Strength in Depth?

[Alan Southstand]

Well, pre-season results may not count for anything, but one thing pre-season games do do and that is indicate who in the squad is ready to step up to the plate and who is not and (maybe) whether there is enough people to step up at all. I think tonight's scoreline presents us with a few answers on that subject, at least.

This was the first half-decent side we've faced in pre-season and I'm not sure what our state of mind was going into it, but I'd sure like to know what its going to be now its finished!

I hope this puts to bed all thoughts that we were strong enough with what we had.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Sullivan, Martis, Hird, Friend, Grandison, Gillett Payne, Shiels, Clark, Fairhurst, Sharp.

I could never see us starting a Championship game with that starting line-up, even with an severe injury crisis.

Of those, only Sulli, Martis, Friend and Sharp are likley to be on your first choice team sheet. Thankfully there are others who could still be second choice for some positions.

Yes, to be a challenger, we need one or two more key signings but at this stage I'm thankful for what we've got.

[German Rover]

DonnyBazR0ver wrote:

Sullivan, Martis, Hird, Friend, Grandison, Gillett Payne, Shiels, Clark, Fairhurst, Sharp.

I could never see us starting a Championship game with that starting line-up, even with an severe injury crisis.

Of those, only Sulli, Martis, Friend and Sharp are likley to be on your first choice team sheet. Thankfully there are others who could still be second choice for some positions.

Yes, to be a challenger, we need one or two more key signings but at this stage I'm thankful for what we've got.

Sullivan,(International and top flight football) Martis(top flight football), Hird(Championship Football), Friend(top flight football), Grandison (Championship Football), Gillett(Championship Football) Payne (top flight football), Shiels (International and top flight football), Clark, Fairhurst, Sharp (Million Pound Player)

With the exception of Clark and Fairhurst all the players have played at a very high level alot higher than that of Havant and Waterlooville.  They really should be ashamed of themselves for the result and repay the fans who went all that way to watch them play personally.

[Jonathan]

The result itself doesn't worry me and I'm no more disappointed with the outcome against H&W than I was pleased with the scoreline against Barnstaple. What I do hope is that the whole Joma Cup debacle can serve as a blessing in disguise and a wake up call that the squad is not strong enough yet.

I'm delighted with the players we've brought in so far this summer and I genuinely think that the first eleven is a central defender short of becoming really competitive, but we all know that the modern game is more and more about a squad. The Keepmoat pitch is notoriously unforgiving and we will inevitably pick up injuries throughout the season, it's obvious listening to the manager that we have a small squad and we would like to increase the numbers.

Aside from the essential signing of a centre half to come into the team, I'm also a little concerned that we only have two left sided players in the entire squad (Woods and Friend). We also need further back up in the striking department to ease the pressure on Sharp. Hayter often competes for a slightly deeper role and Brooker must be treated with caution. Obviously the talk of Keogh raises the bar of expectation and it would be great if we got him, but either way I think we need to add some further competition up there. Elsewhere, if we can get Josh Payne that would also be a positive and increase our flexibility and strength in midfield. We certainly need a good few players before we can feel ready to deal with the demands of a competitive season as a squad.

What I cannot remotely understand is the fact that we still read people on here talking about how they would accept this, that, or the other for such and such a player from our first team! It's plainly obvious that we need to strengthen, not weaken the team and squad! We are a football team and players win matches, not transfer income.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Jonathan wrote:

The result itself doesn't worry me and I'm no more disappointed with the outcome against H&W than I was pleased with the scoreline against Barnstaple. What I do hope is that the whole Joma Cup debacle can serve as a blessing in disguise and a wake up call that the squad is not strong enough yet.

I'm delighted with the players we've brought in so far this summer and I genuinely think that the first eleven is a central defender short of becoming really competitive, but we all know that the modern game is more and more about a squad. The Keepmoat pitch is notoriously unforgiving and we will inevitably pick up injuries throughout the season, it's obvious listening to the manager that we have a small squad and we would like to increase the numbers.

Aside from the essential signing of a centre half to come into the team, I'm also a little concerned that we only have two left sided players in the entire squad (Woods and Friend). We also need further back up in the striking department to ease the pressure on Sharp. Hayter often competes for a slightly deeper role and Brooker must be treated with caution. Obviously the talk of Keogh raises the bar of expectation and it would be great if we got him, but either way I think we need to add some further competition up there. Elsewhere, if we can get Josh Payne that would also be a positive and increase our flexibility and strength in midfield. We certainly need a good few players before we can feel ready to deal with the demands of a competitive season as a squad.

What I cannot remotely understand is the fact that we still read people on here talking about how they would accept this, that, or the other for such and such a player from our first team! It's plainly obvious that we need to strengthen, not weaken the team and squad! We are a football team and players win matches, not transfer income.

A fair summary.

As far as support up front goes, this is an interesting one. O'Driscoll has always leaned towards the one-up-front school of thought and Sharp showed last season that he is ideal in that role. Assuming Sharp stays fit and in form, is there a place for another out and out striker in the squad, to warm the bench a la Paul Heffernan?

You're right in identifying the other weaknesses, but we still have the old problem of a lack of physicality too. Brooker may well bring us a bit of brute force up front as a Plan B and that would be very welcome. But we are, as ever, desperately short of real pace, and we don't even have the Hail Mary option of sticking Lewis Guy on for the last 15 minutes this season. I don't hold out too much hope of us rectifying this, as players who can play the O'Driscoll way AND do the 100m in 11seconds are international standard. But one can hope...

[DMnumber4]

But, to take a pessimists view, \"if Billy breks 'is leg at Preston, we're buggered.\"

Which is a fair summary. There can be no doubt that we are still weaker up front than we were last season. Because as much as people will argue Heffs and Guy didn't do much, they still did more than the two shirts they've vacated.

Top notch centre half is our priority followed closely by a decent centre forward.

[BillyStubbsTears]

If Sharp breaks his leg at Preston then we've got  a month to sort out a replacement. If he breaks his leg after the loan deadline, then we really ARE struggling.

Given the players Sheffield Weds have signed, we could always get Heffernan back on loan...

[DMnumber4]

BillyStubbsTears wrote:

If Sharp breaks his leg at Preston then we've got  a month to sort out a replacement. If he breaks his leg after the loan deadline, then we really ARE struggling.

Given the players Sheffield Weds have signed, we could always get Heffernan back on loan...

You appreciate what I'm saying though. Still can't believe Morrison and Mellor have gone to Wednesday, both could quite easily do a job here IMO.

[Wellred]

Can I ask what this PLAN B is that you refer to?
SOD has never had a plan B what makes you think he will change now?

[CusworthRovers]

I agree I feel Sean is a lone striker type manager.

Therefore he has a fair bit of strength in depth.

He has a class forward in Billy.
A capable goalscorer in Hayter, who can last long term.
What would seem a decent short term replacement in Fairhurst. (I doubt he's ready for the strains of a long season).
Then we have Brooker.

That's 4 strikers. In the long shot that Billy was to get injured, then you still have 3 more.

Now if we played 2 strikers up front, then we have a different ball game.

As said, we seem short on options as Billy, Hayts and Fairhurst all play a similar game, albeit some are able to give more. We have 1 Plan B and that seems to be Brooker. That said, we are not in a position to have 57 class options for the striker role, we have limited funds and look to play a certain way and that way/system seems covered to me IMO. It would be goddam unlucky if all 4 strikers were to be injured at the same time, in reality it would be unlucky just to have Billy out for a few months.


Edit. Just seen Wellreds post. Wasn't his plan B chucking JJ and Cammo into the mix, certainly brushed up physically and brought us on a bit.

[Jonathan]

Wellred wrote:

Can I ask what this PLAN B is that you refer to?
SOD has never had a plan B what makes you think he will change now?

What on earth are you on about? I've seen us switch formations multiple times during a half of football, and watched as we've changed from a clear gameplan to keep possession, to knocking it long over the top and missing out the midfield altogether. We may not have the personnel to put your take on a plan B into action, but to say that SO'D as a manager has never had a plan B is nothing short of ridiculous.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Jonathan wrote:

Wellred wrote:

Can I ask what this PLAN B is that you refer to?
SOD has never had a plan B what makes you think he will change now?

What on earth are you on about? I've seen us switch formations multiple times during a half of football, and watched as we've changed from a clear gameplan to keep possession, to knocking it long over the top and missing out the midfield altogether. We may not have the personnel to put your take on a plan B into action, but to say that SO'D as a manager has never had a plan B is nothing short of ridiculous.

Going to be a weird season if we keep on agreeing like this, but I'm with you on this.

O'Driscoll tried pretty much every formation under the sun when we were struggling back in Autumn 2008, except for 4-4-2, which he seems ideologically determined not to countenance, except in extremis.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

What strength did Blackpool have in depth ? also Burneley for that matter.

If uou have a sprinkling of good players, a couple of class players, a bit of luck in the injury/suspension front and, a big slice of hard work and good team ethic, then you'be got half a chance in this league.

DJ Campbell was a big factor in Blackpool's success (along with Adam) and he had bags of pace. We don't seem to have that pace at the moment, so may be you're right and we need something in that department.

So, we need a pacey forward and a big composed rock of a centre half who can pass a bit (Byron Webster?).

A couple of shrewd loanees, signings and we're not far off.

[Alan Southstand]

A couple of shrewd loanees, signings and we're not far off.

That's exactly the kind of comment that I was referring to, in my original post on this thread. Wrong - we aren't just a couple of loanees from being that far off. Granted, I posted something similar myself just a few days ago, but things have changed and we're already up to the neck with injuries (yet again, at the start of a season).