Is this squad strong enough??

A question i asked a few days ago. I think after Saturday its obvious it isnt.
Rather than complaining about the match and yet again being classed as a 'doom mongerer' cos i dont think the sun shines out of Daveys back side i'll just say what i think needs to be done to the squad.

Squad is too big. its too big because Davey bought quantity over quality. We are weak in several areas of the pitch and this needs sorting quickly.

Goalkeepers: If any team offers 750k for Muller i would let him leave. He's a decent keeper at this level and had a storming first few games but we have found out over the last few weeks he does have room to improve. ie commanding his 6 yard box, punching rather than catching, and his distribution is very poor at times. If we do keep him hopefully his form will come back in February after the transfer window closes. I personally would keep Colgan and Letheren to end of season and bring in a loan keeper and pocket the cash to improve the squad.

Defenders: right back is sorted, Hassell n Bruma, in the centre Souza and Foster need to be challenged. We need a leader who knows this level of football. plus bring Atkinson back as support. Nyatanga-will be good in a couple of years but not what we need right now. Left backs-a real problem. I felt sorry for Bobby being played there. Kozluk could be kept as back up but another experienced left back is needed.

Midfielders: Wingers Campbell Ryce and Devaney need to have competition. Leon could be a find if he adapts and could be played out wide or in place of Howard if needed. Ricketts doesnt look like he is going to break into the team so lets get a hungry young winger to put pressure on the others. In defensive midfield we have McCann, Togwell, Mattis and Johnson. i dont think any of these would be a huge loss. Out of them all i think Togwell may be worth a place in the squad. We do however need a big strong midfielder to allow Howard the freedom. De Silva might be the man but if not lets go for a leader in the middle who knows this league. Or why not both?

Strikers: Mostto unless i am seriously mistaken will not cut it in this league. Stan only plays when he wants, Christensen must be even poorer if he cant make the team. I would keep Odejayi as he is a grafter and although he has found it tough moving up a level he could be back up for Macken who we should sign back immediately. Alongside him we need a six yard box player who knows where the net is and has done it at this level. Coulson as back up for him and lets see one or two youngsters on the bench.

To sum up:

In: experienced loan keeper (if Muller or Colgan goes)
experienced left back
Rob Atkinson back from loan
big experienced centre back
fast young winger
2 defensive midfielders (de Silva+?)
1 goalscorer
John Macken

Out: Muller (for 750k or more) or Colgan (if Muller stays)
Johnson
Mattis
McCann
Reid
Mostto
Ricketts
Ferenczi
Christensen

Any thoughts?

 

i agree with all your "outs", apart from Muller, we should hang on to him whatever the cost, but i'd add Bruma to that list. I reckon Nyatanga is ten times the player that Atkinson could ever be, sod atkinson.

 

that the same atkinson who is rated as the best in the cod heads league?

 

Cross the ball from the wings?
Play through-balls to the Strikers?

Could help
Discuse....

 

do you mean for Div one
cos thats where they are nose diving to

 

I think everyones aware that the squads not strong enough, including Davey.

But this isn't gonna be the squad at the end of the month, is it? De Silva would go a long way to solving the problems - get him and its the biggest problem covered, IMO.

 

Well we are better than last season, how much better? ( not a lot really). It's always difficult to bring in 14 or 15 players and expect the majority to be world class. Some of Davey's influx have been and are good, Muller ,Foster, JCR, Sousa, and the three loanees. That leaves quite a majority who can't or haven't performed since being brought in. The big talking point is the Strikers, and the lack of goals between them. This is got to be Davey's main priority to bring in a proven goal scorer at this level, but where? have we got the money? i don't know. Many fans have said that paying £600,000 for Mostto and Obejayi has been a waste of money, but it is gamble, sometimes it pays off, sometimes it dosn't. There are lots of Managers better than Davey who have brought players in only to be disapointed at their buys, thats football , win some lose some. But has a small club we have got to be one hundred percent certain that we have got the right person, money dosn't grow on trees at Oakwell.
IMHO the squad is to big and we need ship some of the under performers out, but i dont think that will happen for the majority untill the end of the season. If we Sign Macken and De Silva, a left back and probably another centre half,we could still finish in the top ten. But at the moment it's 8 points out of 30 and we are in freefall.

 

Not strong enough or big enough!!!

Total squad size = 28 (using squad list from official site)

Comprising;

Keepers x3 = Muller, Colgan, Letheren

Fullbacks x 4
left sided x1 = Potter (Hassell, Kozluk & Van Homeot as cover)
Right sided x3 = Hassell, Kozluk, Van Homeot

Centre Backs x5 = Souza, Foster, Reid, Atkinson, Meynell (Hassell as further back up)

Midfielders x10
central x7 = Howard, Leon, McCann, Togwell, Mattis, Heslop, Butterfield
Left x1 = Ricketts (Howard, McCann & Devaney as Cover)
Right x2 = JCR, Devaney

Forwards x 6 = Ferenczi, Mostto, Odejayi, Christensen, Coulson, McGrory

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To summarise:

Current Sqaud size: 28 including (6 Academy players)
Players Transfer listed/or able to leave x 5 = Colgan, Reid, Johnson, Mattis, McCann
Total Squad size if the above players sold = 23 including (6 Academy players)

Players needed:
1. Back up keeper (possibly x2 if Muller leaves)
2. 1x left sided fullbacks (only left sided fullback we have is Potter, other are right backs by trade)
3. 1x centre half (experienced as back up for foster/souza)
4. 2x defensive midfielder (e.g. De silva, Glen Whelan)
5. 1x left winger (Devaney is working hard but needs to play on the right, and Ricketts appears to be out of favour)
6. 2x strikers (e.g. Macken + Loan signing )

Players I would allow to leave:
1. Colgan - I would him to stay but he has requested transfer!
2. Reid - did well in league 1, but not good enough for championship
3/4. Johnson/Mattis - (defensive mid) both out of favour and look to be on the way out.
5. McCann - SD said he would listen to offers, McCann is in direct competition with Howard and now Leon and will struggle to get in the team.
6. Togwell - not good enough for the championship.
7/8. Odejayi/Christensen (need to play games - I would ship them out on loan for a few months to league 1 or 2 club)


NEW LOOK SQUAD:

Keepers x 3 = Muller, New backup keeper, Letheren

Fullbacks x 5
Left x 2 = New left back (e.g. Ian Harte) + Loanee (e.g. Tinihno), Potter
right x 3 = Kozluk, Hassell, Van Homeot

Centre Halves x 5 = Souza, Foster, new Loanee (e.g. Neil Clement), Atkinson, Meynell

Midfield
Central x 4 - Howard/Leon, De Silva/Whelan
Right x 2 - JCR/Devaney
Left x 2 - Ricketts/new loanee (e.g. Ross Wallace)

Forwards x 6 - Ferenczi, Mostto, Macken, New Loanee (e.g. James Vaughan), Coulson, McGrory