by Clyde1998 »
09 May 2023 17:31
Had a quick look at the Football Manager ratings for each player contracted to a side who will (or could be) in League One next season (ie. the starting positions for each side without any transfers happening).
The estimated rating of each squad (best twenty-two outfield players and best three goalkeepers) was compared to the squad rating to points ratio for League One clubs this season to estimate how many points each starting squad would've likely got in League One this season. Where there are gaps in the squad, the space is filled with a player equal to the worst player who makes the squad of any other team (someone of the ability that wouldn't get them in the Hungerford or Basingstoke side).
Top six:
- Barnsley (L1 Play-Offs) - 60pts
- Peterborough (L1 Play-Offs) - 57pts
- Blackpool - 50pts
- Reading - 50pts
- Derby - 49pts
- Oxford - 48pts
(The bottom three were Carlisle (L2 Play-Offs) with six points; Wycombe with six points and Stevenage with 4pts - who only three contracted players for next season apparently).
If we extended the contracts of NGW, Mbengue, Southwood, Tetek, CBC, Camara and Jahmari Clarke - all of which are possible (some may already be under contract, but the information is very fuzzy with younger players) - our estimated points would jump to 83. We should have a squad good enough to compete for the play-offs - if we extend those six and aren't involved in any transfers (we will be).
In practice, we'll require a manager who can get the best of the players and is able to improve the confidence of the players. We'll also need a settled team to allow players to understand their roles and how the players around them play - something I feel we've lacked in the past few seasons and is a major factor in our poor performances.
In terms of improvements to the squad. We're most in need of central midfielders and wingers - so they should be the priority. I agree with others in that we should bring in a load of over-30 Championship players, although one or two would be worth having if they've got the right mentality. Ideally decent younger players either from League One/Two (perhaps Scotland/Ireland) or released by Premier League/Championship teams who could develop from being League One level to Championship level within the next couple of seasons should be the primary target.
We'll probably try to offload Ejaria (even without a transfer fee - like Pogrebnyak), while players like Ince or Holmes may be sold to a lower Championship club for a fee.
With the type of signings Sheffield Wednesday and Derby have managed to make with similar restrictions to us over the past couple of seasons, although both would probably have bigger budgets than us, I think we'll end up with a squad good enough to compete for the play-offs with mid-table a minimum.
