The Championship - Do We Have The Squad To Survive?

[ref89 0]

Obviously with the promotion there are a lot of people out there now looking towards next season.  I think it is vital we are realistic.  The worst case scenario would for our expectations to be so high that a few defeats sees the crowd turning again.Without knowing who we will bring in, it is impossible to ask "can we do a double promotion".  We can however assess our current squad in terms of how it would deal with the jump in quality that is required to compete in the  Championship.So going through the main squad, I am opening a debate by assessing, who, if played every week, would be good enough in our best 11 next season to:Avoid relegation (a)Push for top 6(b)Not good enough to help us survive (c) also add (d) for "not sure/ unknown quantity".

Forster bRudd aR Martin cSpillane aDocherty aNelson cWhitbread dAskou a (could be a d really as we have not seen him against quality opponents recently such as Leeds etc)Drury d (due to age next season, I suspect he will be a c)Wiggins dRussell a (close to a c for me as I have never been convinced watching him as a chamionship midfielder)Smith d (possibly a, we really dont know just how good he is yet)Lappin cHughes a (if he stayed fit possibly b)Gill cT-Jones cMcNamee cHoolahan a (sorry but he played in the championship and was ineffectual for us so I cant rate him higher)Johnson d (or possibly a, but I just cant see him being strong and consistent a league higher to rely on)C Martin a, possibly b*Holt a, possibly b*MacDonald c*although hugely successful in L1, neither has proven themselves a league higher yet.

For me, just to survive, we need:1 battling, experienced midfielder 1 creative attacking midfielder1 championship level central defender1 left back1 right back1 goalkeeper (hopefully Forster)1 experienced championship forward

A bit doom and gloom as an assessment, but we do have to compete at a higher level now, and Leeds, Charlton and Southampton have all shown this season that when it comes to over turning sides with a bit of quality, like those we will find in even the lower championship, we struggled.  Forest as an example came up, survived a season and then built on that this season.  We need to be realistic about what we can achieve next year and what we need in our squad to even stay up.So the million dollar question is, how much backing will Lambert get?  For me he needs to wisely spend at least 3 million just to give us a chance of lower to mid table.

[I am a Banana 0]

drury is defo a B

[Rivvo 265]

Fairly accurate assessment there in my view, with a quality central defender beside him Doc could be a b, but we would still need back up. Our lack of a creative player when wes is out is our biggest need I think, we have struggled to make goal scoring opportunities in his absence and that was our strength earlier in the season, we always knew we would score!

[TheNewBoy 0]

Couldn''t you have just made this easier by using a scale of A-D with ''A'' being the best, ''D'' being the worst? Otherwise it takes an age to decipher....

[Howson is now! 0]

So you give Hughes an A, possibly a B, when he has hardly played and hasn''t been outstanding when given his opportunities but you give Hughes D for unknown when with the exception of Hoolahan he has been our most consistent midfielder?

I understand you''ll be basing this on the fact Smith hasn''t played at a higher level but to say he''s unknown when he''s been our best midfielder against any opposition he''s faced is not fair on him.

[Show Me What You Gooot! 0]

I reckon McNamee might be better than you think. Hes got pace and skill.

[paul moy 235]

It''s not about individuals but how we play as a team, and as Leicester are heading for the play-offs I see no reason why we cannot do the same. With the right coaching, tactics and mental approach most of our players have the ability to improve and play at Championship level. We have an excellent coaching team and I''m sure that they will prove their worth next season.  

[Back after the break 0]

What absolute tosh. Why do people try to scrutinise the squad in this way? Some players improve, some players get worse. New players come in - others go. Leave this to Lambert to decide who will be part of his squad next season!!!

[Howson is now! 0]

Why leave it to Lambert to decide? Are we as football fans not allowed to talk about our club and its players? If anyone ever asks a question about NCFC do you just say "Leave it to Lambert"?

I''ve never understood this "It''s not up to us, it''s up to Lambert, if you think your opinion counts you''d be the manager" points that people keep saying.

You are allowed to have an opinion on things NCFC. And saying "leave it to Lambert" isn''t an opinion it''s a cop-out!

[Jack Barak 46]

Your rating for Nelso (among others) seems a little harsh, he has improved greatly as the season has gone on and for the last 10(ish) games he has been exceptional (bar Orient). Yesterday''s performance showed the player he could be and maybe the lift in decision will see him continue to improve.I still do not think the squad needs major surgery, a few 4/5 well placed additions will see us with a good enough squad for mid-table.

[Lambo 0]

Agreed, there''s a good spirit amongst the lads at the moment.

I think a few tweaks here and there are all that is needed for mid-table.

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

[quote user="Lambo"]Agreed, there''s a good spirit amongst the lads at the moment.

I think a few tweaks here and there are all that is needed for mid-table.[/quote]I agree, the likes of OTJ, McVeigh & Cureton will be moved on and replaced with players likely to compete or slot into our starting 11, there isn''t a lot between the top 6 and relegation battlers in the Championship, it''s a case of being consistent & grinding out the victories because most games could go either way. The momentum and spirit in the team at present will play a part.

[freddyf105 0]

[quote user="ref89"]Obviously with the promotion there are a lot of people out there now looking towards next season. 

I think it is vital we are realistic.  The worst case scenario would for our expectations to be so high that a few defeats sees the crowd turning again.

Without knowing who we will bring in, it is impossible to ask "can we do a double promotion".  We can however assess our current squad in terms of how it would deal with the jump in quality that is required to compete in the  Championship.

So going through the main squad, I am opening a debate by assessing, who, if played every week, would be good enough in our best 11 next season to:

Avoid relegation (a)
Push for top 6(b)
Not good enough to help us survive (c)
also add (d) for "not sure/ unknown quantity".


Forster b
Rudd a

R Martin c
Spillane a
Docherty a
Nelson c
Whitbread d
Askou a (could be a d really as we have not seen him against quality opponents recently such as Leeds etc)
Drury d (due to age next season, I suspect he will be a c)
Wiggins d



[/quote]

this s really beginning to annoy me- how does everybody know how he''ll play in the championship if he hasn''t been tested there before. Most of Blackpool and Doncaster playerhad never played in the championship but they seemed to be able to make the step up

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

I think the defence will do a half decent job. I worry about our midfield. It has not looked that sharpe for months and i think Hoolahan though talented has been sussed somewhat and his second half of the season was much poorer than his first half which was excellent. Up front Holt and Martin have done a fine job but both will find goals much harder and their combined talley could drop from 50 plus to 30 plus. We do not have a quality alternative to either of these in the event of loss of form or injury. Someone like Hooper at scunthorpe would be a fine aquisition if we could afford him

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Even the crock of sh it we called a squad last season would of been good enough to survive under the right manager!

Hence why I think can do well with Lambert at the helm!

The Championships better obviously but people are going on way overboard about it - remember we only got relegated because of bad managerial appointments!

If the likes of Blackpool, Doncaster, Barnsley etc can do more than just simply survive in the Championship then I''m sure we can!

[Beauseant 0]

I will hold my hand up and say that I wrote Nelson off earlier in the season, but in recent weeks he''s looked better and better, and was immense yesterday. Yes he''s slow, yes his passing is poor, but he gets tight on his man, is commanding in the air and reads the game really well.I wouldn''t write him off just yet.

[Yellowfuture 71]

[quote user="Beauseant"]

I will hold my hand up and say that I wrote Nelson off earlier in the season, but in recent weeks he''s looked better and better, and was immense yesterday. Yes he''s slow, yes his passing is poor, but he gets tight on his man, is commanding in the air and reads the game really well.I wouldn''t write him off just yet.

[/quote]

 

Did you go to the Orient game?

[Beauseant 0]

No, and I accept he was pretty poor there. I''m not saying he''ll cut it in the Champ, but he has earned my respect and deserves the chance to prove himself in pre season.

[Yellowfuture 71]

[quote user="Beauseant"]No, and I accept he was pretty poor there. I''m not saying he''ll cut it in the Champ, but he has earned my respect and deserves the chance to prove himself in pre season.[/quote]

 

 

All the regular squad should be given a chance next season IMO. We definately need to bring in 3 or 4 quality players but the current guys should be given their chance. If they are not up to championship footy, which undoubtedly some wont be then move them on, but we should  and I`m sure Lambert will, give them a chance. It`s the least they deserve. Lets hope we can win our remaining 3 games and win them in style, momentum moving into next season and team spirit will get us off to a good start.

[The gut 0]

I am hopeful that our board will find funds one way or another to capitalise on having a manager they trust to back his purchases to try and fulfill his, theirs and our ambitions. To seriously challenge for promotion again our squad needs serious strengthening in my opinion. A number of our first team need be bettered with them challenging for places.

I think we need:-

Goalkeeper (1st choice and maybe cover)

Rightback (1st choice)

Centreback (1st choice)

Leftback (cover)

Centre mid (1st choice)

Right mid/wing (1st choice or cover)

Centre forward (1st choice)

By 1st choice, I mean they are bought with the belief that they are better quality than anyone we currently have in that position and should expect to start. I am not slating our current regular starters but they need to feel that they have to be at their very best to stay in the team or to challenge from the bench.

[freddyf105 0]

[quote user="The gut"]

I am hopeful that our board will find funds one way or another to capitalise on having a manager they trust to back his purchases to try and fulfill his, theirs and our ambitions. To seriously challenge for promotion again our squad needs serious strengthening in my opinion. A number of our first team need be bettered with them challenging for places.

I think we need:-

Goalkeeper (1st choice and maybe cover)

Rightback (1st choice)

Centreback (1st choice)

Leftback (cover)

Centre mid (1st choice)

Right mid/wing (1st choice or cover)

Centre forward (1st choice)

By 1st choice, I mean they are bought with the belief that they are better quality than anyone we currently have in that position and should expect to start. I am not slating our current regular starters but they need to feel that they have to be at their very best to stay in the team or to challenge from the bench.

[/quote]

Wiggins could cover for Palace, why wouldn''t he be able to do the same for us?

[The gut 0]

[quote user="freddyf105"]

Wiggins could cover for Palace, why wouldn''t he be able to do the same for us?

[/quote]

I haven''t seen enough of him to judge, but I''m assuming he won''t be with us next season. I may be wrong but if Lambert didn''t want him to cover this season, then I don''t think he wants him, and Wiggins appeared to have made it clear he would rather be at Bournemouth.

[freddyf105 0]

[quote user="The gut"][quote user="freddyf105"]

Wiggins could cover for Palace, why wouldn''t he be able to do the same for us?

[/quote]

I haven''t seen enough of him to judge, but I''m assuming he won''t be with us next season. I may be wrong but if Lambert didn''t want him to cover this season, then I don''t think he wants him, and Wiggins appeared to have made it clear he would rather be at Bournemouth.

[/quote]

yeah think you could be right, shame though he''s been playin first team for Bournemouth so you''d think he''d be good enough