What a fantastic Squad we have......

[spyinthesky]

Plenty of players, minimum quality.
We all know this, of course, but just wasting my time reflecting on the shit show that has been accumulated by our wonderful talent spotting team ie

GOALKEEPERS
        Ramsdale        McCarthy, Lumley, Bazanu (Loan Out).
 RIGHT BACK
          KWP                   Bree, Sugawara
 LEFT BACK
        Welington          Manning, Taylor, Larios (Injured)
 DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD
        Downes             Ugochukwa (Loan In), Charles (Loan Out)
 CENTRAL DEFENCE
       Bednerak          ABK, Stephens
      THB                    Wood, Edwards (Loan Out)
 WINGERS
       Sulemana        Dibling, Fraser, Edioze (Loan Out)
 MIDFIELD
       Fernandes       Aribo, Smallbone,Lallana, Gronbaek (Loan In).
STRIKERS 
     ??????              Tall Paul, Archer, BBD (Loan Out) Armstrong (Loan Out)
                               Stewart (injured)

So there are 34 players on this list to whom we are paying part or all of their weekly wage.
Not included is the young French defender who we recently acquired for a not insubstantial sum to play for the U21's.
I have put in bold the players who, in my humble opinion, should be in the starting line up but apart from Ramsdale and Fernandes all the rest of them are hobsons choice and even he couldn't decide which one, out of the £60m worth of talent, should be our main striker.

Edited February 26 by spyinthesky

[S-Clarke]

We've basically managed to create a squad full of average 'squad' players, not players who should be starting for any competitive side.

Charlie Taylor, Ryan Fraser, Ross Stewart, Larios, Archer, Gronbaek, Wood - just absolute wasted wages.

[miserableoldgit]

As I said elswhere on TSW, for the first time in 65 years, there are NO players in the squad that I have any affinity with. Even through the bleakest times in the past there have always been a player or two that excited me.......or that I didn't want to leave us, but it wouldn't worry me if every single player in the current squad left......in fact I hope they do!

[Saint Fan CaM]

I’m OK with the goalkeeper rosta, the wing-back first choices are fine - the rest useless, the defensive midfield doesn’t have a competent first starter - Downes and Les would be adequate back-up, none of the CB’s are good enough as first starters - THB and ABK are OK as backups, none of the wingers are good enough as first starters - Dibling maybe ok as a backup youngster learning his trade, Fernandes is OK as a starter - Aribo OK as a backup - the rest useless, none of the so called strikers are good enough in the Prem - if we’re looking ahead to the Championship then Archer or BBD might be useful. 😔

Not too many of that lot are of a level befitting a bottom half Prem team or even a top half Championship team. That combined with 2nd rate Managers have put us where we are and if both elements do not receive decisive effective action in the summer, I think we’ll be sinking into the lower level of the Championship playing catch-up for the rest of the season. And our encounters with the blue phew will be much more squeaky bum games than we’d like. 😬

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

We've basically managed to create a squad full of average 'squad' players, not players who should be starting for any competitive side.

Charlie Taylor, Ryan Fraser, Ross Stewart, Larios, Archer, Gronbaek, Wood - just absolute wasted wages.

Three of those have disappeared to the extent their photographs will be appearing on milk cartons. Larios looks young enough to be as well.

[Gloucester Saint]

Out of those I’d only miss Ramsdale and Fernandes, the two with a heart, spirit, who give 100%, and Dibling, for what he could become. 

KWP possibly for service in better times under Ralph.

Not the loan boys fault - Ronnie, Shea and BBD, who I think Wilding will buy if they go up. Edozie is meh.

Other than that, I really couldn’t give a flying fuck about the rest of the squad. They’re just an unfit, lazy anonymous blob of nothingness. Sooner they are out of our club the better and I wish them a swift descent down the leagues of whatever nations they end up in, whilst hopefully SFC stabilises and reboots.

Edited February 26 by Gloucester Saint

[aintforever]

Just a whole bunch of Championship players, only Ramsdale, Fernandes and KWP are Prem quality out of that lot. There is a desperate need for a battling midfielder in there.

I still think if managed right there could be a decent chance of challenging next season, need some new blood and a decent manager to give the club a shot in the arm though. 

[West end Saints]

I put on another thread, Juric questioned how could a well run club at this level, be reliant on its two best players being only 18 (Dibling although think turned 19) and 20 (Fernandes), neither ever played in the prem.

I think we are particularly weak in CM

We have  Downes (played more in league 1 or 2 at age of 26) not close to prem level at all, very poor and poor attitude

Ugochuckwu 20, inexperienced and a poor passer

Compare that with 

Everton -Gueye , Mangala, Garner, 

Whu - JWP, Soucek, Rodriguez, Alvarez, Palquetta

Wolves, Traore, Andre, Gomez

Palace, Dacoure, Wharton, will Hughes, 

Even Leicester have Winks and Ndidi, plus Soumare who have prem experience

 

Only players with experience are ones who were bad enough to get us relegated.

Keep Fernandes other than that couldn't care about any of them

Edit - just seen Man U are losing so should include them as a low prem side, think they have Ugarte, Erikson, Casimiro, Fernandes, Mainoo.

 

Edited February 26 by West end Saints

[ally_uk]

Whoever is responsible for recruitment needs to go......

 

What a f##king shambles 

[suewhistle]

24 minutes ago, West end Saints said:

I put on another thread, Juric questioned how could a well run club at this level, be reliant on its two best players being only 18 (Dibling although think turned 19) and 20 (Fernandes), neither ever played in the prem.

I think we are particularly weak in CM

Last night in a local pub I was on my own in watching the football so was muttering to no one in particular, myself really,  about the line-up. "Downes and Smallbone in midfield, aargh. No decent striker, oh gawd" - you get the drift.

I know Juric gets criticism for his line-ups but when you look around at the squad you can see the difficulties he has.

[Dirkdiggler]

In recent times what’s the biggest clear out of playing staff a club has made? 
I don’t believe we have the funds to payout many of the contracts on the useless players we have? And they’re certainly not going to be an attractive option for other clubs? We still have players in the books who we tried to get shot of from the last relegation! 

[Galway saint]

4 hours ago, West end Saints said:

I put on another thread, Juric questioned how could a well run club at this level, be reliant on its two best players being only 18 (Dibling although think turned 19) and 20 (Fernandes), neither ever played in the prem.

I think we are particularly weak in CM

We have  Downes (played more in league 1 or 2 at age of 26) not close to prem level at all, very poor and poor attitude

Ugochuckwu 20, inexperienced and a poor passer

Compare that with 

Everton -Gueye , Mangala, Garner, 

Whu - JWP, Soucek, Rodriguez, Alvarez, Palquetta

Wolves, Traore, Andre, Gomez

Palace, Dacoure, Wharton, will Hughes, 

Even Leicester have Winks and Ndidi, plus Soumare who have prem experience

 

Only players with experience are ones who were bad enough to get us relegated.

Keep Fernandes other than that couldn't care about any of them

Edit - just seen Man U are losing so should include them as a low prem side, think they have Ugarte, Erikson, Casimiro, Fernandes, Mainoo.

 

When you compare our squad to the likes of Everton, Palace, WHU, Fulham you realise how far off we are from being competitive in this league and I don't know how we address that with FFP. The discussions around who the manger is are fucking pointless whilst the squad is so weak. You would need to have two perfect windows to even compete and without spending a fortune and that just isn't going to happen at the moment with our set up. Why do we bother signing players like the Danish lad to then leave them on the bench ? We haven't got a clue how to pick a player who can come in and make us better, save occasionally and by luck we get it right - fernandes. Apart from him and Ramsdale who was the last signing who made us a better PL side ?  Lavia ? 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 hours ago, West end Saints said:

I put on another thread, Juric questioned how could a well run club at this level, be reliant on its two best players being only 18 (Dibling although think turned 19) and 20 (Fernandes), neither ever played in the prem.

I think we are particularly weak in CM

 

It's because SR are much more interested in us as a shop window, than ensuring that we had the ability to operate the business behind it.

Dazzled with the profit of a Tino, Lavia or Dibling. Never mind the age and that they fade when overplayed. Get shot of the higher earners to make way, as long as the kids get sold before they burn out or get crocked.

Never mind the load of kids they brought in that haven't hit those levels. Getting one right, or developing one, pays for the others. Just don't total it up, and wonder if it could have been better spent.

Focus on left field players. Those with a point to prove, or returning from injury. Never mind the bloated squad of similar standard players.

Never mind the gaping holes, across multiple windows, in the first team. Areas like defensive midfield or forwards.

Just keep those wages low for individuals. Don't pay the going rate. Again, just don't total up the quantity over quality.

Systems, tactics and consistent approach and decision making have been jettisoned faster than SR's shop window approach.

Don't forget to extend the up and coming, point to prove approach to managers. Just don't total up the compensation packages, or wonder why the squad is so bloated with players suited to different systems.

How could a well run club at this level be so reliant on a couple of kids? Juric should have a chat with one of the actually well run clubs, and will find out that they don't.

[Football Special]

12 hours ago, aintforever said:

Just a whole bunch of Championship players, only Ramsdale, Fernandes and KWP are Prem quality out of that lot. There is a desperate need for a battling midfielder in there.

I still think if managed right there could be a decent chance of challenging next season, need some new blood and a decent manager to give the club a shot in the arm though. 

Need someone with good connections to play the loan market well 

[Charlie Wayman]

10 hours ago, Dirkdiggler said:

In recent times what’s the biggest clear out of playing staff a club has made? 
I don’t believe we have the funds to payout many of the contracts on the useless players we have? And they’re certainly not going to be an attractive option for other clubs? We still have players in the books who we tried to get shot of from the last relegation! 

Stephens comes to mind

[Andy Hill]

I think that calling some of our players as “average” is pushing it. I would put Fraser, Archer, TP, Smallbone, Wood, Bree, Manning and Bednarek in the below average category.

[Greedyfly]

55 minutes ago, Andy Hill said:

I think that calling some of our players as “average” is pushing it. I would put Fraser, Archer, TP, Smallbone, Wood, Bree, Manning and Bednarek in the below average category.

I think everyone was!

[Zorba]

We have 0 players that top six PL clubs would be interested in.

We have 3 players (AR, KWP, MF) that would interest the PL best of the rest.

50% of the rest are top half Championship players that are not good enough for PL 

We have a starlet that as been overhyped, even touted at £50m on here (?). Doesn’t add anything to our team atm and shouldn’t be expected to. Would be an asset in the Championship. (TD)

The rest are making up the numbers.

 

We would have needed half a dozen mid table PL players, 2 or 3 decent standard PL players, and a lot of heart and hard work to survive in this league. We were miles away. We’ll be lucky to get anywhere near top six in the Championship next year and are more likely to be fighting relegation again with the further loss of any half decent players when we drop.

SR need to start buying for the now and the survival of our club. Not some bullshit ten year plan. They have too little knowledge between them spread over too many football clubs and are dragging us down.

 

Edited February 27 by Zorba

[spyinthesky]

Just looking back at my original post, I reckon the total weekly wage of our six 'strikers' is probably around £300,000k ie £15m a year.

It is appreciated that two of them are having their wages offset by playing in the Championship but all that money being shelled out for the number of goals that can be counted on one hand!!

For a combined £60m outlay and £150-£200k per week, the club could have signed a pretty decent striker although he would be living off scraps that would occasionally be provided by the midfield and wide players

[Chez]

20 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

As I said elswhere on TSW, for the first time in 65 years, there are NO players in the squad that I have any affinity with. Even through the bleakest times in the past there have always been a player or two that excited me.......or that I didn't want to leave us, but it wouldn't worry me if every single player in the current squad left......in fact I hope they do!

Not sure why you don't have any affinity with Ramsdale and Ferndandes. Firstly they are good players, but secondly they seem to give their absolute maximum. Both are very easy to like, especially with the rest of the team making them stand out every week. It will be very dissapointing to see them depart in the summer.   

[miserableoldgit]

24 minutes ago, Chez said:

Not sure why you don't have any affinity with Ramsdale and Ferndandes. Firstly they are good players, but secondly they seem to give their absolute maximum. Both are very easy to like, especially with the rest of the team making them stand out every week. It will be very dissapointing to see them depart in the summer.   

I don't dislike either of them. I feel sorry for them. There is no way that AR would have signed if he had any idea that things would be as bad as they are and he will be gone at the end of the season. He has only appeared 19 times for us. I quite like Fernandes but he hasn't been a vital part of the team since he has been here. He was originally a bit-part player, like many others signed in recent years and only fairly recently become something of a fixture in the team. I think both will be gone in the Summer. What I said is that I have no affinity or connection to players in this squad in the same way as I did with e.g. MLT, JWP, Claus, Killer etc or even Danny Ings when he was here.....all of whom felt like they were giving their all for the club.

Edited February 27 by miserableoldgit

[West end Saints]

45 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

 I quite like Fernandes but he hasn't been a vital part of the team since he has been here. He was originally a bit-part player, like many others signed in recent years and only fairly recently become something of a fixture in the team. 

Sorry that's not right.

Fernandes has had more starts and more minutes than all except KWP since he arrived. Immediately made his mark.

He has been our best player since we signed him, and that's as a 20 year old new to the league.

His effort and positivity have been amazing considering the results and the team around him, again as a new young player.

The old favourites you mentioned had it easy compared to what he has dealt with!

If he stays, and we prove the team around him, he would be an absolute star in the championship. But he will have other options.

Edited February 27 by West end Saints

[leesaint88]

7 minutes ago, West end Saints said:

Sorry that's not right.

Fernandes has had more starts and more minutes than all except KWP since he arrived. Immediately made his mark.

He has been our best player since we signed him, and that's as a 20 year old new to the league.

His effort and positivity have been amazing considering the results and the team around him, again as a new young player.

The old favourites you mentioned had it easy compared to what he has dealt with!

If he stays, and we prove the team around him, he would be an absolute star in the championship. But he will have other options.

That being said, his stock hasn't been talked up much in the press which I find strange considering how good he has been. 

I still believe that both him and Dibling will be with us for next season, I think the main departures this summer will be those who have been at the club a while and Ramsdale who could still walk in to almost any team in the top flight. 

[BarberSaint]

Happy to keep Fernandes; assume we'll get a decent fee for him but shame he'll probably go along to Amorin's lot.

 

[Gloucester Saint]

18 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

It's because SR are much more interested in us as a shop window, than ensuring that we had the ability to operate the business behind it.

Dazzled with the profit of a Tino, Lavia or Dibling. Never mind the age and that they fade when overplayed. Get shot of the higher earners to make way, as long as the kids get sold before they burn out or get crocked.

Never mind the load of kids they brought in that haven't hit those levels. Getting one right, or developing one, pays for the others. Just don't total it up, and wonder if it could have been better spent.

Focus on left field players. Those with a point to prove, or returning from injury. Never mind the bloated squad of similar standard players.

Never mind the gaping holes, across multiple windows, in the first team. Areas like defensive midfield or forwards.

Just keep those wages low for individuals. Don't pay the going rate. Again, just don't total up the quantity over quality.

Systems, tactics and consistent approach and decision making have been jettisoned faster than SR's shop window approach.

Don't forget to extend the up and coming, point to prove approach to managers. Just don't total up the compensation packages, or wonder why the squad is so bloated with players suited to different systems.

How could a well run club at this level be so reliant on a couple of kids? Juric should have a chat with one of the actually well run clubs, and will find out that they don't.

The Livramento deal was the worst thing the club ever did. How one single transfer becomes both a strategy and metaphor for a well-established club’s existence makes the mind boggle about the sheer football inexperience and ignorance of Semmens, Rasmus, Kraft et al.

[Chez]

6 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

What I said is that I have no affinity or connection to players in this squad in the same way as I did with e.g. MLT, JWP, Claus, Killer etc or even Danny Ings when he was here.....all of whom felt like they were giving their all for the club.

Fernandes and Ramsdale look like they are giving their all to me.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

7 hours ago, West end Saints said:

Sorry that's not right.

Fernandes has had more starts and more minutes than all except KWP since he arrived. Immediately made his mark.

He has been our best player since we signed him, and that's as a 20 year old new to the league.

His effort and positivity have been amazing considering the results and the team around him, again as a new young player.

The old favourites you mentioned had it easy compared to what he has dealt with!

If he stays, and we prove the team around him, he would be an absolute star in the championship. But he will have other options.

If Fernandes stays, I'll be very happy but also very surprised.

I'm struggling to think of anyone in our squad who could form the spine of a future team. This summer I'm hoping for a mass clearout

[Whitey Grandad]

14 hours ago, Andy Hill said:

I think that calling some of our players as “average” is pushing it. I would put Fraser, Archer, TP, Smallbone, Wood, Bree, Manning and Bednarek in the below average category.

For the Premier League perhaps but for League One they are probably above average,