The team is finally evolving

[Schards#2]

It's been one of my main main concerns over this season that no one outside of our Chmpionship winning squad had established themselves in the first team. No criticism of that squad but it was dwindling with the sale of Sidwell, the injury to Little and others getting older and less effective.

In recent weeks, for the first time since promotion, this has changed with Rosenior, Bikey and Matejovsky all estiblishing themselves as first choice first team players. This had to happen at some point to enable the club to progress and must continue further over the coming seasons as the 'dream team' inevitably disintegrates further.

[Far Canal]

Agreed, but I hope to see Sonko return to form and get back in the first team at some point.

[Baines]

Good post Schards.

If Coppell manages to create a successful new team with the current spending policy and in the pressure of the Premier League (as opposed to the slightly more relaxed atmosphere of the Championship), then I think that would at least equal his accomplishment in the creation of the championship winning side.

Far Canal - barring a Bikey loss of form, I suspect that the Coppell might have decided that the bold experiment of seeing how we do despite giving away a penalty every few games might have run its natural course.

[Geekins]

I think we still need another centre back next season. Sonko is good in the air but always a constant concern when the ball is at his feet. Ingi i have always liked, but i think soon he will be past it, Doobs is a short term solution and injury prone anyway.

So Sonko for the bench and another proven CB to partner the spiderman!

[Royal Rother]

At the end of the season I hope we can reflect on and admire the skill with which the very gradual transformation of the Championship squad has been started.

It could have been done faster for sure (I have wanted Bikey to be given a decent run for 18 months now for instance) but if we retain our PL status having established 3-4 players as new 1st team regulars, and can realistically aim to do the same thing next season, then any criticisms of Coppell's policies will be pretty empty.

Massive transformation of a squad (the panic measures many demanded once we started struggling this season) rarely work.

Fingers crossed for the rest of the season but as suggested by the opening post there's plenty of cause for optimism for the future.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

The sides still not as good as when we went up, the one improvement is Rosenior. Still no right winger and still the midfield is un balanced.

Coppell's team selections are moving in the right direction, just need to sort out his transfer policy now.

Nothing big, just 2 or 3 players better than what we have will take this team to the next level. But you actually have to get these players rather than saying you will get them and just not.

Refuse to bring people in and we'll go backwards like this season and we ain't got as far back to go next season.

[higher]

7 subs available for each game next year should give more scope for including a youngster or 2 on the bench.This could give opportunities for youngsters to grab an opportunity to rise to the occasion when circumstances allow ,create greater all round competition and give valuable big match day involvement to youth players.
We may even uncover a Jem.

[Forbury Lion]

If you pick what few would argue to be the strongest championship XI and compare it to the current premiership XI you have..

.......Championship.................Premiership

GK....Hahnemann.....................Hahnemann
LB....Shorey........................Shorey
RB....Murty.........................Rosenior
CB....Ingimarsson...................Ingimarsson
CB....Sonko.........................Bikey
LW....Convey........................Hunt
MF....Harper........................Harper
MF....Sidwell.......................Matejovsky
RW....Little........................Oster
ST....Kitson........................Kitson
ST....Doyle.........................Doyle


The Premiership XI could IMHO be improved with the return of Little and Lita, Simply because Little is better than Oster and Doyle is off form. Sonko has the potential to re-establish his place in the startin XI but he has to wait his turn. Convey looks out of sorts in the Premiership and whilst having Sidwell back would make us stronger I think Matejovsky could prove to be a great signing or different sorts.

[Forbury Lion]

7 subs available for each game next year should give more scope for including a youngster or 2 on the bench.

or 2 goalkeepers for Chelsea when they next visit.

[Woodcote Royal]

Far Canal - barring a Bikey loss of form, I suspect that the Coppell might have decided that the bold experiment of seeing how we do despite giving away a penalty every few games might have run its natural course.

And I suspect Coppell will, at the very least, give his centre half a full pre-season to re-discover the good yard of pace that has been missing since his return from one of the worst injuries in the game...................this was at the heart of the pens he gave away

Meanwhile, I think he might be on the look out for a youngster who possesses a turn of speed that Ivar has never had.

[Woodcote Royal]

The Premiership XI could IMHO be improved with the return of Little and Lita, Simply because Little is better than Oster and Doyle is off form.

There's no denying that Doyle (3) is out of form in front of goal this season (although his contribution in other areas remains as good as ever)

On the other hand, Lita hasn't scored in the league all season and this now includes several games in the Championship where he has looked average at best.

Leroy went to Charlton because he was our 4th choice striker and he's yet to do anything at the lower level to stake a claim for a return to the Prem....................but here's hoping.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Far Canal - barring a Bikey loss of form, I suspect that the Coppell might have decided that the bold experiment of seeing how we do despite giving away a penalty every few games might have run its natural course.

And I suspect Coppell will, at the very least, give his centre half a full pre-season to re-discover the good yard of pace that has been missing since his return from one of the worst injuries in the game...................this was at the heart of the pens he gave away

Meanwhile, I think he might be on the look out for a youngster who possesses a turn of speed that Ivar has never had.

We'll see the old Sonko after a good pre season. He's fit now, but he's not sharp and he needs a proper pre season to get that back.

Sonko/Bikey/Cisse as our ball winning centre halves plus a new signing with Ivar and Pearce providing cover is 3 decent ball playing centre halves.

The squad doesn't need much at all, we just need to get what we need.

[Baines]

Far Canal - barring a Bikey loss of form, I suspect that the Coppell might have decided that the bold experiment of seeing how we do despite giving away a penalty every few games might have run its natural course.

And I suspect Coppell will, at the very least, give his centre half a full pre-season to re-discover the good yard of pace that has been missing since his return from one of the worst injuries in the game...................this was at the heart of the pens he gave away

You may well be right, although it's worth recalling Villa (a) last season.

I suppose the broader point, following on from the OP, is that the evolution of the team means that Coppell's default centre-back pairing will no longer be Ivar-Sonko, so Sonko will need to show more than just fitness to get back in the side.

[Ian Royal]

The way I see it we're ok at centreback, I still have faith Sonks will pull it together.

We have: Ivar, Bikey, Sonko, Cisse, Pearce - I'd ditch Bennett and Duberry

Ideally I'd like to see Fed go on loan somewhere he might get a games and bring in a new keeper to compete with Marcus for first spot.

Fullbacks I'm hoping Shorey stays, Rosenior and of course Murty for his experience. If Golbourne isn't doing anything I'd probably hold onto DLC for cover at LB. Otherwise unfortunately I think it might be bye byes.

Wingers: Little, Hunt, Convey & Oster. We really need a new quality right winger. Henry to go back out on loan or released.

Midfield: Harper, Matejovski, maybe Fae and a new box to box attacker. Cisse and Oster providing a little depth, maybe Karacan coming through. Thanks but time to move on to Bryn.

Strikers: Kitson, Doyle -- goodbye Lita and Long on loan. Which means we need one young up coming talent and a bigger more experienced striker too.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

[pearcetom]

btw what happened to bobby convey? he seems to have done a john halls and vanished!

[Billy The Fish]

Premiership

GK....Hahnemann
LB....Shorey
RB....Rosenior
CB....Ingimarsson
CB....Bikey
LW....Hunt
MF....Harper
MF....Matejovsky
RW....Oster
ST....Kitson
ST....Doyle

Great thread. Don't really disagree with anything posted, and I'm really liking the team above except for Oster, we definitely need a new RW (sorry, but don't ever expect to see Blakey back), and maybe USA and Ingi are starting to look near their sell-by date.

But I wouldn't say it's evolution, I'd like to see some of the youngsters breaking into the team (Pearce, Henry etc.) and I was dissappointed to see Cox sold after I thought he played great against the Spuds. So it's change really, although Long coming good is a bonus.

[Forbury Lion]

Wingers: Little, Hunt, Convey & Oster. We really need a new quality right winger. Henry to go back out on loan or released.

Jimmy Kebe could be that man, also I can see Matejovski doing well as a right sided midfielder in the Beckham mode as he has a good eye for a pass. It may offer something different to playing an out and out winger.

[Jerry St Clair]

Still no right winger and still the midfield is un balanced.

Yes, it's still a concern for me. Birmingham waltzed through our midfield almost at will on Saturday. We still concede far too much territory and lack bite in the tackle. Harper was utterly anonymous and Marek is not a ball winner.

[bn2001uk]

Yes it was worrying for long periods as Birmingham seemed to find space everywhere in our midfeld...the lads did work hard to close them down but you can't play like that forever in the Premiership.

I'd like to see Hahnemann get offered an extension - he deserves it after the amount of saves and one on one's he has stopped this season.
Bikey is still prone to a lack of concentration and often needs an experienced CB next to him to remind him however he is much better than Sonko. I think Ivar's got half or one season left in him before we pass the baton over to someone like Pearce.
I would like to see Henry get a game...let's see what he can do. Oster can do a job but we have no pace down the right....Blakey doesn't offer that and Kebe will take time to settle in.

Guys to go: Murts, Federici (on loan), Duberry, Lita (this saddens me but Coppell obviously has it in for him), Oster.

I hope Shorey doesn't go but if he does then hopefully Golboune will get the left back spot.

[loyalroyal4life]

For next season we will definately need to invest thats for sure. The positions that will need strengthening will be:

A new Goalie, central defender, left back (depending on shorey), right midfielder, left midfielder, striker (when lita moves on)


I think we need more competition for places I mean after all football is now about a squad as opposed to an outright team and it will do the likes of hunt for example good to know there are players waiting to capitilise