Is this squad good enough to take us up to the premiership

[AlexY25]

If the players that aren't experience keep improving.

If Kebe/Armstrong/Cisse/N.Hunt keep going i could see us doing it.

[SteveRoyal]

So far we haven't appeared to do anything

Why should they tell us what they're up to? If they appear to be doing nothing, doesn't mean they are doing nothing.

Agreed.
For once...

[Sun Tzu]

Sheff Utd seem to have boosted their squad nicely...

[Bath Hoops]

So if we end up doing nothing will you be happy ?

Yes, if it means we still have the same squad as it's got us to second place, didn't it?

Yes it has got us into second place, but you're making the assumption that everything will be the same for the second part of the season. Other teams are improving their squads and personally I don't think we'll make the top two at the end of the season with the current squad. Apart from the Birmingham game our recent performances haven't been that great and if the Cardiff and Southampton performances continue then we'll be in for another year in the championship.

[cmonurz]

I don't know. We are 2nd in the league despite some of our performances, not because of them. Likewise, Birmingham are 3rd in spite of themselves at times. It would be good to see the club pro-actively freshen up the squad with some genuine class.

[yuomi]

i dont know if im a fan of our transfer policy or not. on the whole, given that we are a team who are characteristic of eschewing press attention (a bit like SC himself) we dont get talked about in the red tops. and i dont really mind that.

but then we dont really do anything with the window. someone comes from ireland on the last day from limerick or UCD and does well. we just quietly go about it. unremarkable.

can this team get to the prem? yes. will it stay there? in it's current guise? no.

[Sun Tzu]

but then we dont really do anything with the window. someone comes from ireland on the last day from limerick or UCD and does well. we just quietly go about it. unremarkable.
.

If you look at the last few January windows we've not exactly done nothing.
Brought in international players, broken our transfer record - that sort of thing.

Whether it's been the right thing, or enough, is another debate but we've pretty consistently signed 2 or 3 players and spent a couple of million.

[unclewal]

I think the answer to this particular question is quite possibly. To me, the more relevant question however is whether this squad is good enough for us to stay there.

[Sun Tzu]

I think the answer to this particular question is quite possibly. To me, the more relevant question however is whether this squad is good enough for us to stay there.

Do we think that if we were promoted we would expect the same squad to try and keep us there ?

[Pool and Darts]

So if we end up doing nothing will you be happy ?

Yes, if it means we still have the same squad as it's got us to second place, didn't it?

Yes it has got us into second place, but you're making the assumption that everything will be the same for the second part of the season. Other teams are improving their squads and personally I don't think we'll make the top two at the end of the season with the current squad. Apart from the Birmingham game our recent performances haven't been that great and if the Cardiff and Southampton performances continue then we'll be in for another year in the championship.

And you are assuming that these signings they are making will:

1. Actually be an improvement in the quality of the 11 on the field at any one time.

2. That the said signings will slot straight in and gel with their new teammates and result in a better TEAM. as an example: Kevin Keegan 'improving' his squad with Asprillia (sp?) when his team were 12 points clear at the top of the league.

Signing loads of players soes not necessarily translate into an immediately better team. Witness the emergence of Kebe and Cisse this season.

[papereyes]

as an example: Kevin Keegan 'improving' his squad with Asprillia (sp?) when his team were 12 points clear at the top of the league.

Proper students of the game will know that this is one of the all-time fallacies of modern football.


Personally, I hope we do something that takes the initiative and put a bit more strength in depth throughout the squad rather than in one or two positions. That said, we'll probably do alright without it. I dunno. A short while ago, people were arguing on here that the squad would improve by doing nothing to it, or by replacing a starting midfielder by his replacement.

What I would like to see, perhaps, is one or two younger players brought in with the aim of improving the first XI next year or the year after that - something we didn't do last time and I think did cost us when we struggled to bring in players of the required ability in the second season.

[1871royals]

I think in this window we are going to struggle to sign anyone to improve the first xi.

But we could improve the squad. IMO the only player whos moved in Jan who I would realistically want for us is Bouazza.

A loan signing who could give Hunty some competition.

[howser]

Yeah I think this present squad is well capable of taking us up, my thoughts about bringing new blood in at this time of year revolve around the time that anyone new would take to get into the side, time to setle, get used to our methods etc.......words that have had previous mid-season signings sitting out and with only one reserve match this month they would have very little action to get "up to speed", thats not a critisism just a fact. However if we do get up then we would need major surgery around our present defense, no disrespect to the players, but in particular the centre half positions would need a close look at.

[Bath Hoops]

Yeah I think this present squad is well capable of taking us up, my thoughts about bringing new blood in at this time of year revolve around the time that anyone new would take to get into the side, time to setle, get used to our methods etc.......words that have had previous mid-season signings sitting out and with only one reserve match this month they would have very little action to get "up to speed", thats not a critisism just a fact. However if we do get up then we would need major surgery around our present defense, no disrespect to the players, but in particular the centre half positions would need a close look at.

Agree totally that if we get promoted we'd have some serious work to do on the squad, but we have to get there first. Another win last night but not the best of performances and I'm not sure we can keep getting away with that. Although if Leroy stays and nobody leaves then I'd be quite happy with that, as I just dont think Long makes that vital three quality striker we need and Leroy is a better finisher than him. Seems that Coppell maybe really to forgive and forget, would be excellent for us if Leroy stays and fights for that forward position just as good as another signing.

[weybridgewanderer]

sign new players in january can upset a dressing room and things can quickly head south

a team spirit gets disrupted, new player walks straight into the starting 11, takes a few weeks for players to work him out both on and off the field

and should he start turning up at training in his helicopter then the rest of the squad just think "twat"

[Bath Hoops]

sign new players in january can upset a dressing room and things can quickly head south

a team spirit gets disrupted, new player walks straight into the starting 11, takes a few weeks for players to work him out both on and off the field

and should he start turning up at training in his helicopter then the rest of the squad just think "twat"

Oh yes I remember Fulham deciding to ignore your advice last season and they had a bad result because of it If people took that advice they'd never buy anyone, life is a risk and you need to do your homework. I'm just hoping we have, because it can be a positive thing on strengthening your team not just a negative one as you posted.

[Dirk Gently]

sign new players in january can upset a dressing room and things can quickly head south

a team spirit gets disrupted, new player walks straight into the starting 11, takes a few weeks for players to work him out both on and off the field

and should he start turning up at training in his helicopter then the rest of the squad just think "twat"

Oh yes I remember Fulham deciding to ignore your advice last season and they had a bad result because of it If people took that advice they'd never buy anyone, life is a risk and you need to do your homework. I'm just hoping we have, because it can be a positive thing on strengthening your team not just a negative one as you posted.

Strange, then, that Fulham improvement didn't come when they bought in new players in January - it came a couple of months later, coincidentally when their best and most influential players returned from injury.

[Platypuss]

I think the answer to this particular question is quite possibly. To me, the more relevant question however is whether this squad is good enough for us to stay there.

Do we think that if we were promoted we would expect the same squad to try and keep us there ?

Isn't that pretty much the approach we took in the summer of 06?

[Sun Tzu]

sign new players in january can upset a dressing room and things can quickly head south

a team spirit gets disrupted, new player walks straight into the starting 11, takes a few weeks for players to work him out both on and off the field

and should he start turning up at training in his helicopter then the rest of the squad just think "twat"

Oh yes I remember Fulham deciding to ignore your advice last season and they had a bad result because of it If people took that advice they'd never buy anyone, life is a risk and you need to do your homework. I'm just hoping we have, because it can be a positive thing on strengthening your team not just a negative one as you posted.

Deciding to not strengthen can also be a positive decision and a risk. One isn't a 'better' decision than the other until you know how things work out. Bring in the wrong players and you screw things up, keep a happy squad intact and you get results. Sadly I don;t have the knowledge to know which way it should be done - hopefully Coppell and Hammond can make the right call on my behalf !!!

[Sun Tzu]

I think the answer to this particular question is quite possibly. To me, the more relevant question however is whether this squad is good enough for us to stay there.

Do we think that if we were promoted we would expect the same squad to try and keep us there ?

Isn't that pretty much the approach we took in the summer of 06?

Yes, the one Coppell later said he regretted ?

Hence the question.....