Luckily we have a big squad

[Major Isewater]

With the recent spate of injuries we are indeed very fortunate to have kept the squad numbers up .

Many amongst us thought it was too big at the end of the transfer window and wondered what some of the players would do with themselves on matchdays .

We have been very unlucky with injuries so far this season , GON , Taylor, Pisano , Djuric etc and yet here we are in fourth place ! 

We may even add to the squad in January.

Two questions 

1) Should we add to the squad numbers ?

2) Can someone tell me what my second question was going to be ? 

 

 

[downendcity]

3 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

With the recent spate of injuries we are indeed very fortunate to have kept the squad numbers up .

Many amongst us thought it was too big at the end of the transfer window and wondered what some of the players would do with themselves on matchdays .

We have been very unlucky with injuries so far this season , GON , Taylor, Pisano , Djuric etc and yet here we are in fourth place ! 

We may even add to the squad in January.

Two questions 

1) Should we add to the squad numbers ?

2) Can someone tell me what my second question was going to be ? 

 

Where did I leave my tablets?

[ashton_fan]

We need to strengthen midfield with GON not available, not sure we need any others unless anyone's sold of course

[Coombsy]

Should we sale Flint

[simon uk]

We should look to add to squad numbers only if its going to improve the first team, and centre midfield is where we should be looking in my opinion? If we could for example get hegeler recuperated and move him over to europe sonewhere which might suit him much more, and replace him with say johnson of preston, i think that would signifiantly improve us.

[Robbored]

The fact that City have such a deep squad is down to LJ and MA recruitment and that strategy is paying off now with so many current injuries.

We saw recently against Stoke that City made 9 changes from the previous game to Stoke making only 6 changes

Some fans complain about how much LJ has spent but look how those investments have paid off.

[Lanterne Rouge]

The other question (and I`m not sure what the loan terms for these are) is do we recall anyone with a view to backing up the first team? McCoulsky and Morrell spring to mind.

[simon uk]

1 minute ago, Robbored said:

The fact that City have such a deep squad is down to LJ and MA recruitment and that strategy is paying off now with so many current injuries.

We saw recently against Stoke that City made 9 changes from the previous game to Stoke making only 6 changes

Some fans complain about how much LJ has spent but look how those investments have paid off.

Its up and down though, we have millions tied up in engvall and taylor moore for example, the squad is much stronger, but a couple of injuries toncertain players will still leave us struggling

[elhombrecito]

12 minutes ago, Robbored said:

The fact that City have such a deep squad is down to LJ and MA recruitment and that strategy is paying off now with so many current injuries.

We saw recently against Stoke that City made 9 changes from the previous game to Stoke making only 6 changes

Some fans complain about how much LJ has spent but look how those investments have paid off.

Ah balls,I agree with @Robbored 

[Major Isewater]

The second question was and still is , what is the ideal number of players in a Championship squad ? 

Thanks for your replies .

 

[downendcity]

2 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

The second question was and still is , what is the ideal number of players in a Championship squad ? 

Thanks for your replies .

 

You found the tablets then?

 

 

[deadredfred]

Another midfielder in the Alan Judge mould would do for me.

We also need to be mindful that our performances in league and cup won't have gone un-noticed. Bobby with 8(?) goals, Joe adding goals to his ever improving performances, COD the same, and of course Flinty. 

As someone mentioned yesterday, we've never recruited well on the up to maintain momentum. It's only ever when it's all gone tits up. I think one more quality CM would be enough.

It feels like we have backup, and competitive, vying for the shirt kind of backup all over the pitch. Not sure I've ever felt so comfortable with our starting 11 and bench. 

[ChippenhamRed]

I think ideally you're looking for strong cover in every position, plus a few extras. I'd say we have that now.

That said, it all depends on how you define "strong" and that depends on your ambition. At the start of this season I think most would have considered a top-half finish to be a satisfactory season. This squad looks every inch top half right now. Yet now we find ourselves in 4th, suddenly we are setting our sights a little higher. If we want to sustain a serious promotion challenge, then additional recruits are probably required - particularly in midfield.

@RedDave and I debated Pack in the matchday thread yesterday - Dave thought he wasn't good enough and we lacked depth, I thought the fact he was now third pick suggested we did have depth given that he was previously a nailed-on starter. This probably boiled down to Dave and I having slightly different definitions for what we currently consider "strong". If we see ourselves as genuine promotion contenders, then Dave is probably right.

One thing I would say is that losing our main striker for 3 months does not feel like the blow it would have done in previous years. Imagine losing Kodjia in 15/16, or Tammy last year. We are better equipped to deal with it now.

[Robbored]

49 minutes ago, simon uk said:

Its up and down though, we have millions tied up in engvall and taylor moore for example, the squad is much stronger, but a couple of injuries toncertain players will still leave us struggling

All Championship clubs sometimes struggle with injuries even if, like City they have a strong squad. 

I predict that Taylor Moore will become an influential player at City when he's grown up physically and gained experience playing against real men's teams.

If his youth credentials count for anything he is definitely "one for the future".

[JoeAman08]

50 minutes ago, simon uk said:

Its up and down though, we have millions tied up in engvall and taylor moore for example, the squad is much stronger, but a couple of injuries toncertain players will still leave us struggling

Any team is a few injuries away from struggling. That is life and that is football. Also, only 14 players can play in any one match. The squad needs to be significantly larger than that though. Can’t pick out players not playing and call them failures if those in front of them are playing well. Especially if they are as young as your two examples. 

Of the signings, it is actually the more veteran players that have not worked out. Tomlin, Matthews, and GON with Djuric and Hegeler still looking to make a bigger impact. Again though, can only start XI so there will always be players not playing and it can’t be an entirely young second XI. 

[Major Isewater]

1 hour ago, downendcity said:

You found the tablets then?

 

 

Crowd to Moses as he descended from the mountain.

 

[simon uk]

24 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

Any team is a few injuries away from struggling. That is life and that is football. Also, only 14 players can play in any one match. The squad needs to be significantly larger than that though. Can’t pick out players not playing and call them failures if those in front of them are playing well. Especially if they are as young as your two examples. 

Of the signings, it is actually the more veteran players that have not worked out. Tomlin, Matthews, and GON with Djuric and Hegeler still looking to make a bigger impact. Again though, can only start XI so there will always be players not playing and it can’t be an entirely young second XI. 

Engvall has been done to death on here, clearly with hindsight he wouldnt have been signed. Agreed with those older players though, in the case of djuric he can still have a big impact, but gon needs to be moved on and ideally so does hegeler in my opinion? Theres 1 or 2 more that i dont think are cut out for high end championship football, matty taylor, pack, fielding are all good pro’s, but would be the ones that could be inproved upon. I would also say korey smith isnt exactly iniesta, but as a break up play midfielder is very good.

[JamesBCFC]

We do not have a big squad.

 

[RobintheRed Red]

1 hour ago, ashton_fan said:

We need to strengthen midfield with GON not available, not sure we need any others unless anyone's sold of course

That young un from luton Bakinson not far away 

[cityexile]

The other key will be hanging on to who we have! There may well be a few moneybags sides hanging around a few of our players in January.

Sure, one or two areas we could strengthen in, but right now if you offered me nil in nil out, I would most likely take it.

[And Its Smith]

1 hour ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I think ideally you're looking for strong cover in every position, plus a few extras. I'd say we have that now.

That said, it all depends on how you define "strong" and that depends on your ambition. At the start of this season I think most would have considered a top-half finish to be a satisfactory season. This squad looks every inch top half right now. Yet now we find ourselves in 4th, suddenly we are setting our sights a little higher. If we want to sustain a serious promotion challenge, then additional recruits are probably required - particularly in midfield.

@RedDave and I debated Pack in the matchday thread yesterday - Dave thought he wasn't good enough and we lacked depth, I thought the fact he was now third pick suggested we did have depth given that he was previously a nailed-on starter. This probably boiled down to Dave and I having slightly different definitions for what we currently consider "strong". If we see ourselves as genuine promotion contenders, then Dave is probably right.

One thing I would say is that losing our main striker for 3 months does not feel like the blow it would have done in previous years. Imagine losing Kodjia in 15/16, or Tammy last year. We are better equipped to deal with it now.

Reasoned debate on OTIB today!  The extra hour has fuddled peoples brains!  Agree with above 100%.  I also think some fans dont stop looking at ways we can improve and such fans arent necessarily moaners in doing so.

[1960maaan]

2 hours ago, RedDave said:

 I also think some fans dont stop looking at ways we can improve and such fans arent necessarily moaners in doing so.

I also think that , although I totally believe this, it is difficult for others to comprehend.

Back to @Major Isewater's questions.
1) Although we have enough cover at the mo' , I do think if we are still looking good when the window opens we may invest in a CMF.  Upgrade on Pack maybe? Can't see us buying buying more defenders, wingers we have plenty and even with FD out we have cover to get by. Engvall back soon already match fit, and if LJ really doesn't fancy him I could only see a loan coming in.  
B) Flippant answer , but the ideal squad number would be one more than you need. You can never foresee injuries but we have 2 for every position, all be it with youngsters as cover in the FB positions (I know Mags can cover) 4 CB's , cover wide and when all fit cover up front. That said we should always be on the lookout to improve and if and when players on our radar become available we can, and I'm sure will , add.

[Red-Robbo]

6 hours ago, deadredfred said:

Another midfielder in the Alan Judge mould would do for me.

 

Shame we won't have A Judge on our side when we face Tomlin.  He'd shit himself!  

[Port Said Red]

If we want to play a high tempo pressing game Saturday - Tuesday Saturday, then we need enough quality players to mix it up. We will burn out ny Xmas if we have too many players playing in every game.

[robin_unreliant]

Let's say FD's knee injury is worse than expected and he ends up out for 4+ months. I rate Djuric and believe he is great cover. However, he also has a poor record when it comes to injuries.

Can we afford to risk having no target man available for an extended period? Taylor and Reid doesn't look too promising. Engvall - don't see him making it with us sadly. Woodrow - jury is definitely out there.

Tricky situation but a CM upgrade on Pack  I feel is needed and maybe another striker. Depending on how the injury situation looks in January.

[OldlandReddies]

Most teams have 'big' squads but the thing that counts is the quality of the squad. luckily, by keeping Flint/Hörður, we have quality in depth which has helped big time. Yes, we still can strengthen in January, but we are very well pkaced between now and then compared to other clubs around us. 

[BS4 on Tour...]

12 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

2) Can someone tell me what my second question was going to be ? 

Say goodnight to the troops Gracie.....

[Judda]

12 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

The second question was and still is , what is the ideal number of players in a Championship squad ? 

Thanks for your replies .

 

I'd say 2 per position  with an extra keeper in case of injury to one. Also maybe 2 utility players?

[Fiale]

12 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

 

2) Can someone tell me what my second question was going to be ? 

 

 

 

2)   does anyone want to hear my mammary gland poem ?

[ChippenhamRed]

So @Patrick Lamper what is the point of joining a forum, "rubbishing" other people's posts but not actually having the balls to contribute to the debate yourself?

Would genuinely love to know what you disagreed with.