It's a shame but despite the best efforts of the squad and coaches (last nigh excepted!!), having a squad with no midfield or wing options, and no centre forward to run in behind is what is costing us. The choice tonight - Lemina Reed and Anguissa play, or both RLC and Cav play. That's just not a good enough squad. We are so thin on the ground it's undelieveable. Our only decent forward player this year (who was available) is Lookman, and he needs a couple of games off, just to rediscover something missing. There's quite literally nobody in the squad to take his place.
I wouldn't mind, but AK, Rui Fonte, Knockaert, Cav's extortionate fee, Kongolo, Seri, Fabri, and Rico's wages - there's been plenty of wasted money.
It is a shame, You say it how it is and you are accurate although have only touched the tip of the iceberg with the money that has been thrown down the drain.
Although we were second best on most occasions last night we still had chances to salvage at least a draw, but credit to Leeds for their game plan and endeavour and work rate on and off the ball.
Enough defenders to sink a ship including three left backs, yet a limited choice of strikers.
Yet enough defenders to sink a ship and three left backs.
Apart from Lookman and Cav no other cover for wingers, yet enough defenders to sink a ship and three left backs.
Where is our choice for a creative midfield player, yet enough defenders to sink a ship, with three left backs. This is the fall out and consequence of having a scatter gun approach to recruitment.
Nonetheless, a team that can deservedly win away at Liverpool, Everton and Leicester City should not be going down, so I am hanging in there hoping and it is only hope now that we can win 4 of our remaining 8 matches which we are capable of especially as 5 are away from home which currently our best chance of picking up points, although we are more than capable of winning our remaining home games, I hope.
Quote from: abfg on March 20, 2021, 09:32:17 AM
It's a shame but despite the best efforts of the squad and coaches (last nigh excepted!!), having a squad with no midfield or wing options, and no centre forward to run in behind is what is costing us. The choice tonight - Lemina Reed and Anguissa play, or both RLC and Cav play. That's just not a good enough squad. We are so thin on the ground it's undelieveable. Our only decent forward player this year (who was available) is Lookman, and he needs a couple of games off, just to rediscover something missing. There's quite literally nobody in the squad to take his place.
I wouldn't mind, but AK, Rui Fonte, Knockaert, Cav's extortionate fee, Kongolo, Seri, Fabri, and Rico's wages - there's been plenty of wasted money.
Didn't we pay extortionate money for knockers and he is on loan.
As you know, i have been saying since day one the squad is not good enough.
It was wrong for slav and it is wrong now, and there is only one common link.
Cant agree that our squad is short in numbers, in midfield for instance we have Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Anguissa , Lemina and RLC for the three midfield positions.
The problem of course is quality in attack, for the three front positions we have Mitro, Maja, Lookman. Reid and Cav. and none of them seem capable of scoring a goal.
Quote from: filham on March 20, 2021, 10:49:29 AM
Cant agree that our squad is short in numbers, in midfield for instance we have Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Anguissa , Lemina and RLC for the three midfield positions.
The problem of course is quality in attack, for the three front positions we have Mitro, Maja, Lookman. Reid and Cav. and none of them seem capable of scoring a goal.
Of the midfielders you mention tom is the only one that can consistently pick a pass, rlc is a waste of space and onomah out of his depth. Lemina is hopelessly inconsistent. Reed has really stepped up but anguissa post covid has yet to regain his touch. I would say we are very short in creative midfielders too.
As far as a lack of a proper forward line, a blind man can see that. But even when maja plays we take way to long gettinfg the ball in the box, i noticed leeds get the ball wide quickly and then get it in their quickly and it causes chais in the defence.
Quote from: filham on March 20, 2021, 10:49:29 AM
Cant agree that our squad is short in numbers, in midfield for instance we have Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Anguissa , Lemina and RLC for the three midfield positions.
The problem of course is quality in attack, for the three front positions we have Mitro, Maja, Lookman. Reid and Cav. and none of them seem capable of scoring a goal.
Front line definitely agree.....BDCR has been our most consistent forward, which for a player who has been known for poor finishing up until this season is remarkable. I'm not sure about teh midfield, obviously it depends on the system. Reed/Anguissa/Lemina are 3 players for 2 spots, Lemina being hit and miss, Anguissa also. As creative midfieders only TC is of the required ability, but has had a lot of injury issues the last couple of years. When you look at the business a lot of our immediate rivals have done (Villa, Leeds, even Newcastle if they were all fit) it becomes clear TK doesn't understand what makes a good squad, and certainly not when it comes to attacking players.
Quote from: ALG01 on March 20, 2021, 10:43:02 AM
Quote from: abfg on March 20, 2021, 09:32:17 AM
It's a shame but despite the best efforts of the squad and coaches (last nigh excepted!!), having a squad with no midfield or wing options, and no centre forward to run in behind is what is costing us. The choice tonight - Lemina Reed and Anguissa play, or both RLC and Cav play. That's just not a good enough squad. We are so thin on the ground it's undelieveable. Our only decent forward player this year (who was available) is Lookman, and he needs a couple of games off, just to rediscover something missing. There's quite literally nobody in the squad to take his place.
I wouldn't mind, but AK, Rui Fonte, Knockaert, Cav's extortionate fee, Kongolo, Seri, Fabri, and Rico's wages - there's been plenty of wasted money.
Didn't we pay extortionate money for knockers and he is on loan.
As you know, i have been saying since day one the squad is not good enough.
It was wrong for slav and it is wrong now, and there is only one common link.
Unfortunately so....
Seven of the nine subs last night were 6 defenders and a Goalkeeper, the other 2 were Mitro and RBL, which gave Scott very little room for manoeuvre. That is the reason why we have enough defenders to sink a ship and very little else, which is what the OP has identified as a wafer thin squad and he is right. No wonder our goals for column is mediocre.
Quote from: filham on March 20, 2021, 10:49:29 AM
Cant agree that our squad is short in numbers, in midfield for instance we have Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Anguissa , Lemina and RLC for the three midfield positions.
The problem of course is quality in attack, for the three front positions we have Mitro, Maja, Lookman. Reid and Cav. and none of them seem capa
ble of scoring a goal.
They don't have the back up from midfield
We have an unbalanced squad, not a thin squad
Let's see how things go from here. I was very worried about last nights game. Leeds score a lot of goals and despite our recent defensive record we were always going to struggle if they scored and there was always a real risk of that happening. I still believe we can get to 38 points - just not sure that will be enough to keep us up.
The mistake we have made was sending Kebano out on loan. He can score goals and provide pace and width. He would have been a decent option last night and going forward to freshen things up. I thought the decision to send him on loan was very strange.
Not to mention the situation at CB. If one of our CBs are injured/suspended we have the choice between using a full-back or Ream/Hector. That's simply not good enough in the PL.
The late arrival of our current CBs may have cost us the points we needed to stay up too.
Paper thin squad, too many loans and players arriving too late. Same mistakes all over again.
We can still perform a miracle and stay up of course but I personally can't see it happening without a goal scorer in the squad.
Don't stress everyone all our loan players will be back for Championship football next season, end of problem, full squad again!
Quote from: Southdowns White on March 20, 2021, 11:38:48 AM
Don't stress everyone all our loan players will be back for Championship football next season, end of problem, full squad again!
Absolutely right - can't wait to see Knockaert and Cav back in the Championship. Good job the new stand is so high or we might have to get hold of the guy in the coracle at the old Gay Meadow to help us out
Baffling how we let the likes of Kebano, AK47 ana Stefjo leave on loan, only to fill the bench with four centre backs
Quote from: filham on March 20, 2021, 10:49:29 AM
Cant agree that our squad is short in numbers, in midfield for instance we have Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Anguissa , Lemina and RLC for the three midfield positions.
The problem of course is quality in attack, for the three front positions we have Mitro, Maja, Lookman. Reid and Cav. and none of them seem capable of scoring a goal.
Seemingly Onomah not good enough and not used in rotation, TC, good enough or not but injured, weak up from and no cover at centre back. Squad isn't short on numbers of course but is definitely down to maybe 15 first team players trusted to start.
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Quote from: HV71 on March 20, 2021, 01:58:56 PM
Quote from: Southdowns White on March 20, 2021, 11:38:48 AM
Don't stress everyone all our loan players will be back for Championship football next season, end of problem, full squad again!
Absolutely right - can't wait to see Knockaert and Cav back in the Championship. Good job the new stand is so high or we might have to get hold of the guy in the coracle at the old Gay Meadow to help us out
Cyrus, Odoi, Hector, Bryan and Ream will be back in the side also. I just hope that SP is more progressive if we are playing in the Championship next season. I fear that he'll adopt a conservative approach, and we'll fight for and get a play off spot, and it'll be another cycle of promotion and relegation. Not convinced that TK is going to be able to unearth another Andersen, Areola etc next time round. Survival this season really would be huge for the club.
and we shall survive.
Simply.......we don't have a striker of premier league quality.
If we did we would be mid table.
Quote from: Tempest on March 20, 2021, 02:54:36 PM
Quote from: filham on March 20, 2021, 10:49:29 AM
Cant agree that our squad is short in numbers, in midfield for instance we have Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Anguissa , Lemina and RLC for the three midfield positions.
The problem of course is quality in attack, for the three front positions we have Mitro, Maja, Lookman. Reid and Cav. and none of them seem capable of scoring a goal.
Seemingly Onomah not good enough and not used in rotation, TC, good enough or not but injured, weak up from and no cover at centre back. Squad isn't short on numbers of course but is definitely down to maybe 15 first team players trusted to start.
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I agree with this and have mentioned it before. Parker only trusts (or likes) about 15 players and that's the reason that Kebano/AK/Johansen went out on loan in January - Parker admitted that there would be no minutes for them.
Obviously the squad isn't short on numbers but it is short on players that are GOOD ENOUGH to play in the Premier League so it is reasonable to conclude that the manager has approximately 15 players to select from which is pretty much what he does.
It is certainly unbalanced. I don't think anyone could argue with that, not even TFR who is a passionate defender of TK. I'm not sure paper thin is quite fair but it's certainly thin in some areas; CB and CF are obvious examples but with TC injured we completely lack a playmaker and I see that as a key reason why our forwards are not scoring.
Regarding those on loan. Makes sense if you're thinking of selling them or hitting the ground running, if we return to the Championship.
What I don't understand though is not including one or two of the youth onto the bench?
