The squad - Outlook for 2021

[Angry_Pirate]

Two full years back in the Championship got me thinking about our squad and the realistic shape it is it.

Hypothetical - we sold every player at the end of this season, which league should they be playing in next season (including Walton and Adarabioyo) - based solely on next years ability (not potential).

Is our squad mainly Championship, Premier League or League 1 quality?

Here is my take...

27 in the squad - outlook for 2020/21
Premier League = 3
Lenihan, Travis, Adarabioyo*

Top Championship = 4
Dack, Armstrong, Nyambe, Holtby 

Mid Championship = 2
Downing, Evans

Low Championship = 3
Gallagher, Rothwell, Walton*

Low Championship / League 1 = 6
Brereton, Rankin-Costello, Graham, Johnson, Bell, Williams

League 1 = 9
Leutwiler, Samuel, Smallwood, Davenport, Bennett, Butterworth, Buckley, Chapman, Mulgrew

 

Results: I would say that 2/3 (18 of 27) of our current squad is low Championship (at best), but mainly bang average L1 players.

Of the other 9, one is a loan who will be gone, one is 36 years old, and one is injured - plus who is to say if Mowbs will resist selling off star academy products like a Nyambe or Travis (like he did Raya).

Lots of our poor standard players are out of contract - which is a bonus... but do we trust the manager to replace with better?

Now not every player in your squad will be high quality, I get that. But we really are lacking in depth of top Championship quality. I fear for our recruitment in such a quick/unique "summer" window will lead to a nose dive down the table next year.

Do I give Mowbray praise for getting the most out of such a bang average squad this season? Or criticise him for it for it being so poor in depth.

Thoughts?

Edited June 29, 2020 by Angry_Pirate

[roversfan99]

I dont think any of our players are Premier League level to be honest.

We need to keep Dack, Holtby, Armstrong, Travis, Nyambe and Lenihan together if we can. Problem being having the first 2 in the same team effectively.

Ive not seen any justification to this point that any of Brereton, Rankin Costello, Bell, Gallagher and even Rothwell are even low Championship players in terms of impacting games and Graham and Johnson seem well past it sadly.

[Angry_Pirate]

I felt I was generous with Lenihan and Travis... though I 100% believe both will make it there, and I wouldn't have shocked me if that's their destination sooner rather than later.

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Ive not seen any justification to this point that any of Brereton, Rankin Costello, Bell, Gallagher and even Rothwell are even low Championship players in terms of impacting games and Graham and Johnson seem well past it sadly.

That's the problem isn't it. We have 6-8 starting quality Championship players and the rest are basically poor for this league.

Edited June 29, 2020 by Angry_Pirate

[roversfan99]

Definitely. If we could ever get them on the pitch at the same time, the front 6 in an ideal world would be Evans, Travis, Downing, Holtby, Dack and Armstrong, thats a good 6. Problem being there is absolutely no balance there. Need to come up with a way of fitting together our most technical players in a balanced way, we need 2 actual wide men which I doubt would have happened even prior to the pandemic.

[Angry_Pirate]

Not to mention we currently do not own a Championship competent GK, LB or 2nd CB going into next season...

[roversfan99]

Just now, Angry_Pirate said:

Not to mention we currently do not own a Championship competent GK, LB or 2nd CB going into next season...

And financially are at the stage of begging the fans not to claim small refunds in terms of funding this necessary surgery!

[Blue blood]

Think you are being a bit over optimistic here. Personally other than downing I would put everyone down a level.under the current regime. 

A couple of them may have a role still with  us under a canny manager who can utilise their strengths and limit their weaknesses being exploited but right now I think many of the players cannot be relied on. 

On the positive side I do think a few of our youngsters will improve to championship level quality - Buckley and JRC for ezample. 

One interesting thing to note from this is how few quality additions we have had. Two joined  in league 1, 3 are academy products, so you do wonder what has happened the last 4 windows.