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Yorkshire  Canary

The Squad Just how far we have comein the EPL

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To the best of my recollection the team and subs that went into the Wigan away game at the start of the 2011/12 season was

Ruddy.De Laate, R Martin, Ward, Barnett,Hoolahan, Fox, Pilkington, Johnson, C Martin and Morison  Subs Holt, Drury, Tierney,E Bennett,Jackson, Lappin, Rudd,Drury I may have got the odd one wrong but in broad terms that was the first team squad

Even if we do not buy another player and we know we will then the start of next season would look something like

Ruddy, garido, Turner, Bassong, R Martin, Pilkington, Snodgrass,Johnson,Howson, Hoolahan, RVW  subs  Bunn, R Bennett, Whittaker, Holt,Becchio, E Bennet, Surman. 

The difference in quality over 2 seasons is dramatic andshows just how far we have come and how far ahead we are of a newly promoted side. Add to the current squad 2 or 3 more names with quality and the transformation over only 2 years has been dramatic and pleasing

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I agree, we have come a long way in a short space of time, particularly when seeing the "cost per point" table on the pink-un home page, really stunning what has been acheived on so little resource.

The players that have been with the club a few seasons and remain in the squad, like Martin, Pilkington, Hoolahan and the two Bennett''s have improved and adapted well to The Premier League, and the new signings have just about all been a success, with Bassong and Snodgrass in particular being absolute first class signings.

I thought at the beginning of this last season that just to stay still we would have to improve the squad, that was done and we achieved a place higher in the league.....now, for the coming season I believe we need even more squad strengthening to stand still or even gain one or a couple of league positions, as the money has now raised everyone up a level, just look at Southampton splashing the cash and even Hull looking to sign a player we were breaking our necks to sign in January.

I really dont believe the club and its management get enough credit for what has happened, in particular Hughton who took on a massive challenge following PL in our second season up and with such a limited budget.  

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Agreed!

"I really dont believe the club and its management get enough credit for what has happened, in particular Hughton who took on a massive challenge following PL in our second season up and with such a limited budget."

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Agreed- funny to think that almost all of the CBs we used in that season spent last season in the Championship- De Laet, Whitbread, Ayala, Ward, Barnett.

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There is a very definite improvement in ability level across the squad, and it was disappointing that until the last two games or so we were threatened with possible relegation.

 

Some players, I feel, have improved during the season - for instance Martin and Snoddy, who both played well for Scotland in addition. Howson, who seemed strangely "off" finally showed why we signed him with those two superb goals at the end. Ryan Bennett, also late in the season showed that his potential was beginning to turn into achievement.

 

Some of the new players signed last summer, in addition to Snoddy, were a vast improvement on what we had before, especially Bassong and Turner. The jury may still be out on Tettey, who became less impressive as the season went on, and on Butterfield, who never got going for some reason. We saw enough in Whittaker, in an injury ravaged season, that he is a worthwhile addition to the squad.

 

The fact that we did not call upon Fox, and Surman was largely injured, speaks of the higher quality in the squad.

 

We have to admit that in attacking we were weak. We have RvW, so if we can add one striker and a good midfielder we shall ought to be able to push further up the table in 2013-14.

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Your team from the game v Wigan was very inaccurate, the starting XI was ruddy, Martin, de laet, whitbread, Tierney, fox, crofts, Surman, hoolahan, Morison, holt.

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Regardless of that, City have still moved on incredibly over the last year. I think that there is further room for improvement with the addition of RvW and there will be 4-5 other quality players coming in over the summer. This will certainly be the strongest squad I can remember in over 40 years of watching City!

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Yes I said I wasn''t 100% on the starting line up , the memory fades as you get older although that was a rare away game that I actually went to and recall Moses giving R Martin a terrible time, he has looked much much better in subsequent performances

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I was just going to post something like this!

Right now i finaly feel part of an established Premier League team, and not a championship team punching above their weight.

A look through the spine of our squad - Ruddy, Bassong, Garrido, Van Wolfswinkel, possibly Toivywooyvyloon - these are the players of an established premier league team.

Hughton is clearly building something here and sure there are going to be ups and downs when doing so, but i feel we''re going in the right direction.

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