Our squad next season in League One

[DearneValleyRover]

The squad we have now is supposed to be good enough for the playoffs in League 1 so with those deemed not good enough released in the summer and new additions made I can't see why we wouldn't be looking for back to back promotions. It should in the main be a young and hungry squad

[RoversAlias]

The squad we have now is supposed to be good enough for the playoffs in League 1 so with those deemed not good enough released in the summer and new additions made I can't see why we wouldn't be looking for back to back promotions. It should in the main be a young and hungry squad

There is no way on earth that our current squad is good enough for the L1 play offs. A handful of players perhaps, but no more than that.

[Bessie Red]

The squad we have now is supposed to be good enough for the playoffs in League 1 so with those deemed not good enough released in the summer and new additions made I can't see why we wouldn't be looking for back to back promotions. It should in the main be a young and hungry squad

There is no way on earth that our current squad is good enough for the L1 play offs. A handful of players perhaps, but no more than that.

In January last year we were play off contenders in League One with a much weaker squad than what we have currently so I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be targeting a play off place next season as a minimum with the squad we have now plus some quality additions.

[DonnyOsmond]

Confidence is a big thing aswell, when you get in the momentum of losing you can't turn it around. Chelsea have gone from mid table to top of the league without many new signings with confidence. Players like Butler will probably be much better next season than last.

[Al4475]

I think Butler looks fitter now than last season too - maybe it's the 'leser' quality of opponents but he seems more 'cut' ditto mccullogh who looked like he'd lost some serious timber t'other night when he came on!

I would suggest this is down to a more scheduled rounded training schedule where they actually work hard which wasn't the case pre-fergie!

[PDX_Rover]

Re: May. Remember Kevin Keegan. He is what? 5'7"? But he was stocky and strong. Alfie could turn out similar...

[DearneValleyRover]

The squad we have now is supposed to be good enough for the playoffs in League 1 so with those deemed not good enough released in the summer and new additions made I can't see why we wouldn't be looking for back to back promotions. It should in the main be a young and hungry squad

There is no way on earth that our current squad is good enough for the L1 play offs. A handful of players perhaps, but no more than that.

Fergie thinks so

[RoversAlias]

The squad we have now is supposed to be good enough for the playoffs in League 1 so with those deemed not good enough released in the summer and new additions made I can't see why we wouldn't be looking for back to back promotions. It should in the main be a young and hungry squad

There is no way on earth that our current squad is good enough for the L1 play offs. A handful of players perhaps, but no more than that.

In January last year we were play off contenders in League One with a much weaker squad than what we have currently so I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be targeting a play off place next season as a minimum with the squad we have now plus some quality additions.

We were looking hopefully up at the top 6 but as the following months showed we actually didn't have a squad capable of finishing in the top 6 or indeed even staying in the division.

I'd like us to challenge next season too but I'm not getting carried away, I'll be happy to consolidate in midtable. If we add some quality additions then yeah we could challenge in League One but DVR said the current squad should be capable of doing that and I don't think that's close to being the case at the moment.

EDIT: Or Fergie did, if he said that. I haven't seen but I'd hope that's more confidence building than objective assessment

[Sammy Chung was King]

As good as we have been we have lost quite a few to the top teams around us that is very worrying that's all we have to guage how well we would do.
At the minute i would see us as a bottom half of the table side. The older players just that bit older the standard a bit higher it all depends who you can get in and if you can retain the one's you want to. The manager hasn't let us down with recruiting players so far his challenge will be to rebuild his league one reputation i don't think you should ever go into a season to stabilise you have to aim higher than that whoever you are.

We still have weaknesses in the squad left back being a glaring problem to be fixed. We don't know whether Mandeville carries on improving or that was a one off we don't know if the loan players will move on.
The problem of breaking teams down who stay solid and hit on the break will only get harder to find a solution for at home. The teams will have more top players capable of frustrating a side. We've been great at home but some of those wins have been lucky at times gradually wearing teams down in others and others we've played some great stuff. The sooner promotion is confirmed the better the manager can then get a head start on the others around us.

[drfchound]

With the best home record in the division by some distance, we can't have been lucky to have won too many times and don't forget that every other team in the division will have had some "lucky wins" as well.
We have beaten Stevenage and Portsmouth twice and Exeter once and we still have them to play at home.
Ok, we have lost twice to Plymouth and once to Blackpool and Luton and still have to play Blackpool at home.
There aren't really any other teams around us.
The fans of Stevenage and Portsmouth could also say that they have lost games to teams around them and without checking, maybe Plymouth, Blackpool and Luton have also lost games to teams around them.
That is the way things happen (except in the SPL maybe), it is a league and teams do beat each other.
The best teams in it are at the top end at this time of the season and some of them will inevitably have taken points off each other.

[drfchound]

I found ten minutes to have a look at games this season where teams around us have played each other:

PLYMOUTH 0-3 LUTON
BLACKPOOL 2-0 EXTER
STEVENAGE 2-1 LUTON
EXETER 0-1 PORTSMOUTH
BLACKPOOL 0-1 PLYMOUTH
EXETER 0-2 PLYMOUTH
STEVENAGE 0-2 EXETER
BLACKPOOL 3-1 PORTSMOUTH
STEVENAGE 1-2 PLYMOUTH
LUTON 1-3 PORTSMOUTH
PORTSMOUTH 1-2 STEVENAGE
STEVENAGE 0-2 BLACKPOOL
PORTSMOUTH 1-0 LUTON
PLYMOUTH 4-2 STEVENAGE
PORTSMOUTH 0-1 EXETER
PLYMOUTH 3-0 EXETER
PORTSMOUTH 2-0 BLACKPOOL
PLYMOUTH 0-3 BLACKPOOL
LUTON 0-2 STEVENAGE
BLACKPOOL 1-0 STEVENAGE
STEVENAGE 3-0 PORTSMOUTH

Also, there have been quite a few draws between them all.

Yep, as i suggested, all the teams around us have taken plenty of points off each other.
We have probably fared better than most.

[DearneValleyRover]

There is always room for improvement and I've already stated I think we need more pace and power in the squad but we have a very sound core of young players who will only improve as we add the necessary players too them. To aim for anything other than promotion is only setting yourself up to fail and I'm sure the management team are aware of the areas required to improve what we have to challenge again next season. We can consolidate in the Championship

[drfchound]

All very true DVR.
For sure, if we got to Championship level again we would be very unlikely to get promotion so just staying there would be a realistic aim, possibly hoping to be mid table at best.

[IDM]

I can't believe some folks are suggesting we let Williams go.  He got 20+ goals for Swindon in league one the season before he joined us and they reached the play offs..

[Bristol Red Rover]

I can't believe some folks are suggesting we let Williams go.  He got 20+ goals for Swindon in league one the season before he joined us and they reached the play offs..

Without knowing the details, he's been a bit hot and cold over his career. Just needs to pull his socks up. Free advice there from Coach BRR 

[selby]

I cannot see Fergie taking any notice of any ones judgment of players on here anyway.
  If last pre-season is anything to go by,he will know who he is keeping,who he wants to come in,and if they are realistic signings, or has he to move for someone else.

[ballysbackin]

Well judging on the ST sales so far the club cannot say the fans are not backing next season already (with 7 games to go still of this) Let us get Promotion wrapped up and kick on for title...Yes this is me. Oh just woke up..........

[Susan Abbott]

The squad we have now is supposed to be good enough for the playoffs in League 1 so with those deemed not good enough released in the summer and new additions made I can't see why we wouldn't be looking for back to back promotions. It should in the main be a young and hungry squad

There is no way on earth that our current squad is good enough for the L1 play offs. A handful of players perhaps, but no more than that.

I agree , we are good side in an average league but go up a level we would be an average side in a good league , we need 3 more  defenders a strong midfield general and 2x 20 goal strikers required . Pity just when I thought we had a good side .


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[drfchound]

Is that all we need?
Not much then.
Every team in every division would love to have two 20 goal strikers.
How many actually have that?

[BobG]

In my head, Hound, we've got three of 'em!

BobG

[DRFCMach2man]

Strikers of 20 goals plus a season are hard to come by and when they are available they are not cheap! Stick with AW for now I don't believe he has turned into a poor striker in such a short time just a dry up of goals and maybe confidence a bit low.