Interesting. Another thing affecting the u23 is the classification of TA. Aren't we currently waiting to see if we've done enough to reach the Category A standard? Believe it's imminent - either that or they've got the result & keeping it quiet because it's negative. If we succeed, the u23s get to play the other Cat A (PL effectively) teams.
Nothing's written in stone and this is just a fun thread. Pants are firmly on Jonny. Realistically, you've got a far, far better chance of automatic promotion than we have of even staying in the playoffs, let alone win the bloody thing. Let's see what happens, and in the meantime there's no harm in chatting about it.
To be fair though Sparkey your team has never been in the premiership, you've only really been visitors.
True, but we've at least been there twice these past few years - was it 17 years ago for you? No matter, you'll experience it next season without a doubt. Getting there is hard enough, but staying there even harder. If you stay up, you'll have done well - there aren't that many success stories like Wolves recently and Bournemouth of a few years back. Look at Norwich and Villa this first season up there.
Difference being manager, you got there playing Warnock style which then needs a total rebuild to stay up, our plan will just be to tweek here and there. We'll that's what we believe anyway, will have to wait and see.
If we went up all the Premiership teams would have to do to beat us is go man for man. Just like Arsenal did in the cup in the second half. Every team in the Premier League have better players than us. So, to rectify that, new signings of quality would have to be made. Two new centre halves to replace Berardi and White (maybe White fancies it at ER?). Two strikers. One to replace Bamford. Another for squad depth. A goalscoring winger to replace Harrison. For the love of God get a goalkeeper. Sign Meslier by all means but we need A.N.Other to keep him honest. Afterthought..... there isn't going to be much of a pre season so would Bielsa even sign anyone else due to the fact that they wouldn't have time to get used to Bielsa ball?
Though I haven't got the knowledge of you lot about your individual players, I totally agree with the principle of your first sentence. The gulf in playing quality between the two divisions is massive. We've experienced it and failed. We underspent in the summer and tried to blag our way to staying up by playing "anti-football" as it's been dubbed - and very nearly succeeded. I know all clubs get dubious reffing decisions, but the protection afforded and bias toward the top contenders is disgraceful. If we'd been awarded a couple of obvious decisions like Apulciueta's (spelling?) two yards offside goal to get Chelsea back on terms after we'd taken the lead, then we'd be still there whether we deserved it in "football terms" or not. There have been success stories as mentioned above, but the odds are stacked against promoted teams unless large amounts of money are made available. Wolves did it right. It's very difficult to build a team when you get to the Prem - you have to do it on the way up by spending money like Nuno Santo. He had a head start when he got there and has made the most of it. Seriously best of luck because you'll be there next season.
Agree about the goalkeeper and centre halves and they will be key aquisitions as you can't compete/survive in the PL without some pace at the back and a decent keeper. Looking at the other end of the pitch though and where the goals will come from it seems this is a problem for most PL teams from mid table downwards. If we look at the top scorers from those clubs this season we can see that only Danny Ings (18), Chris Wood (11) and Teemu Puki (11) have made double figures. Maupay (9), Ayew (9) and Callum Wilson (8) are the best of the rest. Those stats tell you that it's highly unlikely we'd be able to find a striker who would score 15+ goals in the PL and our only chance of doing so is to take a punt on players with potential and hope they come good. Maybe better the devil you know (Bamford) and look to add goals from midfield etc. Some teams like Sheff U have joint top scorers on 5 goals each so you can be reasonably successful without a main striker banging them in.
We need to be more clinical in the final third. Our chance conversion is horrible. The worst in the Championship for sure and maybe in the country. It's a major weakness of the team and needs addressing if we were to have a solid season. I'm not expecting to get a 20 goals a season man in the PL. Chances won't be as abundant as they have been this season. Bamford, Harrison, Costa, Klich have all been culprits of huge misses this season. Bamford and Harrison way more guilty than anyone else. That would have to change if we went up. That's just a matter of sub standard players (certainly at PL level). As a group we don't score enough. Either get goalscoring midfielders to take up the slack from Bamford or get rid of that idiot up front and get someone better.
The stats back up your main point. Harrison 552 mins played for every goal he's scored. Klich 685 mins played per goal. Costa 704 mins played per goal. Elsewhere we're a little better; Bamford (211) Roberts (224) Hernandez (360) Alioski (374) It's probably why Bielsa has tried to get Tyler and Bamford on the pitch together but against top passing sides it leaves us short elsewhere. However you're right, if Harrison, Klich & Costa could get those stats down to a goal every 4 games instead of one every 7 games we'd see a massive difference. When we factor in the lack of goals from corners and the fact that our centre halves have contributed only 1 goal (Cooper) between them it's easy to see there's been to much reliance on the main striker for goals. That's not to defend Bamford, as in this team, this season, he should have easily been 20 plus and we'd already be home and hosed. Not to hark back to the past as we're doing just fine, but when we had a player like Siaz as the attacking midfielder we seemed more dangerous and creative. So the big question is can Tyler Roberts be taught that position ? If he can't then we'll need a quality signing but those players are few and far between at the top level. My view is Harrison and Roberts are very much worth persisting with, both young with massive amounts of potential. Klich and Costa less so, still useful players to have in the squad but if we can find better then we should do so. Bamford I'm happy to keep, with the proviso he has someone pushing hard for his place of equal or superior standing. Let's be honest though, it will be more or less the same squad for next season unless there's a change of ownership or extra investment.
Yet as a team we've scored 7 goals more than Fulham for example. So is the argument that we need a striker like Mitrovic a misleading one if we still score more overall ? It's a tricky one and while we're top of the league Bielsa is getting it right. I agree we'd need more firepower in the Prem though.
Just remembered something. Earlier this season I saw Sean Dyche enjoying some pre match hospitlity with Victor Orta and others. Judging by the size of the wine glasses it must have been a decent bottle of red they were enjoying and there was lots of bonhomie and smiles all around. Makes me wonder though; Dyche would probably be a good fit for us when Bielsa leaves provided we are in the PL.
Jonny (or can I call you condom) - I've learned that having one's pants on is no guarantee of personal safety at night down in Cardiff Bay, nor indeed is it a signal to others that they are indeed likewise safe. Indeed, many a sheep on our hillsides have been over confident in the past as to their safety whilst grazing, but have more recently learned to wear a worried look at our approach whilst fully dressed, especially if we're wearing wellies.
I would be happy for him to go on the list, but think it unnecessary to consider a list too soon. Bielsa will remain here until we've won the Champions League 4 or 5 times.
Until we have confirmation that Bielsa is staying for next season we should all be a little concerned. Yes, there are positive noises and that's encouraging but until it's definite it would be unwise to make that assumption. Unless anyone has forgotten, he's now out of contract.
Anyway, sorry for the diversion about keeping pants on - I got sucked in by Jonny - should I have said that! Back to the footy then and "Life in the Prem". Assuming Bielsa carries on as your manager when you go up (and you will definitely go up), do you think his decision to manage you next season will be dependant upon him getting his way with a suitable budget to keep you up? Or do you thnk he is confident enough in his methods that he can achieve retention of that status through his own ability?
