Areas of the squad

[JasonM88]

Goal Keepers 

Frank Fielding

Luke Steel

Ivan Lucic

Max O'Leary

 

A position we're now relatively strong in, we still lack that class in this position that will take us towards the top of the championship. Happy with Franks performances during the early season, and Steel was a good player during his Barnsley days. It's a shame one of O'Leary or Lucic couldn't get out on loan 

7/10

 

Right Back 

Eros Pisano

Zak Vyner

 

Pisano has really impressed me during the early seasons games, and I hope he can continue his form into the rest of the season. Also happy to see Vyner have an opportunity to cement his place in the squad. Might be a little worried were Pisano to get a long term injury, but young players need to have an incentive. 

7/10

 

Centre Back 

Bailey Wright

Nathan Baker

Aden Flint

Hörður Magnússon

Jens Hegeler

 

Probably our strongest position in terms of individual players. It looks as though Wright and Baker are now our first choice pairing, and Flint might find it difficult to get back in. Flint, Magnússon and Hegeler is very capable cover at this level, and this fills me with confidence at centre back 

9/10

 

Left Back 

Joe Bryan 

Lloyd Kelly

 

The academy pair appear to be very good options at left back. Again, I may be a little concerned if Bryan were to get a long term injury, but am genuinely excited to see what Kelly can do, much more so than with any other academy product. Bryan early season form has been exceptional, but feel Kelly will start to press for the starting spot soon. 

8/10

 

Centre Midfield

Korey Smith 

Marlon Pack 

Gary O'Niel

Josh Brownhill 

 

This position concerns me the most. Individually each players is decent, and all have very good strengths, however I feel we are still lacking something in centre mid, maybe a genuine box to box midfielder. There's talk of Brownhill stepping up to this roll, and I really hope he can. 

6/10 

 

Wide Midfielders 

Jamie Paterson

Jonathon Leko

Callum O'Dowda 

Niclas Eliasson

 

This is hopefully a strong list of players for the wide midfield roles. I fancy Paterson to be hugely important for us this season, and three young wingers will hopefully all push each other to up their game. 

8/10

 

Strikers

Famara Diedhoui 

Cauley Woodrow

Matty Taylor

Bobby Reid 

Milan Đurić 

 

Some minor concerns about our striking options, however I feel we'll be strong enough here, as long as those wide midfielders all chip in. Matty Taylor coming back to full fitness helps massively, and I really hope Bobby continues his early season form 

7/10

 

Use the format and rate the strength of the individual positions within the squad.

[wendyredredrobin]

Pretty much agree with most of this, though would only have scored our wide midfielders 7/10.

This is a fairly large squad of 26 and has one goalkeeper and one centre back too many.

Hordour also offers us cover at LB and Jens can operate in midfield too. So I'm happy with that too.

The main problem is that our strikers are very average apart from the fact that Bobby is looking very good so far.  Whether the squad can compete at the top of the Championship yet though, seems a bit doubtful to me, but we certainly have a few developing players.

 

[headhunter]

Woefully short of quality and quantity in centre midfield. 

How many assists and goals could the current pairing of Smith and Pack be expected to provide

[ZiderEyed]

17 minutes ago, headhunter said:

Woefully short of quality and quantity in centre midfield. 

How many assists and goals could the current pairing of Smith and Pack be expected to provide

agreed, and 2 of our supposedly best talents have been let out on loan. Surely this hasnt escaped the beady eye of LJ, we must have tried for a centre mid. Anyone would've done, ******* anyone.

[Malago]

Hegeler is more centre midfield than central defence.  Make that change and the squad looks well balanced.  Whether the quality is good enough only time will tell.

[Monkeh]

28 minutes ago, headhunter said:

Woefully short of quality and quantity in centre midfield. 

How many assists and goals could the current pairing of Smith and Pack be expected to provide

you can overlook that if we provide quality from the wings, so if Brownhill and Bryan do their job it's fine

[EnclosureSurge]

3 minutes ago, Malago said:

Hegeler is more centre midfield than central defence.  Make that change and the squad looks well balanced.  Whether the quality is good enough only time will tell.

Quite: giving areas like centre back 9/10 suggests we won't let many goals in, but the GA evidence so far this season contradicts that entirely. What does 9/10 say anyway? Is it benchmarked against our previous defence (last year? Shaun Taylor? Dickie Rooks?); against the rest of the division (in which case 9/10 is a bit questionable); against individual, subjective standards; against what could have been? I'm presuming all we can glean from this thread is our central midfield isn't great compared to the rest of the squad. But that's what a forum is for.... Esp with a week+ and no football to discuss.

[Rossendale Red]

33 minutes ago, headhunter said:

Woefully short of quality and quantity in centre midfield. 

How many assists and goals could the current pairing of Smith and Pack be expected to provide

Whilst I agree that really dynamic central midfielder would have been a good addition, I think the signing of Leko and Eliasson may mean we will be playing with a bit more natural width, with Brownhill coming central and hopefully being the energetic box to box midfielder we lack. I'd have said 18 months ago that Korey Smith could do the box to box role however what with his injury last year, doesn't seem to have quite the same impact on games for me.

[Phileas Fogg]

Interesting idea..

Goal Keepers 

Frank Fielding

Luke Steel

Ivan Lucic

Max O'Leary

Pretty happy with out strength in depth here. 2 solid and experienced keepers at this level. Would be difficult to do much better without spending a few million. Good enough competition for me. Shame Lucic didn't get a loan. 8/10

Right Back 

Eros Pisano

Zak Vyner

Very happy with Pisano. Haven't seen enough of Vyner to judge him as a right back, but seeing as we made no public attempts to further strengthen that position - we must be fairly content with him as cover. I suppose Smith and maybe even Bailey Wright could play there if we needed. 7/10

Centre Back 

Bailey Wright

Nathan Baker

Aden Flint

Hörður Magnússon

Jens Hegeler

Lots of depth here. Definitely a player too many and the Magnússon situation proves that ideally the club want 4. Quite happy with the balance of styles too. On paper a very strong position. 8/10 - only reason not a 9 because there's a risk of players being unhappy.

Left Back 

Joe Bryan 

Lloyd Kelly

Similar to the right back situation. Haven't seen Kelly enough to rate him accurately myself, but he's clearly very well thought of by us and now England. Happy with those two to be our left backs with additional competition from Magnússon. Great to see two academy players battling it out too. 8/10

Centre Midfield

Korey Smith 

Marlon Pack 

Gary O'Neil

Jens Hegeler

Josh Brownhill 

Lots of strength and depth if we want to play a 4-2-3-1 (which I reckon our formation will become now) as 4 of the 5 are defensive minded players. Marlon Pack improving every season and I really rate him. Smith poor so far but has obvious qualities. O'Neil an asset when fit, this squad needs experience and he brings it. I added in Hegeler as he's an option there - great versatile option to have. I really rate Brownhill and hope he gets the chance to play centrally.

Would've really liked us to splash out on a top centre midfielder but relatively content with our options there for now, especially if we're playing a formation which requires our centre midfield to be solid.

7/10

Wide Midfielders 

Jamie Paterson

Jonathon Leko

Callum O'Dowda 

Niclas Eliasson

Pretty pleased with our options here. First time in ages I can remember our squad having a selection of pacy wingers. Plenty of flexibility - allows us to play 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-3-3 with the personnel here. Looking forward to watching Leko as he's a real talent. Paterson will be inconsistent but will chip in with goals and on his day is fantastic. O'Dowda blows hot and cold for me but is a willing runner and will no doubt improve. Looking forward to watching Eliasson once he acclimatises with English football.

Very exciting position for me - provided we use them. Lots of youth, pace and trickery.

8/10

Strikers

Famara Diedhoui 

Cauley Woodrow

Matty Taylor

Bobby Reid 

Milan Đurić 

A good amount of depth (which is required given Đurić and Taylor's injuries). Would've liked at least 1 pacey forward - but I suppose Leko can play there. Bobby Reid in great form - Diedhiou will improve and I think Woodrow will be an asset once he gets some proper minutes.

Đurić and Taylor will also contribute when fit - both have valuable skills.

7/10

Overall - pretty happy with the depth we have. Not really anywhere in the squad where we're obviously short. A good window on paper and the players seem to suit the system. Would've liked to have seen a centre midfielder ideally and maybe a different 'type' of forward to what we have - but overall pretty happy with it.

Window rating - 8/10

[Ivorguy]

Well, the three window problem is now done and dusted, so it is over to you Lee to galvanise this squad and start pushing up the league.Nowhere to hide.

COYR

[Phileas Fogg]

1 minute ago, Ivorguy said:

Well, the three window problem is now done and dusted, so it is over to you Lee to galvanise this squad and start pushing up the league.Nowhere to hide.

COYR

I think this is the first time in ages our squad has looked full with adequate depth, so maybe he was right about the 3 windows thing.

The loan rules changing has altered the way clubs like us do business; beforehand we could afford a few holes in the squad and fill them with loans. Now we can't and need to have players in place in anticipation of injuries/suspension/loss of form.

 

[GrahamC]

Despite starting there in the first two games I cannot see Hegeler playing as a CB for us again, as we have better options now with Baker signing, 2 "natural" centre backs in reserve, plus we would have expected one of them to have gone by now.

Think we simply get progressively weaker as you move up the pitch, we are now very strong in defence and have 2 experienced keepers to choose from, have some defensively solid midfielders but as others have pointed out, no-one who is massively creative or can dominate a game in there. Paterson, even though he is clearly inconsistent is absolutely key for us now, I think.

Up front Diedhiou is (understandably) taking some time to settle and isn't, based on his track record, exactly a prolific scorer anyway, Reid, in the form of his life (the big question of course is how long will it last?) plus Taylor and Woodrow, who can most charitably be described as "unproven".

Goalkeepers 7/10

Defence 8/10

Midfield 6.5/10

Attack 6/10.

[Nibor]

32 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Despite starting there in the first two games I cannot see Hegeler playing as a CB for us again, as we have better options now with Baker signing, 2 "natural" centre backs in reserve, plus we would have expected one of them to have gone by now.

Think we simply get progressively weaker as you move up the pitch, we are now very strong in defence and have 2 experienced keepers to choose from, have some defensively solid midfielders but as others have pointed out, no-one who is massively creative or can dominate a game in there. Paterson, even though he is clearly inconsistent is absolutely key for us now, I think.

Up front Diedhiou is (understandably) taking some time to settle and isn't, based on his track record, exactly a prolific scorer anyway, Reid, in the form of his life (the big question of course is how long will it last?) plus Taylor and Woodrow, who can most charitably be described as "unproven".

Goalkeepers 7/10

Defence 8/10

Midfield 6.5/10

Attack 6/10.

A lot of sense here but I'd just add that some of our attacking players may well develop quickly. Reid has started extremely well, Paterson too. The chap from WBA looks exciting and if Eliasson is very raw he is clearly quick and can cross. Overall I'm happy with the work done on the squad and acknowledging it is never finished and there's a limit to how much change you can make in one window. 

[And Its Smith]

Wouldn't surprise me to see us get overrun in midfield playing 4-4-2 and then change to 4-3-3 with Bryan in midfield and Kelly at left back. 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

Despite starting there in the first two games I cannot see Hegeler playing as a CB for us again, as we have better options now with Baker signing, 2 "natural" centre backs in reserve, plus we would have expected one of them to have gone by now.

Think we simply get progressively weaker as you move up the pitch, we are now very strong in defence and have 2 experienced keepers to choose from, have some defensively solid midfielders but as others have pointed out, no-one who is massively creative or can dominate a game in there. Paterson, even though he is clearly inconsistent is absolutely key for us now, I think.

Up front Diedhiou is (understandably) taking some time to settle and isn't, based on his track record, exactly a prolific scorer anyway, Reid, in the form of his life (the big question of course is how long will it last?) plus Taylor and Woodrow, who can most charitably be described as "unproven".

Goalkeepers 7/10

Defence 8/10

Midfield 6.5/10

Attack 6/10.

What are the numbers benchmarked against?  If say 6/10 is Championship mid table, does that alter your scores, e.g. Are they a tad generous.  If my benchmark is used:

Goalkeepers 6/10 - although Steele might be better than Frank and could push it to 6.5....time will tell

Defence 7/10 - player for player we have good defenders - question is the lack of cohesion as a team -  is that starting to be resolved?

Midfield 6/10 - only way I see this going north is if Eliasson and / or Leko hit the ground running, or Paterson  becomes consistent

Attack 5.5/10 - largely unproven, but I could see it going to 6.5 if Diedhiou / Woodrow show what I think they are capable of.

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Pretty happy with the squad overall. Should be on to be pushing towards midtable perhaps.

The striking options will sort themselves out I think once Taylor and Đurić get fit again and up to speed. May take a while though. Leko can seemingly play up front as well as on the wing- versatile, quite a few of our players seem to be now which is no bad thing. Hörður likewise- could be a lot of pressure on Reid and Woodrow for a while. Taylor may not score so consistently, but he got a number of assists last season- and assists are just as valuable as a goal in many ways.

Goalkeepers- 7/10

Defenders- 7/10

Midfield- 6/10

Wingers- 7/10

Strikers 6/10

Not convinced by the 4-4-2 setup but maybe Smith and Brownhill would be able to hold the fort enough...still would prefer 4-3-3 or 4-1-2-3 or something- the 1 in the latter being Hegeler.