Our squad

[Bearded Shrimper]

I don't think we talk about our squad enough. Not only the ability or the fight or whatever that we have, but the balance. We just seem to have such an imbalanced squad, only one senior winger, one left back, things like that. The only formation I can see suiting this squad is 352 because we have enough centre backs, a wing back on either side, central midfielders and strikers

 

[ItsMichaelBlack]

Its a average league two squad at best. I said this after the first few games. There is not one single player in this squad that would get into any first eleven in the championship !!!! This league is all about having a few experienced players that have been at that level before and a few younger players that have the potential to be there and then a few that are at their prime and playing below the level they are at and pushing for a higher money move !!! We have nothing ! People may argue that we have a few that could play championship but I don’t think they can. This squad is tired and mentally drained. It’s full of clowns.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

I take your points, but that's not really what I'm saying. I'm saying this squad was really badly put together. we can't play 442 but we can't not play 442

 

[RHB]

Its a average league two squad at best. I said this after the first few games. There is not one single player in this squad that would get into any first eleven in the championship !!!! This league is all about having a few experienced players that have been at that level before and a few younger players that have the potential to be there and then a few that are at their prime and playing below the level they are at and pushing for a higher money move !!! We have nothing ! People may argue that we have a few that could play championship but I don’t think they can. This squad is tired and mentally drained. It’s full of clowns.

Clowns make people laugh, I didn't see much laughter yesterday, unless you include Wordsworth falling flat on his arse trying an athletic bit of ball control. I laughed at that.

 

[South Bank Hank]

Clowns make people laugh, I didn't see much laughter yesterday, unless you include Wordsworth falling flat on his arse trying an athletic bit of ball control. I laughed at that.

Not laughing at our recruitment strategy either as, to the original poster’s point, It has been Penny Wise, pound foolish at best.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Yes I agree and the biggest waste of money must be
Ridgewell !

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Is Harry Kypriano a full back?
Ridgewell MAY be a good player when/if he gets fit; he could be a centre back solution & righting him off after an unfit, thrown in at the deep end hour, is unrealistic imo.
On paper, our squad ought to be doing okay but it is so lacking in morale, confidence, guidance and leadership on and off the field.
Lots of the Zone slaughtered and slandered Anton BUT he would have been a rock in this defense,
Wordsworth called it right, largely, when he said we lacked character.

 

[Willis]

Yes I agree and the biggest waste of money must be
Ridgewell !

...but we don’t know what he is earning. It could be pay-as-you-play

 

[Stuart W]

Is Harry Kypriano a full back?
Ridgewell MAY be a good player when/if he gets fit; he could be a centre back solution & righting him off after an unfit, thrown in at the deep end hour, is unrealistic imo.
On paper, our squad ought to be doing okay but it is so lacking in morale, confidence, guidance and leadership on and off the field.
Lots of the Zone slaughtered and slandered Anton BUT he would have been a rock in this defense,
Wordsworth called it right, largely, when he said we lacked character.

Just don't get this "on paper our squad ought to be doing okay" mantra.
Where exactly is the evidence? Precisely which three sides in league 1 are we so sure have inferior squads to us ?
Having been to 9 of our 12 league games thus far (admittedly I missed MK Dons), I have seen 8 deserved defeats and one battling scrambled draw.
So who are these inferior three sides?

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

Is Harry Kypriano a full back?

I think he prefers centre back, and played superbly there alongside Anton a while back. However, he's also still injured so not available at the moment, leaving us with just Ralph.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Just don't get this "on paper our squad ought to be doing okay" mantra.
Where exactly is the evidence? Precisely which three sides in league 1 are we so sure have inferior squads to us ?
Having been to 9 of our 12 league games thus far (admittedly I missed MK Dons), I have seen 8 deserved defeats and one battling scrambled draw.
So who are these inferior three sides?

We have two international team captains, we have forwards that are the stuff of dreams compared to past years, we have experienced defenders, a POTY and England U21 GK, unfortunately when put together,in a metaphor dish/meal it would be steak with chocolate caramel ice cream and sweat and sour brussels.

 

[Jim Levenstein]

Terrible side.. no contracts which are expiring deserved to get renewed other than Elvis. Release the lot

 

[Chrisb]

Terrible side.. no contracts which are expiring deserved to get renewed other than Elvis. Release the lot

Unfortunately for us, I would imagine there are other teams watching Elvis and rightly so.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Terrible side.. no contracts which are expiring deserved to get renewed other than Elvis. Release the lot

Really? I think that about half can happily be wished onwards to seek their fortunes elsewhere but your suggestion is a tad defeatist and harsh.

 

[BriggBlue]

for me I think the standard on L1 has moved on and the ability within our squad just isn't good enough at this level anymore. Yes we have decent players but everyone in this league does. Even our top players like Cox are at best average at this level

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Its a average league two squad at best. I said this after the first few games. There is not one single player in this squad that would get into any first eleven in the championship !!!! .

IMO we only have 5-6 players, who would be selected for the Division we are currently in?.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Yes I agree and the biggest waste of money must be
Ridgewell !

Hyam?

 

[rigsby]

Yes I agree and the biggest waste of money must be
Ridgewell !

I thought we only paid him for a week.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

I know we've got injuries, but playing Cox up front on his own and a striker out wide ain't likely to work. The problem is that, even without injuries, we don't have the players to play the system we're trying to

 

[LBBlue]

We lack pace, we lack strength and we lack height.

We lack the ability to run with the ball and have no one with quick feet or moves in the opposition penalty box or can control a football game.

Apart from that we're fine.