Skeptic
23rd July 2007, 08:10 PM
After a couple of days of pessimism i think its probably a good idea to look at some of the positives as well as the negatives. When we dropped out of the trapdoor of the Championship/Division 1 people were saying we'd have a relegation battle on our hands, i remember the uninspirational signings like Schuey and Symes in that pre-season and i really was down about our chances. I remember coming away from 2-2 with Peterborough thinking 'thank god we've got a point on the table' and expecting a relegation battle but hoping for better.
As it turns out, the players we had on our books were a lot better in league 1 than we thought they'd be, players that were sometimes a liability became very good players, and a striker that really struggled in the Championship netted us 28 odd goals and was the best in the league. In other words the gap was bigger than we thought, and had we had Adebola alongside Windass all season i firmly believe we would have bounced back at the first attempt. Players like Schumacher excelled in their first year and Symes looked okay whilst not brilliant, a decrepid semi retired overweight Atherton looked a decent defender when he was fit. We released Symes who we thought wasn't good enough for league 1, he dropped down to league 2 with Shrewsbury and became a very solid striker playing most games for a playoff side and scoring 8 goals.
My thoughts are we might find that some of the players we have retained fair much much better in league 2 than they did in league 1.
I think Ricketts will be a decent keeper at this level, i think he'll still have the occasional slip up but lets not forget the excellent form he has shown at times.
Darren Williams sounds like a bit of a Holloway, however lets not forget at league 1 level a defence of Emanuel, Wetherall, Bower and Holloway looked very solid but not spectacular. Bowers confidence has been shaken, but theres no reason to suspect his ability has been compromised. Wetherall lost his legs years ago, but his good positioning and good football brain regularly gave him the advantage over much younger players, i don't think he has lost much over the last couple of years. Now we have Heckingbottom in who in my opinion was a more solid defender than Emmanuel. Presuming Williams is simialr to Holloway we have a defense similar to the one that finished 11th in league 1 twice in a row. Bearing in mind we are dropping down to league 2 here, that defense certainly has the potential to be on of the top 7 in league 2.
In my opinion our midfield last year was at fault plenty of the time for the scores of conceded goals and was also at fault for the lack of goals scored. Nothing ever stayed in midfield or was moved forward from midfield, opponents frequently reached mid way into our half without so much as a challenge. Im going to say that i think Omar, Eddie and Evans will be top half of the table midfielders at this level, my major concern at the moment is left wing, its been my major confern for a number of years now. A central midfielder that can grab the game by the balls would also be nice., were probably going to sign Phelan, i don't think he's the man to do it but i hope he proves me wrong.
Im worried about the forward line as well, Conlon has niggly injuries now and again, Thorne has had big injuries nearly everytime he's kicked a ball over the last year or two. Joynes sounds a bit like Symes.
All in all if we get Williams i'll be happy with the defence and keeper, however for me to predict promotion i think im going to need to see the signing of one decent seasoned midfielder and one more decent seasoned striker that we don't currently have on trial. I'd say that although our squad isn't brilliant, with the addition of the trialists it will certainly be no worse than midtable, and with a couple of good additions after that it could well scrape automatic promotion.
As it turns out, the players we had on our books were a lot better in league 1 than we thought they'd be, players that were sometimes a liability became very good players, and a striker that really struggled in the Championship netted us 28 odd goals and was the best in the league. In other words the gap was bigger than we thought, and had we had Adebola alongside Windass all season i firmly believe we would have bounced back at the first attempt. Players like Schumacher excelled in their first year and Symes looked okay whilst not brilliant, a decrepid semi retired overweight Atherton looked a decent defender when he was fit. We released Symes who we thought wasn't good enough for league 1, he dropped down to league 2 with Shrewsbury and became a very solid striker playing most games for a playoff side and scoring 8 goals.
My thoughts are we might find that some of the players we have retained fair much much better in league 2 than they did in league 1.
I think Ricketts will be a decent keeper at this level, i think he'll still have the occasional slip up but lets not forget the excellent form he has shown at times.
Darren Williams sounds like a bit of a Holloway, however lets not forget at league 1 level a defence of Emanuel, Wetherall, Bower and Holloway looked very solid but not spectacular. Bowers confidence has been shaken, but theres no reason to suspect his ability has been compromised. Wetherall lost his legs years ago, but his good positioning and good football brain regularly gave him the advantage over much younger players, i don't think he has lost much over the last couple of years. Now we have Heckingbottom in who in my opinion was a more solid defender than Emmanuel. Presuming Williams is simialr to Holloway we have a defense similar to the one that finished 11th in league 1 twice in a row. Bearing in mind we are dropping down to league 2 here, that defense certainly has the potential to be on of the top 7 in league 2.
In my opinion our midfield last year was at fault plenty of the time for the scores of conceded goals and was also at fault for the lack of goals scored. Nothing ever stayed in midfield or was moved forward from midfield, opponents frequently reached mid way into our half without so much as a challenge. Im going to say that i think Omar, Eddie and Evans will be top half of the table midfielders at this level, my major concern at the moment is left wing, its been my major confern for a number of years now. A central midfielder that can grab the game by the balls would also be nice., were probably going to sign Phelan, i don't think he's the man to do it but i hope he proves me wrong.
Im worried about the forward line as well, Conlon has niggly injuries now and again, Thorne has had big injuries nearly everytime he's kicked a ball over the last year or two. Joynes sounds a bit like Symes.
All in all if we get Williams i'll be happy with the defence and keeper, however for me to predict promotion i think im going to need to see the signing of one decent seasoned midfielder and one more decent seasoned striker that we don't currently have on trial. I'd say that although our squad isn't brilliant, with the addition of the trialists it will certainly be no worse than midtable, and with a couple of good additions after that it could well scrape automatic promotion.