I'd say that squad had more in terms of pure ability. I'd expect this squad to have more in terms of application.
Don't see the likes of Stewart, Toral, Lopes, de Wiljs, Burke, Macdonald, Henriksen etc as technically lacking in comparison to their replacements, they just didnt produce the goods consistently on the park for one reason or another. i do accept that some of them thought they were better/worth more than they evidently proved to be.
I disagree. Barring Bowen and Grosicki, our current squad is far better than our previous Championship squad in ability, motivation and effort. I'd have Docherty over Lopes in the squad any day of the week. Aside from Bowen and Grosicki, I wouldn't have anyone from our previous Championship squad who still isn't here ahead of our current bunch, not even based on their technical ability.
Oh, were miles better off having hungry players who'll sweat blood for the shirt, im not disputing that at all.
i don’t think that’s right…. Could train all year, it’s when the paperwork is submitted & I think it midday the day before the match day. im not an expert. I’m sure someone on here will know the FACTs
Players are always hungry when they’re winning We shall see how hungry and all the other cliches abiut the team are when we lose a few.
I know, but even on a technical level, I'd say our current squad is far more talented. Irvine was poor. For a playmaker, he barely made a successful pass forward. Not only is Honeyman more committed, he's also a much better footballer than Irvine. The only player from that squad who still isn't here that I'd have back is Batty, Stewart and Herbie Kane, and even then I think we have better options now in midfield. The rest were crap in addition to being gutless.
We'll know when we see the team sheet tomorrow. It'd be quite a coincidence that the all the paperwork just happened to be completed at bang on 5pm in time for drive-time on the friday before the season opener.
Maybe the paperwork was signed off before midday today and was only announced this evening? I'm hoping anyway. If not, he'll play against Wigan.
Few of our current squad have been tested at this level. Remember Honeyman and Elder were arguably our best two players last season and yet both were part of that relegation squad and were poor. Lets hope it's not the difference in the standard of the two divisions. The jury is still out for me.
Here ya go CT, he's obviously signed in the week and only announced today. https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/matt-smiths-first-words-after-5754033
My biggest concern is that we don't have great options in terms of centre-forwards. Magennis had a good season last year but League 1 and Championship is a big gap to bridge. Eaves wasn't very good in League 1, never mind Championship. Even someone like Dion Charles from Accrington would be £2 million at least and we can't and don't have that money to spend. Only other alternative is to convert either Wilks or KLP into a centre-forward and move someone else to the wings since we have more wingers than we know what to do with.
Not in time for tommorrow, but we know there's a place in the squad for him, and its looking likely to happen, reading between the lines.
