Which team wins

[quoonbeatz]

It's a proper primary school debate is this.

[BurnleyFC]

This season's team wins. For the same reason that, contrary to folk myth, McNeil would have walked into our team last season. Generally the players are better.

There are though two huge misses. Firstly Maatsen, and secondly Tella. Both added a physical, athletic edge that we have not replaced at full back or further forwards.

I don’t agree with this.

Using your McNeil analogy as an example, whilst there are players in this season’s team that might get into last season’s team, as a collective unit I think it’s weaker and unbalanced.

[blatherwickstattoos]

I started a thread earlier on the season saying last seasons team was better. Was shot down pretty quickly .

[blatherwickstattoos]

It's a proper primary school debate is this.

The whole board is

[Ric_C]

So on this subject, we have a big squad of players who fall into four categories:

1. Players we should keep who want to stay
2. Players who are not good enough or OOC or now too old who we need to let go
3. Players who will / may want out, mainly because of the way they have been treated.
4. Players who we need to sell to balance the books

I feel that the amount of players left in section 1 will not be that many, and yet another big squad rebuild will be required

1. (Keep) Esteve, Cullen, JBG, Beyer, Vitinho, Zaroury, Ekdal, O"Shea, Taylor, Foster, Ramsey, Al Dakhil, Massengo, Bruun Larsen, Agyei, Egan Riley, Costello
2. (let go / OOC / not good enough) Jay Rod, Obafemi, Cork, Redmond, Brownhill, Twine, Delcroix, Weghorst, Churlinov, Bastien, McNally
3. (Want out) Muric, Amdouni, Berge, Roberts, Benson?
4. (Need to sell for profit) Odobert, Trafford, Koleosho, Tresor

VK has a massive job on his hands, as proven championship players like Muric, Benson, Zaroury etc might want to leave because of the way they have been treated this season, and the others won't have the fight or inclination to play in the championship. I'm hoping Foster stays because of the way we have handled his situation, and I'd love to see Koleosho in the championship, but i feel we will cash in.

I've a feeling Berge will want to go, which will be a shame.

[JimmyRobbo]

This season's team, with confidence, wins hands down.

Understandably, at the moment, we won't feel that way. Confidence is transformative for talent. I'd still like a couple of nasty leaders added.

[TheFamilyCat]

It's a proper primary school debate is this.

My dad's harder than your dad.

[bumba]

At least you're back to your usual MO after your disgusting post about Ramsey last night.

Interesting that you picked last year's strongest XI but failed to include injured players from this season who have been first choice.

MEOW

[NewClaret]

I can see that, so why doesn't Muric get a look in.

Like many of our squad, Trafford is a great talent, but he isn't ready for this league. Young talent needs to be eased into a team, not chucked in at the deep end. They require experience around them, or in Traffords case in front of him.

We chucked the baby out with the bathwater this season, and it's too late to put it right. I'm not for potting VK, he is still our best hope, but only if he learns from this season's mistakes. If we do bounce back we really don't want to be in this avoidable situation in 2 years time.

So before I respond to this, for clarity I would also have started the season with Muric and I’m a big Muric fan. I think that it should have been his shirt to lose.

But I think it’s only fair to recognise there’s a number of games this season where Trafford has made phenomenal saves that I don’t think Muric would’ve been anywhere near. I think he’s won us points with many performances.

Muric vs Spurs and Everton was okay but Spurs in particular I thought he conceded possession poorly and they should’ve had a couple of goals from them. The goal they did score wasn’t really his fault but a risky throw to a player nearly marked.

I wish he’d started the season so we all know whether he could play at this level. And I think if he got as many games as Trafford he’d have improved regardless, but I can definitely see a parallel universe where he did and Burnley fans were all calling for his head, saying he’s not prem level and you ‘need a real keeper, one that can make saves not passes’ in the premier league. We’ll never know.

[Sutton-Claret]

I've been OK with Trafford and thought he was getting better with every game - however the opposition know how to deal with him. Ben White was like a dog on heat trying to get and hinder him and it took at least 2 of our players out of defending the corner to deal with him. Ref was never going to give a foul for blocking the GK as we found out at Luton.

First time I've thought this but we have to put Muric in to defend the corners.

[Goalposts]

We had the best defence in the Championship and played an extremely high line. A lot less protection for the goalkeeper and a lot more sweeping up required.

Not many could do what Muric did in that role last season, can't be underestimated.

Thats fair, we had a lot of pace also in the back then with maatsen and THB who could get back

[CoolClaret]

Thats fair, we had a lot of pace also in the back then with maatsen and THB who could get back

THB definitely couldn't get back - that was one of the only gripes against him. Recall him getting burnt at home against Hull fairly early on a few times.

Maatsen could get back but was often high and wide - especially early season.

Honestly if people rewatch some games from last season and the positions our keeper took up and the touches he had to recycle posession I think they'd grow more appreciation for just how good he was for us (after a bit of a shaky start). Instrumental. Absolutely criminal that he hasn't had a kick in the league.

[CnBtruntru]

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Cullen Cork
Benson Brownhill Zaroury
Barnes


Trafford
Assignon O'Shea Esteve Delcroix
Berge Brownhill
Ramsey Amdouni Odabert
Fofana

Which team wins the game? How have we managed to get so much worse??

We'll never find out!

[alwaysaclaret]

THB definitely couldn't get back - that was one of the only gripes against him. Recall him getting burnt at home against Hull fairly early on a few times.

Maatsen could get back but was often high and wide - especially early season.

Honestly if people rewatch some games from last season and the positions our keeper took up and the touches he had to recycle posession I think they'd grow more appreciation for just how good he was for us (after a bit of a shaky start). Instrumental. Absolutely criminal that he hasn't had a kick in the league.

Had vk backed muric the way he's backed Trafford and actually worked on he's only real weakness, he'd be worth a damn sight more than £19m now, I fully agree, criminal he's not even had a kick.