How good is our squad?

[Eric the Half a Bee]

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.

I don't quite share that view in that I feel we've got a lot of very average players at this level. I'd better not say this in front of Sludge, though. He'll say it's a reason for players not joining us...

I look at the number of players we've sold to other Championship sides in recent seasons and there haven't been any that have got remotely close to being with a decent team at this level. You might be right in suggesting there's not much between sides in this division, but I feel we're towards the bottom of those average sides.

[Des Parrot]

Re: How good is our squad?

We need to sign a modern day Kav & Peter Thorne, then we’ll be in a better place to push for top half. If we do nothing else in January we need to sign a striker, who scores & stays fit

[LA Bluebird]

Re: How good is our squad?

Mid table squad but missing a striker who can be a focal point and a physical threat, Robinson does his best but isn’t really an out an out striker and also injured too much, which is why he’s had to persist with the woeful Meite and unspeakably bad Kanga.

Unfortunately that’s too often the most important position on the pitch and the hardest to fill. If we don’t fix that I can’t see a new manager turning it round significantly no matter who they are.

[City123]

Re: How good is our squad?

I'd say its pretty average but lacks depth in key positions and has too many samey players in defence and midfield who don't really offer a point of difference. For instance what gain is there from a club having all 3 of Ralls, Siopis & Rinomhota

We are also very reliant on the few players we do have that offer something, especially going forward in Colwill & Robinson, so we look completely ineffective if they aren't playing or are having an off day. Other players in the team are also reliant on them to bring out the best in them, Tanner with Colwill is a clear example of this I'd say

We also have very little depth going forward with some players just not fitting in with how others want to play at all. It was noticeable on Saturday how many long balls we played with Meite in the team, that wouldn't have happened had it been El Ghazi/Willock and it also took our midfield out of the game in possession

[NinianKnight]

Re: How good is our squad?

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

Spot on

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: How good is our squad?

The answer to the question in the heading is not very.

How many players in the current squad have the potential to be anything other than mid-ranking Championship players?

And how many would get into the squads of any of the top sides in the division?

[Don Corleone]

Re: How good is our squad?

Maybe the answer is better than a bottom 3 relegation side but not by much.

As alluded to by City123 we have very few players capable of winning a tight game. Colwill can but is very inconsistent as can Robinson but is often left very isolated. The one other player is O Dowda but again it’s only seen in patches.

There’s probably another 10 or so similar teams in the Championship reliant one one or two gifted/ flair players and it is how often you can get them to perform that makes a difference between mid table and a relegation fight

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: How good is our squad?

The answer to the question in the heading is not very.

How many players in the current squad have the potential to be anything other than mid-ranking Championship players?

And how many would get into the squads of any of the top sides in the division?

Some seem to think that's enough to be a playoff side if a bit of quality is added.

[Rjk]

Re: How good is our squad?

Some seem to think that's enough to be a playoff side if a bit of quality is added.

the same could be said of about half of the division - one bit of real quality and the team clicking could make a massive difference to any team in the division

[2b2bdoo]

Re: How good is our squad?

To really push top 6 confidently I think we need 7 players.

To just push up the league to midtable and maybe push for the playoffs. Probably 4 players.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: How good is our squad?

the same could be said of about half of the division - one bit of real quality and the team clicking could make a massive difference to any team in the division

I don't think the division is that close. Take Ramsey with us. I know he's injury prone but he was never going to propel us up the table on his own. Having a quality player with nobody around them who is remotely on the same wavelength etc isn't going to drag a team up the table on his own.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: How good is our squad?

To really push top 6 confidently I think we need 7 players.

To just push up the league to midtable and maybe push for the playoffs. Probably 4 players.

I agree, though 4 players wouldn't quite get us into the playoffs in my view.

[2b2bdoo]

Re: How good is our squad?

I agree, though 4 players wouldn't quite get us into the playoffs in my view.

No it’s unlikely but I think 2 strikers and 2 wingers would push us up the table, I think anyone around that top midtable section have a chance of pushing into the player offs with a good run.

Realistically I think 7 would give us a good chance.

[Bobby Dandruff]

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 have read quite a few posts saying ‘easily good enough for a play off push’ after Riza won a few games, to ‘we are in a relegation scrap’ when he loses a few.

The answer is probably in between - so mid table.

We’ll never be any good without a striker and there is zero sign of that changing anytime soon (the Etete apologists are just deluded) but have enough decent defenders plus the odd steady midfielder that should see us in mid table.

[Splott-light...]

Re: How good is our squad?

we're well below average, as shown by our league position.