Our 11 that went up would absolutely destroy our current 11. Open to debate, but I’m pretty sure I’m correct. Thoughts?

Your absolutely spot on, now those players will be disheartened after being dropped for bang average signings

It’s embarrassing. Especially how we managed to spend £100m and still be worse.

I’d agree with you - last season’s team was stronger and a couple of adjustments to that side would’ve seen us be competitive.

£100m spent and we’re actually weaker.

This team would win 7-0

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:46 pm

This team would win 7-0

No chance.

Man City away apart, last season’s side performed better against Premier League opposition for starters.

Ramsey was outstanding for Boro last season in the Championship but looks anything but ready for the PL at the moment. I think after 8 games played this and last season this team batters last season.

We are no longer playing Stoke and Blackpool

BurnleyFC wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:48 pm

No chance.

Man City away apart, last season’s side performed better against Premier League opposition for starters.

Maybe wait until we've played Bournemouth this season before making that comparison.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:46 pm

This team would win 7-0

Hahahaha

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:48 pm

Ramsey was outstanding for Boro last season in the Championship but looks anything but ready for the PL at the moment. I think after 8 games played this and last season this team batters last season.

We are no longer playing Stoke and Blackpool

The 11 today would crumble against Stoke or Blackpool, they haven't got a fight in them

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:46 pm

This team would win 7-0

Nope.

bumba wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:53 pm

The 11 today would crumble against Stoke or Blackpool, they haven't got a fight in them

did you not watch the Luton game on Tuesday ? The one thing they showed more than anything was fight

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:04 pm

did you not watch the Luton game on Tuesday ? The one thing they showed more than anything was fight

Bizarrely our match winner didn’t even get a start. Work that one out

Berge is a welcomed addition and adds quality.

Amdouni would be great starting on the bench and working his way into the side - same with some of the other youngsters.

Tella is a massive miss though - that in behind threat was vital (especially with a keeper that could absolutey zing one 90 yards at will to find him)

We looked poor last season when he came out of the side as well.

Blatherwickstattoo wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:16 pm

Bizarrely our match winner didn’t even get a start. Work that one out

not sure any of us can

Yes stronger last season. This seasons team is poor by comparison.

Last seasons team needed keeping together with two or three really good PL quality signings in key areas Ie CM, LB and CB. What we’ve got is a weaker team with lots of young promising players. Far too inexperienced a team for this level. We don’t look anywhere near good enough and weaker than any Pl team under Dyche or Coyle/Laws. Chelsea won’t have an easier 2nd half all season and other teams will be licking their lips to play us and at Turf Moor.

Boss Hogg wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:31 pm

Last seasons team needed keeping together with two or three really good PL quality signings in key areas Ie CM, LB and CB. What we’ve got is a weaker team with lots of young promising players. Far too inexperienced a team for this level. We don’t look anywhere near good enough and weaker than any Pl team under Dyche or Coyle/Laws. Chelsea won’t have an easier 2nd half all season and other teams will be licking their lips to play us and at Turf Moor.

Correct and I would add we need two full backs.

Stayingup wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:24 pm

Yes stronger last season. This seasons team is poor by comparison.

You can't really make a comparison, because last season's team was playing the likes of
PNE and Millwall.

If last season's team was playing Chelsea and City, their results would have been very different.

ElectroClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:36 pm

You can't really make a comparison, because last season's team was playing the likes of
PNE and Millwall.

If last season's team was playing Chelsea and City, their results would have been very different.

Unfortunately this is completely lost on people.

Chelsea got called ‘absolute s***e’ by someone today.

I wonder how they would describe Preston, Rotherham, Reading et al.

ElectroClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:36 pm

You can't really make a comparison, because last season's team was playing the likes of
PNE and Millwall.

If last season's team was playing Chelsea and City, their results would have been very different.

I think this type of forum is exactly where these type of debates are valid . I’m pretty sure we were better off last season and I’m sure most people agree

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:04 pm

did you not watch the Luton game on Tuesday ? The one thing they showed more than anything was fight

Yes I did, did you watch the game today , the one where he changed a lot from the Luton game?

ElectroClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:36 pm

You can't really make a comparison, because last season's team was playing the likes of
PNE and Millwall.

If last season's team was playing Chelsea and City, their results would have been very different.

You can definitely make a comparison if you've watched them both. It isn't true to say this season's team is poor and it isn't true to say they'd win 7-0.

There wouldn't be much between them at all but there are key differences. Last season we had a better balance and more cohesion but we also had the experience in key areas. More than anything we had an identity that is really missing from our team at the moment. That's not to say it won't come because I believe it will and then this team could potentially be better.

It's a real shame we couldn't keep our loan players and just top up the squad a bit this season, we'd have been better served with a team that had played together so well and knew what it was doing. At the moment we're looking excellent in patches and all at sea in others. Right now, this team probably wouldn't be coming out on top against last season's.

We have used this season an enormous number of players-I believe more than any other PL side. We need some stability. For me the side that started v Luton is potentially one of our strongest . I know Beyer was injured but I was surprised Roberts, Amdouni and Koleosho did not start. I hope VK does not get the title "tinkerer" handed to him

Muric

Roberts
Beyer
Harwood bellis
Ian

Cullen
Cork
Brownhill

Zaroury
Benson
Barnes


Tell me I’m wrong

The biggest miss from last seasons side is experience in key areas. We haven’t replaced Jack Cork and (possibly?) miss the likes of Barnes in the dressing room. We have a load of young, talented players but they’re inexperienced at this level and have a load of pressure on them. Their heads seem to drop fast and that, for me, would be slightly alleviated by having some leaders on the pitch to say the right thing when it’s needed. Balance does feel off, to me.

I cannot say yes or no as to which team is stronger. The defence seems far worse this season but look at the teams we’re playing. Preston, Rotherham, Cardiff, Hull, Reading and all the other shite in that league made for easier games so it’s not fair to do a direct comparison.

bumba wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 7:52 pm

Yes I did, did you watch the game today , the one where he changed a lot from the Luton game?

yep, I can only assume Beyer was injured, I don't get the changes either tbh or at least as many at the same time. We were good first half though, no idea what was said at half time but the second half was the worst 45 of the season imho

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 8:32 pm

yep, I can only assume Beyer was injured, I don't get the changes either tbh or at least as many at the same time. We were good first half though, no idea what was said at half time but the second half was the worst 45 of the season imho

I think we need to look at the age and previous experience of our current squad. It's possible that 2 games in a week at PL level is taking a bit too much out of some of them.

Watched Leicester today who have made a sensational start ie 30 points out of 33.However the gap between them and the current PL is huge. They will need to spend at least as much as us to compete

Utter, utter ********. Other than that, utter ********.

Carry on…

boatshed bill wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 8:35 pm

I think we need to look at the age and previous experience of our current squad. It's possible that 2 games in a week at PL level is taking a bit too much out of some of them.

yep, I think the discarding of Cork especially at home in these games is criminal - it cost Dyche in the end.

Blatherwickstattoo wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 8:27 pm

Muric

Roberts
Beyer
Harwood bellis
Ian

Cullen
Cork
Brownhill

Zaroury
Benson
Barnes


Tell me I’m wrong

You are wrong.

Blatherwickstattoo wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 8:27 pm

Muric

Roberts
Beyer
Harwood bellis
Ian

Cullen
Cork
Brownhill

Zaroury
Benson
Barnes


Tell me I’m wrong

That team gets destroyed at this level (more than ours currently is)

warksclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 8:23 pm

We have used this season an enormous number of players-I believe more than any other PL side. We need some stability. For me the side that started v Luton is potentially one of our strongest . I know Beyer was injured but I was surprised Roberts, Amdouni and Koleosho did not start. I hope VK does not get the title "tinkerer" handed to him

Before I start- my expectations are minimal for this season, happy to go back down as a learning experience and happy with VK to lead us back.

However, Beyer is injured, why the hell change half the back 4? We have 1 striker that he rates, why on earth did we buy another keeper instead of blowing that money on another striker that he rates.

I will keep the faith and I will trust the process- but I don’t get it. We had Chelsea on the ropes and should be 2-0 at half time, they weren’t good- we have them the game on a silver plate.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:46 pm

This team would win 7-0

Last seasons team must have been shockingly bad

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:46 pm

This team would win 7-0

Well done , from someone who knows everything about football

I’ll stand by it. I forgot to add tella to that team too. If you think that team today beats our strongest of last season you’ve obviously never kicked a football in your life.

The issue is we don't have an 11 this season. So many changes every week, and with the transfer window too many options out wide. Zaroury and Benson were our best players last season and whilst we needed cover it looks like they're not going to get a look in.

Blatherwickstattoo wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 9:14 pm

I’ll stand by it. I forgot to add tella to that team too. If you think that team today beats our strongest of last season you’ve obviously never kicked a football in your life.

It’s really not that simple,

From the looks of it Leicester have a considerably better team than us in the championship. They are running away with it, they could honestly be promoted in January.

That team wouldn’t touch ours currently. The gap really is that big.

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 9:30 pm

It’s really not that simple,

From the looks of it Leicester have a considerably better team than us in the championship. They are running away with it, they could honestly be promoted in January.

That team wouldn’t touch ours currently. The gap really is that big.

The gap is big but I don't think it's as big as some make out.

Brentford did just fine when they came up and they came up through the playoffs! Hardly 101 point Champions

Same can be said for Bournemouth etc

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 9:33 pm

The gap is big but I don't think it's as big as some make out.

Brentford did just fine when they came up and they came up through the playoffs! Hardly 101 point Champions

Same can be said for Bournemouth etc

The gap is massive.

Not sure how you can watch us and not see it. The championship is so **** it’s not even funny. I honestly believe our b team if in the championship now would get promoted at ease.

I think some people forget how the big 7 play in league matches compared to cups. Other than that we’ve lost to Villa and stuffed everyone else so far, including Forest (bar the dodgy ref) who were the best at Palace today.

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 9:39 pm

The gap is massive.

Not sure how you can watch us and not see it. The championship is so **** it’s not even funny. I honestly believe our b team if in the championship now would get promoted at ease.

You're not seeing my point

The teams (and others) I mentioned came up without having the same dominance as we did and managed to survive/didn't get battered every home game.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:46 pm

This team would win 7-0

Deluded

I would sooner have THB, Tella and Maatsen in the team than any of these....O'Shea, Delcroix, Ramsey, Tresor, Amdouni, Koleosho, Odobert. Plus I would also like to see Muric, Cork, Zaroury, Larsen and eventually Ekdal being given starting places.

Agree we had a better 11 last season.

The defence was much better with Harward Bellis and the attack was much better with Tella. We should have paid the money and signed both. Instead we spent more than it would have cost buying multiple inferior wingers and centre backs.

I really don't understand the transfer policy in the summer. Signed multiple wingers so we now have 8 or 9 and no left back was signed (although Taylor has been one of our better players lately). We have too many people not playing games which can't be good for morale and there has been no loyalty to the players that got us up last season like Zaroury or Benson. There is no consistency or cohesion to the team. We should have just added 4-5 good quality players to impact the starting 11 including Tella and not spunk 100m on championship level players. We looked like a championship team at best today. Relegation fodder. The players we have are not good enough to play the way he wants them to play at this level. They make too many mistakes that get punished.

I didn't understand today just throwing in two new wingers. Zaroury got three assists in the cup and Brun Larson scored the winner against Luton and neither get a chance. It's like he thinks he can just slot whoever he wants in his system and it will work, like at Man City. Our players are too young and inexperienced for that to work. It's all very well talking about potential and the long term but at this rate Vinny won't be here for the long term. I hope he learns quickly and we stick with him but it would not surprise me to see him sacked if we get to the end of Nov / Dec without picking up many more points. Pace will not want relegation after all that money was spent.

Perhaps we've forgotten, but our starting 11 in the early months last year would have been battered by this team. Not even close.

The side around Christmas had gelled and we got into our run. This side might also improve in he coming months.

I think our best team last season and where we are now is probably a fairly close match. Where this team will be in a couple of years is light years ahead of where last season's team would be.

I'm not really sure there is any point to the debate. The plan is long-term growth. No need to panic.

Zaroury .:: Benson …. Tella .. how I wish they were starting for us now

Carlos the Great wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 08, 2023 8:17 am

Zaroury .:: Benson …. Tella .. how I wish they were starting for us now

Haven't looked at the actual numbers but I seem to remember they didn't start much together last season. It was Benson on the bench. Zaroury left, Tella right, Barnes/Rodriguez in the middle.

Ok we had quite a few on loan but the old saying better the devil you know may have been a better plan and trying a bit harder to keep some of the team that romped the championship . I still don’t understand how we only bid 9m for Tella when he was our top performer.I don’t care what people think that to me was an obvious mistake