How Good Actually Is Our Current Squad?

[LeeCovFox]

I reckon people have been seduced into believing that we have a side capable of finishing in the top two by the amount of money we've spent, as well as the hype surrounding us. I include myself in that. It didn't take too long for me to realise that we really are just an average side at this level. That doesn't necessarily mean that we can't win promotion if we make the right managerial appointment. This division is packed full of average shite.

 

[Mawsley]

In all things the whole is greater than the sum of the parts - except the current City squad.

A manager brings that value-added out of the players.

This squad is good enough to go up or down depending on how it is driven.

 

[Miles Away]

I'd argue that most anyone in our squad would be starting in almost all championship sides:

Kasper would on current form
Bamba would
Mills would (despite some of you having the hump with him)
Konchesky would

Wellens probably would get in most sides, as would King.
Danns was a big player for Palace.
I think Yuki is vastly underrated.
Fernandes looks a good player to me and has played at higher levels.

Nugent waltzes into most sides.
Beckford, out of form, would struggle...but most sides would take the gamble.
Vassell, too, would be a player most sides would love to have at this level.

We have a talented squad, most sides would take many of our players over their own from a quality perspective...but they have played like complete strangers for stretches this season.

 

[Kingy_85]

This thread hurts my eyes but SSL plays for Ireland not Republic Of Ireland. Just saying innit.

 

[Jeff]

This thread hurts my eyes but SSL plays for Ireland not Republic Of Ireland. Just saying innit.

Eh?

 

[Kingy_85]

Eh?

I meant Northern Ireland!!! Argh!

 

[Kingy_85]

I'm sure someone posted that he plays for them. Mind you I've never drank before a game untill today, it might be that!!!

 

[Redditch Fox]

I don't think that Sven used the owners particularly well - and that didn't surprise me.

That said, the squad has under-performed relative to the resources available and not made any significant or consistent progress as the season as moved on - and that is surprising because you would have thought that the team would have settled in as players got used to each other and the manager/ coach training/ tactical approach - so not surprising Sven got the chop.

How good are we - not anywhere near as good as the hype or money spent might suggest - and other managers have been glad to join in this hype whilst I guess understanding that we aren't that brilliant.

But not as poor as the league position indicates - 12th after 16 games and not really up to that mark because Birmingham are only 1 point behind with a stack of games in hand.

If we can get pearson then we should take him - partly because he is seriously down to earth and will bring some reality to the situation. Unfortunately I'm afraid that as far as promotion is concerned that we can probably forget it for this season - we're the same points off the relegation places as we are off second place. Things have been screwed up.

 

[Feriol]

Yes, these players have proven to be decent PL players who have played in Europe and internationally, but that doesn't mean they are players who will take the Championship by storm, from what I've seen these players are simply what I would call "cog" players. Decent players who fit in and do a job, but they're not the kind of players who get you promoted, this is, imo what our side is full of.

I agree with this point. None of our players are match winners. In the premiership with such players around them they gain the confidence from regular wins and perform better. Also its easier to appreciate what they do when you're happy from good team performances.

You're right, when SGE first came in we played some of the best football I've ever seen us play, but last year's team was very different to this year's and other than the Derby game and the first half at Southampton we haven't really shown much, have we?

Last year Yakubu was our 'Match Winner' and so the hard work of everyone else was fruitful, this year our hard work is getting us camped on the edge of the 18 yard box, but we lack a player to create something once we're there. To be fair so do most championship teams, which is why they play more direct.

Konchesky and Pantsil were hardly the players that got Fulham where they were though were they? Pantsil was well known for being error prone in fact and Konchesky has always just been what he is now, a solid player in the PL with an incosistant cross on him.

I'm not writing Beckford or Pantsil of at all, but neither am I just saying they are great players who are "underperforming" simply because they were decent PL players.

I do think they are underperforming, but i also think they are limited in their effectiveness by the team around them. If we had someone like Yakubu turning a few of his crosses into chances, we would probably be pretty happy with Konchesky, even at his current form.

 

[Matt_B]

Our players are up there with the best in the division but unfortunately are not playing as a team or for each other. If we could get a manager to get them pulling in the same direction we will do well, if not then it is an expensive write off.

 

[Izzet 6]

We have a fine keeper in Kasper, Peltier and Konchesky are decent full-backs though nothing special, Bamba and Mills were forming a good partnership until Mills was sent off at Brum. Back-ups haven't been convincing.

So many central midfielders, each with their own qualities but together it hasn't really gelled.

Up front Nugent has been superb, Beckford yet to show his quality and the back-ups (Gallagher, Vassell, Howard) are inconsistent. Schlupp looks promising.

I think we've got a squad capable of the top 6 but we need to show it and soon.

 

[Kingy_85]

It would be easier to list who's BAD!

Here's a few select.

Weale = Never have I seen a player become so poor so quickly.

Panstil = Looks like a headless chicken (a confident one). Seems to be used to the standoffish attitude of the EPL not the FOR SPARTA!!! attitude of the Championship.

St Ledger = The fact we paid over a £1mill for this bloke is baffling. Awful.

Danns = Doesn't strike me as an intelligant footballer, often makes the wrong choice and has never been a winger in his life. Can't fault his effort but?

Beckford = He's been cast off - and he looks like one. It will take a miracle to see his Leeds form again. Get rid of him and HE WILL start banging them in. Lose-lose situation.

 

[indierich06]

Beckford = He's been cast off - and he looks like one. It will take a miracle to see his Leeds form again. Get rid of him and HE WILL start banging them in. Lose-lose situation.

So there's no way we can get him scoring, but wherever else he goes he will start scoring loads of goals regardless of what club or manager he plays for?

You come out with some bizarre stuff sometimes Kingy...

 

[Kingy_85]

So there's no way we can get him scoring, but wherever else he goes he will start scoring loads of goals regardless of what club or manager he plays for?

You come out with some bizarre stuff sometimes Kingy...

Bizarre!, I'll give you bizarre!

DJ Campbell anyone?

 

[Redditch Fox]

It would be amazing if Pearson has similar views on players to Sven.

Assuming that the owners are willing to keep shelling out their money - and the Sven/ Pearson switch will have cost plenty - I expect NP to make significant changes in personnel. I guess the mid-field is the stand out problem.

 

[indierich06]

Bizarre!, I'll give you bizarre!

DJ Campbell anyone?

Yeah, but he blatantly didn't want to be here after Martin Allen left and he made it clear at every opportunity possible.

Beckford on the other hand has just gotten off to a bad start and his cameo against Leeds suggests to me that he's hungry to prove himself. There's a big difference between a player who gets stroppy when things aren't going his way to one who just doesn't want to be here.

I honestly think Pearson is the right kind of manager to get the best out of Jermaine Beckford - if you look at who he played under at Leeds, they were hardly exponents of the beautiful game. I actually think Person will relish the chance to work with him.

 

[Redditch Fox]

Yeah, but he blatantly didn't want to be here after Martin Allen left and he made it clear at every opportunity possible.

Beckford on the other hand has just gotten off to a bad start and his cameo against Leeds suggests to me that he's hungry to prove himself. There's a big difference between a player who gets stroppy when things aren't going his way to one who just doesn't want to be here.

I honestly think Pearson is the right kind of manager to get the best out of Jermaine Beckford - if you look at who he played under at Leeds, they were hardly exponents of the beautiful game. I actually think Person will relish the chance to work with him.

Nugent and Beckford should make a decent enough strike force for this division - they wouldn't cut the mustard in the Premier League but that's another story and hopefully another day. As you imply Pearson is more likely to get results out of Beckford than Sven. Sorry to be unkind about Sven but imo he is ineffectual as a manager these days and its years and years since he had any success and then it was in a completely different environment to the Championship.

I don't think that Waghorn is ever going to make a top player. But I expect he will be brought back and wouldn't be surprised to see him being highly motivated and putting in some decent shifts.

How, Pearson is going to sort out the glut of square pegs in round holes of our widthless & paceless midfield I really wouldn't know - but he's being paid plenty to fix it.

 

[Han]

I seem to remember a few round pegs in square holes under Pearson - Oakley on the wing and wide midfield, Gally wide midfield (which happened to be his best position), Waghorn right wing, Cleverly wide midfield, Tony Warner in goal.

 

[Redditch Fox]

I seem to remember a few round pegs in square holes under Pearson - Oakley on the wing and wide midfield, Gally wide midfield (which happened to be his best position), Waghorn right wing, Cleverly wide midfield, Tony Warner in goal.

No one's perfect!

I just think that Pearson is more likely to get more out of our playing resources than Sven. I can quite understand that many of the players would like to work for Sven - but likeability doesn't necessarily win football matches.