....would have probably got something out of the game yesterday, and quite possibly have a few more points on the board overall from the first seven fixtures. The teams which started the 2014/15, and 2015/16 seasons, both of which contained players which went on to be sold for millions, would in all likelihood be rooted to the bottom of the league without a point. I think overall that's the fairest comparison of the current lot to the previous team which got dismantled. Imagine a side with Winnall playing like he did in his first ten games up front, a clearly talented but very raw Conor Hourihane in midfield, and the pre-Kevin Long version of Robbo in defence. They'd get absolutely murdered at this level. They'd not be remotely competitive, even with Mawson in the side as well. They were barely competitive for three months in League 1. The current team, frustrating as days like yesterday are, (doubly so thinking about how good the side was in January), have so far looked as though they are well capable of being competitive at Championship level. Yet as far as their development as a cohesive unit goes, they're behind even where Johnson's team was two years ago, especially in terms of time spent getting to know each other. Overall, that suggests that given time, they will turn out to be a very good second tier side.
Were missing scowen in the middle 100%.... Not been replaced yet. I dont think we'l get a better chance at promotion than we had last season
I think we will get a better chance. Probably next season when we have a more settled squad and it's been added to - especially in the striker department. Not saying these strikers are not up to it - I'm saying there isn't enough variation in style.
As we saw last season, with a bit of tweaking a fantastic League 1 side can become a pretty useful Championship one.
Short on buying him back, we will not be able to replace scowen. He was an absolute perfect fit in the way that hecky wants to play
Those players were used to playing as a team knew each other's strengths and weaknesses and were much further along in their development. I'd be unsurprised If we got relegated but smashed L1 next season.
Me too. But so far the current lot look like gelling quicker than the previous crop did. Good job really, as they haven't got much choice if they want to stay up.
McDonald, Yiadom, Fryers, Gardner are perhaps our most experienced (at this level or PL) outfield players after Hammill. Still to come in. I hope McGeehan and Isgrove will also improve the squad when fully fit. Plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Not least that despite the new squad, the step up for most of them, the injuries/suspension to experienced players, we still aren't in relegation zone. Villa did a number on us. They didn't batter us. Showed their experience and our naivity. They taught us a lesson. Provided we learnt from that lesson we should improve from it.
I tend to agree although Scowen didn't feature in our promotion run in central midfield when all other options were available, hence him appearing on the right hand side of midfield and at right back on occasion.