The Squad List (2023/24 Edition)

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

We'd absolutely be in the shit without Bynn. This season with a Kovar type in goal and we're looking at possibly our worst ever league finish, I don't care how bad opposition finishing is in League Two.

[Posh Red]

The fact that Brynn was MotM several times early in the season shows how important he has been.

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

The fact that Brynn was MotM several times early in the season shows how important he has been.

He'll be towards the top of seasons across the season, I should think.

[Peter Venkman]

For me Brynn has been pretty much the most consistant of all our side so far, yes he has had a few poorer appearances but in the main hes exactly what we have needed, as Chalky says if we had a keeper of similar standard to Kovar we would be facing relegation already IMHO.

A keeper on his own can cost you many many points with his errors are often they result in a goal, when a CB or fullback makes a mistake then its probably way less times that it results in a goal but a keeper fucks up and its almost certainly a goal.

Every great team had a great goalkeeper, often almost every poor team conversely has a poor keeper.

That said sometimes its time for the keeper to shine, without Scott Endersby in our worst ever finish in the league in 83/84 we would have probably finished in the bottom 2 positions in Div 4 but his heroics won him POTY conceding just 46 times in 47 games and keeping 12 clean sheets.

[Jimmy HaveHave]

Looking at some of the players from previous promotions out of league 2 you can clearly see we don't have that quality throughout the current squad.

2007
Jamie Vincent
Jerold Ifil
Jack Smith
Sofiene Zaaboub
Christian Roberts
Lee Peacock
Barry corr
Michael Timlin
Lucas Jutkiewicz

2012
Wes Fodringham
Alan McCormick
Aden Flint
Phil Caddis
Lee Holmes
Simon Ferry
Matt Richie
Paul Benson
Nathan Thompson
Johnathan Smith

2020
Steven Benda
Rob Hunt
Anthony Grant
Paul Caddis
Jordan Lyden
Jerry Yates
Lloyd Isgrove
Eoin Doyle
Michael Doughty
Kaine Woolery
Keshi Anderson

[Dr Pierre Chang]

I don’t think the 2006/7 squad was that impressive at all, Jim. It’s success was built on being extremely fit and well drilled by Wise then Sturrock. Very little what you’d call ‘star quality’.

2011/12 had some superb players and was above any other we’ve had at this level, albeit the budget would explain that (taking nothing away from Di Canio who was superb).

2019/20, agreed a class above the current squad.

That said, a lot is dependant on the quality elsewhere in the league and it doesn’t look all that this season - we aren’t too badly placed at all in 4th.

[Jimmy HaveHave]

I agree the quality of of league 2 definitely seems weaker this season.

[Nemo]

Yeah the 2006/7 squad was not full of stars, just brilliantly drilled and played effective, unsexy football. The only players in that said that played consistently at a higher level afterwards were Jack Smith and Jutkiewicz, who was only a kid and hardly played. Roberts and Peacock both had done, but were on the way down.

Michael Pook started 32 games that season! Think he was better than many remember, but hardly a star. Ricky Shakes 26, Curtis Weston 21. We just didn't concede goals.

[tans]

Fatbury probably still loves Pook

[oxonrobin]

Ha, Ricky Shakes! I can still picture him clearing the Bank or Town End regularly with one of his “crosses”. I think we signed him based on his pace. Don’t think he had anything else.

Pook’s signature move was seemingly to scoop the ball over his head in vaguely the right direction. He was probably a marginally above average league 2 midfielder at the time.

I think the standards have just improved since then.

[Power to people]

19/20 season was definitely class, but I suppose you would expect it the money that was being paid out at that time on players, if we had half those players in this team we would walk this league this season

[Boeta]

Christ on a bike. You’ve slated just about everyone in your 3 posts. I fear supporting a L2 side isn’t for you.

I said McD, Shade, Darcy, RHM and Jephcott (although with him I think it's the system more at fault than the player)are TBCs for me.

Aguiar disappointing and Roberts not yet at the level.

Not sure that's slating.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Not forgetting you reckon Hutton and Lavinier are pointless signings. That doesn’t leave many you rate - just Wakeling, I reckon.

[Boeta]

Not forgetting you reckon Hutton and Lavinier are pointless signings. That doesn’t leave many you rate - just Wakeling, I reckon.

😆 I said they are both good players!

But from a squad building point of view, having two good right backs while having no attacking threat down the left isn't very helpful.

Brynn, Hutton, Lavinier, Clayton Gladwin, Khan, Joniesta and Wakeling all look like players in a top 3 team.

That's pretty healthy but clear there have been some gaps. Which is obvious because we're not top 3, and won't be top 7 if teams win games in hand.

Edit: Forgot FBT who is also quality. But is either the same player as Clayton as left footed CB or needs to be LB in a 4 with a good attacking left sided player in front of him. Which shows it isn't just the individuals that matter, it's the system (e.g. Darcy would be more effective in a counter attacking system than possession focused) and how the individuals work together to balance their strengths/weaknesses (e.g. FBT has lots of good attributes but can't cross/make incisive attacking passes as LWB)

[singingiiiffy]

😆 I said they are both good players!

But from a squad building point of view, having two good right backs while having no attacking threat down the left isn't very helpful.

Brynn, Hutton, Lavinier, Clayton Gladwin, Khan, Joniesta and Wakeling all look like players in a top 3 team.

That's pretty healthy but clear there have been some gaps. Which is obvious because we're not top 3, and won't be top 7 if teams win games in hand.

Edit: Forgot FBT who is also quality. But is either the same player as Clayton as left footed CB or needs to be LB in a 4 with a good attacking left sided player in front of him. Which shows it isn't just the individuals that matter, it's the system (e.g. Darcy would be more effective in a counter attacking system than possession focused) and how the individuals work together to balance their strengths/weaknesses (e.g. FBT has lots of good attributes but can't cross/make incisive attacking passes as LWB)

It's a reason for my frustration. I would like to see a better setup/style/ formation whatever you want to call it to get the best out of these players.

We shouldn't be signing Jephcott if we are going to play how we do.

In my head Darcy is a 10 and nothing else, if someone else is playing that role- he doesnt play.

Williams is a inside left/behind the strikers.

Jephcot plays down the middle.

Gladwin plays in the middle if he starts. Not right wing sitting on the left back.

Brynn

Hutton, Clayton, Mcdonald, FBT

Reed, Khan, Williams

Shade, Jephcot, Wakeling.

A kind of 4, 2, 1, 3

Darcy can come in for Williams, Gladwin for Khan, Roberts for Shade, Iandolo for FBT, Lavinier for Hutton, Adeloye for Jephcot.

Start putting players where they play and play well