Strength in depth?

[Putney Blade]

Chaps,

Do we have strength in depth to win auto promotion?

On Tues, nothing on the bench to make the difference. Are we restricted from getting 1 or 2 'hot-shots' on loan? Surely this is the time to speculate & invest in auto promotion...

UTB

 

[Pragmatic Blade]

I guess missing Forte, Murphy and Miller doesn't help! We do seem to have no idea when it comes to breaking down sides who come here to play on the break. As I have said all along, the team lacks pace, movement and urgency. Clearly the team we have assembled should/could be good enough to get out of this league, but because we are hellbent on a short term solution of promotion (which is probably a necessity and absolutely right) fans do not have the patience to see a team built and developed.

Before anyone tells me Bassett did it in a season, life was quite different back then, players were easier to pick up from lower leagues for little money and he was able to ship out players who were on big money/longer contracts. That is something we haven't done this time around.

UTB

 

[Balham]

As Pragmatic Blade says, we're not having the best of luck with injuries at the moment, mainly as it seems that only our pacey players are the ones out.

We've got a lot of promising youngsters but the issue as I see it is that, for whatever reason, they weren't given any game time earlier in the season. Now we're getting to the crunch time and we're in effect using debutants and expecting them to make the difference.

Would it really have been that difficult for McFadzean, Whitehouse, De Girolamo and Ironside to have played 15 times each from the bench, building up from 5 mins to 35 mins and maybe starting them in the cup games against Oxford and Port Vale?

And finally - I wish Danny and Chris Morgan would have the foresight to look at the fixtures. Yes, there was an U21 derby on Monday but would it have been that difficult for the U21s in and around the first team to have only played 45 mins?

 

[Grecian2000]

Do we have strength in depth to win auto promotion?

I think the simple answer is NO. We are an injury or two away from mediocrity at best.

However, I suspect EVERY team involved in the race with us is in exactly the same boat, if not worse off. Clubs at this level aren't carrying big squads and keeping your first XI is vital. We are unlucky, at the moment, in that our key injuries are concentrated in one area (Miller, Forte, Murphy) which makes it very difficult.

 

[Revolution]

I wonder when Forte or Murphy will return? We usually finish a season with 2 or more forwards out for months on end...

I sometimes wonder if we are doing everything right on the medical front. We always seem to have at least two players on the books who are out for at least half a season, and people sometimes go missing for so long that Mark Howard being out for another month is described as a "minor setback" or similar and no one even blinks. Do other clubs have this problem?

 

[broomhillblade]

Chaps,

Do we have strength in depth to win auto promotion?

On Tues, nothing on the bench to make the difference. Are we restricted from getting 1 or 2 'hot-shots' on loan? Surely this is the time to speculate & invest in auto promotion...

UTB

When are some fans going to realise that the clubs in our league are all working under a salary cap? We simply cannot go out and spend money - even if the Chairman wanted to.

 

[Revolution]

We can spend more than he's spending.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

When are some fans going to realise that the clubs in our league are all working under a salary cap? We simply cannot go out and spend money - even if the Chairman wanted to.

Somebody forgot to tell Brentford though.
Their attendances are a third of ours but they have only a slightly lower wage bill.
Swindon had a transfer embargo imposed but were allowed to sign players when their Chairman put more money in, no players left.
What appears to be happening is that clubs set their own salary cap based on what they think they can afford.
McCabe could fund a couple more loan signings if he wanted to but he doesn't.
We supposedly bid for that Dundee United forward in January, so we still have his potential wages in the kitty at least.

 

[blade too long]

I think the simple answer is NO. We are an injury or two away from mediocrity at best.

However, I suspect EVERY team involved in the race with us is in exactly the same boat,.

here in lies a truth
Palace lost at wednesday on saturday and were said to be truly dreadful , and just because Zaha was out

signing any player on loan is costly and every club in the country is looking for match turning players available now, ready to go straight in 100% match fit, but theres not any available

I think we would fund a suitable player , its finding one that a club will let us have, as other clubs are like us and play their best players every week

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

We don't need more players our squad is good enough when everyone is fit. What we need to do is learn how to play at home in this league. There seems to be an expectation amongst the fans (and I'm starting to think it's getting into a few players) that we should simply roll these teams over on our own patch. We have to play at a higher tempo and be prepared to play in tighter spaces because no one in this league is going to let us stroke the ball about with ease. There's a slight complacency at home imo.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

I think the simple answer is NO. We are an injury or two away from mediocrity at best.

However, I suspect EVERY team involved in the race with us is in exactly the same boat, if not worse off. Clubs at this level aren't carrying big squads and keeping your first XI is vital. We are unlucky, at the moment, in that our key injuries are concentrated in one area (Miller, Forte, Murphy) which makes it very difficult.

Bit like last season. ? i.e 3 strikes croked .

 

[Fiery Blade]

All in all it sums up Danny Wilson - he didn't use the youngsters when he could have done earlier in the season so now he has to 'blood' them when his selected side struggle to 'break down' supposedly inferior sides when they come to the Lane.
His lack of foresight and belief that Cresswell, Doyle and Porter would carry them through is now under scrutiny - so what does he do - turn on the fans and blame them!
I have always said that Wilson is not a very good manager, perhaps it may come to haunt us as we are definitely not certainties to go up as many on this board seem to think!

 

[Revolution]

All in all it sums up Danny Wilson - he didn't use the youngsters when he could have done earlier in the season so now he has to 'blood' them when his selected side struggle to 'break down' supposedly inferior sides when they come to the Lane.

There are a couple of threads that make this criticism - indeed, it was made after the first league game of the season - and I still think it is unfair.

We have played a lot of tight games this season. We did not win many by more than one goal early on. There were a number of tight draws. Games like that are not games to bring in players just for the sake of a run out. Do that in cup games, if you must, or even send them out on loan. I have no problem with Wilson fielding the side he thinks is the best one to win each game. The game in front of you should always be your focus once the whistler blows.

 

[Fiery Blade]

There are a couple of threads that make this criticism - indeed, it was made after the first league game of the season - and I still think it is unfair.

We have played a lot of tight games this season. We did not win many by more than one goal early on. There were a number of tight draws. Games like that are not games to bring in players just for the sake of a run out. Do that in cup games, if you must, or even send them out on loan. I have no problem with Wilson fielding the side he thinks is the best one to win each game. The game in front of you should always be your focus once the whistler blows.

Obviously, the cup games, Capital One, FA and Johnstones Paint all come to mind when he could and should have blooded one or two youngsters amongst the more senior players to give them that bit of experience - to me (my opinion not fact) it shows Wilson to be unadventurous, frightened of losing, unprepared to gamble and generally lacking the balls to go out there and prove both he and the team have got what it takes!

 

[secretchief]

Missing strikers at the end of a season basically accounted in a large part for our relegation from the premiership (Hulse), our failure against Burnley in the playoff final, and of course last year's total farce.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Missing strikers at the end of a season basically accounted in a large part for our relegation from the premiership (Hulse), our failure against Burnley in the playoff final, and of course last year's total farce.

No Problems this year then ! We've got Richard Cresswell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stannyblade]

If we are unable to bring anyone in shouldnt we be terminating Forte's loan and bring in someone who is fit?

If Forte is 3 weeks away from being fit then that would be 5-6 weeks before being match fit. By that time it could be too late

 

[Wapping Blade]

Somebody forgot to tell Brentford though.
Their attendances are a third of ours but they have only a slightly lower wage bill.
Swindon had a transfer embargo imposed but were allowed to sign players when their Chairman put more money in, no players left.
What appears to be happening is that clubs set their own salary cap based on what they think they can afford.
McCabe could fund a couple more loan signings if he wanted to but he doesn't.
We supposedly bid for that Dundee United forward in January, so we still have his potential wages in the kitty at least.

Brentford are challenging the FFP rules as their chairman gives them a fixed amount per year to do with what they want - there was an article in the Evening Standard on it a few weeks ago.

 

[broomhillblade]

Obviously, the cup games, Capital One, FA and Johnstones Paint all come to mind when he could and should have blooded one or two youngsters amongst the more senior players to give them that bit of experience - to me (my opinion not fact) it shows Wilson to be unadventurous, frightened of losing, unprepared to gamble and generally lacking the balls to go out there and prove both he and the team have got what it takes!

Johnson's Paint Trophy v Notts County 17.10.12:- He blooded Westlake, Chappell, Harriott, and also gave a start to Miller and Porter, who hadn't featured in the league thus far. In the Quarter-Final of the same trophy (4.12.12) he blooded McFadzean; Chappell, Ironside and de Girolamo were used as subs.

Get your facts right.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Brentford are challenging the FFP rules as their chairman gives them a fixed amount per year to do with what they want - there was an article in the Evening Standard on it a few weeks ago.

Exactly, clubs set their own wage limit. Our Chairman could do the same but he chooses not to. That's up to him but stop hiding behind the rules.

 

[broomhillblade]

Exactly, clubs set their own wage limit. Our Chairman could do the same but he chooses not to. That's up to him but stop hiding behind the rules.

I understood the rules to mean that a club cannot spend more than 65% of turnover on players' wages; otherwise there will be sanctions.

In fact, if a club goes over 60% they will be 'micro-managed' - whatever that means.

Clubs can set their own wage limits, provided it is not more than 65% of turnover. Our turnover must be higher than most since we have bigger crowds.

 

[Wapping Blade]

I understood the rules to mean that a club cannot spend more than 65% of turnover on players' wages; otherwise there will be sanctions.

In fact, if a club goes over 60% they will be 'micro-managed' - whatever that means.

Clubs can set their own wage limits, provided it is not more than 65% of turnover. Our turnover must be higher than most since we have bigger crowds.

Yes but I think what Brentford are arguing is that the annual gift from their chairman is turnover as he gives it with no strings.

 

[Revolution]

Yes but I think what Brentford are arguing is that the annual gift from their chairman is turnover as he gives it with no strings.

Really? If that argument were accepted it would defeat the whole purpose of the rules.

 

[Wapping Blade]

Really? If that argument were accepted it would defeat the whole purpose of the rules.

Of course but some clubs will try anything to get round the rules and test the FA's resolve.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I understood the rules to mean that a club cannot spend more than 65% of turnover on players' wages; otherwise there will be sanctions.

In fact, if a club goes over 60% they will be 'micro-managed' - whatever that means.

Clubs can set their own wage limits, provided it is not more than 65% of turnover. Our turnover must be higher than most since we have bigger crowds.

Those are the rules but as discussed previously here

http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.php?threads/brentford-ffp.29114/

an owner can inject cash to boost the turnover and therefore their allowed wage bill:-

Brentford Chairman Greg Dyke said: “Matthew (Benham) agrees with the board annually how much he is willing to inject and the board then adopts a budget for the coming season. This includes how much we are willing to spend on the playing budget.”

That's how Brentford can afford a wage bill of over £5M on attendances that are only 1/3 of ours.