Who in our current squad would you say is Premier League quality?

[Darlington82]

Have to disagree with you on Hamer, he definitely has the ability to be a regular starter in the PL IMO.

Fully understand your sentiment, but he has been around for a few years and only us have had a punt on him. Hope you are right, and if he has a better team around him. At least he never gave up last year, unlike Vini and co.

 

[GymClassHero]

Fully understand your sentiment, but he has been around for a few years and only us have had a punt on him. Hope you are right, and if he has a better team around him. At least he never gave up last year, unlike Vini and co.

Someone has to be the ones to buy him, lucky enough it was us!

True that he's likely hit his ceiling development wise at 27, but his reading of the game and technical ability is a level above most in the Championship. I honestly don't think he'd look out of place at a team like Spurs or Villa - Players like Hamer tend to step up a level when they are in a team full of other technically good players.

 

[Cheeky Blade]

If we get promoted they all will be…unless we ship some of the current lot out, then they won’t…how many PL games has JLT played?
.

 

[Need4speed]

Ok my take on this. We have put out three different teams in the last three games. All of which would get absolutely mullered in the Premier League. The strikers there do not miss the chances Luton and Portsmouth missed. Lets us start with the loan players. All come from Premiership teams but can't get in their squads, that tells us something. JRS & Bereton Diaz would be ok as squad players. Jury out on Rob Holding and Harry Clarke but suspect at best backup. Not fussed on Choudhary, and although I quite like Gilchrist as a young player I don't think he is a right back or a centre back in a two, therefore squad player at best (one that can't get in our squad now) Now our own players. Cooper in goal is fine but we need a proper backup. I am happy with Burrows on the left ( full back or wing back) but we need proper competition or a better starter. McCallum isn't good enough. We have no right back other than Seriki, but he is not a starter in the Premiership. Centre backs - thanks Robinson but if we are in the premiership I am not giving you a contract. I know a lot will disagree but I don't think Anel is good enough, he is booked frequently because he gets caught out of position. Therefore we need to sign three centre backs. Only other defender RND - no chance he is good enough. Midfield is interesting I think Souza, Peck, Arblaster Davies, Hamer, O'Hare could all be ok, but only ok. But here is the important point, a midfield comprised of a combination of these would be no where near good enough, I would only want to be starting one of these as a regular in my first eleven, so essentially they are squad players. Sorry Brooks if you can't force yourself into playing for us now in the Championship it is time to move on. Strikers - well we know Cannon will be here - I don't know whether he is good enough. Campbell looks ok and has the movement you need in the Premiership. Moore has the capacity to be a squad player, as does One if we don't send him out on loan.
In short we probably need to sign a whole team, that sounds dramatic but remember 5 loans will be gonging back (assuming Diaz was loan to buy)

 

[Proper Blade]

If we get promoted, who from our current squad would you say could make the step up to the Premier League based from this season so far. Even if we don’t get promoted who do you think could live up to the standards of the Premier League?

In my opinion it would be:

Cooper 100%

Hamer 100%

Burrows 50/50

Anel 50/50

Souza 50/50 only because of last season

Peck 75/25 he’s a fighter and I feel like he would be fine 100% as a good squad player

Arblaster 75/25 proved he can play in the Premier League did well and didn’t look too out of place last season

Brooks 50/50

O’Hare 50/50

Seriki 50/50

Tom Davies 50/50

Everyone else in our squad I feel like is simply not good enough to play in the Premier League. What do you reckon?

I think this is extremely generous. We've already seen Anel and Souza in the Prem - they were a disaster. Brooks barely looks good enough for the Championship. O'Hare wouldn't make the step up - he's too weak. Considering Davies' age and injury record, there seems a miniscule chance he would be comfortable playing at the top level again.

That just leaves Peck, Arblaster, Burrows and Seriki. Arblaster - who knows what he'll be like after his injury. The others would all need to step up to the next level and improve dramatically. I wouldn't bet on any of them.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

Given how half arsed our last attempt to stay up was…. Our starting 11 would comfortably beat what we were putting out last year. Players have gone from starting for us in PL to not barely squad players in the championship or league 1/2 - all the old guard fell off the cliff.

We’ve a collection of YOUNG players we could look to build around and at least compete to survive.

Cooper
Anel
Hamer
Burrows
Peck
Blaster
Souza
O’hare
Campbell
Cannon

We’d need to recruit well to get that special Ndaiye/MGW type player in. We also need a couple of excellent defenders.

2/3 quality loans from the PL or abroad might help. Then add in a couple of sensible signings and a defined style and you’d hope we wouldn’t completely shit the bed.

But the PL gets harder every year. Southampton spent over 100m and are doing even worse than we did after we spend 50p and sold our best 2 players.

 

[jt64]

Hamer, Cooper, Souza and Anel maybe, Burrows maybe.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Someone has to be the ones to buy him, lucky enough it was us!

True that he's likely hit his ceiling development wise at 27, but his reading of the game and technical ability is a level above most in the Championship. I honestly don't think he'd look out of place at a team like Spurs or Villa - Players like Hamer tend to step up a level when they are in a team full of other technically good players.

For me Hamers physical short comings are why he isn't a top flight regular he doesn't have the pace, stamina or strength of the highest level

 

[Bladeinleeds]

I think this is extremely generous. We've already seen Anel and Souza in the Prem - they were a disaster. Brooks barely looks good enough for the Championship. O'Hare wouldn't make the step up - he's too weak. Considering Davies' age and injury record, there seems a miniscule chance he would be comfortable playing at the top level again.

That just leaves Peck, Arblaster, Burrows and Seriki. Arblaster - who knows what he'll be like after his injury. The others would all need to step up to the next level and improve dramatically. I wouldn't bet on any of them.

Don’t really think you can judge last years team. We were half baked and no one was going to look good playing next to people 2/3 division above where they should have been at that stage of their career .

About 60% of the player starting had no business being in a PL squad never mind being PL regulars . No one was going to be able to stand out in that environment

It Was a season too soon for the likes of osula

Was a season too late for Norwood, bash, fleck etc

Was a level or two too high for Traore / trusty / slimani / Robinson / Osborn / larouchi / Lowe/ Thomas (god left back was a disgrace)

 

[N20 Blade]

Seriki will 100% be a Prem player either with us or a top Prem team with the next 3 to 5 years.

If he stays healthy and fit.

 

[N20 Blade]

For me Hamers physical short comings are why he isn't a top flight regular he doesn't have the pace, stamina or strength of the highest level

Really? I think he has all those attributes and more besides. His petulance and hamstring are my only concern.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Really? I think he has all those attributes and more besides. His petulance and hamstring are my only concern.

This isn't the first tightness he's had. Seen him feel it in a few games. Don't get me wrong he can more than do a job in the premier league but I couldn't see an established side buying him

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

Think it’s not just a question of individual players but also “the team” factor. The 2019 team had played together to win promotion and quite a few had been together since L1. In the Prem we basically kept the same team with little additions like Mousset, McB and Robinson but the core of the team was unchanged particularly the defence. We were also very lucky with virtually no injuries. The sum of the parts definitely exceeded the individuals. We also had our overlapping CBS which no one had seen before. The problem with last promotion and if we get promoted this year we won’t have anything like the same team who won promotion. The 2023 team we sold IllimAn and Berge on the eve of the new season plus we had lost our other 2 best players Doyle and McAtee so the team was effectively dismantled. If we get promoted this season we don’t have a settled team that can just step up as we have so many loans and long term injuries in Blaster and Souttar (who is a loan anyway) and have so many other injuries we never seem to put out the same team from one game to the next. Would we just buy all the current loan players? Even if we did it would be nothing like the situation in 2019. Add to that the gap between EFL and EPL has grown enormously. It’s daunting.

Agreed. We don’t have a discernible playing style and certainly not anything that is different or unique as the overlapping centre backs. If we dig in to defend, every team will break us down destroy us over the course of a season.

 

[Bell4]

Seriki will 100% be a Prem player either with us or a top Prem team with the next 3 to 5 years.

He will never be fit enough to realise his potential. IMO

 

[Need4speed]

We have 6 loan players and will have used 7 if you count Souter. We can only have 2 in the Premier League. Therefore I would suggest we need to sign 5 at least. And in my opinion that is just for the defence.

 

[Lane Ender]

Davies, Cooper, hamer, souza that's all

Davies? You’re having a laugh

 

[Lane Ender]

He will never be fit enough to realise his potential. IMO

Yea looks like he’s made of sugar same as Campbell shame but true

 

[Gimli]

In terms of premier league pedigree Tom Davies is the stand out with 150 odd games at that level.

Of course fitness has been his issue since.

Hamer came out of last season with credit so he could definitely make the step up.

Souza potentially with the right players around him would do well if he sticks to his destroyer role.

Arblaster Peck and Seriki I put in a similar boat of young exciting players who’s ceilings could easily be premier league level but a bit too early to say (Blaster of course acquitted himself well last season when he was given a chance).

Cooper another who has shown a lot of promise and I think would do well in the Prem.

I don’t think any of our strikers stand out as being obviously at Prem level.

 

[Gimli]

Davies? You’re having a laugh

150 prem games for Everton

 

[Lane Ender]

150 prem games for Everton

That was then

 

[CarlMcBlade]

I think most Premier league defenders would eat Callum O’Hare whole…Without getting indigestion.

 

[Chimpan-A]

I think most people have picked out those more likely to be able to compete.
Souza is in a better place to tackle it than he was last season, now he is bedded in And clearly has his confidence flying.
Hamer- I would just like to see him shed a few pounds. He is quick and strong but he is definitely overweight (for a footballer, not a normal human!) and could be quicker and stronger.
It’s the pace and power we seem to be short on. Also-ran teams like Palace and West Ham were miles ahead of us just in physical terms. I still have nightmares of poor old Norwood desperately trying to run after them, like the tortoise and the hare without the happy ending!

 

[FinchleyBlade]

Not being harsh, but there is an awful lot of delusion in this thread. We have already seen how multiple players in this squad performed in the Prem and it wasn't a pretty sight. The step is up massive.

I see no arguments that anyone other than Cooper or Hamer could make that step up again.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

If we get promoted, who from our current squad would you say could make the step up to the Premier League based from this season so far. Even if we don’t get promoted who do you think could live up to the standards of the Premier League?

In my opinion it would be:

Cooper 100%

Hamer 100%

Burrows 50/50

Anel 50/50

Souza 50/50 only because of last season

Peck 75/25 he’s a fighter and I feel like he would be fine 100% as a good squad player

Arblaster 75/25 proved he can play in the Premier League did well and didn’t look too out of place last season

Brooks 50/50

O’Hare 50/50

Seriki 50/50

Tom Davies 50/50

Everyone else in our squad I feel like is simply not good enough to play in the Premier League. What do you reckon?

This is fantasy mate, sorry.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Davies, Cooper, hamer, souza that's all

Arblaster has already shown he can play there.

 

[Lane Ender]

Arblaster has already shown he can play there.

But will he come back as good after nearly a season off

 

[Slugger]

The 2019 wilder side I'd say only joc was premier league class in that I could see another side going for him and Henderson.

Other than berge and Mcburnie none of the other signings we made on promotion have gone on to stay in a top flight.

We came 9th.

Great point and the reason why I think Wilder should get another crack at the premier league after he's taken us up.

 

[skinje]

Its more a question of the physicality of the current squad. Don't forget how ridiculously athletic the established prem players are...as a minimum you need to be strong, fast and imposing. Unless you have the ability of a Silva or Fernandes. As it stands, the honest answer is very few are even potentially Premier League level.

My take, in no particular order:

Cooper (no guarantees but he has shown good distribution, command and shot stopping this season. Comparable to the impact Hendo had with us and he is now an established Prem player. Could see him making the step up).

Seriki (has the physical attributes, absolutely dynamite going forwards. Question marks over the other side of his game but certainly has potential. Would be a nice rotation option in year 1).

Blaster (showed glimpses in previous season that he has the speed of thought and range of drive/ passing/ physicality to belong at that level. Would like to have seen more games to form a proper opinion but got to say on evidence to-date, he has a chance).

Peck (no physically outstanding attributes, still very much a developing Championship level player, albeit coming on leaps and bounds. You'd want to see him regularly running games at this level before confidently thinking he can do it in the league above. On a great trajectory but unknown if he can cut it prem level yet. For me, next season might prove too soon).

Burrows (On the fence with this. Again, compare him to the Stevens we saw in our promotion season. I don't think he's at that level, but his development is on the upward curve. I worry about his ability to stay with the beasts he'd regularly come up against on the right wing. Potential but 50/50 at absolute best. Will be spending most of his time in our half).

Cannon (no physically outstanding attributes, hasn't shown he can dominate a Championship game for us yet)

O'Hare (great engine but will get completely brushed aside, as he currently does. Its a no unfortunately).

Campbell (excellent movement, reasonable pace, good finisher. Actually can see Ty being someone that could make an impact at Prem level. Rotation off the bench for a team that survives).

Davies (got 150 games under his belt and when he has played for us this year you can see how he constantly buys that extra half second with a good first touch away from danger and knowing where to be to receive it. I think if he can get over his fitness issues he is amongst the most likely players to make the transition with confidence).

Anel (gets found wrong side and loses concentration too often. Isn't physically dominating. I don't think he would play for any side 17 upwards...not good enough if we are being brutally honest).

Souza (lot depends on his partner and wider team I think. His stats early part of last season were top-end of the league, but you can't do it on your own and he gave up quite early. He is very limited beyond the role of a destroyer but with movement and options around him I think there is reason to believe he can make it. On his game this season he has been one of the most consistent and impactful midfielders in the league).

Hamer (as others have said, needs to get fitter to make the step up. He is a little too wasteful in possession and isn't the best decision maker...but he has that speed of thought and spark that we don't have anywhere else in this team. Can impact games at the top level as proven and with a competitive team could be a starter for a team that survives).

I'll have missed a few but those I have missed, not making it.

To build a squad finishing 17th we would clearly need a huge influx of players. Retaining a 4-2-3-1 I think we'd be looking at two new starting CBs, probably two starting full backs with Seriki and Burrows rotating, two starting wingers, and probably a starting striker £200M then....

 

[Woodys Thunderbolt]

Cooper and maybe Hamer, that's ya lot.

 

[Woodys Thunderbolt]

Cooper and maybe Hamer, that's ya lot.

If we do go up I think to be anywhere near competitive we will need a complete rebuild. Stick with the majority of this squad and were doomed unfortunately.