Question, r.e Championship.

[donnyallday]

This team and style we played proved dividends for league 1.

Now what have we learnt from our 4 seasons we had in the championship, what must we do different this time round to try and stay there longer.

What do we need and what do we need to do and not too, within reason.

  Discuss.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Perhaps collectively we've learned to be stronger and tougher physically and mentally.

We'll need to keep the ball better as the step up will mean we won't get away with it as much conceding possession cheaply.

We'll need a goal scorer a la Sharp

We'll need to be more mobile in key areas and we'll need to move the ball quicker. A player like Syers could come in to his own in the Championship as there aren't many like him who can burst in to the box to make an extra man.

In addition to Furman (who I hope stays) we'll need another ball player or two. Lundstram, if Everton allow him, could flourish as he'll probably get a bit more time on the ball. He'll have grown in stature a massive amount these last few months. 

Finally, they think they may be fit but they'll need to be even fitter next season.

[Bristol Red Rover]

We need someone like Billy Sharp... so how about Billy Sharp?

[Dare to dream!]

Cotterill will have to improve on his performances dramatically he wont get as many assists/goals in the champ to justify his place in the starting 11

[MR A-Z]

A decent pitch for starters.

[bedale rover]

I think we have to rip apart the current team and rebuild it to be fit for purpose

As it stands this team will be relegated by Christmas
Too slow
Can't pass
Can't retain the ball
At most 8 players from the current squad would be good enough

[nice one rovers]

We need someone like Billy Sharp... so how about Billy Sharp?

Someone like Billy Sharp, but for about a quarter of the pricetag please.

[nice one rovers]

I think we have to rip apart the current team and rebuild it to be fit for purpose

As it stands this team will be relegated by Christmas
Too slow
Can't pass
Can't retain the ball
At most 8 players from the current squad would be good enough

Hey! stop!
You've got to accentuate the positive, & eliminate the negative.

Positive posts only please this week, I don't want to lose this rosy glow.

[dodge]

This is where managers and backroom staff have there work cut out. Gain the quality without loosing the spirit, workmanship, teamwork etc. I personaly would like to see flynn doing what he does best. Scouting, he scouted this team remember. And see see a good solid manager in. JR, its over to you!

[GazLaz]

We are quite solid but woeful in possession. We need to improve massively.

[weststander]

I think JR has said he expects only 3/4 quality signings. If one of those is a keeper, that only leaves us with 2/3 outfield additions

[DonnyNoel]

I'm happy with the 6 first team defenders although if the club want to inject a bit more pace into the back 4 thats fine.

As always the balance of the midfield is crucial. It defends very well as a unit but attacks as individuals which is something we just can't hope to rely on in the Championship. So instead of saying "we need x midfielders" I'd be tempted to say we need to get a midfield together that can attack as a unit and create more in open play. I think player for player the midfield looks ok,its just never gelled.

Top of my list would be a keeper and a striker.

[Red wizard]

Am I the only one who thinks this team will hold its own with a few additional players.

[Norfolk N Chance]

This team and style we played proved dividends for league 1.

Now what have we learnt from our 4 seasons we had in the championship, what must we do different this time round to try and stay there longer.

What do we need and what do we need to do and not too, within reason.

  Discuss.

Not a chance mate!

[Belle-Vue-Ghost]

I think we have to rip apart the current team and rebuild it to be fit for purpose

As it stands this team will be relegated by Christmas
Too slow
Can't pass
Can't retain the ball
At most 8 players from the current squad would be good enough

One thing to think about though Beadle Rover is this.  Take the side of 2010/2011 that JUST avoided relegation from the Championship with 1 game to go.  Compare that team with our current team.  Which do you think would win?  I for one think the current side is much better in most departments.  5 decent players on top of the current crop and we'll stay up next season.  Keep the faith!

[bedale rover]

I remember all the games we have played this year where we have been massively under pressure and still got a result

I don't believe that we will be able to do that in the championship the quality of player in the championship the pace they play at and the sheer pressure will tell
You saw that when we played hull in the Carling cup they battered us to go 2 up before taking their foot off the gas
That will happen every week
I think that the 2008 side was better equipped to play in the champ but they struggled until SOD finally got the balance right
We can't afford to wait to find out how we will do we must anticipate

[BK29]

1x Goalkeeper
2x Centre Back
3x Centre Midfielders
2x Strikers

That's what we need now, on the basis all the better out of contract players (Spurr, Quinn, Brown, Bennett) are staying.

The championship is a huge step-up this time round, especially when our squad is nowhere near as good as the one we last got promoted with.

[silent majority]

I know everyone complains that Lg1 has been poor this season, but seriously who's seen many Championship games? I think that's been poor this season too, look at Leicester, Derby and others, and don't forget how we beat Hull. It may not be such a big step for this team.

[BK29]

Just looking at some of the players on the subs bench of championship teams should tell you that it's a world of difference between The Championship and League One.

I do think the standard in every league this season has been much worse than past seasons though.

[pubteam]

I know everyone complains that Lg1 has been poor this season, but seriously who's seen many Championship games? I think that's been poor this season too, look at Leicester, Derby and others, and don't forget how we beat Hull. It may not be such a big step for this team.

Agreed. I've seen some truly shocking Championship matches this year.

I don't think the all-round play is that much better, just that teams tend to be more clinical, and punish mistakes more ruthlessly.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yes, I think we know from our time, there are some very average teams that are backed up with one of two very good players. Much depends on keeping your star players fit and having a balanced squad to cover injuries.

We've seen how teams can rise and fall with runs of wins or runs of losses. As we've seen, from this season, there's bugger all between 16  clubs in the Championship.

Look where we started at the beginning of last season. Full of realistic hope then kicked up and down in the first 2 games and then we were struggling.

As said, with the addition of just 3 key players to our team, with the spirit we'll carry forward, we're already competitive. We can evolve from there.

[boro_rover]

I think we have to rip apart the current team and rebuild it to be fit for purpose

As it stands this team will be relegated by Christmas
Too slow
Can't pass
Can't retain the ball
At most 8 players from the current squad would be good enough

One thing to think about though Beadle Rover is this.  Take the side of 2010/2011 that JUST avoided relegation from the Championship with 1 game to go.  Compare that team with our current team.  Which do you think would win?  I for one think the current side is much better in most departments.  5 decent players on top of the current crop and we'll stay up next season.  Keep the faith!

Have to disagree worth you with regards to our current team being stronger than the one that won us promotion to the NPC last time around. The spine of that team was quality. Mills, wellens, and Stock were all playing excellent football for us. All three were excellent and produced the goods nearly every week. This year Cotts has probably been our game changer. But back then our midfield in my opinion was one of the best if not the best in the championship. We were competitive against most teams but had absolutely no luck for the first half of the season.

[pubteam]

I think we have to rip apart the current team and rebuild it to be fit for purpose

As it stands this team will be relegated by Christmas
Too slow
Can't pass
Can't retain the ball
At most 8 players from the current squad would be good enough

One thing to think about though Beadle Rover is this.  Take the side of 2010/2011 that JUST avoided relegation from the Championship with 1 game to go.  Compare that team with our current team.  Which do you think would win?  I for one think the current side is much better in most departments.  5 decent players on top of the current crop and we'll stay up next season.  Keep the faith!

Have to disagree worth you with regards to our current team being stronger than the one that won us promotion to the NPC last time around. The spine of that team was quality. Mills, wellens, and Stock were all playing excellent football for us. All three were excellent and produced the goods nearly every week. This year Cotts has probably been our game changer. But back then our midfield in my opinion was one of the best if not the best in the championship. We were competitive against most teams but had absolutely no luck for the first half of the season.

Mills and Wellens didn't play for us in 2010/11, which I think is the season that BVG was referring to.

Alright, we had Sharp, but by contrast we had Wayne Thomas and Denis Souza at the other end!

[boro_rover]

I think we have to rip apart the current team and rebuild it to be fit for purpose

As it stands this team will be relegated by Christmas
Too slow
Can't pass
Can't retain the ball
At most 8 players from the current squad would be good enough

One thing to think about though Beadle Rover is this.  Take the side of 2010/2011 that JUST avoided relegation from the Championship with 1 game to go.  Compare that team with our current team.  Which do you think would win?  I for one think the current side is much better in most departments.  5 decent players on top of the current crop and we'll stay up next season.  Keep the faith!

Have to disagree worth you with regards to our current team being stronger than the one that won us promotion to the NPC last time around. The spine of that team was quality. Mills, wellens, and Stock were all playing excellent football for us. All three were excellent and produced the goods nearly every week. This year Cotts has probably been our game changer. But back then our midfield in my opinion was one of the best if not the best in the championship. We were competitive against most teams but had absolutely no luck for the first half of the season.

Mills and Wellens didn't play for us in 2010/11, which I think is the season that BVG was referring to.

Alright, we had Sharp, but by contrast we had Wayne Thomas and Denis Souza at the other end!

I think we have to rip apart the current team and rebuild it to be fit for purpose

As it stands this team will be relegated by Christmas
Too slow
Can't pass
Can't retain the ball
At most 8 players from the current squad would be good enough

One thing to think about though Beadle Rover is this.  Take the side of 2010/2011 that JUST avoided relegation from the Championship with 1 game to go.  Compare that team with our current team.  Which do you think would win?  I for one think the current side is much better in most departments.  5 decent players on top of the current crop and we'll stay up next season.  Keep the faith!

Have to disagree worth you with regards to our current team being stronger than the one that won us promotion to the NPC last time around. The spine of that team was quality. Mills, wellens, and Stock were all playing excellent football for us. All three were excellent and produced the goods nearly every week. This year Cotts has probably been our game changer. But back then our midfield in my opinion was one of the best if not the best in the championship. We were competitive against most teams but had absolutely no luck for the first half of the season.

Mills and Wellens didn't play for us in 2010/11, which I think is the season that BVG was referring to.

Alright, we had Sharp, but by contrast we had Wayne Thomas and Denis Souza at the other end!

I think we have to rip apart the current team and rebuild it to be fit for purpose

As it stands this team will be relegated by Christmas
Too slow
Can't pass
Can't retain the ball
At most 8 players from the current squad would be good enough

One thing to think about though Beadle Rover is this.  Take the side of 2010/2011 that JUST avoided relegation from the Championship with 1 game to go.  Compare that team with our current team.  Which do you think would win?  I for one think the current side is much better in most departments.  5 decent players on top of the current crop and we'll stay up next season.  Keep the faith!

Have to disagree worth you with regards to our current team being stronger than the one that won us promotion to the NPC last time around. The spine of that team was quality. Mills, wellens, and Stock were all playing excellent football for us. All three were excellent and produced the goods nearly every week. This year Cotts has probably been our game changer. But back then our midfield in my opinion was one of the best if not the best in the championship. We were competitive against most teams but had absolutely no luck for the first half of the season.

Mills and Wellens didn't play for us in 2010/11, which I think is the season that BVG was referring to.

Alright, we had Sharp, but by contrast we had Wayne Thomas and Denis Souza at the other end!

My apologies.

[Sammy Chung was King]

This squad we have,has got to be one of the most mentally strong sides we've had,we don't know when we are beat,the determination is there for all to see,i don't think we need to totally dismantle this side,for me we obviously need a keeper to take over from Woods or provide better competition,i personally think Woods will improve again this season,it's either one or the other at the back,Jones or McCombe,play both and we will leak goals,you need a good centre-half with some pace and decent on the ball.

We also need another quality winger Alan Judge would be a good signing,or Joel Grant from Wycombe,or why not Fabien Robert he was one of our better players in the Championship,we need Lundstram on loan for the season,Furman signed permanent,plus another strong central midfielder with a bit of prescence and passing ability,something like Powell at MK Dons but obviously we couldn't afford him,but someone similar.

We desperately need a bit more fire power Jake Cassidy season loan and say Matt Green from Mansfield,add a loan or two during the season and we'd be alright.

Goalkeeper-1
Defence-1
Midfield-1
Wingers-1
Strikers-2

That would be enough for me.

[RoversAlias]

I agree with the positions we need to strengthen Sammy, though if we can keep Furman and Lundstram I'd say we're sorted at centre midfield.

Don't think Matt Green is ever going to be good enough for this league, Cassidy along with somebody more proven at Championship level would be good though.

[Capmeister]

This set of players have to be given the chance at championship level. They've earned that right. Football is no different from any managerial role. It's about dealing with people. Clough took a nucleus of hard working players at Derby and Forest and gradually supplemented them with individuals that complemented what he already had. Flynn needs to do the same. We need to show faith in the players and management that got us here or I can't see it working. At Leeds, Clough failed,  primarily cos he was new and started tinkering before he was accepted by the existing playing staff.......oh and he fecking  hated Revie's dirty style. The parallels are there for all to see irrespective of who got promoted. Let Flynny have a go. He'll need some luck and to wheel and deal in the market but I have every faith and I'm an O'Driscolite

[BigH]

A lesson from last time around is that we really need to focus on having the spine of the side as strong as possible in football, physical and mental terms.

So if we're apparently looking to add 3-4 quality players, where's your money going to go? Goalkeeper (easy one), a nippy, ball-playing centre half to work alongside Jones, a striker although I would say that Browny has deserved the right to have a go next season and, perhaps, a playmaker in midfield - let's see where we get to with Lundstram.

[Highland Rover]

I would like to see more goals from midfield , possibly a left sided player for dead ball situations as an alternative to Cotts .

[moses]

I know everyone complains that Lg1 has been poor this season, but seriously who's seen many Championship games? I think that's been poor this season too, look at Leicester, Derby and others, and don't forget how we beat Hull. It may not be such a big step for this team.

Is that some SOD style expectation management? 

If we stick with Flynn I can easily see the 3/4 quality additions being Furman, Lundtsrum on loan and Hume on loan and everyone gnashing their teeth.