I am not a believer in big squads, nor do I normally believe in loans, unless we are taking a player "on trial" with a view to signing him in the next window, or we have been hit with two or three injuries in the same position. Having said all that, I think we must get in three quality loans within the next week. We now have to play two games a week for the rest of the seaon, plus a very possible Cup semi-final, and that is assuming no further fixture postponements. And Church, Wiggins and Goochanedjad already have international call-ups, with maybe others to follow. On paper we have enough players, but in my opinion many are either: (1) not up to standard, (2) need careful usage because of their youth or veteran status or because prone to injury, or (3) imports not yet ready for the rough and tumble of Championship football. The only players who I would exempt from those categories are Hamer, Wilson, Morrison, and Church, and they cannot play 90 minutes for two games a week for over two months and maintain their standards. Every other player who comes in is either a potential weakness or, if successful, cannot or should not be relied on to play a string of successive matches: (1) Not good enough: Thuram-Ulien Green Evina Sordell Pritchard Cook Gower (2) Need nursing Hughes Jackson Wiggins Solly (out for season?) Wood Cort (out for season?) Cousins Poyet Lennon Harriott Tudgay Fox (jury out on whether good enough) (3) foreign imports not yet ready for the rough and tumble of Championship football. Nego (too frail for a full-back) Adjarevic (too slow and frail) Goochanedjad (too frail) Parzyszek (my mate watched him for the u21s and says he was a mile off the pace) Koc (just a kid) This is a recipe for disaster and largely results from the sale of Kermorgant, Stephens, and Alnwick without getting in adequate replacements. As the last two games have shown, we have an excellent manager who is getting the best out of his limited resources, and it is clear the players are giving their all for him and for each other, but he cannot keep pulling rabbits out of hats. RD needs to open the purse strings and get in three good-quality loans. Urgently. And players CP wants, not who RD wants to get rid of from his other clubs. Four or five would be better because inevitably one or two will misfire. How many loans are we allowed to take, and how many can play at the same time?
Adjarevic looked pretty good to me I don't think he's too slow and frail, and if you play him up top with Church who can run all day, he doesn't need to run about and be quick, just use his clear ability with his feet and let others do the running.
Certainly wouldn't say Adjarevic was frail - he was shrugging off several challenges last night with ease. Play him in the hole where it's not pace dependant and he'll be a gem. The squad is too thing though - but SLP saying today that we are after Wilbraham, Williams and Guedioura from Palace. If that's who he is targeting, I assume we will be looking to play a 4-4-1-1 for the remainder of the season. Possibly seeing Cousins drop to RB, Wilson on the right with 2 of Williams, Guedioura, Poyet, Ajdarevic and JJ playing in the middle, with a 3rd moving behind the striker (barring Poyet). Unless he drastically changes the formation to 4-2-3-1...
I think the back 5 are probably OK for 2 games a week, but that depends on them not picking up injuries. Wilson in particular,I don't expect to see Solly again this season. Harriott
We'll have 4 games in hand soon once we are playing Sheffield United, it could galvanise the squad if they are only 1 point behind at that stage.
The midfield must contain Poyet, Cousins, Jackson and the Asteroid at all times, with Harriot, Tudgay, and Wilson able to step in when tired legs are showing. It's a big ask, but players are conditioned to play 60-odd games per season, so CP must keep this current momentum going. The recent postponements have given the players a bit of respite, and Poyet has only broken through in recent times, so I think we have enough in the squad to rotate without losing the overall quality. The striking department still concerns me, but perhaps Church will now find his true form...
Rather unexciting selection, but beggars cannot be choosers. Wilbraham is all washed up, but one of the others could give Cousins a well-deserved break now and then. But what we really need is a right-back and a LM.
Surely Daniel would be in before Holmes-Dennis? Although H-D may well be the better longer-term prospect, we have just given Daniel a one-year extension. Not much point if he has already been overtaken in the pecking order by someone two years younger. They seem to cover the same positions, LB or Left wing-back or LM. Daniel is probably physically tougher at this stage.
No doubt. But most games in this division are draws or single-goal wins. There is little difference between any of the teams (except perhaps for Leicester). And if you have a team whose players will play 60 games (or more realistically, 50 games) going out twice a week to face opponents of a similar standard who, on average, will play only 30 games a season, you will surely leak enough points to get relegated. Jackson is playing well at the moment but how long before he drops out with hamstring trouble, or a groin strain, or something else? Three weeks? Five weeks? No way will he last to the end of the season. He is made of glass and needs careful usage. It is very wrong for Cousins and Poyet to be playing week after week. Cousins is already in need of a breather. You can do long-term damage to young players by over-playing them. CP has often said so and I am sure Poyet Senior is well aware of it. Adjarevic cannot last 60 minutes at present, let alone 60 games. He needs a summer and pre-season of training for the physicality of English football. It is Catch-22 with him, because if he is playing well enough to be picked for every game and help us gain the needed points, he will be back to Liege or some other bigger club. I like him a lot but we are building on sand by making him a regular. I reckon Wilson has been one of our best players this season, perhaps THE best. He would always be in my starting line-up either at RM or RB. I respect your oipinion, as I do all who post without personal abuse, but I strongly disagree, as was the point of my OP. We have a shedload of players (and I did not even list those out on loan) but few we can bring in without weakening the team. I am very happy with Church's current form. Worth his place in the squad and, unless we sign someone better, worth his place in the team. Another good signing by CP on a free. But I don't think there is any more to come from him. What we see now is as good as it is going to get. ........................................................ Apart from the above issues I agree with everything you wrote.
Thanks for that, eddie. I understand your points regarding burnout - in particular with Cousins and Poyet - yet we need to maintain this momentum for at least the next month, and then the squad players can come in to a team that is brimming with confidence. With a bit of creative shuffling I think CP can keep the players fresh enough for long enough to see us through to safety. Jackson and the Asteroid are key to our survival and must be wrapped in cotton wool (to an extent), but I doubt they will see it that way. Church, in my opinion, is a confidence player, and I just hope he goes from strength to strength after his terrific showing on Monday. Some strikers, however, had/have no such problems with confidence, eh?
You've forgotten Dervite... the man who apparently can come on in place of anybody... he solves strength in depth issues on his own. realistically, and I have a huge amount of respect for the guy, on this season's limited showing I'd have to move Hughes into the 'not good enough' category. But I think Wood would be in the 'could play far more games than he is' category! Frankly the stamina of the newbies could be a major factor. Poyet can't play every game, but I'm scared of dropping him. Adjarevic may not be fully fit, but he's the biggest threat we have. Cousins should be relatively fresh again after a rest, as should Harriott. Interestingly Polish Pete didn't play for the reserves. Am sure he would've done if not injured, so wondering whether CP is going to bring him in on Saturday? Agree with the post in general, we still need back-ups (or ideally some people to allow some of the youngsters to be back-ups again when they need to be). RB and LM/RM especially. I've given up on getting another striker... Tudgay, Gucci or Pete have to start scoring.
Is Hughes really finished? He played once, I think, not too well and we lost, for the first time ever when he started for us. He's got a great football brain, whatever his legs may be like, and surely he can be used to give Poyet/Cousins a break.
I don't doubt his brain, and his attitude is superb, he's one of those that's great to have around the dressing room. But he was hopelessly exposed alongside Gower (which I think was the first home game), and the occasional 5 minute cameo he seems slow.
A bad omission. Thanks for pointing it out. He is certainly a useful squad member but barely Championship standard. I need to start a fourth category just for him: "only just good enough". But he is a good example of someone who is not really good enough to start but doesn't weaken the team when he comes on. He is only 25, still young for a centre-back, so could improve with more experience. I am not sure about "coming on in place of anybody" though. I don't think he is agile enough for a DM or fullback.
sorry, perhaps my tongue in cheek comment was lost in translation. It seems he's used as the 'default we need to sit back and hold on so bring Dorian on in place of anyone'... but as far as I'm concerned he's a passable centre back and that's it.
Hughes and Gower was a disaster(combined age over 70), but have his legs gone? This must be his last season, and if he can be used in a limited role to help Cousins/Poyet along it would be great (unless his legs have gone).
