Where would this squad have finished in championship ?

[kenyon6923]

Would the concern over the lack of goals be irrelevant because of the standard of championship ? Would the goalkeeper choice had been even more difficult considering Muric's experience of the league ? I think play offs

[distortiondave]

Top with record points. Maybe even no defeats.

[GetIntoEm]

1st by some distance

[AGENT_CLARET]

This team beats that team all day

[zippybid]

This team beats that team all day

I think the OP is fishing. Can't be serious. But anyway, what he says above.

[equinox]

Top and play off winners.

[NewClaret]

Top.

It’s hugely stronger than the squad that won with 101 points.

[NewClaret]

I think the OP is fishing. Can't be serious. But anyway, what he says above.

Loads of it going on today.

It’s how the rovers fans get their kicks these days

[Newcastleclaret93]

Anyone who has watched any championship football this season knows our second team would have probably won that league this season.

Unbelievable how bad that league is nowadays

[Wokingclaret]

Top.

It’s hugely stronger than the squad that won with 101 points.

I'm not sure it is, we'd need a striker on form for starters

[AGENT_CLARET]

I'm not sure it is, we'd need a striker on form for starters

We didn't have one all season the year we walked the league

Barnes 6 goals

Jay Rod 10 goals

[Wokingclaret]

well there's 16 between them and played like strikers

[kenyon6923]

This team beats that team all day

So just to clarify the championship winning team / squad unchanged going into this season would be sat with 1 game to go on less than 24 points (if you think this team can beat them) ???

[GetIntoEm]

So just to clarify the championship winning team / squad unchanged going into this season would be sat with 1 game to go on less than 24 points (if you think this team can beat them) ???

Absolutely we've got a better starting 11 now than we did last season. No questions asked

[CoolClaret]

We massively miss Tella and Maatsen and haven't really replaced what they did for the team imo, but our centrebacks and centre midfield has had a significant upgrade.

As I've alluded to in other threads - if we can keep the spine together that has played in the past 9 games or so for next season... erm.. look out Championship!

Our weakness last season was aerially and getting done for pace in behind; with O'Shea and Esteve, that is no longer an issue - so what will Champ teams be able to hurt us with?

[AGENT_CLARET]

Absolutely we've got a better starting 11 now than we did last season. No questions asked

Correct we started the season with costelloe on one wing and Bastien on the other

[distortiondave]

Let's have it right, we weren't that far off staying up anyway. +2 points away at Forest (VAR), +2 points at home to Luton (referee), +1 point away at Everton (keeper mistake), +2 points at home to Brighton (keeper mistake), gives us 31, Luton 25, Forest 28. Give Forest their 4 points back if you want, puts them on 32 - a Burnley win next game keeps us up and sends them down, and that's just off the top of my head, being the most egregious mistakes. The Trafford v Luton one all the more galling after seeing Solanke vs Raya the other week.
I know all sides can point to bad referees and self incompetence, but that is kinda the point - all sides make mistakes and all sides suffer erroneous decisions, and it's often the case that sides that do well make less mistakes and have better luck.

It has been a bad season, no doubt, but we were still only 'fine margins' from staying up.

[kenyon6923]

Let's have it right, we weren't that far off staying up anyway.

It has been a bad season, no doubt, but we were still only 'fine margins' from staying up.

Really ??? Can you name 1 weekend throughout the season were we were not in the bottom 3 ? They won't be many guaranteed.

[nil_desperandum]

Really ??? Can you name 1 weekend throughout the season were we were not in the bottom 3 ? They won't be many guaranteed.

As soon as the fixtures came out it seemed quite likely that we would spend he first 10 games or so in the bottom 3. (Especially the home fixtures)
We never recovered from that really difficult start, but had we got the deserved 3 points at Forest, we would have won the only two away games that looked winnable on paper.
Unfortunately, we then failed to win the "easier" home games later in the season that would have kept us up.

[Wokingclaret]

Let's have it right, we weren't that far off staying up anyway. +2 points away at Forest (VAR), +2 points at home to Luton (referee), +1 point away at Everton (keeper mistake), +2 points at home to Brighton (keeper mistake), gives us 31, Luton 25, Forest 28. Give Forest their 4 points back if you want, puts them on 32 - a Burnley win next game keeps us up and sends them down, and that's just off the top of my head, being the most egregious mistakes. The Trafford v Luton one all the more galling after seeing Solanke vs Raya the other week.
I know all sides can point to bad referees and self incompetence, but that is kinda the point - all sides make mistakes and all sides suffer erroneous decisions, and it's often the case that sides that do well make less mistakes and have better luck.

It has been a bad season, no doubt, but we were still only 'fine margins' from staying up.

No. the league table doesn't tell lies, we were woeful from start to finish.

Not a fan of VAR in its current form, but make no mistake, we deserve to go down.

[LincsWoldsClaret]

We won the championship as a result of a series of wonder goals from Benson at the end of the season, without which we would have probably been second.
As for this squad - probably the play offs at best. We can’t score often enough to win games and after two seasons of high risk/ low reward footy, we would have been found out too often.

[Pickles]

We won the championship as a result of a series of wonder goals from Benson at the end of the season, without which we would have probably been second.

Give over. We won the league because we were the best team by an absolute country mile. One of the best Championship sides of all time.

[blatherwickstattoos]

Without matsan and tella. About 4th

[Juan Tanamera]

We won the championship as a result of a series of wonder goals from Benson at the end of the season, without which we would have probably been second.
As for this squad - probably the play offs at best. We can’t score often enough to win games and after two seasons of high risk/ low reward footy, we would have been found out too often.

Benson never seemed to be physically strong enough to play a full 90 minutes every week.
The possession we enjoyed in most games saw the opposition noticeably tire towards the final 20 minutes, an ideal time to bring on fresh legs like Benson.
Given the amount of times we did this, it got beyond luck or coincidence.

[dsr]

We won the championship as a result of a series of wonder goals from Benson at the end of the season, without which we would have probably been second.
As for this squad - probably the play offs at best. We can’t score often enough to win games and after two seasons of high risk/ low reward footy, we would have been found out too often.

After 41 games last season, we had 91 points. At that time, Benson hadn't scored since before Christmas. Sheffield United finished on 91 points, so to lose out on the championship, we would have had to lose all five by a combined 15 goals. I think you are overstating the influence of those four goals, two of them in matches that we didn't even win.

He played the next 4,scored 4 wonder goals, and we got 7 points from them. He didn't play the last game which we won 3-0.

[Vegas Claret]

We massively miss Tella and Maatsen and haven't really replaced what they did for the team imo, but our centrebacks and centre midfield has had a significant upgrade.

As I've alluded to in other threads - if we can keep the spine together that has played in the past 9 games or so for next season... erm.. look out Championship!

Our weakness last season was aerially and getting done for pace in behind; with O'Shea and Esteve, that is no longer an issue - so what will Champ teams be able to hurt us with?

insults about parachute payments

[Clive 1960]

probably go up with the squad we have ..

[AGENT_CLARET]

Without matsan and tella. About 4th

We've replaced Tella with Koleosho and he'll rip the championship apart just like Tella did, we just need to find a defender who can't defend but gets forward like Matsan and it's game on again

[mybloodisclaret]

This squad is stronger by some distance. People are fogetting the gap between the two leagues is really quite considerable. I am confident that this squad would blow the Championship away.

Zaroury and Benson blended back in. Koleosho and Odebert. Bruun Larson. Experience in JBG. A fit and firing Foster. Two Rolls Royce's in CM being Cullen and Berge, supplimented by the more than able Brownhill. Two tall pacey CB's in Esteve and O'Shea. With other good options from the bench. Don't know much about Sambo but Taylor can still do a job in Championship.

Yes we miss Maatsen and Tella but they are both with German giants now.
Last seasons Championship Keeper of the Season in goals.

I think the problem is we all know many of those players will be leaving.

[blatherwickstattoos]

The squad that got us up had a far better feel and team ethic / work rate than this current one.

[JohnMcGreal]

Zaroury and Benson blended back in.

I can't see that happening. It's more likely that their careers at Burnley are over.

[jlup1980]

The squad that got us up had a far better feel and team ethic / work rate than this current one.

This is the drum I've been banging all season. The players VK unearthed last season were incredible; Maatsen and Tella have proved their credentials with what they've achieved this season. However, the work rate and experience in the team last season also played a huge part. Taylor, Roberts, Cork, Brownhill, JBG, Jay, Barnes.. they were all hugely important. It's exciting that we have young, talented players but you need to get the blend right. It's imperative we keep hold of O'Shea, Berge and Cullen for starters, and take the extra year on Brownhill and JBG. These lads have been there and done it. We can't allow all the experience to walk out of the door.

As for the rest of the team, my only real concerns are left back and striker. Given contract situations, we've gone from needing to replace Maatsen to needing to replace Maatsen and Taylor. And our striker options are awful. Foster simply isn't good enough. VK really needs to have a rethink on the striker front. Six decent performances in 18 months isn't enough to convince me he's going to take the Championship by storm - far from it.

[bfcjg]

Harwood-Bellis was a seriously good centre half not sure we have signed a better one. I ghink though with more discipline this squad will get us promoted automatically.

[AGENT_CLARET]

The squad that got us up had a far better feel and team ethic / work rate than this current one.

You can't say that, one team played against some of the best player's in the world the other played in the championship and remember that title winning team took quite a while to get going

[Goliath]

Harwood-Bellis was a seriously good centre half not sure we have signed a better one. I ghink though with more discipline this squad will get us promoted automatically.

I think the only thing we miss is his long diagonal out to the left. But I think that may be more of a tactical difference.

[zippybid]

that title winning team took quite a while to get going

It certainly did. I think we dropped something like 12 points in our first 10 or so games. Yet I was never worried. You could just tell the way we were playing that the points were going to come. This team is even better.

[KRBFC]

We won the championship as a result of a series of wonder goals from Benson at the end of the season, without which we would have probably been second.
As for this squad - probably the play offs at best. We can’t score often enough to win games and after two seasons of high risk/ low reward footy, we would have been found out too often.

That is absolute nonsense, you must be a new fan. We were already promoted when Benson scored the 4 in a row. We lost 3 games all season long, you can criticise VK for this season but let’s not pretend we weren’t absolutely brilliant last season.

[LincsWoldsClaret]

After 41 games last season, we had 91 points. At that time, Benson hadn't scored since before Christmas. Sheffield United finished on 91 points, so to lose out on the championship, we would have had to lose all five by a combined 15 goals. I think you are overstating the influence of those four goals, two of them in matches that we didn't even win.

He played the next 4,scored 4 wonder goals, and we got 7 points from them. He didn't play the last game which we won 3-0.

Yes all good points and I agree. The point I was trying to make (badly) was that he was the one that provided the momentum to get us over the line at the end of the season.

[ArmchairDetective]

We won the championship as a result of a series of wonder goals from Benson at the end of the season, without which we would have probably been second.
As for this squad - probably the play offs at best. We can’t score often enough to win games and after two seasons of high risk/ low reward footy, we would have been found out too often.

We lost one league game after that defeat to Sheff Utd in November. Benson's goals were an end of season flurry. The hard work was done way before that.

[ArmchairDetective]

The squad that got us up had a far better feel and team ethic / work rate than this current one.

I agree that last seasons team had a better feel and work rate, but it's easier to get that when you're chasing a title rather than fighting relegation. Put this seasons team in the same position and I think they'd have had a similar feel.

[Burnley1989]

I know its all about opinions but if ever a thread proved how clueless some football fans are its this one.

How anybody can say last seasons squad was stronger than this one is mind-blowing

[Swizzlestick]

I agree that last seasons team had a better feel and work rate, but it's easier to get that when you're chasing a title rather than fighting relegation. Put this seasons team in the same position and I think they'd have had a similar feel.

Brownhill the perfect example of this. He's often held up as a paragon of high work rate, but this season, to me, he's looked all at sea on occasion and outrun. Is this because he's a lazy player or just because he's up against absolute units in the centre of the park?

This team gets promotion without a doubt.

[kenyon6923]

I know its all about opinions but if ever a thread proved how clueless some football fans are its this one.

How anybody can say last seasons squad was stronger than this one is mind-blowing

Its true its all about opinions and I personally think that the championship winning team would have matched this seasons team and got the 10 out of 12 points from the 4 games with Sheff Utd and Luton.

That leaves the championship side having to match or better the 14 points from the 102 points from the remaining fixtures AND apparently this seasons team is BETTER so I presume the championship side does not get near the 14 from 102 points ? as "there not as good"

Like you said mind blowing.

[daveisaclaret]

Think this team has been better at most positions than last season. Clearly not in nets or at left back, but mostly everywhere else.

Impossible to really compare the wide players who ran wild in the Championship to the wide players who've mostly struggled this season. And purely a thought exercise to compare the centre forwards.

It's also impossible to say if there would have been the character, steel and resilience in this season's squad if they'd had a few results to build and maintain it.

Ultimately though when you take a Championship winning team and spend this much money on it you'd like to think you still had a Championship winning team at the bare minimum. Which is probably what we have.

[clarets1978]

Harwood-Bellis was a seriously good centre half not sure we have signed a better one. I ghink though with more discipline this squad will get us promoted automatically.

He barely played after Christmas last season and we were only half way through the 10 in a row then. Al Dakhil & Ekdal mainly played instead. He wasnt as big an influence on that team as everyone thinks

[blatherwickstattoos]

Premier league is far far more physical than I remembered. When Villa came to the turf it was like watching men against boys. Faster , stronger and more disciplined positionally

[blatherwickstattoos]

We've replaced Tella with Koleosho and he'll rip the championship apart just like Tella did, we just need to find a defender who can't defend but gets forward like Matsan and it's game on again

I will put good money on that koleosho won’t score as many goals as tella in the championship

[CoolClaret]

Premier league is far far more physical than I remembered. When Villa came to the turf it was like watching men against boys. Faster , stronger and more disciplined positionally

In all honesty that game was when I knew that we were in trouble; I started a thread after it suggesting so but it was pretty glaring to see the differences in the two sides that game.

Yes Villa are a quality side but a newly promoted side cannot get swept like that in just their second game at home following promotion.

Anyway, hopefully lessons have been learnt for next time.

[AGENT_CLARET]

I will put good money on that koleosho won’t score as many goals as tella in the championship

*Screen shot* for the end of next season

[blatherwickstattoos]

*Screen shot* for the end of next season

Hope I’m proved wrong. I really do but I just can’t see it