Is the current Albion squad "strong enough to reach the play-offs''

[Brighton Breezy]

In my opinion it isn't as good as last year's squad or good enough for the play-offs.

 

[Hastings gull]

Don't know about "strong enough" more like "can we set them up properly and play to their strengths". If I saw them at their best I could then answer the Q

Yes, this will help -the classic must have been last week when SB was isolated and expected to be on the end of some high balls, though to be fair there were also a few decently threaded passes. And then a game-changing sub comes on at 89 minutes when we should have had absolutely no interest in killing the game, as Blackburn would have had, with their simultaneous late change. A new striker with presence will strengthen our belief, or more to the point the team's belief, I assume. Those on here who know (or say they know!!) more about tactics will point to a slight change evident in the two recent home games, and this gives us hope. If we can play to our strengths, then we can judge them, as the OP says.

 

[El Presidente]

I've not seen us played off the park this season, so I don't think we are as bad as some are making out.

At the same time we don't seem particularly creative or put opponents under sustained pressure.

There's no reason why we should be pushing for a playoff, IMO it's a wish rather than a right, given our resources.

The signings haven't worked out particularly well, but, as Gus used to say "tha' football"

 

[keaton]

If we played a sensible formation and style and more like we did under Gus or Oscar I think we'd be somewhere between 6-12th

 

[Peter Grummit]

There's slightly more context in these quotes via BBC Sport -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30004150

"What we are trying to do is to have a squad of players which has the ability to get promoted from the Championship every season," he said.
"In the last two seasons we have had that squad and got to the play-offs and got very close.
"I believe we have got it this season. If you look at the league table it doesn't look like that but results don't always equal performances.
"The cost of our squad this year, in terms of salaries, is higher than it has ever been in our history."

He also acknowledges the poor start to the season.

"Any club will get bad times at some point...It was 11 league games without a win - which keeps getting talked about - but we weren't playing too badly in those games.
"It is Sami's first season in the Championship and he is going to be learning a lot as he goes along.
"In the long run, our coaching team and our players will gain from that experience of the bad times. I like to be optimistic and I feel good things will come out of it."

Thanks Jem that's helpful.

The only surprise for me is the salary quote I've bolded.

Pan Siro tonight?

PG

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

On the basis of all the information available then clearly no, at least not with this management team.

 

[durrington gull]

Bloom is seriously deluded if he thinks this squad is anywhere near good enough - laughable

 

[Lethargic]

This line is a real worry to me...
"The cost of our squad this year, in terms of salaries, is higher than it has ever been in our history."

If that is the case then either footballer wages are still rising at an obscene level or we have been played. I think the squad is better than previous if you view it as an average because we have raised the bar at the bottom level of the squad but at the same time the up levels have dropped but the quality of the first team is definately not the best we have had.

 

[spanish flair]

This line is a real worry to me...
"The cost of our squad this year, in terms of salaries, is higher than it has ever been in our history."

If that is the case then either footballer wages are still rising at an obscene level or we have been played. I think the squad is better than previous if you view it as an average because we have raised the bar at the bottom level of the squad but at the same time the up levels have dropped but the quality of the first team is definately not the best we have had.

Well it puts to bed the argument that Gus had a bigger playing budget than Oscar or Sami, doesn't it.
And were we not supposed to have rid ourselves of all our high earners?

 

[The Merry Prankster]

In answer to the question; clearly not. However well we play the front players aren't going to score enough goals. In fact if they don't start scoring a few then relegation beckons. That this is the highest paid squad we have had then someone has been conned.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

In answer to the question; clearly not. However well we play the front players aren't going to score enough goals. In fact if they don't start scoring a few then relegation beckons. That this is the highest paid squad we have had then someone has been conned.

Exactly. Step forward David Burke and his champ manager list. AND STILL NO ****ING TARGET MAN

 

[Giraffe]

No not at the moment.

Yes if we signed a quality striker or two in January or before, then we could do perhaps do a Reading/Jason Roberts style run up the table.

 

[darters74]

Most of the squad are average at best.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

In answer to the question; clearly not. However well we play the front players aren't going to score enough goals. In fact if they don't start scoring a few then relegation beckons. That this is the highest paid squad we have had then someone has been conned.

Wouldn't say we've been conned exactly, we just don't seem to be fully aware of (or are unwilling to compete for) the spiralling cost of players of any real quality. A false economy I'd suggest. In the same way that the Amex was expanded earlydoors to full capacity because building costs would be cheaper doing it that way than by expanding it piecemeal over the years, then by not competing at market rates for quality players, it's only going to cost more in the long run to play catch-up. And by then dwindling matchday revenue will make it all the more difficult. Like I say, seems like a false economy.

 

[Ernest]

People like Holla and Texeira have dropped right away after promising starts, Gardner is a waste of money, Elliot will be gone in a couple of weeks, people who rated this squad in August did so by hype and now the reality is the squad and present management set up is piss poor

 

[Dub-67]

Kuszczak, Bridge, Upson, Bridcutt, Barnes, Buckley, Vicente, Ward, Murray, Ulloa, oh yeah and Orlandi and Lopez!

Read those names and weep.... maybe didnt have em all in the same squad but thats the quality we used to attract and have now lost.

 

[Dub-67]

Most of the squad are average at best.

Doesnt help with them having names like a bunch of builders.

 

[leigull]

People like Holla and Texeira have dropped right away after promising starts, Gardner is a waste of money, Elliot will be gone in a couple of weeks, people who rated this squad in August did so by hype and now the reality is the squad and present management set up is piss poor

The players have the talent (equal to or perhaps more than last year, Ulloa aside), we're just not getting it out of them.

 

[spanish flair]

Kuszczak, Bridge, Upson, Bridcutt, Barnes, Buckley, Vicente, Ward, Murray, Ulloa,

Read those names and weep.... maybe didnt have em all in the same squad but thats the quality we used to attract and have now lost.

And according to the chairman today all within a player budget less than our current mob

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

And according to the chairman today all on less wages than our current mob

Really? Wow, that's shocking!