This year's squad vs last year's

[Balham]

Have we improved the squad from last year?

Goalkeepers
09-10
1 Paddy Kenny*
13 Ian Bennett
22 Justin Haber
23 Mark Bunn

10-11
1 Steve Simonsen
13 Mikhel Aksalu

No third keeper but arguably Simonsen is better than Kenny. Aksalu may or may not be better than Bennett - hopefully he will get some meaningful games (starting with Hartlepool in the League Cup) to show that. Haber was a PR signing and has since disappeared to Ferencvaros.

Defence
09-10
2 Ryan France
3 Gary Naysmith*
5 Chris Morgan
6 Matt Kilgallon
16 Andy Taylor
?? Jordan Stewart
21 Leigh Bromby
26 Derek Geary
34 Kyle Walker

10-11
2 RB TBA
3 Nyron Nosworthy
5 Chris Morgan
15 Ryan France
16 Andy Taylor
22 Rob Kozluk
34 Matt Lowton
+ potentially Connor Brown, Phil Roe


Again, all change at the back. Arguably Nosworthy replacing Kilgallon will leave us just as strong in the centre but the question mark is over right back. Leigh Bromby was shipped out before the end of the transfer window and few tears were shed - and potential signings this season should see us stronger than last year. Jordan Stewart has also left after joining on deadline day - another popular decision. Naysmith spent the entire season on the sidelines.

Midfield
09-10
4 Nick Montgomery
10 Kyel Reid
11 David Cotterill
12 Lee Williamson
15 James Harper
18 Jamie Ward
25 Glen Little
27 Keith Treacy
28 Steven Quinn

10-11
4 Nick Montgomery
6 Johannes Ertl
8 Leon Britton
11 Mark Yeates
14 Lee Williamson
18 Jamie Ward
28 Stephen Quinn
+ Kingsley James, Jordan Chappell and possibly Simon Walton


Although we’ve slimmed down on numbers from the start of last season, Reid only played about an hour of league football for us and Treacy’s loan was cancelled before Christmas. Yeates is better than Cotterill and Ertl should prove better (more mobile at the least) than Harper. Some good decisions have been made with the midfield but there is a lack of depth in the centre of the park.

Forwards
09-10 10-11
7 Darius Henderson 7 Darius Henderson
9 Ched Evans 9 Ched Evans
24 Billy Sharp 10 Daniel Bogdanovic
17 Richard Cresswell

Our forward line is better than last year. Cresswell has become a fans’ favourite and Bogdanovic should be an adequate replacement for Billy Sharp - fewer goals perhaps, but definitely bringing more to the team.

Overall
I’d say that the first XI this season would beat the first XI last season easily. There are a few question marks over the squad but hopefully these will be answered by the end of the transfer window on August 31st.

 

[boo radley]

I like the look of our squd this year

 

[Maidenhead]

Our forward line is better than last year. Cresswell has become a fans’ favourite and Bogdanovic should be an adequate replacement for Billy Sharp - fewer goals perhaps, but definitely bringing more to the team.

Fewer goals than Billy Sharp? I blumin hope not!!!

 

[super_pig]

if we get the hungarian lad in at right back i'll be pretty happy.. it all depends if hoofy is prepared to get rid of the ineffectual monty and quinn centre midfield pairing for once and for all IMHO

 

[Balham]

Fewer goals than Billy Sharp? I blumin hope not!!!

Didn't really think that through - was talking about the Doncaster version of Sharp

 

[Eckingtonian]

I personally think we have a better squad than last year,although not as strong numbers wise.Hopefully we will have better luck with injuries this season.Add a couple more in early season and we'lle be up there.UTB.

 

[Willie Carlin]

A lot better IMO.

 

[Bergen Blade]

So our initial squad is smaller than last year's? To avoid last season's frustrating problems, is our strategy, our carefully thought out masterplan, to keep our fingers crossed?

 

[Iceblade]

I would think that quite a few of the youngsters will be involved in some way this season. And hopefully they will step up to the challenge. McCabe and Birch will probably pressure Blackwell to use the academy more, instead of getting a silly amount of players in on short term loans.

 

[Bladesway]

You say that arguably Nyron is a better player than Killer. Your post credibility ends there for me I'm afraid. We are not as strong or as deep as last year. Last year was not as good as the year before etc etc etc.

A long shot for those of a positive nature. All our players stay fit and the excel themselves we might creep into the top 6. In the real world its going to be one mother of a long season for us.

"Yeates is better than Cotterill" Just noticed this one. You have some proof for this?

 

[Bladesway]

So our initial squad is smaller than last year's? To avoid last season's frustrating problems, is our strategy, our carefully thought out masterplan, to keep our fingers crossed?

Your knocking on the door of the real answer there.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

I don't think our current squad is as strong as the one that started last season, although I think it is significantly stronger than the one that finished the season.

 

[Revolution]

I don't think our current squad is as strong as the one that started last season, although I think it is significantly stronger than the one that finished the season.

I think this nails it, particularly in relation to the defence

There is an argument that the defence we have now will be better than the one fielded at the end of last season, but there is no doubt in my mind that it is weaker than the defence we had for the first half of last season. I do not agree (and seemingly neither do United or Sunderland) that Nosworthy is better than Kilgallon, and Walker is a much better right back than anyone currently on the books (well, Lowton might be better, but that's asking a lot).

Nosworthy may do okay, but the defence does not have any proven, good fullbacks. Just poor, average, and unproven ones. This is going to cause us problems because if we don't keep clean sheets we aren't going to get any away points, given our likely strategy will not lead to many goals.

Midfield is a wash. I hope Britton and Ertl will be an improvement on the likes of Howard or Harper but we've been saying this for years. I continue to believe that as long as the offensive black hole remains in centre midfield it will be hard for anyone partnering him to shine, but by the same token centre midfield should not be worse (and if Williamson is ever fit or Monty dropped, it will be better).

Nothing has changed in wide midfield from the end of last season as we have one winger who KB doesn't use all the time, preferring the likes of Ward and Cresswell who have their obvious merits but aren't like Yeates. We are in a worse position than the start of last season as Cotterill (better than Yeates) and Little are no longer on the books.

I am much more optimistic about the Keeper position, where we are stronger and cover is less important as it's only one spot. Simonsen is better than Bunn. I hope we never have to find out how good Aksalu is.

As for forwards, again we are stronger, with one reservation. Sharp didn't play last year so he is a non factor. Evans cannot get any worse so we are immune from a performance decline there. So it boils down to whether having Cresswell and Boggy for a full year is better than having Henderson and bits of Cresswell and Camara - on balance, yes. Hendo does have his uses and it is also good that we will have him as an option between the period when he is fit and sold in January. My one reservation here is that Blackwell might throw away the advantage we have on forwards by only playing one of them. It's not so bad if Cresswell (and Ward) are on the pitch as wide men but I much prefer 2 up front.

So, man for man, things are better than at the end of last season, but I was happier with the squad this time last year, where we looked better on the flanks and much better at the back.

Finally, another huge problem is the lack of cover. The squad is 2 or 3 players light, but you all know that.

 

[Grecian2000]

So, man for man, things are better than at the end of last season, but I was happier with the squad this time last year, where we looked better on the flanks and much better at the back.

Pretty much where I am with that.

Only position I think we're significantly better off is goalkeeper.
I like attacking wingers who beat a man and get to the byeline so that is the area we are now significantly down.
If we don't sign a good full-back soon than that is another area we are very weak in.

 

[Ollessendro]

Have we improved the squad from last year?

Goalkeepers
09-10
1 Paddy Kenny*
13 Ian Bennett
22 Justin Haber
23 Mark Bunn

10-11
1 Steve Simonsen
13 Mikhel Aksalu

No third keeper but arguably Simonsen is better than Kenny. Aksalu may or may not be better than Bennett - hopefully he will get some meaningful games (starting with Hartlepool in the League Cup) to show that. Haber was a PR signing and has since disappeared to Ferencvaros.

Defence
09-10
2 Ryan France
3 Gary Naysmith*
5 Chris Morgan
6 Matt Kilgallon
16 Andy Taylor
?? Jordan Stewart
21 Leigh Bromby
26 Derek Geary
34 Kyle Walker

10-11
2 RB TBA
3 Nyron Nosworthy
5 Chris Morgan
15 Ryan France
16 Andy Taylor
22 Rob Kozluk
34 Matt Lowton
+ potentially Connor Brown, Phil Roe


Again, all change at the back. Arguably Nosworthy replacing Kilgallon will leave us just as strong in the centre but the question mark is over right back. Leigh Bromby was shipped out before the end of the transfer window and few tears were shed - and potential signings this season should see us stronger than last year. Jordan Stewart has also left after joining on deadline day - another popular decision. Naysmith spent the entire season on the sidelines.

Midfield
09-10
4 Nick Montgomery
10 Kyel Reid
11 David Cotterill
12 Lee Williamson
15 James Harper
18 Jamie Ward
25 Glen Little
27 Keith Treacy
28 Steven Quinn

10-11
4 Nick Montgomery
6 Johannes Ertl
8 Leon Britton
11 Mark Yeates
14 Lee Williamson
18 Jamie Ward
28 Stephen Quinn
+ Kingsley James, Jordan Chappell and possibly Simon Walton


Although we’ve slimmed down on numbers from the start of last season, Reid only played about an hour of league football for us and Treacy’s loan was cancelled before Christmas. Yeates is better than Cotterill and Ertl should prove better (more mobile at the least) than Harper. Some good decisions have been made with the midfield but there is a lack of depth in the centre of the park.

Forwards
09-10 10-11
7 Darius Henderson 7 Darius Henderson
9 Ched Evans 9 Ched Evans
24 Billy Sharp 10 Daniel Bogdanovic
17 Richard Cresswell

Our forward line is better than last year. Cresswell has become a fans’ favourite and Bogdanovic should be an adequate replacement for Billy Sharp - fewer goals perhaps, but definitely bringing more to the team.

Overall
I’d say that the first XI this season would beat the first XI last season easily. There are a few question marks over the squad but hopefully these will be answered by the end of the transfer window on August 31st.

This is happiest clapping of the highest order. I couldn't be in more disagreement. See below.

You say that arguably Nyron is a better player than Killer. Your post credibility ends there for me I'm afraid. We are not as strong or as deep as last year. Last year was not as good as the year before etc etc etc. .....

"Yeates is better than Cotterill" Just noticed this one. You have some proof for this?

Spot on Bladesway. Yeates in unproven for the Blades (although has potential) where as Cotts was one of the sriving forces behind our late promotion push in 08/09.

Suggetsing that Nos is as good as Killa is sheer lunacy. Kilgallon was one of the best Champiosnhip defenders, full stop. People can question his commitment, but no ability. He's head and shoulders above anything we have now.

I don't think our current squad is as strong as the one that started last season, although I think it is significantly stronger than the one that finished the season.

Can't argue with that. You have to give KB some credit for bringing in better than what he already had. In my mid he hasn't brought in enough players, but the one's he's brought in have been decent signings. I'll also acknowledge that KB has made some clever signings, by bringing in a few that play in more than one positions.

I don't think our current squad is as strong as the one that started last season, although I think it is significantly stronger than the one that finished the season.

I think this nails it, particularly in relation to the defence

There is an argument that the defence we have now will be better than the one fielded at the end of last season, but there is no doubt in my mind that it is weaker than the defence we had for the first half of last season. I do not agree (and seemingly neither do United or Sunderland) that Nosworthy is better than Kilgallon, and Walker is a much better right back than anyone currently on the books (well, Lowton might be better, but that's asking a lot).

Nosworthy may do okay, but the defence does not have any proven, good fullbacks. Just poor, average, and unproven ones. This is going to cause us problems because if we don't keep clean sheets we aren't going to get any away points, given our likely strategy will not lead to many goals.

Midfield is a wash. I hope Britton and Ertl will be an improvement on the likes of Howard or Harper but we've been saying this for years. I continue to believe that as long as the offensive black hole remains in centre midfield it will be hard for anyone partnering him to shine, but by the same token centre midfield should not be worse (and if Williamson is ever fit or Monty dropped, it will be better).

Nothing has changed in wide midfield from the end of last season as we have one winger who KB doesn't use all the time, preferring the likes of Ward and Cresswell who have their obvious merits but aren't like Yeates. We are in a worse position than the start of last season as Cotterill (better than Yeates) and Little are no longer on the books.

I am much more optimistic about the Keeper position, where we are stronger and cover is less important as it's only one spot. Simonsen is better than Bunn. I hope we never have to find out how good Aksalu is.

As for forwards, again we are stronger, with one reservation. Sharp didn't play last year so he is a non factor. Evans cannot get any worse so we are immune from a performance decline there. So it boils down to whether having Cresswell and Boggy for a full year is better than having Henderson and bits of Cresswell and Camara - on balance, yes. Hendo does have his uses and it is also good that we will have him as an option between the period when he is fit and sold in January. My one reservation here is that Blackwell might throw away the advantage we have on forwards by only playing one of them. It's not so bad if Cresswell (and Ward) are on the pitch as wide men but I much prefer 2 up front.

So, man for man, things are better than at the end of last season, but I was happier with the squad this time last year, where we looked better on the flanks and much better at the back.

Finally, another huge problem is the lack of cover. The squad is 2 or 3 players light, but you all know that.

In agreement with a lot my sunshine band friend (hang on, Brownie is Revolution in the sunshine band??).

I just want to emphise the point about midfield. I had high hopes for Howard, but he flopped. I was really excitred when Harper joined, but again he was a flop. My point is that Britton (although a very good player) might not necessarily do well. Ertl is a battler and will fit in, but will Britton step up to the mantle as the play maker in midfield.

I think the forwards are stronger and if Blackwell goes for it then we may have some success. I think Evans will come good, Cresswell is a goal machine and Bogdanovic is dangerous.

The defence is much, much weaker for me. The full backs are weak and we have little or no cover.

Oh and our keeper is as good, if not better.

All in all I think our squad is weaker slightly weaker than this time last year (although there is not a lot in it). That's mainly down to Killa and Walker (2 of the best defenders in the division).

 

[Balham]

I was talking about the Kilgallon of last season, who played like he didn't want to be here. I saw him lose positional sense at times.

Cotterill for me didn't bring enough to the team. He was fairly quick but weak and didn't do that much defensively. It could be argued that he was never given a chance but that surely says something.

Yeates has, by all accounts, been good pre-season. What's wrong with a little optimism?!

And with regards the winner between these teams:

Bunn
Walker Morgan Kilgallon Taylor
Ward Montgomery Quinn Cotterill
Evans Henderson

Cresswell
Yeates Ertl Britton Montgomery Ward
Taylor Morgan Nosworthy Lowton
Simonsen

It's not as far fetched as you're trying to make out. Games are won and lost in midfield and this year we look stronger. The issue is strength in depth.

 

[Revolution]

And with regards the winner between these teams:

Bunn
Walker Morgan Kilgallon Taylor
Ward Montgomery Quinn Cotterill
Evans Henderson

Cresswell
Yeates Ertl Britton Montgomery Ward
Taylor Morgan Nosworthy Lowton
Simonsen

It's not as far fetched as you're trying to make out.

A game between these two teams would finish 0-0, on the basis that the two Nick Montgomeries would spend the whole game losing the ball to each other.

Cotterill for me didn't bring enough to the team. He was fairly quick but weak and didn't do that much defensively. It could be argued that he was never given a chance but that surely says something.

As I say to everyone who says this, this ignores the evidence in front of you. Check out the difference in our results when he was in the side vs when he wasn't. it's quite remarkable.

 

[raul]

Nah, this year's will win easily, last year's side has got that absolute liability Walker playing.

Actually happier with a smaller squad, I appreciate fully Bergens point and would normally argue alongside it, but the biggest problem last year was we never gelled as a side becuase of the constant rotation of players.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Nah, this year's will win easily, last year's side has got that absolute liability Walker playing.

Actually happier with a smaller squad, I appreciate fully Bergens point and would normally argue alongside it, but the biggest problem last year was we never gelled as a side becuase of the constant rotation of players.

I think that is less of a problem if the player replacing the injured one is a similar type of player. Yeates and Ward on the flanks is a decent combination, but if they're out and, say replaced by Quinn and Williamson, our approach will be forced to change completely.

 

[Basegreen_Blade]

I would argue that yeates is better than cotterill

Yeates got 7 assists last season (just for us in 11 (9) apps) compared to cotterills 3 (for us and swansea in 17 (18) apps)

i can't seem to find yeates' stats from m'boro though


Lets see what he can do this season. I've been hearing good things from attendees of our pre-seanson games.

 

[Peezablade]

I would argue that yeates is better than cotterill

Lets see what he can do this season. I've been hearing good things from attendees of our pre-seanson games.

And don't forget how good Yeates played at Ipswich, last match of 09/10. Brilliant.