Some good squads in this league

[robbiez666]

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.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

We should maybe have a look at Fosu

 

[Snowflake]

We should maybe have a look at Fosu

Maybe our defence should have !!

 

[dellasthunderbolt]

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.

I’m not sure. Think about some of the players on our squad and I do think, on an individual basis, we have one off if not the best in the league. Berge, Norwood (who has won promotion multiple times and can dictate matches when on it), McBurnie (who cost around £18 million and scored bucketloads in the championship before and has seemingly picked this up again), Bogle (definitely a potential premier league player with or without us in the future), RND and Baldock (full international wing backs), Anel (premier quality and too good for this league), Brewster (£23 million and current England u21 international), Khadra (German u22 international), McAtee (ridiculously highly rated at citeh - we were all more than a little surprised to be able to o get him in the summer), Ndiaye (Senegalese international and future premier league player surely), Egan (Ireland captain and West Ham target). We have long experience of average squads for the championship over the past couple of decades. I’ve seen the Bobby Fords, Johnny Ertls and Laurent D’Jaffos. I would argue this is as good - maybe even better - than any squad I’ve seen us have at this level. Argument could be made for 97/98 but that too was far above the rest. None of that is questioning the nightmare with injuries or the importance of a system but I think the incorrect assumption would be to say this squad is similar to many others in the league. It isn’t (in my humble opinion).

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Not the best squad in the league?

Foderingham (u19 international & Top 3 keepers in champ last season)
Davies (Full international)
Stevens (Full international)
Bogle (u20 international)
Lowe (u20 international)
RND (Full international)
Baldock (Full international)
Robinson (u21 international)
O'Connell (u19 international)
Egan (Full international)
Clark (Full international)
Anel (Full international)
Fleck (Full international)
Osborn (u20 international)
Norwood (Full international)
McAtee (u21 international)
Doyle (u21 international)
Arblaster (u18 international)
Berge (Full international)
McBurnie (Full international)
Brewster (u21 international)
Jebbison (u20 international)
Khadra (u21 international)
Ndiaye (Full international)

plus Sharp & Basham.

​

 

[Houston_Blade]

WEekeSt Lg eVa

 

[wf9-Danny]

I think the opposite, this is a very poor league.

So few games in, losing two games and we are still top makes this a very weak division in my eyes.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

I also think it's a weaker than average league, has been for 2 or 3 years

I think Watford have the best squad but fuck knows what they're playing at

Ours is probably 2nd or 3rd but we have more going for us in terms of system and stability than the other strongest teams..... but much much less going for us in terms of avoiding hideous injury lists

 

[Carlton Blade]

Players >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> System

 

[espoo blade]

I think the opposite, this is a very poor league.

So few games in, losing two games and we are still top makes this a very weak division in my eyes.

What? If you build up a gap over most of the other teams, it generally takes some matches before they can catch up. Don't get the logic that because the rest of the league haven't overtaken us the league is weak? lol. Also as this is a league, you might have noticed that other teams are playing eachother. They can't all win.

 

[wf9-Danny]

What? If you build up a gap over most of the other teams, it generally takes some matches before they can catch up. Don't get the logic that because the rest of the league haven't overtaken us the league is weak? lol. Also as this is a league, you might have noticed that other teams are playing eachother. They can't all win.

I don't think my argument is hard to understand.

I believe that the standard of this division is quite poor, hence the gap existing in the first place.

 

[Maidenhead]

Not the best squad in the league?

Foderingham (u19 international & Top 3 keepers in champ last season)
Davies (Full international)
Stevens (Full international) injured
Bogle (u20 international) injured
Lowe (u20 international) injured
RND (Full international)
Baldock (Full international) injured
Robinson (u21 international) injured
O'Connell (u19 international) injured
Egan (Full international) injured in 1st half
Clark (Full international) injured
Anel (Full international) injured
Fleck (Full international) injured
Osborn (u20 international)
Norwood (Full international)
McAtee (u21 international)
Doyle (u21 international)
Arblaster (u18 international)
Berge (Full international) injured
McBurnie (Full international) suspended
Brewster (u21 international)
Jebbison (u20 international)
Khadra (u21 international)
Ndiaye (Full international)

plus Sharp & Basham.

​

I think my 12 amendments above put yesterday into some perspective.

Only 5 starters if everyone fit, Wes, Egan, RND, Norwood & Ndiaye.

Osborn first game back from injury and a bench full of kids plus Billy.

In the circumstances I thought we did well to still be in it at 90 mins and I think that the 3rd goal flattered them.

We wouldn't have conceded that had we not been chasing an equaliser.

Just one of those things

 

[robbiez666]

Not the best squad in the league?

Foderingham (u19 international & Top 3 keepers in champ last season)
Davies (Full international)
Stevens (Full international)
Bogle (u20 international)
Lowe (u20 international)
RND (Full international)
Baldock (Full international)
Robinson (u21 international)
O'Connell (u19 international)
Egan (Full international)
Clark (Full international)
Anel (Full international)
Fleck (Full international)
Osborn (u20 international)
Norwood (Full international)
McAtee (u21 international)
Doyle (u21 international)
Arblaster (u18 international)
Berge (Full international)
McBurnie (Full international)
Brewster (u21 international)
Jebbison (u20 international)
Khadra (u21 international)
Ndiaye (Full international)

plus Sharp & Basham.

​

You seem to think that playing for Scotland or being an U-20 international is vitally important to ability, for some bizarre reason.

We have a good squad, but so do quite a few other teams.

 

[wizadry]

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.

Wes, Bogle, Baldock (defensively) RND, Egan, Anel, Norwood, Berge, Doyle and Ndiaye walk into any other team in this league, that says all you need to know about individuals and a squad in general, we clearly have the best squad in the league and it’s a good job too because it’s been tested to the hilt.

Wes would have a good tussle with the Watford keeper but that’s the only qualm I have with my own picks and opinion.

 

[robbiez666]

I’m not sure. Think about some of the players on our squad and I do think, on an individual basis, we have one off if not the best in the league. Berge, Norwood (who has won promotion multiple times and can dictate matches when on it), McBurnie (who cost around £18 million and scored bucketloads in the championship before and has seemingly picked this up again), Bogle (definitely a potential premier league player with or without us in the future), RND and Baldock (full international wing backs), Anel (premier quality and too good for this league), Brewster (£23 million and current England u21 international), Khadra (German u22 international), McAtee (ridiculously highly rated at citeh - we were all more than a little surprised to be able to o get him in the summer), Ndiaye (Senegalese international and future premier league player surely), Egan (Ireland captain and West Ham target). We have long experience of average squads for the championship over the past couple of decades. I’ve seen the Bobby Fords, Johnny Ertls and Laurent D’Jaffos. I would argue this is as good - maybe even better - than any squad I’ve seen us have at this level. Argument could be made for 97/98 but that too was far above the rest. None of that is questioning the nightmare with injuries or the importance of a system but I think the incorrect assumption would be to say this squad is similar to many others in the league. It isn’t (in my humble opinion).

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.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

You seem to think that playing for Scotland or being an U-20 international is vitally important to ability, for some bizarre reason.

We have a good squad, but so do quite a few other teams.

What do you reckon players get selected for Scotland or a national u20's squad on then? Haircuts? Musical tastes?

The Scottish squad is usually made up of the best 25 Scottish players and a u18/u20/u21 squad is usually made of up of the best players of that nationality within that age group. I'd say that selection to one of those teams is closely related to ability.

 

[robbiez666]

Wes, Bogle, Baldock (defensively) RND, Anel, Norwood, Berge, Doyle and Ndiaye walk into any other team in this league, that says all you need to know about individuals and a squad in general, we clearly have the best squad in the league and it’s a good job too because it’s been tested to the hilt.

Wes would have a good tussle with the Watford keeper but that’s the only qualm I have with my own picks and opinion.

Sorry, but no. Bogle, maybe. Anel, probably. Ndiaye , likely.

How do any of our midfielders, our weakest area, walk into every team in the division? put two of them next to each over in a 4-4-2 and you're telling me they're the best in the league?!

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

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've been watching the mighty Blades for nearly 50 years and then I learn this little gem.
Top work Robbie

 

[robbiez666]

What do you reckon players get selected for Scotland or a national u20's squad on then? Haircuts? Musical tastes?

The Scottish squad is usually made up of the best 25 Scottish players and a u18/u20/u21 squad is usually made of up of the best players of that nationality within that age group. I'd say that selection to one of those teams is closely related to ability.

And? What's your point? Being an international for Northern Ireland, Ireland or Scotland does not make you a top player?

Ollie Burke ring a bell?

 

[espoo blade]

I don't think my argument is hard to understand.

I believe that the standard of this division is quite poor, hence the gap existing in the first place.

Nah, still not getting it. I thought the gap existed because of 6 wins and a draw in 7 matches which no other teams matched.

 

[wizadry]

Sorry, but no. Bogle, maybe. Anel, probably. Ndiaye , likely.

How do any of our midfielders, our weakest area, walk into every team in the division? put two of them next to each over in a 4-4-2 and you're telling me they're the best in the league?!

You do realise we’ve created the most chances in the league don’t you? How’s that make our midfield weak? ….and dem blades are top of the twatting league with all these other ‘great’ squads.

 

[robbiez666]

You do realise we’ve created the most chances in the league don’t you? How’s that make our midfield weak? ….and dem blades are top of the twatting league with all these other ‘great’ squads.

That's funny, because people are forever moaning about our midfield on here!

If you read this forum, you'd think that Norwood wouldn't be fit to play in League 2!

 

[wizadry]

That's funny, because people are forever moaning about our midfield on here!

If you read this forum, you'd think that Norwood wouldn't be fit to play in League 2!

You have to learn to ignore certain things on a forum and life in general and concentrate on what’s actually happening, it’s the only way mate.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

And? What's your point? Being an international for Northern Ireland, Ireland or Scotland does not make you a top player?

Ollie Burke ring a bell?

You started a thread called "Some good squads in this league". You posted a post that included the comment "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." I answered it by posting a post showing the depth and extent of talent that our squad possessed, with reference to international level experience, which is usually a pretty good marker for ability. If it's not the best, it's certainly top 3 or 4.

We've assembled an experienced and talented squad; players who are either currently good enough to represent their countries (at whatever level) or have represented them in the past.

Being an international for Northern Ireland, Ireland or Scotland does not make you a top player?!? The game has moved on in the last 40 yrs and it might not be a guarantee of being a PL level star like it once did, but it still would make you a good player at championship level.

Oli Burke is currently at Werder Bremen, and I'd suspect there's people there that can judge a player better than you or I.

 

[robbiez666]

You started a thread called "Some good squads in this league". You posted a post that included the comment "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." I answered it by posting a post showing the depth and extent of talent that our squad possessed, with reference to international level experience, which is usually a pretty good marker for ability. If it's not the best, it's certainly top 3 or 4.

We've assembled an experienced and talented squad; players who are either currently good enough to represent their countries (at whatever level) or have represented them in the past.

Being an international for Northern Ireland, Ireland or Scotland does not make you a top player?!? The game has moved on in the last 40 yrs and it might not be a guarantee of being a PL level star like it once did, but it still would make you a good player at championship level.

Oli Burke is currently at Werder Bremen, and I'd suspect there's people there that can judge a player better than you or I.

Fair point, but your list in disingenuous.

You're stating players have played at that level not what level they play at.

For instance, Fleck and McBurnie don't get near the Scottish starting line-up, if they're picked at all. Osborn hasn't been under 20 for 8 years.

I get what you're saying but my point was that I was surprised how many good players mid-table teams like Stoke or QPR have. Just on individual talent/ability/reputation. Doesn't mean they're actually that good or that the team as a whole is. Again I was trying to make a point that having good individuals doesn't necessarily make for a good team. Trying to stress the importance of the team over the individual.

Oli Burke is crap. I suspect fans of WBA, Celtic, Alaves and Leipzig would agree!

 

[biggiesablade]

Fair point, but your list in disingenuous.

You're stating players have played at that level not what level they play at.

For instance, Fleck and McBurnie don't get near the Scottish starting line-up, if they're picked at all. Osborn hasn't been under 20 for 8 years.

I get what you're saying but my point was that I was surprised how many good players mid-table teams like Stoke or QPR have. Just on individual talent/ability/reputation. Doesn't mean they're actually that good or that the team as a whole is. Again I was trying to make a point that having good individuals doesn't necessarily make for a good team. Trying to stress the importance of the team over the individual.

Oli Burke is crap. I suspect fans of WBA, Celtic, Alaves and Leipzig would agree!

Ask them Werner Bremasummit fans what they think of Burke your point stands though the team we went up with was a team of who's?

 

[robbiez666]

Ask them Werner Bremasummit fans what they think of Burke your point stands though the team we went up with was a team of who's?

He averages about 15 minutes per game. Put the fast lad on when everyone is tired.

 

[biggiesablade]

He averages about 15 minutes per game. Put the fast lad on when everyone is tired.

Play to his strengths I suppose

 

[Champagneblade]

Take 12 players out of any other squad and they’d be league one standard.

We have the best squad by a country mile. Possibly up for debate in terms of team amongst maybe Watford, Burnley and Norwich but take 12 players from QPR for instance and they’d be lower than Wednesday.

Full focus has to be on getting players back so the depth makes some difference. At the moment all it is doing is to help us tread water. It will be more of a game changer when we have genuine competition not just taking over from the person who was injured in the last match.

 

[JJBlade]

We have a team of eleven with possibly three subs that we can rely on.

These players on form and if they can be bothered are as good as anything in this division, in fact better than anything.

However, anything that forces us to shift from that starting line up and the whole thing becomes disjointed, boring and hard work to watch