Squad comparison to this time last year

[southend4eva]

A week or two ago I was really concerned and was one of the doomsday posters.
It really looked like we would struggle to get anyone of note in.
A week later and a quick comparison to around this time last year (21-08-2012) and I feel we measure up ok.
Of course there where quite a few changes throughout the season to the 2012 squad, with a few moving on and few loan signings.
All things being equal, I am much happier with where we are now.
Though one more striker would top it of for me. :smile:
Quite a relief really and I am staring to believe promotion could be realistic.

August 2012
GK:
Paul Smith 2014
Dan Bentley 2013
Luke Chambers 2014 (loaned out)
Cameron Belford (one month loan)

DEF:
Sean Clohessy 2013
Chris Barker 2013
Mark Phillips 2014
Luke Prosser 2013
Anthony Straker 2014
Ryan Cresswell 2014

MID:
Michael Timlin 2013
Kane Ferdinand 2013
Alex Woodyard 2013
Dave Martin 2013 (on transfer list)
Ryan Hall 2013
Kevan Hurst 2014
Ryan Leonard 2013
John Spicer 2013

FWD:
Elliot Benyon 2013
Neil Harris 2014
Barry Corr 2013
Gavin Tomlin 2013
Freddy Eastwood 2014
Britt Assombalonga (one month loan)
Bilel Mohsni 2013 (in France)

Total Under Contract: 23 (one transfer listed, one Mohsni) plus Assistant Manager

​

August 2013
GK
Paul Smith 2014
Dan Bentley 2016
Luke Chambers 2014

DEF:
Chris Barker 2014 (might be leaving)
Mark Phillips 2014
Luke Prosser 2015 + option until 2016
Anthony Straker 2014
Ryan Auger 2014
John White 2015
Ben Coker 20XX (not released info)
Julian Bennett 2014 with option of 2nd year based on a number of clauses

MID:
Michael Timlin "Short Term" (option to 2015)
Kevan Hurst 2014
Ryan Leonard 2014
Marc Laird 2014
Mitchell Pinnock 2015
Will Atkinson 2015
Jack Payne 2014
Conor Clifford 2015

FWD:
Barry Corr 2015
Freddy Eastwood 2014
Seedy Njie 2014
Craig Reid 2014 + further year option depending on various clauses

 

[Prawn]

It's unknown, you could say we've got a stronger squad on paper but we'll only know when they've played a few games together.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

I would say not having a decent center midfield at the start of last season was a big worry

 

[sufcnum1]

I think the squaud is better placed ie variation to as were players can play.
This increaes competition in the squad which was not their last year ie phillips timlin were always gonna start when fit now thats not guarantee

 

[NZamba Legend]

The 20 man limit has actually helped us to put together a compact, versatile squad. Let's see what the manager can do with them...

 

[Bromley Blue]

I was delighted with the transfer activity yesterday and am too feeling much more confident about the season ahead now. That said I still think we need to add to the squad when we can finally lift the embargo, albeit with loan signings.

Fans from Julian Bennett's former clubs have given the impression that he is very much a left back and not a centre half. Bennett himself has said he would play there so I suppose the jury is out on that. But with Cresswell having left I would have liked to have seen us bring in someone who is primarily a centre half, we have enough cover at left back already IMO.

I haven't seen Connor Clifford play but from looking through the YouTube clips it looks like he is box-to-box midfielder who also has a taste for long range goals, a lower league Lampard. I think our first choice midfield when all fully fit would probably be:

Timlin Clifford Laird Hurst

First impressions suggest Clifford and Laird might be too similar and I'm sure PB pointed to this when interviewed after Clifford's first trial game. I would have hoped we would be looking to sign a ball-winning midfielder in the mould of Tamika from last season or Kalala from the year before. This type of player would allow your Timlins, Cliffords of the team to get forward and support the attack. Therefore I'd imagine eventually Laird and Clifford will be fighting for one spot in the side. Ryan Leonard has tried to play this ballwinner role before but I think his best position is in the Carl Pettefer Right Defensive midfield role.

I also have concerns as to whether Ryan Leonard and Will Atkinson would be effectively offering the same sort of role to the side as neither are out and out wingers and I think thats what we are really missing from the squad at the mo, someone with genuine pace. Last season we had Tomlin who could also drop wide right when required or through the middle away from home. Hopefully Forte will sign as he might be able to provide this.

Overall, as I say, I am pleased but on paper at least we might still be missing a few players in order for us to always have an effective plan B option available when things aren't going our way.

Thoughts?

 

[Bolton Shrimper]

Looking good but 2 players short IMHO.........A striker with pace ie Forte and a younger taller centre back to replace Barker ie possible quality loanee.

 

[undercovershrimper]

Hopefully Thompson and Forte will sign today or tomorrow morning, then i think we are looking pretty strong

 

[DTS]

On paper last season squad looks better but in reality it did nothing as we were toothless a lot of the time. Looking forward to seeing what Phil can do with the side he has. Think he signings on paper are all decent.

 

[Angell Delight]

Brown said Carrington and Laird were too similar, not Clifford and Laird (hence why Carrington wasn't offered a deal).

 

[MK Shrimper]

Like the fact there are no old pro's in the knockings of their career looking for a final payday.

 

[Ricky Otto]

If we are comparing these two squads then last years is better by some margin I’d say. I know a few of the players on that list didn’t end up being a part of our season but the question is comparing the 2 squads listed that we started the seasons with.

From last year’s squad we have lost
Clohessey and Cresswell, 1[SUP]st[/SUP] and 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] in our player of the year.
Kane Ferdinand, who would have started more often than not last year and would still this season IMO.
Dave Martin is no real loss
Ryan Hall had the leading amount of assists going into last season and is playing championship football now, Massive player for us
Spicer no real loss
Benyon, good that he’s gone
Harris, was a big drain on wages but looked like he could do a job when fit
Tomlin, was very good last season and missed him when he was injured
Britt, wasn’t purchased for over a million for no reason
Mohsni, hmmm great on his day but I think it’s best he’s gone.

Obviously there are unknowns in the new squad and one or two could step up, I find it hard to believe that enough players will step up to the standards of the better players on last year’s squad list.

Positives are that of last year’s squad list two of the best players, Hall & Ferdinand, left straight away meaning the actual gulf isn’t that big. We also now have a manger who wants to play a bit more, so the entertainment value should be better. Brown also looks like he’ll play Eastwood too, still convinced that with a run of games we’ll see good things from him. Brown seems to have improved fitness too, so whilst I’m not sure we have a better squad, I do think we can better last season’s league position.

 

[chapperzUK]

I think this year's is better.

Goalkeepers are the same as last year, Belford was never going to stay for over a month. Reckon Chambers will go out on loan again.

Defenders are about the same. We've replaced Clohessy with White, but lost a key player in Cresswell. More strength in depth this year, with only 6 defenders last year and injuries took their toll.

In midfield I believe we are better. Hall was never going to stay, so wouldn't include him. Ferdinand could have played a key part last season, but there were rumours going around that he would leave, so wouldn't include him either when comparing this season to last. Losing Spicer, Woodyard and Martin has been no real loss, but bringing in Atkinson and Clifford will hopefully have more of an impact than those. Payne could be an interesting one too.

Up front is weaker. Losing the pace of Assombalonga and Tomlin has weakened us. Losing Benyon and Harris isn't too big a loss in my opinion. Mohsni was always set to leave this time last season, but sadly we had to bring him back. Extending Corr's contract is a big plus. I'm more hopeful that Reid and possibly Forte will be decent signings than expecting them to be.

Think we need 1 CB to replace Cresswell, possibly Thompson on a youth loan, and a quick forward, could be Forte.

 

[thenobster]

would like a stronger Goalkeeper, especially if Smith leaves. However, I really hope Bentley has a top season.

 

[jamie sutton]

Losing Hall, Cresswell, Tomlin, Assombalonga, Moshni and Ferdinand has definitely weakened us compared to this point last year, time for others to step up to the plate!

 

[TTS]

Surely the comparison should be with the squad at the end of last season and not the start. Main reason being, Hall and Ferdinand had long left by our 3rd/4th games ! Also, Moshni played in say 20% of the games & Martin was always going to be bombed out and left fairly early. Therefore for me, the only players really that we can comment on are :-

Clohessey - Yep, excellent right back, but right backs can be 10 a penny sometimes. We may find we have a better defensive version this season.
Cresswell - Defo a loss for me, much more so than Clohessey. An area of the pitch that can win/loss you games. Would like to see a Loan improvement bought in.
Tomlin - Yep, a loss, but to be honest most fans had already resigned themselves to the fact that he was off.
Britt - Yep, for a me a huge loss. But not so much the player, but the fact he gave you pace and out let behind opposing teams back lines. All Clubs need a pacey outlet.

For me, if we can replace Britt with a pacey player, but maybe not as gifted, fine with me. Pace is key.

We also need to consider that Corr, is almost new to us as well, as he missed most of the start of the season and also Pre Season, Corr is a big player and presence for us.

Therefore, I feel from the main players, we still need two.

CB to replace the presence that Cresswell gave us - again, a young loanee will do me (someone lin the mould of a Devitte all those years ago)
A forward with pace ............

The squad has more verstaility now then last season, at any stage. I also like that like others have said there is a hunger of youth running through the lifeline of the squad.

I am verging on the side of optimism, however I still wary of a good start, to win our fans over more importantly.

UTB's !

 

[mattytheshrimper]

I am a lot happier than I was before the signings yesterday but I still think we definitely need another striker and maybe another centre back. Hopefully we will be able to get a couple loanees in soon??

The thing I do like about we're starting the season is signing players up for 2 years and all of our squad are our players. I quite like the look of that. Add a few loanee's in the add extra quality then we might be on to something.

 

[adambarrettismyfather]

i think something we may miss is cresswells goals, phillips and prosser and bennett will need to chip in a few each to replace those key goals from defence that often make a big difference over a season