Relegation squads compared 01:07 - Apr 19 with 5766 views | Shun | I thought I’d do a bit of a comparison between this squad and the one from last time we were relegated. So the bulk of our squad this season has been: Bazunu, Lynch McLaughlin, Keohane, EOC, Osho, McShane, Roberts, Bola, Done Morley, Lund, Rathbone, Dooley, Newby, Grant, O’Shaugnessy Humphrys, Beesley, Baah Bit-part players: McNulty, Tavares, Ryan, Vale and Brierley 11/12 season: Kean, Lucas, Kurucz Darby, Trotman, Balkestein, Holness, Holden, Amankwaah, Long, Jordan, Widdowson Kennedy, BBM, Tutte, Jones, Adams, Thompson Grimes, Symes, Akpa-Akpro, Ball Bit-part players: Bunn, Twaddle, Barnes-Homer, Bogdanovic, Obadeyi, Hackney, M.Edwards, Eccleston, Benali, Bergkamp, McConville, Gray, Ormerod, P.Edwards The immediately evident difference is the squad size. The latter was bloated with journeymen, City youths or Coleman mates who arrived, did not an awful lot for two or three games, and then disappeared. Looking at the players though there’s only really Jones, Adams, Long and Kurucz who I’d take from the 11/12 squad and think would make an improvement to the current team. Furthermore, the 11/12 team had quite a few players, namely, Trotman; Balkestein; Barnes-Homer; Bergkamp, who I’d consider for genuine ‘worst ever Dale player’ in their respective positions. There’s no one in the current squad we can even contemplate that about. Ultimately, this squad is absolutely streets ahead of that one on quality, but the fact that we’re not doing much better than it is all the more frustrating. | | | | |
Relegation squads compared on 07:48 - Apr 19 with 5629 views | DaleiLama | Interesting reading that Shun. You would certainly have expected a talented young manager to have made better use of a squad not lacking in talent. It's not a play off squad and it's also not a relegation battle squad. | |
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Relegation squads compared on 08:00 - Apr 19 with 5619 views | VivaDonaldo | If you take that same list and take out anyone missing with injury for significant periods you end up with (I think): Lynch Keohane, Osho, Roberts, Bola, Done Morley, Newby, Grant, O’Shaugnessy Bit-part players: McNulty, Tavares and Brierley Easy to see one reason why its been difficult to achieve consistency. | | | |
Relegation squads compared on 17:13 - Apr 19 with 5333 views | AtThePeake | Depends what you class as a 'significant' period. Of the players you've not included there you still have the following in the league alone: Bazunu: 29 apps O'Connell: 34 apps McLaughlin: 30 apps Dooley: 27 apps Rathbone: 35 apps Lund: 29 apps Humphrys: 25 apps Beesley: 22 apps Baah: 27 apps I know it's about missing several at the same time, but all of those players have been available more often than they've been unavailable this season. | |
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Relegation squads compared on 18:32 - Apr 19 with 5253 views | VivaDonaldo | Well to the managers previous point the significance is not necessarily about how many weeks they've been out but how many games they'd missed and also when we've seen the accumulative effect of it being focused in certain areas I.e centre back and attacking at key periods of the season. I'm not absolving the club/manager of all responsibility because a decision was obviously made at some point to roll with a smaller squad with the players that were chosen. | | | |
Relegation squads compared on 19:29 - Apr 19 with 5146 views | D_Alien | The two latest home victories have been achieved without our two leading scorers, Humphrys & Lund (apart from 2 minutes), Done, Ryan and Roberts The games were won through adopting a pragmatic style of moving the ball forward more rapidly rather than the dire and unnecessary possession-based style we've been subject to for most of the season The squad is good enough, even with key players missing. Absence through injuries is a complete red herring | |
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Relegation squads compared on 20:05 - Apr 19 with 5090 views | VivaDonaldo | I think to say it's a red herring is perhaps a little harsh. I'm not saying it's a main reason for our issues this year but a contributing factor. As is the managers insistence on rigidly sticking to a tactical ethos and formation we couldn't pull off with the available players. This year really has been a huge combination of issues some on field some off. | | | |
Relegation squads compared on 20:16 - Apr 19 with 5058 views | James1980 | On a slightly positive note this seasons squad has already outperformed the 2011/12 one. 39 points from 41 games as opposed to 38 from 46 games. | |
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Relegation squads compared on 20:29 - Apr 19 with 5026 views | TVOS1907 | Get the bunting out. | |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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Relegation squads compared on 20:30 - Apr 19 with 5025 views | D_Alien | Naturally, failure on the pitch is down to more than one factor, although i wouldn't say it's a huge combination of reasons we need to look at. Most have been well aired throughout this season It was the final paragraph in your previous post that suggested you were seeking to use the squad as a primary reason for failure, rather than the poor deployment of players during games | |
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Relegation squads compared on 09:58 - Apr 21 with 4681 views | boromat | On a slightly more negative note 9 points still required from 4 games to match the recent great escape season and this year I'm not sure that'll be enough. | |
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Relegation squads compared on 10:10 - Apr 21 with 4656 views | James1980 | As I put on the Blackpool match thread. Winning our remaining games doesn't guarantee safety. | |
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Relegation squads compared on 11:40 - Apr 21 with 4592 views | D_Alien | Most of us can do basic maths, James | |
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Relegation squads compared on 18:12 - Apr 21 with 4386 views | James1980 | What made you feel the need to put that comment? | |
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Relegation squads compared on 18:35 - Apr 21 with 4360 views | D_Alien | Do you disagree with it? | |
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Relegation squads compared on 21:33 - Apr 21 with 4254 views | TVOS1907 | Or in some cases, complicated Maths. | |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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Relegation squads compared on 22:00 - Apr 21 with 4227 views | James1980 | I am sure your maths skills are superb. I felt your response to my post was somewhat sardonic. Anyway I put about our potential points tally possibly not being enough to keep us safe because we could end up with one of the highest points tallys for a relegated team. | |
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Relegation squads compared on 22:21 - Apr 21 with 4199 views | D_Alien | Talking of points, you've completely missed it again | |
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Relegation squads compared on 22:56 - Apr 21 with 4165 views | James1980 | Please tell me the point of your comment that I have missed, other than a snidey dig. Unless it is just we don't need to be reminded of the position in which we find ourselves, but that makes up quite a lot of the content of the forum at present. | |
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Relegation squads compared on 00:11 - Apr 22 with 4118 views | D_Alien | Yes, we know You posted it on the Blackpool match thread | |
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Relegation squads compared on 05:33 - Apr 22 with 4072 views | James1980 | Oh you have a problem with me repeating myself is that the point? I thought my heinous post acknowledged that I was aware I'd made a similar comment elsewhere. I MUST try harder. | |
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Relegation squads compared on 06:20 - Apr 22 with 4046 views | D_Alien | Might i suggest you simply try less hard? [Post edited 22 Apr 2021 7:37]
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Relegation squads compared on 06:57 - Apr 22 with 4020 views | James1980 | Now we are getting to what the point really is. | |
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