Keeping same players for next season

[Sting of the North]

Sorry for this wake up call. If we keep this squad we will go down or at least be bottom 6.

We were arguably the best team in that division last year, at worst the third best, and have only lost Targett and Fredericks from the staring XI since then. In their place we've acquired Christie and Bryan. Are you saying those two are so far behind Fredo and Targett that they've turned a top 2/3 team into a bottom 3-6 team?

I am saying slav was a genius, you forgot the playerscwe brought in a relly dreadful or sick nd we do not have a  Dof that is fit for purpose. I havent been wrong in four years i think we are in big big trouble with this sub standard selection.

Regardless of Slav, it was still the players that took the field. Almost all of them are still here. I would also argue, as others did already, that the rest of the squad is substantially stronger now than last year. Sure, there are sometimes fine lines between a successful season and an unsuccessful one, but I don't understand how anyone can think that the players are not good enough for the Championship. Then again, I never thought Slav was a genius, but only a very good coach with principles that paid out over time. Big mistake to sack him, but I don't think that he is the only one capable of getting this squad to perform against the half decent opposition that we'll face each week in the Championship.

If the current coaching set up is not good enough to make a Championship top team of these players next year then we need better coaches. Getting new players will not help, since we will never afford substantially better players while in the Championship. Now, we may end up with a lot of new players anyway, depending on how many are allowed to leave, but in my opinion retaining as many as possible from the current squad gives us by far the best chance to bounce straight back up. Also, if we retain most players it does not matter one bit whether our DOF is deemed fit for purpose or not.   

[filham]

Don't think a big clearout is the awnser,as stated we have a squad to go straight back up.

Well it certainly didn't seem that way at the end of the match on Saturday, we failed to score, we didn't have a shot on target, we didn't win a corner and I am not sure that we ever won a tackle. Remember this was at the Cottage.

Seemed to me we should get rid of the whole squad a rebuild from scratch.

[toshes mate]

Sorry for this wake up call. If we keep this squad we will go down or at least be bottom 6.
All the shortcomings remain and the physicality of the championship will rip us to shreds.
We need to sort the manager first, then get TK to move aside, then assemble a proper fit for purpose squad.

I believe you are right about the wake up call.
In SJ's first half season there was little expression of what he achieved in his first whole season, and that was because, in the latter, he concentrated on partnerships, the art of getting players on the same wavelengths and confident the hard work applied to the system would deliver results when it came together properly.  In his first whole season togetherness came in sporadic bursts until settling down to the run in for the play off places. 

It was a similar situation in season two where the departures of Malone and Aluko presented difficulties on both flanks, a key to SJ's tactical direction to be able to attack from anywhere on the pitch.  The most impactful solution came via Targett who slotted into the regime straight away.  Mitro was a bonus not just a goalscorer but as a link player in possession football. 

Season three posed problems all over the pitch because few partnerships appeared to develop until Chambers was used to make midfield more dynamic and indicated that breathing space could be achieved via the flanks if there was perseverance with that model.   Sadly SJ was gone before that could even begin to be explored.  I have not seen evidence of partnerships properly developing since Ranieri arrived and there has been little evidence of Parker achieving the same.  Given that the central spine of this team will struggle in the Championship because it is neither robust or cohesive.

For me it isn't about the quality of individuals.  Football is a team sport and unless you build a team and protect the key components of that team and its tactics and system, it will be difficult for it to thrive before of after changing divisions regardless of whether you move up or down.  We do not yet have a nucleus of 'a team' and the season is fast approaching its conclusion.  That is why I do not feel optimistic for next season regardless of the league we are playing in or who is managing it.   

[Statto]

We should not sign loanees as this was the mistake we have made before. After promotion we had only a dozen or so players as all the loan players went back to their clubs. Should we bounce back with a full quota of loanees we will be in the same position of having to sign nearly half a squad . We need to sign permanently players who would go up with us . The Wolves model has worked for them perfectly.

Why not just sign players on loan and if we go up, then sign them permanently at the end of the season? That's what we did successfully with Mitrovic and what Wolves did with several key players.

Or you could re-loan them for another year.

Do some on here think there's an FA rule that says if you loan a player, they can't play for you next season?

[Statto]

I would also argue, as others did already, that the rest of the squad is substantially stronger now than last year.

Agreed. Anguissa and Seri may not be as good as some hoped but they have effectively replaced Norwood and Piazon in our squad. Fabri has replaced Button. Mawson has replaced Kalas and Babel, if we can keep him, would be replacing Ojo. How anyone can suggest we're worse than we were last year seems like utter madness to me. 

[3rdgenfan]

Personally I don't think we are worse than last year but the step up from Championship to Prem league is too great for players such as Odoi, Ream, Christie and Ayite. This puts pressure on the rest of the team when that is three out the back four that is not up to scratch.

If we go down the loan route once again we will be in the same position as last season. Most Prem clubs only loan players out to either get game time or to earn money with the loan fee. Chelsea have dedicated staff overseeing their loan system as the earn so much out from it.

Not cure how players such as Kmac and Stephan Jo will feel if they are selected again for our Championship team but were deemed not good enough for the Prem team. Their desire to get us promoted again may be somewhat diminished as they may feel the same thing will happen again if we bounce back.

[The Rational Fan]

I would also argue, as others did already, that the rest of the squad is substantially stronger now than last year.

Agreed. Anguissa and Seri may not be as good as some hoped but they have effectively replaced Norwood and Piazon in our squad. Fabri has replaced Button. Mawson has replaced Kalas and Babel, if we can keep him, would be replacing Ojo. How anyone can suggest we're worse than we were last year seems like utter madness to me.

I agree, but its only the goalscorers that worries me, one injury or last minute transfers deals could really hurt us here.

[Barrett487]

We should not sign loanees as this was the mistake we have made before. After promotion we had only a dozen or so players as all the loan players went back to their clubs. Should we bounce back with a full quota of loanees we will be in the same position of having to sign nearly half a squad . We need to sign permanently players who would go up with us . The Wolves model has worked for them perfectly.

Why not just sign players on loan and if we go up, then sign them permanently at the end of the season? That's what we did successfully with Mitrovic and what Wolves did with several key players.

Or you could re-loan them for another year.

Do some on here think there's an FA rule that says if you loan a player, they can't play for you next season?

The trouble is that clubs that loan players out are often inflating their valuations should a player succeed. Look what happened when we inquired about Kalas and tried to buy Targett. Then, if there's no agreement we end up in the same predicament as the start of this season.

[The Rational Fan]

A lot has been said about retaining the players for next season in the Championship.

Whilst I would agree this would be good for a Championship campaign and may lead to us making a push for the playoffs again we will be in the same position we are this season with a squad that is not good enough for the Premier League.

The whole defensive unit has proved that it is not Prem quality. I think we need to start to rebuild the squad with the target of promotion in two to three seasons and sign players that can make it in the Prem. We have been too reliant on loan players in the Championship and even in the Prem this season.

Cairney has struggled, Sess is not quite ready and the goals from Mitro have dried up.

One of our outstanding players this campaign has been Chambers and yesterday we had 5 loan players on the pitch at one time. This is not a model way to run a team.

People keep on saying "the players in the defensive unit are not Prem quality", but I would suggest the bigger problem is "the players collectively are not a defensive unit". The proof every players is too good for Oldham, but collectively they couldn't keep a clean sheet.