[Albion] Can we win promotion with this squad?

[Seagulltonian]

25+ Goals from Ulloa, 15+ from Barnes, 10+ from CMS, rest of the team 30+ goals, and we'll be winning more matches than drawing, and play-offs again at the very least.

2 or 3 more experienced players, and with the youth that we have should be the makings of a close-knit squad, and another step up the improvement ladder from last season!

 

[B.W.]

I suspect Biscuit will know what he is talking about.

Well, he needs to provide substance to what he is posting because from what I've seen and heard it is unfounded BS. Maybe the people who have left are unhappy? Tough.

 

[Albumen]

I posted this in another thread

View attachment 45246

STATS

A comparison between last years squad starting line ups: Gus vs Oscar

3 of the midfield of Oscars started over 85% of the games, and one striker got most of the action.

Gus however, rotated his midfield, bar Bridcutt. His strikeforce shared the games, part from injury, part Ulloa appearing in January.

It would seem to suggest there will be less rotation under Oscar, but the Israeli league is 10 games shorter.

End of Stats.

I think we have those core players, it's just the squad to fill a little. Not too much though.

 

[Oscar]

I think we just need a decent left back and some cover to give us a chance at going up via the playoffs.

 

[Phat Baz 68]

Yes

 

[D Block blue]

Spot on - tougher league this year - please note @D Block Blue

Noted but i think Albion Dan has it about right, basically looks threatening on paper but no where near as bad when push comes to shove. With a few additions to bolster our squad who pretty much know each other gives us a bit of an edge.

Please note @TRHK

The same thing is spouted year after year after year. The division is almost always exactly the same, relegated teams struggle and big teams underachieve. I do think Reading and Wigan will be strong but guarantee a few of the Leicester, Forest, Leeds etc will go nowhere.

Our side is MUCH better now than it was at the same point last season.

This is what will most likely happen.

Can we win promotion with this squad?

2: We do not have a manager with experiance of and who knows what is required in the English league.

Do you not think this could also be an advantage for us, that none of the other teams will not know anything about Oscar's managerial qualities,........ Gus in league 1 springs to mind!

 

[Simster]

I thought it was nonsense personally.

So did I. His opinions on Millwall say it all for me. I know they have strengthened, but if they hadn't, they'd have gone down. And what about strong teams last year who are getting weaker - Watford in particular, but Leicester too. Bristol City, Peterborough and Wolves have been replaced by Doncaster, Bournemouth and Yeovil - that looks much weaker to me.

The same thing is spouted year after year after year. The division is almost always exactly the same, relegated teams struggle and big teams underachieve. I do think Reading and Wigan will be strong but guarantee a few of the Leicester, Forest, Leeds etc will go nowhere.

Our side is MUCH better now than it was at the same point last season.

Quite. And I'm not even convinced by Wigan actually. Martinez replaced by Owen Coyle, and they just got beaten at home by Dundee United in a preseason friendly - and Scottish football is gash.

 

[Mellotron]

You know it's a new season when someone says:

"It's a stronger division this season."

 

[SeagullSongs]

The same thing is spouted year after year after year. The division is almost always exactly the same, relegated teams struggle and big teams underachieve. I do think Reading and Wigan will be strong but guarantee a few of the Leicester, Forest, Leeds etc will go nowhere.

Our side is MUCH better now than it was at the same point last season.

So few people realise that. Not once have I heard "the league will be easier this year". It's always "look at the teams who have come down, they'll definitely go straight back up."
Let's look at last season, everyone thought the 3 relegated teams would be strong.

Bolton - started off weakly, just about got it together towards the end of the season but not quite early enough to get into the play-offs.
Blackburn - crumbled on and off the pitch, mainly due to the mismanagement, but lots of players underachieving, finishing in true obscurity - 17th place.
Wolves - Those seemingly good players just weren't up for it, gave nothing and went down like they deserved.

In the last 3 seasons, only one of the 9 teams that came down went straight back up, West Ham, and they had to do it via the play-offs.

 

[Silent Bob]

25+ Goals from Ulloa, 15+ from Barnes, 10+ from CMS, rest of the team 30+ goals, and we'll be winning more matches than drawing, and play-offs again at the very least.

2 or 3 more experienced players, and with the youth that we have should be the makings of a close-knit squad, and another step up the improvement ladder from last season!

For them to get that amount of goals each they'll all have to be playing every game though...

I think we can, the only obvious weakness is leftback and I'm guessing we'll sign one. We could maybe do with another striker as well but we do have plenty of options for a front three.

The other factor no one in this thread has mentioned is the possibility of players leaving. There don't seem to be many rumours about that at the moment and it feels like we've got through most of the summer but there's still a month left of the transfer window. If we were to lose Bridcutt, Buckley, Ulloa or Orlandi they would be difficult to replace.

 

[Biscuit]

Well, he needs to provide substance to what he is posting because from what I've seen and heard it is unfounded BS. Maybe the people who have left are unhappy? Tough.

Actually I don't need to provide anything to anyone. Read my posts or pop me on the ignore list, it really won't bother me.