[Albion] Do Forest have a better squad than us?

[sussex_guy2k2]

People keeping saying how much better their defence is, without saying how much more effectively they’re set up to protect that defence.

Personally, I don’t think they’re better than us player for player. I think they have a vastly superior manager in charge, however.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Nope

But they have a comparable first team, with Wood on fire and a decent manager.
The style of football they are playing works very well at this level.

 

[darkwolf666]

We must defer to them due to their league position, but I don't think there's much in it.

This isn't an uncommon thing. A usually middling club having an exceptional season, due to a combination of clever manager, a couple of speculative signings working out, a journeyman striker having an incredible late career surge, a bit of luck with injuries and just sheer momentum.

I don't expect their results to suddenly tail off. But I don't expect them to become habitual challengers for European spots.

Huddersfield and Wolves immediately jump to mind in fairly recent times - oh and the WACCOE lot..

 

[sagaman]

When you look at the two teams, Forest did much better business than us with Newcastle
Anderson in midfield looks more like the player we needed than Minteh who has been added to our stack of wingers

 

[Machiavelli]

I would agree that our last performance (second half in particular) suggested confidence is ebbing slightly.

Positionally poor? Not really, hardly a rout, was it? I know lots don’t like the high defensive line, but by and large it works.

Less technical? Yes, if you mean “technical” in a RDZ/Pep way, not fixed patterns drilled to within an inch of your life, but greater belief in individual decision-making. We’re trying to make our players smarter, not just technically better, this will take time and confidence plays a part.

Physically weaker? I think we look less physical with Enciso upfront, and while I like Lamptey at right-wing I don’t ever want to see him at right-back unless we’re playing a team from the Shire. We’ve looked poor physically without Veltman/Ferdi/Hinshelwood at RB, and Dunk wasn’t at his best for a few games. I’ve not seen a weakening outside those areas.

For me we need a slightly smaller pool of players, and I hope FH has the confidence to suggest that at least a couple go on loan. I’m happy with where we are right now, and I’ll give FH at least as long as the club hierarchy do before I start getting on his (or the players) back.

Great post, in response to a somewhat bizarre one.

 

[AlbionBro]

Or perhaps just a more experienced manager.

Yes, experience has to be massively important all through life, my only worry is I have not seen him learn by his mistakes as of yet, is he too stubborn to change? Can he hold his hands up and grow from it? By god I have made some mistakes in life! But I have to say I know when I am to blame, let's hope he can reflect on his decision making.
Let see, I hope we are safe this year, but our form has been poor, Villa is a good place for him to get it right.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

This is such a frustrating season. Almost everyone who would normally be considered "top 6" is being inconsistent.

A top 4 place is more achievable than at any time in Prem history and Forest are the side taking advantage, when it could easily have been us.

Forest are better organised but not better raw material. No wonder some people expressed their disappointment by booing. It's not entitlement, it's pure frustration at the missed opportunity.

 

[raymondo]

Do TB/FH work to get as high a league position this season, to make Europe? All other considerations very secondary.

Or is it a mix of that, to accept a lower league position if needs be because it’s in the job description that FH enhances the resale value of a load of players through squad rotation?

Until this thread with comments by club insiders, naively, I’d never thought that any club strived for anything other than maximising league position in a season.

,And...in itself, a higher league position means more money and possible European money

 

[Gwylan]

I bet that, when we were discussing transfer targets, anyone who suggested Chris Wood would have been roundly abused; yet, if we had bought him (not that he was up for sale), we'd probably be a lot higher in the league

 

[chaileyjem]

I bet that, when we were discussing transfer targets, anyone who suggested Chris Wood would have been roundly abused; yet, if we had bought him (not that he was up for sale), we'd probably be a lot higher in the league

I wonder how many fans of teams - just a few. weeks ago - argued wistfully - they should have bought Danny Welbeck in the summer.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Also worth mentioning, when they had the opportunity to go 2nd. playing a struggling team, they took it.
Chapeau.

 

[Littlemo]

Yeah I think they have a better squad than us. They have decent players who have good PL experience, a good mix of older players and some younger ones who have fallen down the order at bigger clubs but who still have shown they can compete in the PL.

I have to be honest and think most of our fans massively overrate our squad. They all have a lot of promise but lack in actual experience and so far haven't shown a huge amount. Even some of the regular first team who have been here like Van Hecke and Beleba, have only played one or two full seasons. A few (mobile and not basically finished) players who had been around the PL block a few times would make the world of difference to us right now, we need the fit and healthy Welbeck and Veltman equivalents.

 

[chaileyjem]

This is such a frustrating season. Almost everyone who would normally be considered "top 6" is being inconsistent.

A top 4 place is more achievable than at any time in Prem history and Forest are the side taking advantage, when it could easily have been us.

Forest are better organised but not better raw material. No wonder some people expressed their disappointment by booing. It's not entitlement, it's pure frustration at the missed opportunity.

This isn't a frustrating season. Its a frustrating last 6 games. There's 20 games to go. The first 12 games was better than probably than anyone expected.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

This isn't a frustrating season. Its a frustrating last 6 games. There's 20 games to go. The first 12 games was better than probably than anyone expected.

True. Making the last 6 games, "the easy ones", all the more frustrating.

 

[kevo]

Yes, experience has to be massively important all through life, my only worry is I have not seen him learn by his mistakes as of yet, is he too stubborn to change?

Tbf, I think he learned from the catastrophic performance at Chelsea when we could easily have conceded double figures. We haven't looked quite so exposed at the back since. And with the new coach guy starting in January, hopefully he will get the help he needs.

 

[elwheelio]

When you look at the two teams, Forest did much better business than us with Newcastle
Anderson in midfield looks more like the player we needed than Minteh who has been added to our stack of wingers

Minteh is an odd signing. He's got potential but is a bit of a headless chicken at the moment so it's hard to see how he gets a run of games in the team to improve. I'd rather we'd saved £30m and gave the game time to Adingra to improve on a really promising first season with us.

 

[Hiheidi]

When you look at the two teams, Forest did much better business than us with Newcastle
Anderson in midfield looks more like the player we needed than Minteh who has been added to our stack of wingers

It's even better than that, because Newcastle bought Forest's unwanted goalkeeper Vlachodimos for £20m as part of the deal!

 

[Machiavelli]

Their first eleven appears to be better than ours, and in a way their relative lack of squad depth counts in their favour because they start the same 11 or 12 players in most games. Whereas it's anybody's guess who'll be starting for us.

Do you not think that's got something to do with the fact that we've had loads of injuries to key players, and they haven't?

 

[AlbionBro]

Tbf, I think he learned from the catastrophic performance at Chelsea when we could easily have conceded double figures. We haven't looked quite so exposed at the back since. And with the new coach guy starting in January, hopefully he will get the help he needs.

Yes maybe, who is the new coach? Sorry I didn't know about them.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I bet that, when we were discussing transfer targets, anyone who suggested Chris Wood would have been roundly abused; yet, if we had bought him (not that he was up for sale), we'd probably be a lot higher in the league

Merchants of hindsight incoming