Oakwell south derby..

2016 could do it in front of crowds ;-)

 

I agree. That team played a flat 4 which we obviously don't now and the full backs were at their level, and obviously Scowen was filling in as cover. But it was a far more expansive and creative team that had accuracy of set pieces as well. A level 1 team with top end Championship players and some future PL players. No wonder it was so dominant once it found its way.

 

And they could flop big time, too (Southend at home, Chesterfield at home, Colchester at home, Scunthorpe at home for example).
But then, I rate our team and Head Coach.

 

no, Aidy was an unused sub against Millwall

 

This team can flop spectacularly too. That's football. I rate this current team for being effective. Just not doing it in a way that's joyful to me. As I've said before, gruel is effective at keeping you alive, it's just not enjoyable.

It doesn't make me want them to be unsuccessful though, obviously.

 

Obviously?

 

Didn't think I remembered seeing him.

Wonderful side. I genuinely think that had we been able to afford to keep them together (or not fcked up the contract situation in the summer after going up, depending on your opinion!), that team would have been contenders for automatic promotion in 2017-18. As it was, we got relegated.

PS our set pieces are no less effective now, for the first time since Hourihane left

 

Yes, obviously. ;-)

 

He could probably play with himself

 

Agree people forget we easily made ground on the Play-Off places that season and it could be argued we threw automatic away in the end just with the above results.

 

Agree on the first bit, but not the latter. I think we're more reliant on set pieces now, but the delivery isn't anywhere near as good as Hourihanes. The whip, dip, pace and curl on those balls into the box was insane. I was surprised at how many assists he got in so few championship games, then compare to Mowatt in 4 times as many games and Hourihanes return and output was just as good.

If you had Hourihane of 2016-17 playing balls in for our current centre halves and forwards.... Frightening.

 

Just so I have got this right, you're debating the team that was bottom of League 1 against the team that in touching distance of the PL and has beaten the PL teams from the season before (Norwich, Watford & Bournemouth).

It's a no brainer, I have to agree with BigLil

 

Just because a team is in a particular league, it doesn't mean its players are of that league. There are a few examples of teams bouncing through 2 leagues back to back, and likewise, teams who have been awful falling through 2 leagues in back to back seasons.

 

2021 3
2016 0

Way too strong this lot.

 

Me too. You only have to look at what the rest of the squad has gone onto apart from Hourihane. In my opinion the 2018/19 squad was better. I'd take Moore over Winnall everyday of the week.

 

They wouldn't win any against Helik and Anderson. Those two would lap up a long throw

 

Av forgot about toney anybody else think he looks alot bigger now.

 

Its not the long throw that would undo them. Hammill running at them, I doubt 2021 team would manage to finish with 8 men.

 

I know. Which is why I quantified my statement by saying this team had beaten 3 PL teams from last season.