I'm sure I'll get flayed....

[Chesney Christ]

.....but this is a team that would win us AUTOMATIC promotion next season if we were able to sign/keep all the players in question.

Brezovan

Calderon
Elphick
Virgo/Tunni
Painter

Bennett
Arismendi (season long loan)
Dicker
Hendrie
Lua Lua

Murray

(... or same but in a 4-4-2 with no Arismendi and a top quality striker signed to partner Murray.)

Who in League One could live with that front 6??!

 

[Notters]

I see no need for a flaming, though el abd just keeps geting better.

 

[Napper]

Not sure about the midfield. If Arismendie and Hendrie are class then maybe a shout of the play offs. Don't really know about them yet do we.

 

[jordanseagull]

100% agree.

 

[HP Seagull]

With that team I reckon we would COMFORTABLY gain promotion.

 

[kingstn seagull]

Harsh to leave out Crofts!

 

[Chesney Christ]

Not sure about the midfield. If Arismendie and Hendrie are class then maybe a shout of the play offs. Don't really know about them yet do we.

£2.6 million signing and England International. In League One. They should rip it up.

 

[Chesney Christ]

Harsh to leave out Crofts!

I like him, but I think he's very limited. And over-rated.

 

[Whitterz]

If im being honest I dont think the squad we have will be able to sustain a full season consistently being on promotion form. We have to have at least 2 decent defenders, 2-3 midfielders, and another two attackers to keep the others fighting to keep thier places. We've won a few games against some mediocre teams. Got a point off of Leeds who were/are on poor form. 3 points against Charlton who again were having a bad spell.
Dont get me wrong, we deserved these wins, and we have played some fantastic football. But alot of the players in our squad have been here for a good two seasons+. A new change of manager and tactics is not necessarily going to make them good enough to mount a bid for promotion. We still need signings in all areas if we are serious about being in the championship for 2011/12.


We will see what the summer brings.

 

[Whitterz]

Ive always liked Snodgrass, and I know im clutching at straws to suggest bringing him to Withdean. But IF Leeds were to get promoted, and Snodgrass not get much of a look in,(he has been bench material already this season) then he would be a player I would DEFINATELY go after.

 

[Horney]

I think this team could be capable of top 6 but I won't be making any predictions until I see the divisional line-up for next season.
( if Southampton retain their firepower, they could be awesome )

 

[Worthai Seagull]

I like him, but I think he's very limited. And over-rated.

What..you mean Crofts,our captain,scorer of 8 goals from midfield, and arguably our most consistant player ?. The guy that Gus made our captain?
Maybe you should be manager !

 

[Whitterz]

I think this team could be capable of top 6 but I won't be making any predictions until I see the divisional line-up for next season.
( if Southampton retain their firepower, they could be awesome )

I will make my judgment between now and the end of the season. Winning a few games and playing attractive football does not mean we are promotion material for next season.

 

[Chesney Christ]

If im being honest I dont think the squad we have will be able to sustain a full season consistently being on promotion form. We have to have at least 2 decent defenders, 2-3 midfielders, and another two attackers to keep the others fighting to keep thier places. We've won a few games against some mediocre teams. Got a point off of Leeds who were/are on poor form. 3 points against Charlton who again were having a bad spell.
Dont get me wrong, we deserved these wins, and we have played some fantastic football. But alot of the players in our squad have been here for a good two seasons+. A new change of manager and tactics is not necessarily going to make them good enough to mount a bid for promotion. We still need signings in all areas if we are serious about being in the championship for 2011/12.


We will see what the summer brings.

Why not? With the side I named we would have the likes of Navarro, Crofts, El-Abd, Virgo/Tunnicliffe, McNulty and Kuipers ON THE BENCH, and some not even making it into the matchday squad, so how is that not strength in depth?!?!?!?!??!!?!?

 

[HP Seagull]

While I do think that team would win us promotion, I personally would play Crofts instead of Dicker, depending on how Hendrie and Arismendi turn out.

I would also, on current form, play El Abd with Elphick.

 

[Chesney Christ]

What..you mean Crofts,our captain,scorer of 8 goals from midfield, and arguably our most consistant player ?. The guy that Gus made our captain?
Maybe you should be manager !

He has played attacking midfield week in week out and has scored 8 goals. Nothing to get too excited about. I'd say that is par for the course from that position. He has also not directly set-up a single goal all season. I like him, but are you honestly saying he would be good enough to get in a top 6 side? Seriously?

 

[Chesney Christ]

I will make my judgment between now and the end of the season. Winning a few games and playing attractive football does not mean we are promotion material for next season.

You're missing the point. I said the side I listed would be good enough to go up automatically, not the CURRENT side. There's a fairly significant difference.

 

[HP Seagull]

He has played attacking midfield week in week out and has scored 8 goals. Nothing to get too excited about. I'd say that is par for the course from that position. He has also not directly set-up a single goal all season. I like him, but are you honestly saying he would be good enough to get in a top 6 side? Seriously?

He is easily good enough for a top-six side. Not only does he score goals, but he wins the ball, is a decent passer, is BRILLIANT in the air and his work-rate is unbelievable.

Also, you say he has played attacking midfield week in week out. That is wrong. For the last couple of months (when we have gone 4-5-1) him and Dicker have been more advanced than Navarro, but he has been doing a solid job defensively too. When we were 4-4-2 he was playing a generic central midfield role, attacking and defending.

 

[Whitterz]

You're missing the point. I said the side I listed would be good enough to go up automatically, not the CURRENT side. There's a fairly significant difference.

But what I am saying is, you have listed Henrie who we havent really seen, and Arismendi who hasnt played, and we are unlikely to keep!, how can you say they are good enough for the squad next year when they have not played!?

 

[Horney]

I will make my judgment between now and the end of the season. Winning a few games and playing attractive football does not mean we are promotion material for next season.

I agree with that but this is work in progress and this team is improving and getting more confident game by game.
To make a judgement before the season end is premature. There are 8 games left and 24 points to play for.
We may fill our boots and finish well beyond 60 points or the wheels may come off and we limp over the safety finishing line.
We are now beating ordinary teams comfortably, so Thursday night will be a benchmark, against one of the better teams.
Our set-up is much better now than at the start of the season and don't forget the bookies had us finishing 7th ( 16 points off top spot )
I fully expect us to bring in fresh blood in the summer but this group of players deserve another 8 games before being judged.