[Albion] Is our current squad "relegation fodder"

[The Large One]

We are less relegation fodder now than at any time in our recent history in the Premier League.

And we've only ever spent one week in the bottom three in that time.

 

[The Large One]

An injury or two away from doomsville

Most teams are, I'd suggest.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

No.

 

[portslade seagull]

Most teams are, I'd suggest.

Burnley, Fulham and West Brom maybe but most other the others have decent back up in all areas. They are the three teams we need to out perform

 

[Icy Gull]

No but staying up is going to be just as difficult as it has been

 

[Uh_huh_him]

An injury or two away from doomsville

hmm not sure that's an entirely true statement.
We are 2 specific injuries (Maupay and Connolly) away from having to put out a makeshift forward line.

If we lost just 1 of them. I think we would bring in Ali J and promote Ali Mac to the bench
If we lost both then, we would struggle until January window/ Andone's return.

Not ideal but hardly Doomsville.


Edit: Not forgetting Zeqiri ( which I did of course )

 

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

Lol

 

[warmleyseagull]

Bedwetting about strikers or anyone else is pointless. I don’t think the club has seriously been after any player of note since the two early signings, with possible exception of Nunez. The rest have been U23. Had we landed Nunez, I guess even the 10% naysayers would mostly be happy

It is clearly the direction that TB has set out for Ashworth. Chances are that TB is being more cautious than many due to the finances, but the focus on younger players has been well advanced for some time. In that light, it is pointless speculating as to whether the squad is good enough; it just has to be, or else. FWIW, if injuries are avoided, I think there is enough quality (and depth) to stay up reasonably comfortably, albeit partly because there are some poor teams this year.

 

[Stato]

For a bit of perspective, our record from last year's equivalent of the four games we have played was GF 1, GA 5, Pts 2. This year: GF 8, GA 10, Pts 3. Were this one point improvement every four games to be extrapolated across the whole season we'd end up 51-52 points, instead of last year's 41. Of course other teams have improved, but the well thought of improvements that Newcastle have made did not prove effective enough in their game with us. White has replaced Duffy, Lallana - Mooy, Veltman - Montoya, Molumby - Stephens. In terms of striking depth, we are minus one Glenn Murray and plus one Andi Zeqiri. We played pretty much the whole of last season without Locadia and Andone and Gykores was on loan to St Pauli. Glenn scored once last year in 24 appearances last year. Yes, we could be in trouble with a long term injury to Maupay, but little has changed. If this squad is relegation fodder, so was last year's and last year's struggled at times, but was never in the bottom three. Things could go badly and we could end up struggling, but the same thing could be said of the majority of teams in the league.

 

[The Large One]

Burnley, Fulham and West Brom maybe but most other the others have decent back up in all areas. They are the three teams we need to out perform

Don't agree.

I've seen some teams put out what they would consider not their strongest eleven, and have been found wanting. Newcastle, West Ham, Southampton, Aston Villa, Palace et al do not have two strong XIs. In fact, some of their back-ups are awful.

Button

Burn
Webster
Dunk
Veltman

Lallana
Bissouma
March
Ali J

Trossard
Maupay

OR

Ryan

March
Webster
White
Dunk
Lamptey

Alzate
Bissouma
Gross

Connolly
Trossard

Both reasonable line ups, for which I haven't added Propper, Bernardo, Molumby, McAllister, and with only three players in both, and in a fair few, cases some interchangeable personnel and positions.

So I'd say we are about nine players from away from Doomsville, rather than one or two. The clear and obvious problem is another striker. But then, when hasn't it been?

 

[MJsGhost]

For a bit of perspective, our record from last year's equivalent of the four games we have played was GF 1, GA 5, Pts 2. This year: GF 8, GA 10, Pts 3. Were this one point improvement every four games to be extrapolated across the whole season we'd end up 51-52 points, instead of last year's 41. Of course other teams have improved, but the well thought of improvements that Newcastle have made did not prove effective enough in their game with us. White has replaced Duffy, Lallana - Mooy, Veltman - Montoya, Molumby - Stephens. In terms of striking depth, we are minus one Glenn Murray and plus one Andi Zeqiri. We played pretty much the whole of last season without Locadia and Andone and Gykores was on loan to St Pauli. Glenn scored once last year in 24 appearances last year. Yes, we could be in trouble with a long term injury to Maupay, but little has changed. If this squad is relegation fodder, so was last year's and last year's struggled at times, but was never in the bottom three. Things could go badly and we could end up struggling, but the same thing could be said of the majority of teams in the league.

Add to that the fact that last season we started with quite a few players with very little/no premier league experience under their belts, who now have a full year more.

We also have a fully integrated Lamptey for the whole season

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

No, of course not.
Just needs heading practice.

 

[portlock seagull]

Strongest squad I've ever known as an Albion fan.

If we were't relegation fodder last season, then we certainly aren't now.

Disagree, we were uncomfortably close to the trap door at times. We were relegation candidates, and not just with pundits and bookies. Our collective mindset is largely to look down, not up. Until that changes, I believe we are and will remain relegation candidates. Whether that’s “fodder” I don’t know until someone comes up with a definition. Fulham look early favourites, after that it’s 2 from maybe up to 10 including us. Don’t forget, for all the encouraging displays against top sides, we don’t get points for style if we lose. And let’s also not forget we can be bloody awful against so called sides in our mini league. Until we boss Palace, Burnley, Sheff U, West Brom etc...those are the real KPI’s for me. Plus a sprinkling of glory against one or two elite clubs, including away from home instead of the normal nil. Seen a lot of shock results already so we need to get our fair share of if we’re to mind the gap.

 

[Seasider78]

No but like all the clubs in and around us we are 1-2 key players being injured from being in real trouble. Look how injuries impacted Bournemouth last season they plummeted.

Been done to death on here but if we lost Maupay for any length of time I think we would really struggle with the current squad.

Certainly not relegation fodder though and only Fulham and maybe West Brom can really wear that tag at the moment

 

[jessiejames]

It's a bit fat NO from me

 

[One Love]

I think we'll be fine this year.

More from Potter getting the most from the team rather than the players' abilities.

 

[Weststander]

We’ll be in the bottom half scuffle.

None us know at this stage, even those all knowing NSC disciples of David Icke, whether the new signings will have a good PL season or whether we can convert decent play into wins.

It’s going to be interesting. Hopefully not stressful this time around.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

There is no doubt in my mind that the squad has improved overall. The big issue is the stupid amount of money our rivals have laid out and improved theirs.. to be honest, I would rather see us relegated and the club survive, rather than what awaits some of these other clubs in the future.

 

[macky]

If it's good enough for potter Then it's good enough for me Under performed What you on about Ask The bin dippers Thee mancs Or the pikeys up the road about that What I saw from Us at the weekend still put a smile on my face All those free youngster Against a team of Multi million players Pleased me

 

[Wardy's twin]

This debate would not be taking place had the goal mouths been a couple of inches taller & wider. We would have another 3 points and would have thrashed United 6-2...