I think a lot of the squad would hold their own in the prem. obviously we would have to make a few signings but I think Schmeichel, Morgan, Moore, Drinkwater, James, Dyer, Knockaert and Vardy would do well De Laet, King, Schlupp, Nugent and Wood would be worthwhile squad players. So there is a base there to work with If Nigel can find and convince players like Aleksandar Tunchev to play in League 1 and Anthony Knockaert in the championship just think of what he could do in the prem.
We could be inspiring players to come play for us now- the top team in the Championship is a decent proposition for many, and some in the teams in trouble may look to jump ship. But ultimately we should be looking at the top Championship players now- if we can pinch someone decent, from Derby, say, then we kill two birds with one stone by getting a decent player and hindering those challenging us (incidentally, I think we should sign Jamie Ward). On Stoke, I think we should be playing a strong team. Stoke are the sort of team we'd look to take points of if we were to go up and we want to start testing our pedigree as a potential top flight team. We've already beaten one PL team and not embarrassed ourselves against the best team in the country. We played a weakened team against Huddersfield in the cup last season and it seemed to really cost us. I know you can't keep the same 11 playing all the time but I wouldn't like to see a similar thing happen again.
Didn't we just get beat 3-1 against City, only to go onto a very good run? To blame our bad run on that game against Huddersfield is a bit of a lame excuse IMO.
Realistically it had to be one of those magical cup upsets to beat City ... at times we troubled them and came out of the game with some credit ... by contrast we had beaten Huddersfield twice already, once by putting six past them ... we could, and should, have beaten them ... but instead we showed them and others that we could be vulnerable in this division ... and we were ... I don't mind if we lose at Stoke provided we don't make wholesale changes and give it a go (they are a Prem side after all - we are underdogs - maybe lively ones -but still underdogs - but a good performance even in defeat will not harm us in the league) ... but if we should win at Stoke it would help enforce our credentials and aspirations and also put further fear / doubt in our forthcoming Championship opponents ... IMHO
And Me!!! Why can't we go for promotion and a good cup run as well? I don't go with this "resting players" - F*** me they're professional footballers in their prime. They should be able to cope with 2 games a week.
I'm not arguing that we should have beaten Huddersfield. But I really don't think it has anything to do with our run, other than being the first bad result. (1-1 first leg) We were so lucky to beat Middlesbrough in the game beforehand and Wolves after. We then went on to lose against Posh in the game before the second leg so really we'd had 4 bad performances before we lost it.
Each of us have our own thoughts on this - the dominant Liverpool sides of the 80's won all those trophies with a nucleus of 14 players and invariably playing the same starting eleven in all competitions - each knew each other's game inside out which made them an incredible 'team' unit - now I'm not saying that the game hasn't changed somewhat,t but so has the aftercare and training etc ... I played a fair standard myself and when playing in successful sides couldn't wait for the next game and certainly never wanted to be 'rested' (a sentiment that seemed to be shared with all my fellow team mates at such times)... I'm with Wellernever on this - good sides can (and should) compete on all fronts IMHO.
Again, completely agree. But i'm saying that the Huddersfield game of last season wasn't the reason for our poor form.
OK get that ... but I think it was an unnecessary 'own goal' ... I was more miffed that the changes were made despite a 5,000 travelling support that hadn't travelled to see a second string team ... bit like going to see One Direction and finding out on the day that only the Irish bloke was going to sing but he had at least brought his younger brother and Jedward along to make up the 'team' ... The support team behind the enigma that is 'Fossefilberto' would like to take this opportunity to state that the sentence before this was firmly 'tongue in cheek' - in reality he is a big Jedward fan... Fossefilberto has just sacked his whole support team and is now consulting with Vincent Tan on his recommendations for replacements ...
Team we put out against Huddersfield Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Keane, Konchesky, Marshall, King, Wellens, Dyer, Waghorn, Vardy Not really a weakened team. Wellens made his first start in 6 month but other then that it was a pretty strong team Waggy just came off arguably the form of his career a few weeks earlier. Vardy was struggling but everyone else was starting games every week. In our whole squad other then Bakoyogo everyone has proven themselves this season and whatever team we put out it should be more then enough to give Stoke a decent game.
I do sort of agree with you there. However, Nigel didn't pick a team to lose the game. Even with the side we had we should have beaten a side we'd walked over just days beforehand. I'm a fan of not changing the side. I think the same side that coped well at Millwall should be given another crack but I also think we should return to the side that beat QPR, Reading and Bolton for the game against the Sheep.
At least four changes including the forward line and a bang in form Chris Wood ... in effect we were asking the 'regulars' to perform with a whole new attacking set-up ... for me that was asking too much ...
Not sure Wood & King (may be as bit part players) would be good enough but with the rest of your list proves my point. Take only them players now into the summer transfer window as a newly promoted team & you can work out that we need to be very busy in the window. If we can get 2 good fast wingers in now we should, on paper, stroll over the finish line with some thing to spare, not that I´m getting ahead of myself. Not to convinced our DEF is strong enough. St Ledger, Wasilewski, Miquel & Konchesky for me won´t be good enough for the prem & all need replacing. We could do with getting in a couple of prem quality DEF´s in now imo plus the wingers to be given 1/2 a season to settle in & to really tighten up at the back & add to our attacking threat for that all important push for the promised land then in the summer a couple more DEF´s.
Like Proud put on the other thread I guess you could say that staying in the cup to match us against another top 6 prem side could give us the same sort of experience that City did for us.
Hand injury sustained during Millwall's goal. The fact he finished the game probably means he will miss the game due to precautions rather than a full on injury.
Kasper De Laet Morgan CB LB Knockaert Drinkwater James Dyer AM STR I can see realistcally being our premier league team. I think people seriously underrate James and Drinkwater
Logan needs to shake the cobwebs out. Dyers pace against Championship full backs is one thing, but premier league defences are alot sharper and quicker, think he will not be very effective at that level.
For years ive said i think Dyer is seriously underrated. In the championship he was always better than Nathan Dyer and he is a force.
