Our recruitment was to allow us a better chance of coming straight back up.
In this sense we are well placed. But we've not managed to take that further step. Part of that is wage bill, infrastructure, etc which still lags.
If we do go down then I think Wilder needs to remember it was 3-4-1-2 that got us up and it was very much front door football. 3-5-2 worked for a good part of last season but solid football like that doesn't get you the regular array of 3 points promotion needs.
I see some positives with the squad if we do go down.
Keepers - Rammers will either go back to Bournemouth for a full refund if they go up or he'll be a very good keeper for us at that level. 2 from Moore, Verrips and Foderingham will be released to reduce wages. Eastwood and Dewhurst will either be loaned or 3rd back ups.
Defence - Basham's age increases the chance of him staying and he remains the fittest member in the squad. Likewise O'Connell's injury also works in our favour in terms of retention. Egan I hope we'd keep for the year. So there is a fair chance of keeping the 'pistons' intact and having them all fit.
At full back, I can see a club offering 10-15m for Baldock and United taking it. He's one of our better players and has high involvement in games though I'm not convinced his final ball is there often enough. Using either Bogle or Burke should allow us to retain pace on the right. Out left, we'd appear to have options in Stevens, Norrington-Davies and Lowe though the latter feels a little odd man out right now if RND keeps progressing. Plus a couple of those could fill in at centre half at that level. Robinson would also be a more appropriate squad member at that level too and maybe Rodwell or Jags would return to act as back up with it being a level down. You'd hope one of the young lads coming through could act as 6th centre back.
Midfield - that which got us up had Norwood and Fleck as a duo with Duffy further forward and Lundstram hardly featuring. I think Berge would want to go and we could probably demand 30m+ for him given he hasn't looked out of place in the top flight. Lunny will also be off to line his pockets. But we have options. You could play Norwood and Fleck once more with McGoldrick in the Duffy role, a role to which he is well suited. You have the option to play Osborn instead of Fleck and Fleck in the Duffy role too. You also have the choice of playing Freeman at no 10. By all accounts it isn't working at Forest but he has been a good performer at that level and no 10 would suit him. That's already 5 possible options in midfield. You'd still have possibly Rodwell and Slater as back up 6th choices even before further recruitment.
Up top we'd appear well placed. None of the strikers did enough to attract mouthwatering money for a top flight return yet at that level we'd have proven goal getters.
McBurnie - 24 in 47 for Swansea
Sharp 24 in 42 for United
McGoldrick 15 in 49 for United
Brewster 11 in 25 for Swansea
You might lose Brewster if someone offers our money back though you could argue a full season there could be the making of him. But once you throw Mousset into the mix and also Burke if Bogle plays RWB, we have 4 or 5 potent forward options with at least 3 of them averaging a goal every 2 games at that level.
We'd also have the much maligned parachute money if Chris (hopefully he would still be in charge) wants to freshen the squad up.
Rather than making the mistakes of the past after Warnock was let go, I think the building blocks are in place for a good tilt at an immediate return, even without further recruitment.
Either way, we are far better placed than in recent years and this season still has time left though a win is long overdue.
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