So which way are we heading ?
I believe that to be pushing for the play-offs, we need possibly 16 players, of play off level ability. I calculate that we have 7.
For mid table respectability, do we need 16 of that level or above ? We have 9.
So for me, we have more than half of a smallish squad, that for one reason or another, aren’t quite up to the job. This may be through inexperience, lack of ability, haven’t settled or whatever.
I reckon we were over performing at the start of the season, through very solid but negative tactics. We were sussed out & are now attacking a bit more, but leaking goals.
Big Bob has lost the plot a bit and is being too defensive against the lower teams and too attacking against the better teams.
As we had such a good start, we should be able to avoid relegation.
If we don’t make any decent signings in January it will be close.
If we do make some good signings, we could still aim for top half, as this division is so very tight. A few decent players could propel a team from 20th to 6th.
As others have said, RD is deluded, if he thinks he can throw in half a dozen U21’s and expect them to regularly outperform the other teams. Yes there is some great potential, but that’s what they are potential.
Only my view. I’m sure many will disagree with my view, but generally, I think I’m not far off.
Play-off level
Henderson
Bikey
Gudmundson
Vetokele
Buyens
Solly
Ben Haim
Mid table level
Wiggins
Cousins
Onyewu
Low level/Relegation level
Wilson
Gomez
Jackson
Bulot
Moussa
Harriot
Church
Fox
Tucadean
Pope
Ahearne-Grant
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Comments
Once again, Jacko, can flit between all 3 categories, but overall, I'd marginally, place him, at the top, of the bottom group.
It's a good job we had a good start or we would be in the bottom 3
We need consistent players who perform every week
don't have to be superstars just solid dependable players who give 100% every game and don't go missing 2 out of every 3 games
The division is quite fluid, Forest looked like running away with it and are now mid table and sinking, Norwich have been top then had a slump to table but now coming back up, Bournemouth were mid table and now top so who knows what the table will look like in a month let alone the end of the season.
Our dive in form has corresponded with Henderson's absence, indicating how vital is the GK position. Interesting how your 'top' players include three members of a defence which has imploded lately. There is surely a link between this 'fact' and Henderson's injury.
Vetokele has missed many chances lately and is nowhere near good enough to be included in the 'top' bracket. He is lightweight and has been sussed out by the opposition. Wilson and Jackson deserve 'regrading upwards', otherwise I would agree with most of your analysis.
I have written elsewhere that we need three or four good quality players, not hit or miss merchants from the Ardennes forest or the more remote parts of east Europe, but preferably experienced English/British pros who are still ambitious and are able to give the proverbial 100%. To be realistic, I don't hold out a lot of hope that we will get one, let alone three or four such new players in during this season .. be nice to see this type of line up come February:
Henderson Solly Bikey Ben-Haim Wiggins .. Gudmundson Buyens NEWMAN NEWMAN ... NEWMAN NEWMAN ..we live in hope
The jury is still out on Peeters and some of the players that joined us this year and we will only start to learn more when the next two transfer windows have taken place. If we add, two good standard players in January and two more in the summer without losing any of the best ones, we will be there or thereabouts next season, I fancy.
If Vetokele and JBG disappear in January with the youngsters being forced through, we will struggle.
A bit more patience is needed, I think. I am sure I overheard someone say in a bar near The Valley that it would be a bumpy ride.
Especially Cousins, who is a quality player imo
IMO, this league has a huge intangible as the major factor and that is the influence the coaching/management has on the same set of players. Id say its more accentuated then any other league, definitely has more influence in this division than the PL.
I mean Birmingham, purlease. Gary Rowett looking like Rinus Michels.
As we see over the past 5-10 years, you always get one team of journeymen and hasbeens/neverbeens that do well. This seems to stem from a manager who knows the division inside out (doesnt have to be from direct experience measured in seasons though) and can use this knowledge to good effect (using Stuart Pearce as an example - bags of knowledge, no ability to manage a football team).
Mick McCarthy knows what he needs to get a team over 80pts and its direct and powerful players when budget is limited. People banging on about Ipswich players, not really the point at all. I dont see a team of stars, more that they are well organised and pragmatic.
Mark Warburton - wow that fella continues to impress. he is sharp as a tack and brings the benefits of his commercial career to football man-management.
Brentford have a bottom 6-8 squad, but they are just used to winning and they are far greater than the sum of their parts. You wouldnt swap Andre Gray for Vetokele on any day but you would like to see Igor used as effectively as MW deploys Gray. I think they will scrape 6th.
Forest could have had the best team in the league but they have the wrong man in charge who hasnt purchased players with an overall scheme in mind, just signing players off top scorer lists a la Pardew. Poor value in that approach.
Outrageous as it seems, IMO Jose (the Special One not the Charlton one) would get Blackpools squad in the play offs.
So, where is BP in the ranking? Id say bottom 6-8 but thats mainly due to lack of experience and of course he needs more time to show what he is all about.
you know the rest.
: - )
He was "nowhere" at the start of the season.
Gomez, could be an outstanding player. But as of NOW, he is an outstanding talent. A big difference.
Especially, if your team is half full of prospects, that aren't quite ready.
One or two you can accommodate, but not 5 or 6.
We play Pope, Fox, Cousins, Harriot, Gomez and Ahearne-Grant and wonder why we can't beat experienced, bigger, stronger Championship opponents. They are getting swatted aside too often.
At Least you are a guy who go to the games, and don't just rely on 2nd hand info.
Plus at a couple of games you were even sober !
George Tucadean has had 3 and a half games(45 mins against Derby) where i would have him in
my play off team, Most of the other performances he would struggle to make a 2nd division side.
Gomez will be in the top group one day, not just yet.
Jackson has had a great career at CAFC, but like his goals, it seems to be diminishing returns,
so can see why he is in bottom group now.
Igor's form in first part of season was Play off group,
Maybe the only good thing about his dip in form is he will still be a CAFC player in feb,
when he can start scoring again and we will at least finish in mid table.
Cousins was doing very well at CM before he was replaced by Poyet then used as a utility player.
Gomez is being played out of position. All the top players you rate are playing in their natural position.
Cousins is doing well.
Even if Gomez was playing right back, I wouldn't see him as a FORCE as of NOW. Next season maybe or the season after, but not NOW.
that he has to be home by 9.30 !
At least a year too early. (harder for forwards unless your a Rooney who was mature as a footballer at 16,
well on the pitch at least)
And we know the rest can help a network club in Spain, Belgium or Hungary so 2015-16 could start with a much improved squad.
The question is whether Buyens will stay and who will be acquired to help CAFC make the next step up into a top 8 club.
Very interesting point about coaches and managers. Absolutely vital that the head coach can deliver more than the sum of the parts, along with developing individuals. Too early to judge in our case but to become a top 8 club you need someone who can get you there by winning every other game.
Clubs like Derby, Ipswich and Bournemouth would have been in the same position as us 18 months ago - they have gone on to develop with good coaching AND player acquisition plus decent loans from the FAPL.
Mid-table is fine as long as we can see the squad improving every six months.