Remembering times past and knowing our squad was not enough, even before the PL. Yet understanding why. Just as any fan wanting more.
I can't help smiling how far we have come in the last decade.
People can complain... and do, week in... weekout...
Just look at the squad now.
(see the tab on the main board).
or...
http://www.uptheclarets.com/players/squad-list

Probably the best we've had for 50 years. And it is building year on year.

And long may it continue - doing it our way!
UTC

A week on from the centre back meltdown I think you may find some disagreement.

I think the squad we ended the season with was stronger without any doubt

New squad have yet to show us what they can do so too early to say. But I'm excited by the potential.

It's difficult to compare squads as football has changed a lot since then and individually we had better players back then in some positions. In terms of final league table. Having a quick browse through from 1967-68 to 1969-70. We finished 14th for three successive seasons.
If you're measuring it on league position, then as mentioned; time will tell. Although I don't think we have had so many internationals at the club at one time. That point is also moot really as representing your country just means you're the best they have on offer and that could be in a poor standard team. I.E. Mkhitaryan at United, he's clearly and excellent player but Armenia are, well; Armenia.
It's certainly the most talented pool of players as a group we have had in my lifetime, individuals apart.

Blacklaw (1963), Angus Elder, Miller ( all1961) Connelly 1960), McIlroy (1952), Pointer (1963) Pilkington (1955) all capped if only on the odd occasion for most of them ( when first capped). Harris not capped until 1966
Only Jimmy Robson Adamson, Cummings and Meredith never capped at International level although Adamson played for the Football league not sure about Cummings and Robson

MRG wrote:I think the squad we ended the season with was stronger without any doubt

I disagree. Defence is maybe the only area where we are slightly worse off. We've just sold a £30m player, we are bound to be weaker although I'd have preferred to sign a backup to tarks.
The rest of the squad is better than last season imo.

LoveCurryPies wrote:New squad have yet to show us what they can do so too early to say.

This. Gotta wait and see what they're capable of before judging.

It's certainly a better start than I expected with some of our play being pretty exceptional.

More depth to the squad and more quality in the squad overall. Whether the first team is stronger time will tell. Certainly a contrast to the Cotterill era when we struggled to put a team together. We should appreciate these times

PaintYorkClaretnBlue wrote:I disagree. Defence is maybe the only area where we are slightly worse off. We've just sold a £30m player, we are bound to be weaker although I'd have preferred to sign a backup to tarks.
The rest of the squad is better than last season imo.

I'm not sure that the addition of Cork makes up for Joey and Boyd (although I conceed that they would be a year older this season). Wood and Wells being a step up on what Grey offered us is also questionable in my opinion

MRG wrote:I'm not sure that the addition of Cork makes up for Joey and Boyd (although I conceed that they would be a year older this season). Wood and Wells being a step up on what Grey offered us is also questionable in my opinion

Defour suggests the arrival of Cork has helped his game. A more mobile midfielder who wants the ball and uses it well. Not verbatum but that's the crux. Which has been noticeable in the opening games.

Couldn't agree more with OP. Despite loss of Keane it is stronger than last season and in my view it is stronger than anything since probably the 65/66 team which included the likes of O'Neil, Morgan, Irvine & Coates.

For my money this is the best balanced squad we have had in recent times. The number of quality midfielders who are comfortable with the ball at their feet is the bedrock of the team. Cork, Defour, Westwood, Hendick is now the engine room which should mean our defence is under less pressure and our forwards will see much more of the ball. A real step up on Marney Jones and Barton in terms of organisation and creativity.

As above, comparing this squad with those of the 50s to 70s is an impossible task

In the team I quoted we need to remember that the "playing field was much more level" I think the maximum wage was only abolished in 1960 but there was no freedom of contract in those days no agents no Bosman ruling.
Now we really punch way above our financial weight and what an achievement it has been. At any time after 1992 and the Prem league starting, if any of us had been told that in August 2017 we would be starting our 4th year in this league and beating the reigning Champions 3-2 away from home-who would have believed that, not even Claret Tony- only Ashingtonclaret is my guess.

Cork is an inspired signing. Extremely good player.

Strip away the values attached to our current squad and do the same with previous groups to level the playing field and perception that fees are meaningful.

I think the squad looks stronger in almost every position than it has since the conveyor belt of the 1960/70's.

The squad would have been in fantastic shape had we replaced Keane, signed a winger, and a better striker than Huddersfield's injured 5th or 6th choice guy.

MRG wrote:I think the squad we ended the season with was stronger without any doubt

Personally I don't agree with you on this. We're weaker in one area of the pitch, arguably two, but stronger or the same everywhere else.

GK we're the same with only the third choice changing.
RB we're stronger now.
LB we're stronger now.
CB we're weaker now.
CM we're stronger now (Cork is an inspired signing and Defour looks like a new player!).
Wingers. we're arguably weaker as we haven't really replaced Boyd, but personally I'd say we're about even as JBG will offer more than Boyd as an attacking force. Plus we have a full pre-season under Brady's belt and he looks good for it. We still have Arfield to fall back on and the potential to use Barnes or Walters out wide in the 4-5-1 formation.
ST we're stronger now in my opinion. Gray might have gone but we've invested the money very wisely in Wood and Wells. Add to this Vokes, Barnes and the addition of Walters and we have so many more options up front now. Last season we basically had Vokes, Barnes and Gray.

CB is a concern, but we can rectify that in January if needed. We're so much stronger than we were 12 months ago IMO.

To answer those who say we haven't replaced Keane.

Tarkowski played as well at Spurs as Keane ever did during his time with us.

He blocked everything, didn't miss a header, timed every tackle - that was up against Kane and Ali.

UpTheBeehole wrote:The squad would have been in fantastic shape had we replaced Keane, signed a winger, and a better striker than Huddersfield's injured 5th or 6th choice guy.

There is no pleasing some people, as a whole the window was a good one, we offloaded some fringe players Kightly etc,we spent 15 million on a CF and 10 million on a CM who looks the part,hopefully our defence won't be under constant pressure this season, as we will have better ball-retention in games,we also look more of a goal threat especially away from home.

Ideally we would have signed another CB, but for whatever reason we couldn't find a suitable replacement, or someone who was prepared to be 3rd/4th choice,i never expected us to sign a winger it's not the Dyche way,must agree i am with the Wells signing seems a lot to pay for a bench warmer.

Cork is the interesting one for me. When I knew he was coming in, or it looked certain that he was, I wasn't so sure it was that good a signing. But the Cork we have signed is a long way better than the one who played for us over six years ago. His experience at Southampton and Swansea have made him a much better player.

Sean Dyche refers to it as adding layers and that's what we've done and we've now got a lot more Premier League experience.

We played Chelsea on the opening day of the season three years ago and our team was: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Scott Arfield, Dean Marney, David Jones, Matt Taylor, Danny Ings, Lukas Jutkiewicz. Subs: Matt Gilks, Cameron Dummigan, Kevin Long, Ross Wallace, Michael Kightly, Ashley Barnes, Marvin Sordell.

This year it was: Tom Heaton, Matt Lowton, James Tarkowski, Ben Mee, Stephen Ward, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Steven Defour, Jack Cork, Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady, Sam Vokes. Subs: Nick Pope, Kevin Long, Charlie Taylor, Ashley Westwood, Scott Arfield, Jon Walters, Ashley Barnes.

We've improved incredibly I feel in just three years.

Improved massively in certain areas but we are weaker at centre back and out wide.

However we can play different formations now, which is a big plus for us.

Sunday will tell us a huge amount imho as to where this squad is. I feel we are stronger and a home win will certainly reinforce my opinion

MRG wrote:I think the squad we ended the season with was stronger without any doubt

Disagree. The overall squad is stronger now.

How many times does it have to be said before som4e people get it. No one thinks we should have bought an England international to replace Keane. Most peope think we should have bought a cb capable of starting on the PL now if needed if tarks of mee are out.

Most people know that Long is 4th choice at best. There is a gaping hole in our squad. Time will tell if the gamble pays off.

Comparisons with the last time we played consistently at this level are practically impossible. For a few years in the early/mid 1970s we used about as many players over the course of a season as we would now name on a single match day.

Personally think we are stronger overall and Cork is the key to that. Aside from being a technically very good player who is always available and uses the ball well, his addition means we can play 4-5-1. This offers our central defenders better protection. It has had a significant impact on Defour's game. It means our wide players can use the full width of the pitch (Brady is another who looks so much better this season) and means we can play one striker - which has so far worked very well and means we can mix things up a little rather than the more predictable Gray/Vokes/Barnes rotation. What's more if we need to go 4-4-2 we can - which we did in order to salvage a point from Spurs.

Centre back is the only real area of concern. Based on the quality of players in front, behind and either side of the CBs we could probably just about cover the loss of Tarkowski or Mee for a handful of games. On face value it appears a risk but if we get to January with no major alarms in that area then based on what we've see so far there's every reason to be confident we can be looking at a lower/mid-table placing clear of the relegation scrap - if that's the case then it will be huge progress and not that far off the levels we were achieving just over 40 years ago.

I think if anything it's deteriorated. We haven't replaced Keane and the defence looks vunerable, midfield does look stronger, the forwards lack pace and out wide we look weak. The bench looks stronger.

This was the team line up for Sean Dyches first game in charge against Wolves November 2012.-

Lee Grant;
Keiran Trippier,
Michael Duff,
Jason Shackell,
Ben Mee;
David Edgar,
Brian Stock,
Dean Marney;
Ross Wallace,
Charlie Austin,
Martin Paterson.

Subs: Brian Jensen, Sam Vokes, Kevin Long, Danny Ings, Danny Lafferty, Cameron Stewart, Junior Stanislas.

This was the line up when we played against spurs a fortnight since.

Heaton,
Lowton,
Cork,
Tarkowski,
Mee,
Vokes,
Brady,
Defour,
Gudmundsson,
Ward,
Arfield.

Subs: Pope, Taylor, Barnes, Wood, Westwood, Bardsley, Long. (Hendrick and Marney injured)

If Carlsburg did progress! ..........

Yes our squad does look strong, but to be competitive at this level, we DO need a bench that's as strong as our starting 11 and players should always be challenging each other for a start.

We all know what can happen if we lose one of our starting players and if there's someone not equally as good to fill the gap, the consequences can be big.

Pidgeon wrote:I think if anything it's deteriorated. We haven't replaced Keane and the defence looks vunerable, midfield does look stronger, the forwards lack pace and out wide we look weak. The bench looks stronger.

hmmm