General "Good team on paper"

[Paul Cannell]

Not they're not.

One keeper who doesn't see anything before it's a foot from his head and then flaps like a big forum poster in a fit, and another wild feller
No full-backs worth mentioning: all-purpose Long who's lost the plot, a converted ex-Lazio winger and 2 non-performing wing-backs on the left
2 centre back with a bit of awareness and grit plus Moore the shrunk violet

In midfield:
Brannagan, who's so pissed off he hooked up with this clusterfuck that he's 60% of the player he was last season
Bate, tidy, small
McGuane, wherever he's played he looks like he's justa bit out of position
Browne, always on the verge of a breakdown, a player with no best position

Wide people:
Wildschut, better than Brandon Barker
Henry, slow, does acceptable crosses (I've warmed to James more this season than ever)
Murphy,
Goodrham - I don't know where to put him, but he seems to give a s**t, perhaps that's because he's paid peanuts and he wants to get on the same gravy train as the old fellers. Or perhaps he's just like that - good lad, needs help

Forwards:
Baldock, won't be on the grass this season
Joseph, tries hard, I expect you could have said that about Francis Green
O'Donkor - I love him, but he was shown how much he needs to improve today if he wants to play big football

Recent loans: selected by some random process. Don't amount to much afaik.


Summary:

This squad is REALLY unbalanced. It's got no attack, a defence that might function as a 5 if drilled properly, a midfield with next to no depth and working as individuals, 2 pacy players, and no attack to speak of.

They need a lot of help from a coach. But get them a plan and a bit of confidence and they can escapre the drop.

 

[Scrongo]

Yeah toilet paper..

 

[Ewes]

Bit early isn’t it?

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

Should be good enough for mid table though.

 

[Joey]

Agree with much of this, with the caveat that this is such a weak league that it should still be firmly entrenched in mid table. There's enough decent players here to cobble together something but it needs to be 532/352. When I saw this team I was pleased to see Findlay in as it's a bit of aggression in there but that defence isn't good enough to get by as a 4 without protection and Brannagan and Bate were never going to provide that, plus Browne is criminally unsuited to playing as a 10.

 

[East Stand Fan]

We have a couple of good individuals that could play at a higher level but aside from that, we are probably the third worst team in the entire division by overall quality and squad composition. MK Dons are in a a worse boat considering they were one game from automatic promotion last year and now in the relegation zone with several horrendous signings spanning two windows. Forest Green have been weak all year and the new players in January have made little difference. Morecambe, Accrington and Burton don’t have great players but they are capable of grabbing points here and there. We’ve even struggled against every team near the bottom right from the get-go at home to Cambridge.

We have too many ageing, unfit or injured players backed up by a few unproven youngsters and others that simply aren’t good enough and will never get better. No matter what system we play, it’s always the same story aside from the Ipswich game where blindness played more of a part.

This team would struggle in league 2 and if we were to play Wrexham right now, we’d get absolutely hammered.

 

[Cotswolds Cowboy]

We're now 12/1 to be relegated
Still outsiders as there are 7 teams on much shorter odds including 5 who are odds on
But we were 80/1 at the start of the month

 

[unification]

Bang on, Paul, and yet there are many on here saying that the squad should be mid-table. It’s not a case of individuals and their ability - we know CB is worth something, as is McGuane for example - it’s the whole team dynamic.

The defence last is pretty much the same as the one that conceded too many goals last season. We replaced McNally with Findlay (not an upgrade or even parity) and - lo and behold - no improvement there. Even worse, a contract was thrown to Alex Gorrin to be our DM. There won’t be a fan out there who dislikes him but he he’s too injury-prone. We have no one who can do his job.

We have no natural goal scorer. Joseph isn’t that, Taylor has been inexplicably moved on, GOD is a kid playing men’s football. There are too many players aged 30+ in the team so we’re slow in all areas. We lost a very competent right hand side of Williams, Sykes and Forde at the start of the season too.

The mix we are left with doesn’t work. No physicality and parts of the jigsaw missing.

 

[TeamOX]

Was having this exact conversation with my old yesterday as we walked back to the car?

What is actually our best team currently? Again we have finished a transfer window in a horrible position and no better off- with January i think there is a strong argument to suggest we are worse off. None of our January signings started yesterday and the only player to of had an impact has been Fleming, and that’s been limited at best.

The Taylor situation is unforgivable. Nobody of rational mind can’t begin to argue there was any justification to that, and he remains head and shoulders (figuratively) above any other striker we have. Robinson’s ego over what’s best for the team and look what mess we have been left with. Our best ‘keeper is at Port Vale. Our best striker is at Port Vale. One of our CB who we chased for years and paid a substantial fee for frozen out until yesterday. What an absolute mess.

 

[uptheus]

Should be good enough for mid table though.

Very questionable

 

[pommy80]

It’s a good team. These players who have done well the last couple of years don’t just become bad overnight. No doubt some of our players ages are now showing, but there is still enough quality for a mid to high table finish.

The problem is they are being played out of their natural positions, due to the manager not having a clue what his best XI is, or what his best game plan is. Additionally, as you correctly mentioned, he (or they?) have built an imbalanced squad over the past 18-24 months, shipping out players who were scapegoated (Stevens, Taylor, Agyei) and bringing in very, very questionable incomings (Only have to look as far as those two loan (panic) deals a few weeks ago).

I still think we can pull out of danger, but it does look grim if no changes are made.

 

[uptheus]

Agree with much of this, with the caveat that this is such a weak league that it should still be firmly entrenched in mid table. There's enough decent players here to cobble together something but it needs to be 532/352. When I saw this team I was pleased to see Findlay in as it's a bit of aggression in there but that defence isn't good enough to get by as a 4 without protection and Brannagan and Bate were never going to provide that, plus Browne is criminally unsuited to playing as a 10.

Browne is shite, end of. He plays as though he’s an injury waiting to happen, and invariably he’s right. Should never have signed him, shite first time around, even worse second time.

Bate’s good, but too small. Our midfield are too small, get bullied off the ball too easily.

Moore & Findlay are not good enough. Even before Moore’s personal issues he wasn’t setting the world alight. Too quiet, too laboured/going through the motions. Findlay’s just shite on the ball. I think Long (not been a fan of his, would be 3rd choice if we had a decent squad), Brown and Eastwood are ok.

We’ve missed Anderson due to his eccentric runs as it creates something/makes the opposition have to think, but woeful as a fullback!

McGuane would be great if the goals were on the side of the pitch, also too complacent at times.

Wildschut not sure what he’s going to do with the ball so forgets it at times, not as good as Shodipo etc.

Murphy, less said the better. Henry, should have gone 2 seasons ago. Bodin, weak, Joseph, enthusiastic, touch of a rhino, composure of a gnat, Baldock unfortunately made of glass (same as Browne), McGinty = mad, Fleming, see note for Bate, Smith, where’s the goal, GOD, back to class, one for the future, potentially. Goodrham, great prospect, would start him, Konate (he’s in a different world, and I don’t mean talent wise), Smyth, who? but did look good preseason against WBA - I’d play him as the holding midfielder or at least try him, couldn’t be much worse ps get Matty Taylor and Jodi Jones back as they’re better than what we’ve got.

So all in all, not great on paper either.

Could we go with;
Eastwood
Long, Brown, Findlay
Anderson, Brannagan, Smyth, Bate, Fleming
Goodrham & Wildschut

In a 3-1-4-1-1 formation, e.g. Goodrham playing in behind Wildschut (just think he might give a bit of muscle up front)

It’s a bloody long shot with square pegs in rounds holes etc, but just feel these players would give us strength/desire etc

On the bench; McGinty, Moore, Henry, Joseph, GOD, Browne, McGuane, Smith

 

[uptheus]

We have a couple of good individuals that could play at a higher level but aside from that, we are probably the third worst team in the entire division by overall quality and squad composition. MK Dons are in a a worse boat considering they were one game from automatic promotion last year and now in the relegation zone with several horrendous signings spanning two windows. Forest Green have been weak all year and the new players in January have made little difference. Morecambe, Accrington and Burton don’t have great players but they are capable of grabbing points here and there. We’ve even struggled against every team near the bottom right from the get-go at home to Cambridge.

We have too many ageing, unfit or injured players backed up by a few unproven youngsters and others that simply aren’t good enough and will never get better. No matter what system we play, it’s always the same story aside from the Ipswich game where blindness played more of a part.

This team would struggle in league 2 and if we were to play Wrexham right now, we’d get absolutely hammered.

Who are these? I guess Brannagan is one of them, so if so I’d say he’s not at the moment based upon his performances this season.

 

[Sharp Edges]

One thing is certain, he has left a worse squad in a worse position than the one he inherited. He can claim his time has been a success, it hasnt been.

 

[East Stand Fan]

Who are these? I guess Brannagan is one of them, so if so I’d say he’s not at the moment based upon his performances this season.

Brannagan has had a disappointing year but that’s mostly by virtue of the rest of the team. Put him in a decent outfit elsewhere and he’ll play to his strengths once again. Bate is the other one but he’s not even our player. The rest are very much League 2 level.

 

[Yello]

We're not a good team, we're not a good squad. We have great gaps all over the squad of missing links that have been glaring everyone in the face . The results for the past year ( end of last season, and all this season )are not just bad luck they are down to an absolutely abysmally built squad. Personally i think we have about half a dozen good ( and without issues) players ,a few average league 1 players and about half a dozen absolute shockers.
The board are going to have to show there colours now , either taking a massive hit getting some of the shite tied to long term deals out , or next season will be much the same i feel.

 

[Jason N]

Not the physical team we were promised. Some decent players in there, but they need 2 or 3 strong players in there, physically and mentally. Maybe now we will start to get a better balance to the squad.

 

[Joey]

Bang on, Paul, and yet there are many on here saying that the squad should be mid-table. It’s not a case of individuals and their ability - we know CB is worth something, as is McGuane for example - it’s the whole team dynamic.

The defence last is pretty much the same as the one that conceded too many goals last season. We replaced McNally with Findlay (not an upgrade or even parity) and - lo and behold - no improvement there. Even worse, a contract was thrown to Alex Gorrin to be our DM. There won’t be a fan out there who dislikes him but he he’s too injury-prone. We have no one who can do his job.

We have no natural goal scorer. Joseph isn’t that, Taylor has been inexplicably moved on, GOD is a kid playing men’s football. There are too many players aged 30+ in the team so we’re slow in all areas. We lost a very competent right hand side of Williams, Sykes and Forde at the start of the season too.

The mix we are left with doesn’t work. No physicality and parts of the jigsaw missing.

While I agree with much of this in that the squad is shockingly assembled and whatever formation we use there are issues, I don't think we're far off a mid table team at all if they're competently organised.

This is no cause for celebration but League One is so weak this year we'd be there almost by default. Rovers are 13th currently and although they were good value for their win they were awful. Their number 6 was horrendous and they had at least two chances in the second half that could have been very presentable but in both cases their player just fell over. Shrewsbury beat us and are eighth and could barely string three passes together.

Four at the back doesn't work for us. We don't have a midfielder good enough defensively and whatever back four we put out will contain players who are fine for this level but not good enough to do it without protection, that's clear. Stick them in a back five/three depending on how you classify the wingbacks, get a coupe up front (two from Wildscut, who signed as a winger, Joseph who often struggles to trap a ball and an eighteen year old kid) and we'd be fine. The only winger we've got worth a hoot is Goodrham so we don't lose anything by not playing them but we provide extra numbers at the back and up front where the players we have aren't good enough to do it without support, which has been the case for most of this year.

Still a shambles of a squad that we're generally going to be lumbered with for another year but Brannagan, Bate, McGuane, Moore, Finlay, Brown, Wildschut, Joseph are all decent players at this level and if they were released would find another club in League One. Most simply look worse because of how incompetently they've been set up this season. There's a tendency among most football fans, especially at this level were there isn't the coverage you get in the Premier League, to overestimate how good their team is when playing well and how bad it is when playing badly. It's easy to say we're relegation material, and I think that was a hell of a chance the longer Robinson stayed, but some of the teams we've played this season have been abysmal. Get us organised and we're better than 10 at least I think.

 

[Jster]

Yeah, the players individually often look fine - it's how they play as a team that needs to be sorted out.

 

[Northstand grandad]

But, as one great manager said.... Good team on paper... But it's played on grass