We have a much better chance of staying up next year if we win the Championship comfortably. Not least because a team that is kicking arse and playing well together is more likely to stay together and not have players try and jump ship to a more established premiership team!
Would take Gayle and Mitro any day over the strikers we had last time. Would take the defenders we have now any day over the defenders we had last time. Shelvey/Hayden/Ritchie in midfield any day would I take over the ones we had last time. However, Krul of that season over any of the current lot. Overall, this squad by a country mile. I enjoyed the last time we were in the Championship and I am enjoying it this time. Do I think this current lot can stay up next season, yes!
Up front and defence yes. Disagree about midfield though - Nolan, Barton, Smith, Gutierrez and Raylor I'd have instead of our current incumbents. Just my opinion of course.
Oh of course - however, can't include Barton. Shelvey is better than Nolan (in my opinion) though to be honest Nolan was more of a striker. Ritchie is better than Guti Hayden is better than Smith. Now to me Gouff is better than Raylor. Then we have Colback who is on the same level as Smith. Diame is ****ter than Nolan. So overall the current lot. Again, just my opinion.
Barton, Smith and Nolan were the main drive that season along with Lovenkrands (remember him playing after his father passed away). The main difference is that we have assembled a squad this time to get us out of the league we are in, last time we stuck with the core of players we had and just replaced what we had lost (Simpson for Beye, etc). Overall we are probably better prepared for the season than last time and don't see us using the loan market for Pancrate, Fitz Hall, Van Anholt type signings. So I would have to go for the current squad if we did a head to head.
Think this is the key point - we have assembled a team to get us out of the Championship this time so, if the individuals are maybe not as good, the squad depth is much stronger. Also we have players who are "built" for the Championship so should see fewer injuries during the course of the season. Not really interested in how this squad would perform in Premiership - if we get there trust in Rafa to rebuild (and hopefully Mike to fund it).
People mentioning Smith, hahaha, he was almost as pathetic as Colback. As for the question, this squad is better. But Carroll was/is better than anything we have now
I'm now actually tempted to say Rafa's team is better - more squad depth, better football and looks more dangerous. Rafa's defence is certainly far better, midfield is tougher and more creative, only area Hughton's wouldade it is in attack, where Caroll and Lovenkrands were just unstoppable. Everyone's said the championship's got much harder since we were last in it, but to be honest the gulf between us and the rest of the champ looks larger than last time.
Fortunately we do appear to be settling down now and look a well rounded side. They appear to have the grit too and we are getting more consistent in the chances created/finishing department which is what concerned me early doors. If we can keep it up we will have the nucleus of a PL squad. If we can add 4 or 5 top class players in key areas next year we should be fine - provided we see this through and get promoted.
Not sure Barton was - or at least he wasn't in the October, the November, the December, the January, the February, the March and most of April. Yes the others were the main driving force but so is Shelvey, Ritchie, Gouffran and Hayden.
Barton played little part on the pitch. He was of course part of that band of players who took control of a raggy arsed situ though along with Harper, Smith, Nolan and Butt. We needed that because we were in danger of imploding at the time.
