Bristol Boy Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Much has been made of our squad strength and I'm sorry but I think we've got a squad of players of very similar ability and that's a problem. After careful consideration and watching all but two of our 16 league games, I think we could have spent £550k a whole lot better and I can't see where all the money on the Academy for the last few years has gone or what it's acheived, that poaching Premier League rejected younger players like Andy Cole & Scott Murray, to name but two,wouldn't. Just because we don't have an Academy, it doesn't mean we can't have a youth set up or reserves. Looking at the reserves 2-0 defeat at the hands of Yeovil, with a strong side, on paper, playing-it contained Hulbert, Clist, Fortune, Lita, Amaankwah, M.Brown. Lee Matthews, doesn't fill you full of confidence. The Bristol Boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WillsbridgeRed Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Thank god someone else sees it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazred Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 But its the same squad bar Murrays exit and Miller and Wilkshires arrival, i for one am bemused as to why we are yet to play a decent game this season. Did we overachieve last season i wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potbelly Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 I argued this point at lenght a while back. Players like Lita and Fortune are not products of the Academy. There were snapped up from the trials. A reserve team, yes, U19 team, yes, but we don't need the Academy as it is now and i cant see any argument that would make me change my mind. The Academy has become the `Guarantor` for the club and it is not producing enough quality to place in the first team let alone anything we can sell. A second division side cant afford the investment, but it looks like we are stuck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhatWill Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Did we overachieve last season i wonder? Ah ha! ...and the answer to that is yes I'm afraid! Only marginally but we finished a lot higher than a) what us the fans expected and B) what the quality of our squad is. I'm sorry but our squad is barely one of the best in the division which is what many people will have you believe. Last season Cardiff, QPR, Wigan and Crewe all had better squads than us. Finishing 3rd last season was over-achievement and credit to DW and the players for a great season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pogue mahone Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Looking at the reserves 2-0 defeat at the hands of Yeovil, with a strong side, on paper, playing-it contained Hulbert, Clist, Fortune, Lita, Amaankwah, M.Brown. Lee Matthews, doesn't fill you full of confidence. and yet according to many on here, those first 5 names are apparently the answer to all of our problems. discuss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bootylicious Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 and yet according to many on here, those first 5 names are apparently the answer to all of our problems. discuss Not in my opinion, Potbelly. None of those listed are good enough for 2nd division football. Hulbert at a push and Lita, Clayton and Amankwaah have alot to learn before they can be considered good enough. Clist , M Brown and Matthews should be offloaded but there doesn't seem to be any takers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fRed Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 The reserves are having problems creating chances, it was just like watching the 1st team last Wednesday. The whole club seems to be on a bit of a downer at the moment. I heard that the reserves were playing better earlier in the season, maybe our players just don't like the cold weather :Cheeky3: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redrum Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 I think people make a good point about the success of last season. We won the LDV, scored a record number of goals and just missed out on automatic promotion. Only two teams below division 1 did better, Wigan and Crewe, Cardiff were lucky to win the third promotion place. Perhaps we should look back on last season in more of a succesful light? My concern with this year is we've outlayed a lot of money on players and that means that City needs success more than last year for it to work as a business. I would have prefered us to concentrate on paying off our debt whilst consolidating our position as a succesful division 2 side that is a viable business. The future of Bristol City is our place in the local community and the academy - if we produce enough home talent then we can win promotion and sustain our place in a higher division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portishead Puffin Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 It's a good point worth discussing, should we have spent that money instead of playing a mixture of the youngsters or possibly bringing in a bosman import. By the same token can the board really justify turning a rumoured £800k for Danny Coles, if we struggle this season we could end up selling the talented ones on the cheap to keep the administrators happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy g Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 First of all I wouldnt go reading too much into Academy or Reserve results, see how these players perform in the first team before judging them... And as with all clubs, there will be some players who just don't cut it, but I think we've got all positions covered pretty well. Take central midfield for example - we've got Tinnion, Doherty, Burnell, Wilkshire, Hulbert and even Clist looking for a place there... And STILL none of us can agree which are the best two !!! - I think that proves we've got a large, flexible squad. Can anyone name a position which HASN'T got a perfectly good replacement standing by ? Squad depth isnt the problem - all we are lacking is one or two players of outstanding quality - an Earnshaw, a De Vos or a Murray. But with time maybe the likes of Lita or Miller can develope into such a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedUn Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Players like Lita and Fortune are not products of the Academy. There were snapped up from the trials. Leroy Lita is in his third year as an academy scholar! (that's the maximum by the way). Clayton Fortune was recruited by the academy. A reserve team, yes, U19 team, yes, but we don't need the Academy as it is now and i cant see any argument that would make me change my mind. What do you suppose the quality of your U/19 team would be if we didn't have the academy to recruit to? (Clue: the best youngsters would go elsewhere) The Academy has become the `Guarantor` for the club and it is not producing enough quality to place in the first team let alone anything we can sell. The academy is already providing around half the places in starting line-ups even though it has only been going 5yrs - its oldest graduate is now 24. Hopefully, in another 5yrs the nucleus of senior players will be formed from academy graduates with a steady stream of others coming through to take their place. A second division side cant afford the investment, but it looks like we are stuck with it. What's the alternative and how much would it cost? You don't have to go too far back in history for the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Boy Posted October 27, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 And as with all clubs, there will be some players who just don't cut it, but I think we've got all positions covered pretty well. Take central midfield for example - we've got Tinnion, Doherty, Burnell, Wilkshire, Hulbert and even Clist looking for a place there... And STILL none of us can agree which are the best two !!! - I think that proves we've got a large, flexible squad. Can anyone name a position which HASN'T got a perfectly good replacement standing by ? Squad depth isnt the problem - all we are lacking is one or two players of outstanding quality - an Earnshaw, a De Vos or a Murray. But with time maybe the likes of Lita or Miller can develope into such a player. And as with all clubs, there will be some players who just don't cut it, but I think we've got all positions covered pretty well. Take central midfield for example - we've got Tinnion, Doherty, Burnell, Wilkshire, Hulbert and even Clist looking for a place there... You make my point, there isn't much between them all.I just wish BT was 6 years younger And STILL none of us can agree which are the best two !!! - I think that proves we've got a large, flexible squad. I think what it proves is what I posted! Can anyone name a position which HASN'T got a perfectly good replacement standing by ? GK Ball winning Centre Half- although Butlers gone backwards this year. Tinnion replacement, who can gaffer a game No right winger & LW's not one Left midfield The list goes on. Who's for CW ar RB tomorrow? Proves my point because DW daren't play KA. Squad depth isnt the problem - all we are lacking is one or two players of outstanding quality - an Earnshaw, a De Vos or a Murray. Yes but we haven't got one, that's the point! But with time maybe the likes of Lita or Miller can develope into such a player. I sincerely hope so because without that we've got a major problem loomimg, especially in the goal scoring dept! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy g Posted October 29, 2003 Report Share Posted October 29, 2003 Can anyone name a position which HASN'T got a perfectly good replacement standing by ? GK 'Ball winning Centre Half- although Butlers gone backwards this year' I think Coles is probably better at this role than Buter anyway and he can play alongside any one of Hill, Carey, Fortune or even Darren Jones. 'Tinnion replacement, who can gaffer a game' Wilkshire ? (if you mean someone who can spray the ball around the place although I'll admit he's a long way short of Tinman in terms of experience and hasn't got Tinmans drive) 'No right winger & LW's not one' I thought everyones favourite was Roberts at the moment, but Amankwaah is another possibility - why play with wingers though when our squad suits 5.3.2 with wingbacks ? 'Left midfield' Bell ? Woodman ? Tinman ? - they've all played there in the past "The list goes on." Go on then... Anyway I think the point is that any squad in the world could be better. Man Utd could do with another quality striker to play alongside Ruud. Real Madrid could do with some world class defenders. But both have got pretty good squads considering. Certainly by second division standards we have a very good squad and Danny doesnt need any more squad players. Who's for CW ar RB tomorrow? Proves my point because DW daren't play KA. Why not ? Whats wrong with Kevin Amankwaah ? Surely you've not just judged him on the evidence of 20 odd minutes against Sheffield Wednesday ? Amanwaah is the ideal replacement for Carey - they're both competant defenders who can bring the ball forward well. Squad depth isnt the problem - all we are lacking is one or two players of outstanding quality - an Earnshaw, a De Vos or a Murray. Yes but we haven't got one, that's the point! And I was agreeing with you there. But with time maybe the likes of Lita or Miller can develope into such a player. I sincerely hope so because without that we've got a major problem loomimg, especially in the goal scoring dept! Back to the issue of extra outstanding quality I think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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