Why are we pre-season favourites?

[blader]

Is it simple weight of betting, or are we missing something? I don't believe any impartial onlooker would look at our squad and think it's the best in the league, I'm pretty sure hardly anyone on here believes we will win the league, so what's it all about? Thoughts?

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Those odds would have been drawn up a while ago and as we were one of the form teams in the last 3rd of last season and made the FA Cup semi's, that would have been enough to put us up there. The relegated clubs don't look particularly strong so it's not really a surprise. Given that we've finished where we have the last two seasons given the mess we made of them, it wouldn't take much of an improvement to put is right in the mix anyway.

 

[yuley82]

Simple, we've got the best manager in the league and prob the biggest financial clout, best following. Most players would rather play for us than any one else in L1 hence the favourites tag.

 

[sheffielder]

Is it simple weight of betting, or are we missing something? I don't believe any impartial onlooker would look at our squad and think it's the best in the league, I'm pretty sure hardly anyone on here believes we will win the league, so what's it all about? Thoughts?

We have the best squad and manager in this division.

 

[blader]

We have the best squad and manager in this division.

Do you honestly believe we have the best squad in the division?

 

[sheffielder]

Do you honestly believe we have the best squad in the division?

Yes, name me a team with better and tell me who they have who are better than

Murphy
Scougall
Baxter
Wallace
Flynn
Harris

To name half the team

 

[blader]

Yes, name me a team with better and tell me who they have who are better than

Murphy
Scougall
Baxter
Wallace
Flynn
Harris

To name half the team

Luke ayling
Aaron wilbraham
Sam baldock
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
Luke freeman
Wade Elliot
Scott wagstaff

If you believe that the players you mentions are better than that collection of Bristol city players, we clearly see the game in a different way.

 

[Rodley]

Agreed re: strongest squad, I'm waiting to see what McNulty can do but seems Diego has impressed Clough this pre-season. We've got a top 4 first XI for me, but if the two above step up / or we bring in another striker we'll be well in the mix.

 

[sheffielder]

Luke ayling
Aaron wilbraham
Sam baldock
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
Luke freeman
Wade Elliot
Scott wagstaff

If you believe that the players you mentions are better than that collection of Bristol city players, we clearly see the game in a different way.

Yep, we do. So how about Clough v Cotterill?

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Last season we had one of the worst strike forces in L1 - with very little goal threat. Given that we have only signed the unproven McNulty to address that problem, it's difficult to understand why we are favourites.

 

[blader]

Yep, we do. So how about Clough v Cotterill?

Clough is a much better manager. Doesn't matter how good he is if we dont have anyone who can put the ball in the net. Mourinho' the best manager in the world for me, but with no prolific striker even he couldn't win the league. Sam applies here.

 

[sheffielder]

Clough is a much better manager. Doesn't matter how good he is if we dont have anyone who can put the ball in the net. Mourinho' the best manager in the world for me, but with no prolific striker even he couldn't win the league. Sam applies here.

He may have seen enough to think McNuts can do something, however something tells me the striker is lined up and we are probably waiting for the club to purchase someone before letting the player go. Otherwise, Clough is far too relaxed about the strikers which given is a problem.

 

[blader]

He may have seen enough to think McNuts can do something, however something tells me the striker is lined up and we are probably waiting for the club to purchase someone before letting the player go. Otherwise, Clough is far too relaxed about the strikers which given is a problem.

Ah but that's a different story. I also would like to think there's a striker lined up, but my OP is why are we CURRENTLY the favourites? I see no evidence the our squad/first XI is the best in league 1 at the moment.

 

[sheffielder]

Ah but that's a different story. I also would like to think there's a striker lined up, but my OP is why are we CURRENTLY the favourites? I see no evidence the our squad/first XI is the best in league 1 at the moment.

I still think we are ok with what we have. I just don't think we have a striker to steam roller this thing

 

[mattbianco1]

Ah but that's a different story. I also would like to think there's a striker lined up, but my OP is why are we CURRENTLY the favourites? I see no evidence the our squad/first XI is the best in league 1 at the moment.

I think only wolves had better form than us from Xmas.

We've lost Coady & Brayford but strengthed the squad all round.

Whoever finishes above us will win the league. Whoever finishes above Bristol City will too. (See what I did there?)

It's between us and Bristol.

 

[Latters]

I think only wolves had better form than us from Xmas.

We've lost Coady & Brayford but strengthed the squad all round.

Whoever finishes above us will win the league. Whoever finishes above Bristol City will too. (See what I did there?)

It's between us and Bristol.

I don't see how, in losing our best performer from the second half of last season (Brayford) and not replacing him, we have a stronger squad. I don't know what the kid from Tranmere is like, but unless he is better than Coady, this is another area that is weaker. We might have more players in the squad but we can't play them all, so that doesn't really matter.

It's the whole "big squad = strength" argument that I'm struggling to get on with. We can have 11 players on the pitch at once and, at the moment, our best 11 doesn't look quite as good as last season.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Luke ayling
Aaron wilbraham
Sam baldock
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
Luke freeman
Wade Elliot
Scott wagstaff

If you believe that the players you mentions are better than that collection of Bristol city players, we clearly see the game in a different way.

You've answered your own question. Name the rest of the BCFC squad and do the same comparison. Probably the best squad in the division and with a couple of additions the best first choice XI.

And as for the daft comment, you can only play 11. Wait until January and see what happens to those with thin squads.

 

[blader]

You've answered your own question. Name the rest of the BCFC squad and do the same comparison. Probably the best squad in the division and with a couple of additions the best first choice XI.

And as for the daft comment, you can only play 11. Wait until January and see what happens to those with thin squads.

Bristol's first XI currently is streets ahead of ours. They have goals from a variety of sources, whereas our top scorer got about 10. Without a striker we are nowhere near their side. Baldock, JET and Freeman would walk into our side.

 

[ThatJa]

Bristol's first XI currently is streets ahead of ours. They have goals from a variety of sources, whereas our top scorer got about 10. Without a striker we are nowhere near their side. Baldock, JET and Freeman would walk into our side.

There squad is largely the same squad from last season, and i seem to remember us giving them a 3-0 hiding at home.

Also Wade Elliot made your list of Bristol City players that are better than ours, isn't he claiming his OAP bus pass these days?

 

[alcoblade]

We've lost Coady & Brayford but strengthed the squad all round.

I would say right now we've added lots of depth, and lost some quality. Right here, right now, we aren't good enough IMHO. The signing of a decent striker or two would sort that.

I'm sure a striker's on the way and we've yet to Judge McNulty, but when you compared 4th division Burton's quality up front with Chris Porter, you have to wonder why the fuck we've re-signed him. I'll seriously weep if he's in contention in a few week's time.

UTB

 

[SwindonBladeJnr]

Those odds would have been drawn up a while ago and as we were one of the form teams in the last 3rd of last season and made the FA Cup semi's, that would have been enough to put us up there. The relegated clubs don't look particularly strong so it's not really a surprise. Given that we've finished where we have the last two seasons given the mess we made of them, it wouldn't take much of an improvement to put is right in the mix anyway.

As above really. Although that doesn't mean we should automatically be favourites, it's not hard to see why we are from the bookmakers/lower league football fan point of view.

Regarding Bristol City, I would agree that they look a good team but they did last year and were as bad as us for the vast majority of the season. Managed a decent run at the end of the season though in fairness.

Worth pointing out that JET came in for a lot of criticism from Brizzle fans, so he'll need to improve on his efforts last season to concern me, even if his talent/potential at this level isn't really in doubt.

Wade Elliott has been a good player and had a decent career but there is no guarantee that he will continue to be as influential as he has been in the past. Whilst Freeman is a good signing, I wouldn't take him over Baxter or Scougall. If we go on to secure a good striker as well as Brayford, whilst keeping Harry, I'd be extremely confident of promotion. I've got my fingers crossed!

 

[Barney Rubble]

Ah but that's a different story. I also would like to think there's a striker lined up, but my OP is why are we CURRENTLY the favourites? I see no evidence the our squad/first XI is the best in league 1 at the moment.

But you're not betting on who has the best squad in July you're betting on who you think will be top of the league next May. So factors such as the resources to improve the team by transfers and loans come into play. We might yet sell Maguire leaving us weaker but Bristol might yet sell a couple of the names you mention before the season starts or someone could get injured. People backing us to win the league are also assuming we'll bring a quality striker in and if Harry goes that the money will be used to strengthen the team.

What we think of the manager also affects our decision on which team to back. Most posters on here seem to trust Cloughie's judgement to get things right and so do the punters in William Hills by the look of things.

 

[Latters]

If we go on to secure a good striker as well as Brayford, whilst keeping Harry, I'd be extremely confident of promotion. I've got my fingers crossed!

They're some pretty big ifs.

 

[SwindonBladeJnr]

They're some pretty big ifs.

They are indeed - in reality I expect Harry to go...but two out of three wouldn't be bad!

 

[judge]

Why is shit brown or my eyes red ?

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Not many poor bookies around , so we've lost two good loan players ,
only one of whom Mr C , brought in , we are favourites because the run we had towards the end of last season , before October Flynn , Doyle , Murphy , in fact take your pick we're rightly being fucked from a height ,
enter Mr C and hay presto , we become as tight as Foxy gettin a round in at the back , grind out a set of fantastic results that get us to wembley and sweating over the last play of spot , this season teams will be looking at us and warily casting an eye in our direction ,
Do we want to be left in a bind like we were after 1 game last season after selling our best midfielder , Mr C , is building a squad for the season , I think he has irons in many fires , and the striker (s) we all know we need is on the way .
Let's be honest did anybody think Scoogs would have had the effect he had , or do we want Wiers scatter gun effect to gettin players in
Not only do I think we will go up , but think top 2 .
Next time you see someone tappin for odds on Fargate , throw-em a few bob as it could be one of bladders poor bookie mates.
UTB.

 

[Bladesway]

Simple, we've got the best manager in the league and prob the biggest financial clout, best following. Most players would rather play for us than any one else in L1 hence the favourites tag.

Bloody hell, have I just joined pork talk without my knowledge?

 

[Bladesway]

Whoever finishes above us will win the league.

Best. comment. ever.

 

[Bristol City]

I would agree with some posters on here saying our(Bristol City) starting 11 is better than yours, however I feel you have more squad depth.

Our starting 11-

--------------------Fielding
---------Ayling---Osborne---Williams
Little------------------------------------------Cunningham
--------------K.Smith------W.Elliott
---------------------------------------Freeman
--------JET
---------------------Baldock

However our bench is out of
Richards
Flint
El-Abd
Pack
Reid
Bryan
Burns
Wagstaff
Wilbriham

 

[Pierre's PC]

I would agree with some posters on here saying our bla bla /snip

Is this the Opposition first 11 thread?