me, I think we're roughly where I'd expect us to be with the players we have. I don't think there's a manager out there with a magic wand who will suddenly turn us into a top half side. I don't believe we have enough quality for that. Take Colwill and Tanner, two of our more influential attacking players. Both are still learning their trades, both will have spells of matches where they do little. No manager will change that. Long runs in the starting line up will help and it might take a couple of seasons.

So, what are your thoughts on the squad, and what the best that could be done with them is?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: How good is our squad?

After Riza went 6 unbeaten there were mooted talks of being a player or two away from a playoff push. Now, after 3 without a win, we're hoping to avoid relegation again. Such swings and roundabouts in opinion seem more the norm nowadays, that's another story.

Before Riza took over we were playing really dreadful stuff and getting deservedly thrashed week in, week out. Most fans suggested that Bulut was largely to blame for this and our upturn in fortunes under a new interim manager would seem to back this up. A change in attacking personnel, tactics and playing style seemed to suit the players, who were now winning games.

Millwall seemed to be an easy fixture at the time, yet they've not lost since visiting the CCS. Norwich was seen as a very good win, but in truth it was an injury time steal against a side that has been in a bit of free fall of late. Plymouth and Portsmouth were games we were expected to win, though perhaps wouldn't have done so had Bulut stayed. West Brom was a decent point. Our last 3 games have been not very good.

New managers sometimes have a bounce and ours took us away from being cut adrift at the bottom of the table. That shouldn't be overlooked. Things could still be much worse.

Does Riza make you think he's getting the best out of the players at his disposal or could they be doing better? A run of 3 without a win is neither here nor there to me, our unbeaten run had to end and a side down at the bottom of the table is always going to have spells where it struggles. Similarly, most sides down there do have spells of a few games where they win a few.

For me, I think we're roughly where I'd expect us to be with the players we have. I don't think there's a manager out there with a magic wand who will suddenly turn us into a top half side. I don't believe we have enough quality for that. Take Colwill and Tanner, two of our more influential attacking players. Both are still learning their trades, both will have spells of matches where they do little. No manager will change that. Long runs in the starting line up will help and it might take a couple of seasons.

So, what are your thoughts on the squad, and what the best that could be done with them is?

I think we are a couple of faces away from being a useful side at this level

I think we need a ultity back

An all round midfielder

A number 9

I think if I would have a criticism of Riza it would be him playing meite and Kanga who are not up to it

Other than that considering how badly we started he and the squad are doing OK and one win will put us mid table

[Bluebirdman Of Alcathays]

Re: How good is our squad?

If we retain a bit of fight and our half decent players have enough half decent moments we can reach lower mid-table, but we're generally quite low on quality.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: How good is our squad?

After Riza went 6 unbeaten there were mooted talks of being a player or two away from a playoff push. Now, after 3 without a win, we're hoping to avoid relegation again. Such swings and roundabouts in opinion seem more the norm nowadays, that's another story.

Before Riza took over we were playing really dreadful stuff and getting deservedly thrashed week in, week out. Most fans suggested that Bulut was largely to blame for this and our upturn in fortunes under a new interim manager would seem to back this up. A change in attacking personnel, tactics and playing style seemed to suit the players, who were now winning games.

Millwall seemed to be an easy fixture at the time, yet they've not lost since visiting the CCS. Norwich was seen as a very good win, but in truth it was an injury time steal against a side that has been in a bit of free fall of late. Plymouth and Portsmouth were games we were expected to win, though perhaps wouldn't have done so had Bulut stayed. West Brom was a decent point. Our last 3 games have been not very good.

New managers sometimes have a bounce and ours took us away from being cut adrift at the bottom of the table. That shouldn't be overlooked. Things could still be much worse.

Does Riza make you think he's getting the best out of the players at his disposal or could they be doing better? A run of 3 without a win is neither here nor there to me, our unbeaten run had to end and a side down at the bottom of the table is always going to have spells where it struggles. Similarly, most sides down there do have spells of a few games where they win a few.

For me, I think we're roughly where I'd expect us to be with the players we have. I don't think there's a manager out there with a magic wand who will suddenly turn us into a top half side. I don't believe we have enough quality for that. Take Colwill and Tanner, two of our more influential attacking players. Both are still learning their trades, both will have spells of matches where they do little. No manager will change that. Long runs in the starting line up will help and it might take a couple of seasons.

So, what are your thoughts on the squad, and what the best that could be done with them is?

It's a better squad than last year, which finished in the top half, he's making a few mistakes, why play Meite and switch Tanner, when he had Collins and Bagan, and could have played O'Dowda left and Tanner right?

Kanga is hopeless why persist, surely Reindorf would be worth a slot on the bench?

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: How good is our squad?

The league is tight, if we hadn't had such a bad start we would be top half, but the squad is not strong enough to challenge the top six as the quality drops off after the best 18 players and we don't have any back up for Robinson.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: How good is our squad?

On 28 October there were media stories that Slavan Bilic was "ready to work again". Two days earlier, we;d drawn at West Brom where we were generally reckoned to have played well. So, if we accept Eric's contention that we "stole" a win over Norwich, then we have not been playing well since Bilic announced he was looking for a job again.

For me, the most obvious reason for the further delay and Riza's trip to Malaysia, apparently, not resolving the situation is that Tan and co want Bilic to take over in the new year. It seems to me that it doesn't take too much of a leap to imagine that this news is not what the squad wanted to hear as a number of them had spoken of their admiration for Riza and this positivity was being reflected in results and performances. If the rumour at the club is that Bilic, not Riza, is the club's choice is it that far fetched to think that at least some of the squad have slipped below the standards they were setting in October?

The only problem I have with the theory outlined above is that I don't think we stole a win over Norwich. Yes, it was a lucky win and Norwich threw it away to an extent, but we did finish much the stronger and the spirit dhown by the squad in those dying minutes was hardly suggestive of a squad that was disappointed by how the search for a new manager was going.

Nevertheless, I think there could be something to the theory that the players are not on board with the prospect of Bilic takin g over from Riza. The reason I would not be too disappointed with Riza being given the job permanently is that our optimum performance level under him has been higher than it has been under any of our other recent managers - a side that is as dominant as we were against Plymouth and Portsmouth shouldn't have to concern themselves with relegation.

I think is squad is inconsistent, looks a soft touch away from home at times and has been truly appalling in some games. You could also question their unity at times and whether they are too easily blown off course by events. However, when they play well, I'd say they show more promise than any squad we've had since the 20/21 one with Harry Wilson and Kieffer Moore in it.

[insider]

Re: How good is our squad?

I'm not sure Riza is the long term answer but with this misshaped unbalanced squad I think he's done a minor miracle to get as many points as he has.

[Nobody's Rep]

Re: How good is our squad?

If we retain a bit of fight and our half decent players have enough half decent moments we can reach lower mid-table, but we're generally quite low on quality.

Part of the problem is that the squad is low quality as you say but I also think the current manager is being too positive about poor performances (as well as picking kanga in the squad)

The squad also think they are better than they are probably partly because of the smoke being blown up their arse at the moment

Add in an incompetent board loathe to either make a decision or communicate a decision they have already made

For me we have a perfect storm

I don't understand why reindorf travelled with the first team squad on Saturday and didn't get any minutes - surely he would have been better getting game time with the under 21s unless there were concerns over Robinson fitness - for me I would still have reindorf on the bench as an option

Lastly who ever is manager has another rebuild in the summer as don't we have 14 players at the end of their contract or have I dreamt that

[Hilts]

Re: How good is our squad?

Is the squad better than last year?

Not sure it is.

Kanga useless signing. Chambers and El Ghazi been poor. Fish and Daaland who knows?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: How good is our squad?

We certainly didn't steal the points against Norwich

They looked a very useful side but we kept at it

Crowd played a big part and we had them on the back foot at times

Great win

[AfricanBluebird]

Re: How good is our squad?

My two pennies worth.

I think the unbeaten run Riza took us on after his first game, the loss to Hull, he seemed to be getting the best out of the players. The dip since then could be fatigue, other teams working out how to play against Colwill and also the continued uncertainty.

I think when you look at the squad it is completely unbalanced. Still too many players who are not fast or sharp enough at this level and a squad bloated in some areas and threadbare in others.

We need to get rid of a few players who are not good enough and strengthen with regards to a right back, strikers and some genuine pace and guile off the wings. The bench on Saturday was woeful in terms of players who could come on and change the game, maybe Willock but he's not in form. Ralls, Siopis, Bagan, Fish, Rino, Collins & Hovarth filling up 7 out of 9 places on the bench shows how limited our squad is.


With Ramsey and Ralls missing a great deal of time this season already, I also worry about the lack of leadership in the team.

I do feel we are only 3 or 4 players short of being a decent play-off pushing team, if we can get them in and get rid of some of the players not doing it for us we will have a decent 2nd half of the season.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: How good is our squad?

My two pennies worth.

I think the unbeaten run Riza took us on after his first game, the loss to Hull, he seemed to be getting the best out of the players. The dip since then could be fatigue, other teams working out how to play against Colwill and also the continued uncertainty.

I think when you look at the squad it is completely unbalanced. Still too many players who are not fast or sharp enough at this level and a squad bloated in some areas and threadbare in others.

We need to get rid of a few players who are not good enough and strengthen with regards to a right back, strikers and some genuine pace and guile off the wings. The bench on Saturday was woeful in terms of players who could come on and change the game, maybe Willock but he's not in form. Ralls, Siopis, Bagan, Fish, Rino, Collins & Hovarth filling up 7 out of 9 places on the bench shows how limited our squad is.


With Ramsey and Ralls missing a great deal of time this season already, I also worry about the lack of leadership in the team.

I do feel we are only 3 or 4 players short of being a decent play-off pushing team, if we can get them in and get rid of some of the players not doing it for us we will have a decent 2nd half of the season.

I think that's a pretty good summary

I think Chambers suffered early season from coming into a losing side

[Mr Soul '68]

Re: How good is our squad?

The squad is mid-table at best bar our attack, which is absolutely appalling for a Championship club. With the current squad I don't think even Cooper nor Robbins could get us much further up the table. We really do need someone decent on loan (as I can't see Tan shelling out mega bucks for good striker) to knock the balls in the back of the net, or we will struggle for the rest of the season.

[Rjk]

Re: How good is our squad?

there's a gnats cock between 90 percent of the teams at this level. outside of one or two teams I don't look at many squads and think they've got an embarrassment of riches compared to us.
outside of the clubs that have a lot of money, the teams that do well tend to be ones that click well tactically and have one or two players who make the leap and start performing at a higher level.
there's no reason that couldn't be us with this squad - but no more so than anyone else.
some of our younger players COULD raise their level and drag us up the table, or someone like Ramsey COULD turn the clocks back and start dominating teams at this level.
on the other hand it's also even more likely that the younger players remain inconsistent and the likes of Ramsey fail to make an impact.
the likes of Meite and Rinomhota we can probably be justified in feeling unfortunate in the levels we have had out of them - as they were proven performers at this level, but every club in the division probably also have a few similar cases.
Having a top striker at this level would definitely make a difference, we've been unlucky in that Kanga one of our main signings in the summer just hasn't performed - it happens , but at the same time Davies got injured when it looked like the stage was set for him to step into the role.
I think we look broadly similar to most mid table teams in this division. our terrible start will probably keep us in the relegation scrap for a good while yet, but there are definitely worse teams than us.

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: How good is our squad?

I would say they are better than i thought but the squad as a whole is vulnerable to an injury and lacks a striker ( been lacking for the last 13 years)