Some good squads in this league

[Espania blade]

It goes without saying that there are some good players in this league, but I was surprised by how much talent Stoke had.

The likes of Fosu, Bursik, Clarke, Delap and Wilmot.

But the same can be said for QPR - Chair, Willock, Dieng, Dykes, Laird, Iroegbunam

It's one of the reasons this league is so tight. Stoke good beat anyone on their day and the same goes for about 10 other teams.

We're top because we managed to find consistency. That's the trick of this league. The teams who can play ok-well every week will be the ones up there at the end of the season.

I think there's an assumption with some that we have one of the best squads but I don't think we do in terms of individual players. The importance of our system is paramount to our chances.

Difference between us & them yesterday was they had players that could run at us - it's happened before - we don't have players that can rely run at teams through the middle - other teams are going to be looking at our weak midfield and do the same, it's the way to get us on the back-foot then they defend in numbers and we simply haven't got the craft to open them up -we need players back from injury asap.
I thought we brought in Khadra to do some direct runs at teams, so far he's been a disappointment.

 

[robbiez666]

Difference between us & them yesterday was they had players that could run at us - it's happened before - we don't have players that can rely run at teams through the middle - other teams are going to be looking at our weak midfield and do the same, it's the way to get us on the back-foot then they defend in numbers and we simply haven't got the craft to open them up -we need players back from injury asap.
I thought we brought in Khadra to do some direct runs at teams, so far he's been a disappointment.

We have Ndiaye, who has another run and shot yesterday. Just not had his shooting boots on last 3 games. Could have easily had a goal in each, but get your point. I think the problem we've had last couple of games is missing players mean he's been doing more defensive work. We're also struggling to get him on the ball. He needs to watch videos of Didsy or Gibbs-White and watch how they dropped and got the ball in space.

As for Khadra, it has been an odd one. Not sure he's much cop next to a striker. His best position looks to be the wing. But yesterday he was just getting crowded out but trying to beat players when it clearly wasn't on.

I think we have the attackers to open teams up, it's just working them into our system. Like McAtee, you want him with the ball at his feet in space. Ditto Ndiaye. Berge, Khadra, Doyle. McBurnie and Brewster as well. Then you've got Bogle and RND.

What we badly lack is a tough tackling CM. This is the main problem we have. Our midfield is lightweight, slow and defensively suspect. Norwood ends up doing far too much of the work and not getting on the ball.

 

[Espania blade]

We have Ndiaye, who has another run and shot yesterday. Just not had his shooting boots on last 3 games. Could have easily had a goal in each, but get your point. I think the problem we've had last couple of games is missing players mean he's been doing more defensive work. We're also struggling to get him on the ball. He needs to watch videos of Didsy or Gibbs-White and watch how they dropped and got the ball in space.

As for Khadra, it has been an odd one. Not sure he's much cop next to a striker. His best position looks to be the wing. But yesterday he was just getting crowded out but trying to beat players when it clearly wasn't on.

I think we have the attackers to open teams up, it's just working them into our system. Like McAtee, you want him with the ball at his feet in space. Ditto Ndiaye. Berge, Khadra, Doyle. McBurnie and Brewster as well. Then you've got Bogle and RND.

What we badly lack is a tough tackling CM. This is the main problem we have. Our midfield is lightweight, slow and defensively suspect. Norwood ends up doing far too much of the work and not getting on the ball.

100% agree with that, McAtee doesn't play every week, mainly, I guess because he is still a bit light-weight, he's also young so not meant to be critical.
Ndiaye hasn't been on it for a few weeks now, he doesn't hide but nothing is coming off for him.
I really didn't see the point in bringing Billy on, I think his days are over - unless he was told to look for a penalty!

 

[dellasthunderbolt]

I feel you might work in PR?

Berge - fine but not proved his ability on a regular basis
Norwood? Half of our own fans haven't rated him for 3 years and now 31.
McBurnie - Averaging about 1 goal every 8 games. Not been a top player since we signed him. Might come good but there are a lot of similar players around the league.
Brewster - see above but you're judging his ability on a half season at another club, what we paid for him and warming the bench for the U-21s. He doesn't even start for us. Hardly a top player right now.
RND - He's had a good season, so far, but he was hardly a shoe in for a starting place the end of last season
Anel - fine
Khadra - Undoubted talent but not set the division alight consistently for Blackburn and on our bench
Bogle - give you that one
Egan - Every club needs and Egan. It's a little debatable at the moment whether he's our Egan!
Ndiaye - Warming the Senegalese bench is a more accurate description. Undoubted quality player but still with a lot to learn.
McAtee - No idea why he'd be a top player since he's never played well in senior football. Talent, no doubt.

I would say, from the outside, our top players are probably Bogle, Anel, Egan, Berge, McBurnie, Ndiaye but we know it's not that simple with some of them.

Been accused of many things but never working in PR! You can argue about the strengths and weaknesses of every player (they all have them otherwise they’d be in prem) but it is quite clear that our squad is better than the vast majority in this league. It would take one hell of a PR guru to convince anyone otherwise!

 

[metalblade]

Any pig will tell you this division is the worst in years. If we were any good we'd be 10pts clear by now.

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

The Championship’s a funny old league. It’s either the weakest it’s been in years or the strongest. It’s never just 24 teams not good enough for the PL and too good for L1.

 

[robbiez666]

The Championship’s a funny old league. It’s either the weakest it’s been in years or the strongest. It’s never just 24 teams not good enough for the PL and too good for L1.

Normally you get standout teams like Fulham and Norwich recently, but there isn't so far this season. Ditto at the bottom. I'd expect the bottom 4 or 5 to be much higher come the end of the season.

 

[BushBlade]

Normally you get standout teams like Fulham and Norwich recently, but there isn't so far this season. Ditto at the bottom. I'd expect the bottom 4 or 5 to be much higher come the end of the season.

That doesn’t reflect the overall standard of the league though. SPL has two standout teams, the rest of it is poor. The points spread can indicate how competitive it is but that doesn’t necessarily demonstrate the quality of the teams in it.

 

[mattbianco1]

It goes without saying that there are some good players in this league, but I was surprised by how much talent Stoke had

Birmingham surprised me. A squad full of good players at this level...

Ruddy, Sanderson, Bielik, Deeney, Chong. Then there's Hannibal Mejbri who's a premier league player. Not like a Barry Bannan one, like a real one