Luton v Plymouth

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa

The same players are starting?!

---

But we still had the likes of Kanga and Meite in the first team and players like Robertson, Chambers still finding their feet. Coupled with the two newest recruits we have a far, far stronger squad than last season with a couple of exceptions.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

But we still had the likes of Kanga and Meite

---

3 of the 11 players that started on Saturday were signed this season. 1 was signed last season, the others have been here for 2+ seasons. We're in this mess because so few of the players we bring in, actually improve us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moodybluebird

But we still had the likes of Kanga and Meite in the first team and players like Robertson, Chambers still finding their feet. Coupled with the two newest recruits we have a far, far stronger squad than last season with a couple of exceptions.

---

I fully expect to be derided here, but here goes anyway. Whoscored.com player ratings from last season and this. Disclaimer: I'm not suggesting these to be accurate, I'm just using the data to gauge opinion and create conversation.

We have 16 players who played last season for us as well as this season. 6 of them have higher average scores this season than they did last season (Rinhamota, Robinson, Tanner, O'Dowda, Colwill and Turnbull). The other 10 have lower average scores, including Goutas, NG, Ralls, Ramsey, Meite and Collins. All of our top ranked players from last season that have played for us this season have lower scores this season.

It makes for interesting comparisons if you filter by position. At centre back, for example, last season Goutas, McGuinness, Phillips and NG all scored higher than any centre backs this season, bar Goutas, whose score this season would have been ranked 3rd last season. Centre midfield scores on average are lower. On the opposite side of the field, our attack has higher scores than it did last season.

In short, whatever transfers we managed at the end of last season did nothing to strengthen us at the back or in centre midfield. In both areas we've got worse.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

I fully expect to be derided here, but here goes anyway. Whoscored.com player ratings from last season and this. Disclaimer: I'm not suggesting these to be accurate, I'm just using the data to gauge opinion and create conversation.

We have 16 players who played last season for us as well as this season. 6 of them have higher average scores this season than they did last season (Rinhamota, Robinson, Tanner, O'Dowda, Colwill and Turnbull). The other 10 have lower average scores, including Goutas, NG, Ralls, Ramsey, Meite and Collins. All of our top ranked players from last season that have played for us this season have lower scores this season.

It makes for interesting comparisons if you filter by position. At centre back, for example, last season Goutas, McGuinness, Phillips and NG all scored higher than any centre backs this season, bar Goutas, whose score this season would have been ranked 3rd last season. Centre midfield scores on average are lower. On the opposite side of the field, our attack has higher scores than it did last season.

In short, whatever transfers we managed at the end of last season did nothing to strengthen us at the back or in centre midfield. In both areas we've got worse.

---

"We have 16 players who played last season for us as well as this season. 6 of them have higher average scores this season than they did last season (Rinhamota, Robinson, Tanner, O'Dowda, Colwill and Turnbull). The other 10 have lower average scores, including Goutas, NG, Ralls, Ramsey, Meite and Collins. All of our top ranked players from last season that have played for us this season have lower scores this season."

This is an indication that they are underperforming. Why are they underperforming, because we had a terrible start which put us into the relegation zone. Why did we have a bad start, because we had a terrible set of fixtures, two of the top six first two games, another one sixth game, and the weaker teams we played in that first six were in good form at the time that we played them. Bulut made mistakes lost the dressing room, confidence was low, and we appointed a trainee Manager after about ten weeks of him learning on-the-job experience role.

Since then we've never been too far away from the drop zone and the players are playing with fear. If we can win the next two we will be fine confidence restored and we will start to see how good this underperforming squad really is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LA Bluebird

Players who have been available the majority of the season (10+ league appearances) not members of last years squad: Robertson, Willock, Chambers, El Ghazi, Kanga, Daland, Bagan, Rinomhota (debatable, can't remember when he came back or went to Rotherham)

Players with 10+ appearances last year not part of the squad this year: Wintle, Bowler, Grant, McGuinness, Phillips, Ugbo, Diedhiou, Romeo, Wilson-Esbrand, Adams

Is that a change that beggars belief we are where we are? I'm not so sure... definitely a couple of upgraded positions but I think Grant and McGuinness/Phillips better than anything we replaced them with. Now if you want to argue that the squad we have today with the additions in January is looking better maybe there's a case for that, but that's a different argument.

---

We are talking about over the both transfer windows as you have above by including Philips, Ugbo, Diedhiou and Wilson-Esbrand.

McGuiness and Philips were OK, but performing at their best two of Goutas, Chambers, Bagan, Daland, Fish, and NG should be as good, but it's not working for some reason, the team as a whole defensively are underperforming. This midfield is much better we have a choice of Chambers, Mannsverk, Robertson, Alves, Willock, El Ghazi, Ramsey, Colwill, Ashford, O'Dowda, Turnball, Tanner and Rinomhota. Up front we have much more with a fitter, less injured Robinson, Salech, Davies and Simic.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa

Very much agree to disagree. McGuinness/Phillips are automatic starters. Grant is an automatic starter. We've signed Robertson and potentially Salech that improve us. I dont think there's a lot of difference between the two sides but we massively miss Grant's pace and McGuinness at the back.

We've not improved the squad, and we've got a lot worse at the back.

---

No problem, we can disagree our views are different on the two teams.

We've got Bagan back, Chambers, Mannsverk, Alves, and Davies back, in addition to Salech and Robertson.

A big plus is at the end of last season we started to give game time to Colwill and Ashford, they are now ready to start games, we've had O'Dowda back from injury and hopefully we will see more of Ramsey.

Daland and Fish will get better in time, El Ghazi and Willock have been disappointing and should be playing a lot better than they have been.

I do think we lack a leader though, Morrison was brilliant maybe Ramsey can step up and help this younger squad through the next few months.