I say if, because I am the eternal optimist. I accept we may lose a couple of players, but if we keep the majority I'm sure we'll bounce straight back. The progress of the young players since the end of 'lockdown' has been impressive. I'm confident the likes of Styles, Walton, Odour, Simoes, Ludewig, Palmer and Andersen will get better. I may be the perpetual optimist but we will be too good for Div 1.
They'll be decent in League One but it's a tough division so not guaranteed to come straight back up. The main concern is when next season will start. Clubs can't afford to go months without match day income and continue paying staff. England vs Wales at Wembley in October is still behind closed doors, so you'd assume Leagues 1 and 2 still wouldn't have kicked off then. No more football until we have a vaccine???
Last time we were relegated we had a hastily-assembled team of young players that fit the spreadsheet model, but weren’t ready for championship football. Sound familiar? I’m optimistic about next season if we can keep the bulk of the squad together. That was the key last season. Another year of rebuilding and its League One for the foreseeable future.
We won't unless we have forwards who can score more goals than our defenders give the opposition and a coach who plays our best goal scorer as a striker not a midfield workhorse. The difference between us and Leeds today was when Brown played the ball across the Leeds 6 yard box the Leeds defender wasn't under pressure so just let it go but when Bamford played the ball into our Box Leeds had two players in the 6 yard box and one just arriving outside so Solbauer had to try to clear it and he messed it up. Woodrow should be told he's the striker against Forest and his only job is to score goals forget the chasing back to get possession in the middle third he needs to stick up top.
As someone who’s already accepted relegation I’ve been thinking about this since the weekend. In my opinion assuming that Struber stays & plays the diamond or 3-4-1-2 & we lose Mowatt, Woodrow, Sollbauer & Ludewig we need two players to be automatic promotion contenders. First off we need a striker who can win headers, hold the ball up & score. Kieffer Moore would be ideal but that’s not happening but someone in that mould. The other player we need is someone to sit in front of the back four who can win a tackle & play it simple to the creative players. Some may say Sibbick & Halme could do this role & whilst they may be fine at it when we’re the defensive team I think we’ll need someone who specialises in that position who’s a bit more mobile & forward thinking than them two. Basically a Josh Scowen type. Keepers - Walton & Collins - Happy with either as number one. Let them fight it out Right Back - J. Williams & Sibbick Centre Back - Anderson, Halme & Diaby Left Back - Oduor & B. Williams Midfield - New lad, Styles, Palmer, Simoes, Thomas, Wolfe, Ritzmaier & Bahre Forwards - New lad, Brown, Chaplin, Miller & Schmidt So many of them players can play different positions & we can play various formations. Assuming we go with Struber’s diamond - Walton J. Williams Halme Anderson Oduor New lad Thomas Styles Simoes Any 2 of Brown, Chaplin & new lad Subs - Collins Sibbick B. Williams Palmer Ritzmaier Left out forward Miller / Schmidt Definite automatic promotion challengers in my opinion. To leave - Woodrow & Mowatt will be off, too much money will be offered to them & only one year left. Solbauer also only came on an 18 month deal if I remember right. I’d like him to stay but believe he’ll get better offers. Ludewig is too good for league one & his parent club will want to loan him to a better standard. McGeehan - Although he’d be a good player for us at league one level he’ll only have a year left on his deal & I’m pretty certain he’ll want to move on after been loaned out by us twice Green & Adeboyejo - Not up to it in my opinion. If we keep them it’ll be as fringe back up players. I think Miller staying or leaving probably depends on whether we can move Schmidt on or not. I think Bahre will probably leave. If so I’d like a right footed midfielder to be signed for balance. I know he’s seen as the managers pet but I think Ritzmaier will be a decent player in league one. My only concern is he might stunt Styles’ development if he plays on the left of the midfield. I think we’d be fine money wise as long as league one can start. We’d get substantial fees for Mowatt & Woodrow, we’d get a fee for McGeehan & Solbauer & all of Dougall, Pinillos, Thiam & Radlinger who all signed on championship contracts have left which should offset the estimated £6m loss.
We have some decent youngsters no doubt. I don’t share your optimism for us bouncing straight back though. We’ll need some experience in the middle of the park and an absolute must is a couple of proven strikers. I just don’t see these owners stumping up any cash to get what we need. Sam Winnall anyone.....?
