Is our current squad good enough for promotion?

[InLambertWeTrust! 0]

Goalkeepers: Ruddy, Rudd and Steer

Left sided defenders: Drury, Tierney and Stevie Smith - Lappin?

Central defenders: Whitbread, Ward, Barnett, Nelson

Right sided: Russ Martin, Francomb

Midfielders: Fox, Crofts, Hoolahan, Lansbury [<:o)], Surman, Korey, Lappin and McNamee

Strikers: Holt, C. Martin, Jackson and Wilbraham

*First 11 in bold- I''m sure some of you agree and thats fair enough. What is most pleasing - regardless of your starting line up is that we have more than capable back ups.

I''d be happy with Rudd in for Ruddy, any of the left backs in for Drury, any two central defenders, Francomb in for Russ Martin and any four midfielders (here''s hoping Surman recovers ASAP, as well as Ward).

The one niggling concern I have is up front. We f*cking love Grant Holt but what happens if/when he gets a suspension or injury. If I were to be greedy (and I''m a football fan so I''m allowed to be [;)]) I would want another striker.

As for the original question I do believe that we have a good enough squad but losing Holty could be massive for us.

OTBC!

 

[Salopian 1]

Three niggling doubts:

1) - you mentioned - what if Holty has a lengthy lay-off - that spells curtains to our hopes, I think.

2)Not quite the same - is the back-up good enough in all positions - say injuries to Derury/Tierney, or Crofts/Lansbury, etc.?

3) we are struggling to score and to keep clean sheets at the moment.

[YellowRoad 0]

Well that''s (only) 24 fit players to choose from at the moment, including Ball, Habergham, Dawkin and Francomb, not that much for a so called BIG club that we think we are.

Many players out on loan now because they must get very bored here when you hardly ever play a Reserve game, a joke really.

Now it''s to wait for more injuries (3 are still injured) and suspensions to come which we can''t have right now if we want to be up there in the top 6 at the end of the season.

Roeder broke up Reserve team football .. Lambert did the same .. yeah blame in on finance, we believe everything.

Loan Roeder has a new friend .. Mr Loan Lambert, 7 players out on loan and 1 on loan .. so far .. good balance.

Hope Mr Luck is still on our side ???

[Gingerpele 0]

The comments about ''what ifs'' with injures... We have already had injuries, and kept our top 6 position...

And not scoring/no clean sheets.... Well we are still getting results

[Row D Seat 7 0]

On the face of it, I''d say our squad maybe isn''t good enough for promotion, considering signings that Cardiff are making, and QPR are rumoured to be making.

However, our squad is better now, than Blackpool''s was from last season so I think we have enough to really have a go.

[Jim Smith 2,317]

I think that given the resources at his disposal Lambert has worked miracles to assemble the squad he has done. Given that in recent weeks we have at various times been missing Ward, Drury, Whitbread, Surman and Lansbury to maintain our form in the way we have done has been a superb achievement. Now the players are coming back from injury the squad looks strong and has some real depth to it.

I think we will bring in one more player and i really hope that player is either (i) a more prolific partner for Holt or (ii) a wide man with some genuine pace. Neither will come cheap but i honestly believe we have some cash up our sleeve for one more major signing.

[Lambert is King 0]

[quote user="Salopian"]Three niggling doubts: 1) - you mentioned - what if Holty has a lengthy lay-off - that spells curtains to our hopes, I think. 2)Not quite the same - is the back-up good enough in all positions - say injuries to Derury/Tierney, or Crofts/Lansbury, etc.? 3) we are struggling to score and to keep clean sheets at the moment.[/quote]

We Are struggling to keep clean sheets but struggling to score goals ? wheres that come from ?

My opinion for what it is worth is that our squad on the face of it are nowhere near good enough, however as a team we are organised and the players give blood for Lambert, which imo in the championship is much more important than quality.

My biggest fear is a lot of clubs with money are flexing their muscles in this transfer window, will they outgun us ? who knows

[GMF 742]

I''m not sure if the OP is asking the right question? Certainly, this squad is good enough for a top six finish, as I think many of the teams in the Championship are much of a muchness. Therefore, this gives us every chance of promotion.

 

However, there are certainly enough question marks over whether this squad is good enough for The Premiership?

[priceyrice 123]

From a look at this team as it is now i would say we are defiently short another striker and a quality one at that, it does feel so far that Jackson has been a waste of money. I would also say our midfeild back up isn-t strong enough to maintain a push for promotion, very nice starting 4 but we need someone with a bit more qulaity already than Mcnamee and Korey i think, i think Bennet will be that man, so that really only leaves the striker issue.The RB been of concern but hopefully Martin will stay fit i would gamble on him doing that and then if not bring a loan player in to compete with Francomb

[HazzaJet 252]

I believe that our current squad is good enough for promotion this season, but have big doubts on whether we''re good enough for the Premiership next season. The main reason behind that is because I think that some of our players are playing at Championship level for the first time, some have played at it before but don''t have much experience, and when it comes to Premiership experience, the only player who I think has any is Drury. This is also Lambert''s first season managing at Championship level.

[paul moy 235]

Yes, otherwise I would not have backed us at the bookies at the start of the season.  [:D]

[AndyJR 0]

[quote user="HazzaJet"]I believe that our current squad is good enough for promotion this season, but have big doubts on whether we''re good enough for the Premiership next season. The main reason behind that is because I think that some of our players are playing at Championship level for the first time, some have played at it before but don''t have much experience, and when it comes to Premiership experience, the only player who I think has any is Drury. This is also Lambert''s first season managing at Championship level.[/quote]Lambert would have to be given money and a lot of it, this squad would get utterly hammered in the prem.

[grantroederdisaster 0]

If we have luck with injuries, suspensions and ref decisions then yes I think we are!

[Pyro Pete 1,897]

We need another reliable goal scorer to be confident. Without one it''s going to be a real scrap to get promoted this season. Lambert is the ace up our sleeve though.

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Lambert would have to be given money and a lot of it, this squad would get utterly hammered in the prem.
[/quote

 

I wouldn''t be so sure about that!

 

For instance how many of Blackpool defence have you heard of and would want at Norwich?

 

I''d suspect their backline is no better than ours and there doing OK in the Premiership!

 

People were saying our squad wouldn''t be good enough for the Championship at the end of last season!

I never thought along those lines although I''ll confess that some of the squad have suprised me!

 

If we did manage to get promoted, we''d do the same as we did last summer which was release some of the fringe players, maybe one or two of the regulars and replace them with better players hungry to do well from the lower Divisions. For Blackpool and Holloway read Norwich and Lambert. Lambert has got the ability to get the best out of average players much in the same way that Holloway has. I suspect that we''d make a better fist of trying to stay up than what we did last time!  

[Thecanaryfan 0]

Not keen on Francomb personally. Seen him play once mind. He was poor against Blackburn. He will improve Im sure but if Martin (who I consider one of our finest btw) got injured I would be worried. Up front I think were more than safe.