If you could add 5 players since 2015 to this side

[Phileas Fogg]

A few threads on here regarding personnel have got me thinking. If you could add any 5 players we've had since promotion (2015) to this squad, who would they be and why? 

Just because Abraham would obviously take up one of the choices - I am going to ask people to exclude loans. Makes it a bit more interesting. Also, the players in question will have their ability at the time of leaving as in that time period a few of those will have declined/improved.

For me..

1. Webster - Needs no explanation. 
2. Ayling - I feel we never adequately replaced him. He would give us an option to play a back 5 or 4. Nothing wrong with Tanner but I thought Ayling was excellent. I think he could also perform very well in midfield if required. 
3. Smith - I think he'd add bite and industry to our midfield. Was a toss up between him and Pack but I feel James and Pack may not complement each other that well.
4. Eliasson - We simply don't have enough pace or delivery in wide areas. I really rated him and feel we've never adequately replaced him.
5. Kodjia - We lack excitement and imagination going forward. I also really enjoy watching players like him who have star quality and unpredictability. 

Honourable mention to Reid of course, but would probably plump for Kodjia over him all things considered. 

Edited November 3, 2021 by Phileas Fogg

[Fordy62]

22 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

A few threads on here regarding personnel have got me thinking. If you could add any 5 players we've had since promotion (2015) to this squad, who would they be and why? 

Just because Abraham would obviously take up one of the choices - I am going to ask people to exclude loans. Makes it a bit more interesting. Also, the players in question will have their ability at the time of leaving as in that time period a few of those will have declined/improved.

For me..

1. Webster - Needs no explanation. 
2. Ayling - I feel we never adequately replaced him. He would give us an option to play a back 5 or 4. Nothing wrong with Tanner but I thought Ayling was excellent. I think he could also perform very well in midfield if required. 
3. Smith - I think he'd add bite and industry to our midfield. Was a toss up between him and Pack but I feel James and Pack may not complement each other that well.
4. Eliasson - We simply don't have enough pace or delivery in wide areas. I really rated him and feel we've never adequately replaced him.
5. Kodjia - We lack excitement and imagination going forward. I also really enjoy watching players like him who have star quality and unpredictability. 

Honourable mention to Reid of course, but would probably plump for Kodjia over him all things considered. 

 Not a bad shout. 

I think anyone who doesn’t choose Webster and Ayling is bonkers. 

I think I agree with Smith, I’d add Bryan and JET (just for excitement factor). 

[Phileas Fogg]

1 minute ago, Fordy62 said:

 Not a bad shout. 

I think anyone who doesn’t choose Webster and Ayling is bonkers. 

I think I agree with Smith, I’d add Bryan and JET (just for excitement factor). 

I was incredibly tempted to include JET (a surprise to neither of us!) but tried to be sensible. Strangely I didn't think of Bryan when putting my list together. In hindsight I'd probably include him.. not sure who I'd swap him out for though. 

[Selred]

Basing it purely to begin with on where we are short:

Centre Mid - Smith would be great, we need more legs. Brownhill too for a bit more creativity in there (and legs).

Wingers, as we have none - Elliasson, 110%. Bryan too, feel he could do a great job left mid (making us more solid but also with his attacking outlet).

Then 1 spot left, would have to be up top. I'd actually pick Djuric, Martin is absolutely flogged and we have Weimann and Nakhi who do know where the net is. A big man would be more of a priority (especially with wingers). 

[Fuber]

Reid, Bryan, Webster, Brownhill, Kodjia

[And Its Smith]

Webster, Bryan, Smith, Brownhill, Reid. 

[Carey 6]

Pack, Kodjia, Ayling, Webster, Brownhill

[sludge]

Aaron Wilbraham. Not the best player we've had in last 6 years but we are desperate for players with his physicality and attitude. Led the line by example. Legend in my book.

[Fuber]

9 minutes ago, Fuber said:

Reid, Bryan, Webster, Brownhill, Kodjia

Just to add with the above, i.e. I'd line up akin to:

Bentley

Kalas, Webster, Atkinson, DaSilva,

Brownhill, Massengo, Williams,

Kodjia, Reid, Bryan (rotate with DaSilva down the left).

4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1.

Edited November 3, 2021 by Fuber

[bearded_red]

Reid, Webster, Kodjia, Bryan and Ayling.

[TonyTonyTony]

3 minutes ago, Fuber said:

Just to add with the above, i.e. I'd line up akin to:

Bentley

Kalas, Webster, Atkinson, DaSilva,

Massengo, Williams, Brownhill,

Kodjia, Reid, Bryan.

4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1.

Joe Bryan in a front 3??

 

Id have Brownhill, Brownhill, Brownhill, Brownhill and Brownhill right now

[TomThumb84]

The 2015 side beats this current one if they played tomorrow.

Wade, Alby and Little may struggle to last the 90, but should have enough to maybe do us 3-1.

Our lack of any width would mean Little could just have a freebie, Tyreeq Bakinson will give Wade/Marlon all the mis-placed passes they need, and Alby will just stay in the space that whoever our centre-halves are continually seem to create for opposition forwards. JET for the last 15 to finish us off.

Smith would be able to control midfield, and Luke Freeman would cause us problems in the lines.

Flint and Del Williams would cope with Martin easily, and Ayling would have a dreamy time getting at Dasilva whilst helping out Little. Pretty sure Tanner would have his hands full with Joe Bryan.

Yeah 3-1 I think.

Worryingly, I am only half-joking.

Edited November 3, 2021 by TomThumb84

[Lrrr]

1. Webster - As you say
2. Reid - How often do we see Weimann frustrated with the pressing around him? Bobby was a 1 man pressing machine, 
3. Brownhill - As good as our midfielders seem individually attacking output is something that can be added (depending if Williams is capable of showing what had previously been seen at other clubs)
4. Bryan - However I'd play him left wing rather than left back, always thought he'd be a better player if he was converted that way properly
5. The obvious other one would be Eliasson for that unpredictability he can bring going forwards, however on one of his main attributes (crossing) City actually are the most accurate crossing team in the league, so you'd need to look at what type of crosses are being hit and whats happening on the end of them.

 

[Hocca]

Ayling, Webster, Reid, Eliasson, Kodjia

[RedM]

This thread actually makes me quite sad. We had the players in our grasp and for various reasons we don’t have them anymore and they all went on to progress their careers.

Yes most of the reasons is money I guess, the call of the Premier League, but maybe they realised they weren’t  going to get that with us either. Not wrong we’re they.

[Fordy62]

11 minutes ago, TomThumb84 said:

The 2015 side beats this current one if they played tomorrow.

Wade, Alby and Little may struggle to last the 90, but should have enough to maybe do us 3-1.

Our lack of any width would mean Little could just have a freebie, Tyreeq Bakinson will give Wade/Marlon all the mis-placed passes they need, and Alby will just stay in the space that whoever our centre-halves are continually seem to create for opposition forwards. JET for the last 15 to finish us off.

Smith would be able to control midfield, and Luke Freeman would cause us problems in the lines.

Flint and Del Williams would cope with Martin easily, and Ayling would have a dreamy time getting at Dasilva whilst helping out Little. Pretty sure Tanner would have his hands full with Joe Bryan.

Yeah 3-1 I think.

Worryingly, I am only half-joking.

I didn’t read any of that as a joke!

[Fuber]

14 minutes ago, TonyTonyTony said:

Joe Bryan in a front 3??

 

Id have Brownhill, Brownhill, Brownhill, Brownhill and Brownhill right now

In my head I'm thinking more fluid, just more akin to him and DaSilva down the left, rotating.

Bryan's best games for us came at LM imo. Man Utd as an example.

[Selred]

11 minutes ago, lukebcfc1989 said:

I’d take Frankie Fielding back before injury to replace this pretender in goal currently who has a majority fooled it would seem.

 

And the worst take of the season goes to @lukebcfc1989. 

[Phileas Fogg]

18 minutes ago, Fuber said:

Just to add with the above, i.e. I'd line up akin to:

Bentley

Kalas, Webster, Atkinson, DaSilva,

Brownhill, Massengo, Williams,

Kodjia, Reid, Bryan (rotate with DaSilva down the left).

4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1.

It's an interesting system - feels a bit like shoehorning in lots of good players slightly out of position but I can see the logic. I assume it would be with Reid dropping a tad deeper, Bryan staying pretty disciplined on the left with Kodjia given a bit more free reign? Similar to the Liverpool system?

[Silvio Dante]

Webster - not because I dislike Atkinson, but the Kalas/Webster axis was quality and AW brought TK up

Bryan - We’re short at LB of real intent down that side. I don’t think he’s necessarily the best defender, but he provides an all round left side

Smith - it’s ironic that we let Smith go because we had Williams, and in part due to injuries. We then get Williams and he’s permanently injured while Korey is fit

Brownhill - In hindsight, one of the worst bits of business we did was selling Josh and buying Wells. Wells hasn’t clicked and didn’t fit with our system at the time, and we ended up spending most of the Josh fee on an asset with no resale value that was a square peg in round hole

Reid - Now, in the side below that means no real height but I would look at the passing and energy Bobby especially would bring, and it gives us what is lacking at the moment

If we then lined up…

Bentley

Tanner-Kalas-Webster-Bryan

Brownhill-Smith -Williams - HNM

Weimann- Reid

Its work rate, it’s aggressive, it’s pace. It’s an improved version of the Man Utd team tbf

Notably only one NP signing there, and it’s because I think those five would improve us in other areas over RB. Atkinson unlucky and James on bench.

 

[Fuber]

7 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

It's an interesting system - feels a bit like shoehorning in lots of good players slightly out of position but I can see the logic. I assume it would be with Reid dropping a tad deeper, Bryan staying pretty disciplined on the left with Kodjia given a bit more free reign? Similar to the Liverpool system?

Basically yep.

Wouldnt quite call it shoe horning - just fluid. Pressing style as per LJs second full season, such a system doesn't require as strict positioning and can easily be rotated between phases. Lots of legs in the middle for closing and tracking runners, forcing openings.

Edited November 3, 2021 by Fuber

[And Its Smith]

I do find it amazing when someone doesn’t say Reid. Still underrated despite showing every week for Fulham how good he is and exactly what we need. Superb again on Saturday 

[Super]

Reid, Webster, Elliasson, Kelly and Brownhill

I'm the only one to bring Kelly back!

Edited November 3, 2021 by Super

[NorthBris_Southstand]

Brownhill, Reid, Bryan, Webster, Eliasson.

Would love to see:

Bentley

Tanner, Kalas, Webster, Bryan

Brownhill, James, Massengo

Eliasson, Reid, Semenyo

It smacks a little bit of LJ's 'busy bees' and would probably be rubbish at defending set pieces, but so much energy/running/creativity going forward I think it could be really exciting.

[KegCity]

We're still yet to properly replace Brownhill, Webster, Eliasson and Reid so would have those 4 back in a heartbeat. Lloyd Kelly is a good shout, I'd choose between him or Wilbraham (at his best). We are crying out for Eliasson, complete madness to not replace him at the time but everyone was dead set on 3-5-2 so it went under the radar.

Wouldn't touch Bryan with a barge pole. Not good enough at Left Back, regularly gives away goals as he did for Fulham in the prem as well as us and Eliasson had more to his game on the wing.

[Unan]

Webster, Ayling, Brownhill, Elliason, Reid

Edited November 3, 2021 by Marcus Aurelius

[JamesBCFC]

Webster, Bryan, Brownhill, Eliasson, Kodjia/Reid

[Engvall’s Splinter]

20 minutes ago, KegCity said:

We're still yet to properly replace Brownhill, Webster, Eliasson and Reid so would have those 4 back in a heartbeat. Lloyd Kelly is a good shout, I'd choose between him or Wilbraham (at his best). We are crying out for Eliasson, complete madness to not replace him at the time but everyone was dead set on 3-5-2 so it went under the radar.

Wouldn't touch Bryan with a barge pole. Not good enough at Left Back, regularly gives away goals as he did for Fulham in the prem as well as us and Eliasson had more to his game on the wing.

Wasn’t Eliasson better off the bench though? Would like to know his starts in the games he started. 

[Davefevs]

Maenpaa

Webster

Brownhill

Reid

Kodjia

(but I also had Ayling, Smith, Eliasson as clubs in the bag! )

[ExiledAjax]

2 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

A few threads on here regarding personnel have got me thinking. If you could add any 5 players we've had since promotion (2015) to this squad, who would they be and why? 

Just because Abraham would obviously take up one of the choices - I am going to ask people to exclude loans. Makes it a bit more interesting. Also, the players in question will have their ability at the time of leaving as in that time period a few of those will have declined/improved.

For me..

1. Webster - Needs no explanation. 
2. Ayling - I feel we never adequately replaced him. He would give us an option to play a back 5 or 4. Nothing wrong with Tanner but I thought Ayling was excellent. I think he could also perform very well in midfield if required. 
3. Smith - I think he'd add bite and industry to our midfield. Was a toss up between him and Pack but I feel James and Pack may not complement each other that well.
4. Eliasson - We simply don't have enough pace or delivery in wide areas. I really rated him and feel we've never adequately replaced him.
5. Kodjia - We lack excitement and imagination going forward. I also really enjoy watching players like him who have star quality and unpredictability. 

Honourable mention to Reid of course, but would probably plump for Kodjia over him all things considered. 

Webster and Ayling, my kingdom for Webster and Ayling.

I'd have Brownhill back in a heartbeat as well, probably at the expense of Smith in your list. That tenacity in the midfield is so desperately missing.

Reid over Eliasson as well. Eliasson never really found his place in our system, and I think the same would be true under Pearson.

Then if I can't have Tammy I guess Kodjia is the one...over Diedhiou...I'm torn as imo peak, invested, interested Diedhiou is a solid 15 goals a season guy. But ok we'll go Kodjia if we're judging players at the time of their departure. 

So Webster, Ayling, Brownhill, Reid and Kodjia.

Edited November 3, 2021 by ExiledAjax