Yes i think we have, the younger lads in that team are all better now than they were then. Browne will be massive for us this season, Jobe will have a season better than any Pritchard had for us The big issue is the striker situation tho, Stewart was a beast for us then and we just dont have that striker at the minute
Overall, I’m not so sure. Stewart and Simms - 2 very good forwards at this level. Who’ve we got now? That team 2 years ago is better than our current side imo.
Said this the other day. I’m not sure we have personally but each to their own. I don’t think experience the likes of Neil and Clarke have gained outweighs not only the loss off the likes of Amad, Stewart, Simms and Evans but that season we had a team where everyone seemed to be playing in a natural position no shoehorning.
Players don't stay the same so yes, we have improved. Patterson is better now than he was then. Ballard, although injured, is a more composed defender now than he was when he first arrived. Batth is finished as a player. Cirkin was and still is great despite injuries. Gooch I was never a fan, think he's poor. Neil is a lot better now. Evans doesn't have a club. Clarke is better now, remember he didn't even start the playoff final Embo was ahead of him. Pritchard is done. Simms is alright, was abhorrent for 5 months at coventry last season. Stewart hasn't played a 90 since January 2023. So yes, we are better now.
Thats what i said the striker situation is the only area that team is stronger Neil is so much better now than he was then, as is Clarke, Cirkin n Patterson. Ballard was better last season than he was the season before. Simms wasnt that good for us, folk are now thinking hes amazing because we need a striker n he had that class run for Coventry Browne had a better season that yr than all our CMs So id say overall the team is better now but the striker situation is better then
I get what folk mean about the last few windows but we have also brought in some real quality as well (some are inconsistent but you can see why the club brought them in) It gets classed as hideous becuase of the striker position only
Interesting debate - that team of 2 years ago has more goals in it which os the deciding factor for me. However Clarke and Cirkin are better players now but if Clarke is sold this window it's a big downgrade now between the 2 comparisons imo.
Browne looks decent but we’re playing 2 8s in the middle, Evans was a proper 6 and it allowed Neil to thrive as the 8. We don’t even know if he’s going to be able to play the 6 yet he was probably our worst player against Cardiff, bar maybe Mayenda. I’ll always favour round pegs in round holes. I also think Ballard looked very good that season when he had Bathh alongside him
Poveda and and Clarke have almost identical stats before coming here. Clarke iirc had played around 40 games in 4 years and scored two goals. He had an achilles injury then a couple since he's been here ... ... no one thinks he's injury prone.
If we take the squad now as against then....apart from the front position,which we all know is really lacking....imo we're stronger now,all over the pitch.
Followed up nick Barnes said ‘would that be a striker’ RLB says ‘yes for sure we are working hard it’s a difficult market but I think we will succeed really’
If we sell JC, there is no way KLD will spend/ reinvest it back into playing staff. It will pay off the 3 loans we have outstanding, 1 to KLD 1 to Juan, 1to the stadium investment scheme. That's my opinion, not a fact.
Ballard, Patterson, O'Nien, Neil and Clarke are better than they were 2 years ago Jobe is an outstanding young player Hume is a better option than Gooch Up front is where the glaring issues are
Better at the back. Better in midfield. Obviously not better in attack. Also all the players who have grown over that time are better now too.
