The squad

What about Billy Sharp on loan? Experienced striker who knows where the net is. Won't get games for Sheffield United, and it will be calming for Solanke and Surridge knowing the pressure isn't all on them. Maybe a winger too, apart from that I think we have good depth in every position. Pugh maybe?
 
What about Billy Sharp on loan? Experienced striker who knows where the net is. Won't get games for Sheffield United, and it will be calming for Solanke and Surridge knowing the pressure isn't all on them. Maybe a winger too, apart from that I think we have good depth in every position. Pugh maybe?
Billy Sharp gets minutes virtually every week for Sheffield United.
 
We’ve lost 10 from last year’s squad and so far brought in just one. Adding at least two more is essential for squad depth.

I’d expect players to up their game at the prospect of new signings challenging their places rather than losing morale. That’s what they did when Eddie was taking us up through the leagues.
We may have lost 10 players, but to what extent were they at all involved or not there to cover players injured at the start of the window. Harry Wilson for example was cover for injured brooks, Ibe was banished, Arter on loan, Francis largely injured, Surman largely out of favour, Daniels out.

When you say only one in you are also ignoring Begovic returning to replace Ramsdale, Oforborh return from loan, Simpson now in contention but previously making up numbers due to Kelly's injury otherwise he might have gone out on loan and be a fresh addition.

Even Surridge was largely on loan so could be seen as an addition.

In truth we have lost Wilson, Fraser, Ake, Ramsdale replaced in numbers by Surridge, Riquelme, Simpson (or Kelly whichever way you look at it),and Begovic. Remembering we have dropped a division so everyone's quality improves in relative terms. Then we add in Oforborh and good chance of Daniels or Zemura adding extra depth.

We may get injuries , we may get fatigued, but do we seriously think any other Championship club can afford to have a a 27/28 player squad that has depth.

A great many on here will also have followed the U21 squad last year too, I have faith that if we get so desperate that they make up a few bench spots then I think that's a risk worth taking.

Someone more knowledgeable than I can list out the current squad Vs the squad that won us this div 2014/15 but my guess is we featured no more than 26 and that included players playing bit parts on loan at different stages,like the Kenwynne cameos.

Why are we so fearful this time around with a better squad than that squad that we need more. The glass is at least half full.
 
I think that’s the idea of having a flexible squad. If you have a few injuries at the CB position, you don‘t religiously follow the 3 at the back. Similarly, if your wide players are injured, you play a wing back system where wingers aren’t required.
Agree, this flexibility is probably worth 2 players imo.
 
I took this post by @dragonm8 from another thread as I though it was worth some discussion on it's own, going through the squad area by area.




--- Goalkeepers ---
Asmir Begović
Mark Travers
Will Dennis

It seemed clear that if Begovic could find a new home he'd be off and the likely replacement was Philips from Charlton. The cards didn't fall that way for Asmir though so he's with us and is now the man in possession. No need for any new recruits here as we have an excellent prospect as second choice and would hope there's never a need for the Dennis to be pressed into action. Third choice keeper isn't a wise place for us to be spending budget at the moment so that's understandable.


--- Defenders ---
Steve Cook
Lloyd Kelly
Chris Mepham
Adam Smith
Jack Stacey
Diego Rico
Jack Simpson

We've reportedly had a bid knocked back for a CD in Davies at Preston so hopefully there is still a plan in place to bring in another quality body. In addition to that, it seems likely Daniels will get getting a new deal as long as he doesn't break down. That would leave us in pretty decent shape for quality and depth, with Ofoborh as the emergency option.

The danger is if a PL club decides to try and get Cook (West Ham linked) or Rico (Sheff Utd linked). Even given Cook's contract situation it has to be on our terms, giving us enough cash and leaving us enough time to get in a suitable replacement.


--- Midfielders ---
Dan Gosling
Jefferson Lerma
Lewis Cook
Philip Billing
Nnamdi Ofoborh

This should be an embarrassment of riches in the Championship but the players still need to be on it 100% to exert their quality over the opposition. Ease off even a little and they could come off worse in the battle, as we've seen. Still, four genuinely good players and a young player who prospered in L1 last season should be more than enough in terms of quality and depth.

There were a few murmerings but I don't think there's any realistic prospect of any of them moving on.


--- Wingers/Forwards ---
David Brooks
Arnaut Danjuma
Junior Stanislas
Rodrigo Riquelme

This is affected a little by the formation we use but there are some concerns. Sadly, season after season Junior misses big chunks of games so if we get 20 out of him then we should be thankful. That leaves the other three carrying the burden between them. That would leave us with one niggle or suspension from not having a first team sub option when a player is having a bad game.

Brooks and Danjuma have both proved susceptible to picking up one thing or another. And Riquelme is a total unknown when it comes to playing full throttle first team football twice a week. There's also the danger a PL club might hit the big red panic button and thwack a massive bid for Brooks onto our doormat.

I'd love to see another option here. If Brooks goes then it should be two but he could be the key to the season so I hope we keep hold of him.


--- Strikers ---
Dominic Solanke
Sam Surridge
Joshua King

We need King gone sooner rather than later and we then need his replacement through the door. Given the preferred formation, it looks like it will be one up front but sometimes horses for courses will demand a two which means a minimum of three first team strikers on the books.

If King doesn't get the move then we need to sit him down and make sure his head is in the right place so he can earn a move back to the PL in January.


--- Youngsters ---
Gavin Kilkenny
Jaidon Anthony
Jordan Zemura

I think a season at L1 under his belt means Ofoborh would have been playing in the Championship this year come what may so I consider him a first team squad player rather than a youngster. The other three have all shown something, either in the past, in preseason friendlies or in a cup match. Good to have as emergency options but impossible to say how well they would adapt when called upon. If so, I can only wish them the best of luck. Sometimes you are forced to play the kids and then it's sink or swim for them.


So, despite all the departures, I think we're only really three players short of the squad we need to carry some depth into the season. Daniels seems a given, then another defender and a wide forward/winger. After that it would be a case of one out one in which is something out of our hands and dependent on players being bought. In an ideal world, the only one going would be King.

The feedback coming from the club was to judge them when the window closes, not what happens at the start of it. They've got just over a week to show they really do mean to go for it this season. It doesn't need to be extravagent spending. Smart recruitment is much more preferable. A Callum Wilson instead of a Lewis Grabban.
Excellent summary, but where’s the consummate professional and match-winning Fraser in all this...have I missed something?
 
We may have lost 10 players, but to what extent were they at all involved or not there to cover players injured at the start of the window. Harry Wilson for example was cover for injured brooks, Ibe was banished, Arter on loan, Francis largely injured, Surman largely out of favour, Daniels out.

When you say only one in you are also ignoring Begovic returning to replace Ramsdale, Oforborh return from loan, Simpson now in contention but previously making up numbers due to Kelly's injury otherwise he might have gone out on loan and be a fresh addition.

Even Surridge was largely on loan so could be seen as an addition.

In truth we have lost Wilson, Fraser, Ake, Ramsdale replaced in numbers by Surridge, Riquelme, Simpson (or Kelly whichever way you look at it),and Begovic. Remembering we have dropped a division so everyone's quality improves in relative terms. Then we add in Oforborh and good chance of Daniels or Zemura adding extra depth.

We may get injuries , we may get fatigued, but do we seriously think any other Championship club can afford to have a a 27/28 player squad that has depth.

A great many on here will also have followed the U21 squad last year too, I have faith that if we get so desperate that they make up a few bench spots then I think that's a risk worth taking.

Someone more knowledgeable than I can list out the current squad Vs the squad that won us this div 2014/15 but my guess is we featured no more than 26 and that included players playing bit parts on loan at different stages,like the Kenwynne cameos.

Why are we so fearful this time around with a better squad than that squad that we need more. The glass is at least half full.

You’re making a bit of a leap to class Simpson and Surridge as additions when one was here the entirety of last season and the other for half of it.

I doubt Harry Wilson signing was solely because Brooks got injured either. Don’t forget we were expecting to have Brooks back by November initially. Plus we lost Pugh and Mousset from the previous year’s squad, with Danjuma and H Wilson the only attacking replacements.

We were already light on numbers last year, and have lost considerably more since. Considering our current squad contains the injury-prone likes of Brooks, Stanislas, Danjuma and Kelly (all injured just 4 games in), and I really don’t see how anyone could think we don’t need new blood.

I get your point on Begovic, but as much as I like him, Ofoborh doesn’t fit the ‘new signing to immediately improve the first 11’ mould that we should be looking for. He’ll be a squad player at best this season unless we get injuries in CM.

And we definitely felt the absence of the likes of Ibe, Daniels and Francis. In an ideal world they’d have been challenging the first 11 for their places and keeping them on their toes, but for whatever reasons this didn’t happen, and we ended up with a situation where the likes of Fraser could get away with not trying, safe in the knowledge that they would always play.

The 2014-15 season was a bit of an exception in that we played with a settled team for much of it, owing to having barely any injuries. But they also had new signings like Smith, Gosling and Stanislas waiting in the wings. The intended effect paid off.

I’m not expecting a 28-man squad. No one is. But if we’re serious about a promotion challenge then we need a bit more depth.
 
You’re making a bit of a leap to class Simpson and Surridge as additions when one was here the entirety of last season and the other for half of it.

I doubt Harry Wilson signing was solely because Brooks got injured either. Don’t forget we were expecting to have Brooks back by November initially. Plus we lost Pugh and Mousset from the previous year’s squad, with Danjuma and H Wilson the only attacking replacements.

We were already light on numbers last year, and have lost considerably more since. Considering our current squad contains the injury-prone likes of Brooks, Stanislas, Danjuma and Kelly (all injured just 4 games in), and I really don’t see how anyone could think we don’t need new blood.

I get your point on Begovic, but as much as I like him, Ofoborh doesn’t fit the ‘new signing to immediately improve the first 11’ mould that we should be looking for. He’ll be a squad player at best this season unless we get injuries in CM.

And we definitely felt the absence of the likes of Ibe, Daniels and Francis. In an ideal world they’d have been challenging the first 11 for their places and keeping them on their toes, but for whatever reasons this didn’t happen, and we ended up with a situation where the likes of Fraser could get away with not trying, safe in the knowledge that they would always play.

The 2014-15 season was a bit of an exception in that we played with a settled team for much of it, owing to having barely any injuries. But they also had new signings like Smith, Gosling and Stanislas waiting in the wings. The intended effect paid off.

I’m not expecting a 28-man squad. No one is. But if we’re serious about a promotion challenge then we need a bit more depth.
Lots of well made points, so I think we are probably somewhere in between, i.e. not fair to say 10 out 1 in, but equally we may have a smaller squad than last year if you factor in long term injuries. Either way though, we still have more in the squad now (before any more loans or Jan window) than featured in the team of 2014/2015. I am not the statistician but can't imagine many teams being promoted who featured more than 24 players in a season, simply because the inconsistency of selection causes disruption.

I just don't follow the 'just' add 2 to squad argument. It has to be one in one out for me. The extra numbers to cope with injuries won't cover the effect their disruption has on the team.

So for example I would bring in right sided CB to challenge SC and then loan out Simpson. I might bring in another forward til Jan and loan out Anthony to L1 til Jan. I would of course replace King if he left.

I understand the fears around Brooks and Stan being injured often, but generally it's a much younger group so with 25 we can manage to cope with up to 8 injuries at a time in the next 10 weeks. Having 2 spare available if say 6 first team regulars are out isn't going to save us.
 
You’re making a bit of a leap to class Simpson and Surridge as additions when one was here the entirety of last season and the other for half of it.

I doubt Harry Wilson signing was solely because Brooks got injured either. Don’t forget we were expecting to have Brooks back by November initially. Plus we lost Pugh and Mousset from the previous year’s squad, with Danjuma and H Wilson the only attacking replacements.

We were already light on numbers last year, and have lost considerably more since. Considering our current squad contains the injury-prone likes of Brooks, Stanislas, Danjuma and Kelly (all injured just 4 games in), and I really don’t see how anyone could think we don’t need new blood.

I get your point on Begovic, but as much as I like him, Ofoborh doesn’t fit the ‘new signing to immediately improve the first 11’ mould that we should be looking for. He’ll be a squad player at best this season unless we get injuries in CM.

And we definitely felt the absence of the likes of Ibe, Daniels and Francis. In an ideal world they’d have been challenging the first 11 for their places and keeping them on their toes, but for whatever reasons this didn’t happen, and we ended up with a situation where the likes of Fraser could get away with not trying, safe in the knowledge that they would always play.

The 2014-15 season was a bit of an exception in that we played with a settled team for much of it, owing to having barely any injuries. But they also had new signings like Smith, Gosling and Stanislas waiting in the wings. The intended effect paid off.

I’m not expecting a 28-man squad. No one is. But if we’re serious about a promotion challenge then we need a bit more depth.
How many times have you seen Ofoborh play to class him as ‘squad player at best?’ Because every time I’ve seen him play he looks class. Remember that almost the entirety of our promotion squad had at most a years experience of championship football under their belts, just because a player has limited experience at this level it doesn’t mean that they’re not good enough. I do agree that we need a couple more in though. The striker department is the main worry, only Solanke and Surridge (who knows with King.) I like both as players and think at this level that the quality is there, but having two out an out forwards in your squad for a 46 game season is clearly not enough (even if you do plan to play only one at a time.)
 
A versatile defender who knows the league, is good in the air and would accept a years contract would be ideal.

Someone like, Simon Francis??
Simon Francis had some very good games for us as a CB in a back 4. However he was usually all over the place playing on the right in a three, just not suited to that role at all. Huddersfield away 4-1 and Wolves at home 2-1 being prime examples.
 
I feel that Ofoborh is quite highly regarded by JT. He'll get game time and hopefully will produce the goods. I like what I've seen of him so far.
 
I think the squad has clear quality but is very small, I still hope we add one or two and if Josh goes a striker will be needed 100%
 
How many times have you seen Ofoborh play to class him as ‘squad player at best?’ Because every time I’ve seen him play he looks class. Remember that almost the entirety of our promotion squad had at most a years experience of championship football under their belts, just because a player has limited experience at this level it doesn’t mean that they’re not good enough. I do agree that we need a couple more in though. The striker department is the main worry, only Solanke and Surridge (who knows with King.) I like both as players and think at this level that the quality is there, but having two out an out forwards in your squad for a 46 game season is clearly not enough (even if you do plan to play only one at a time.)

I rate him too, but he’s currently behind Cook, Lerma, Gosling and Billing in the midfield pecking order. Unless one or more of them are sold or pick up injuries, I can’t see him featuring much aside from the occasional bench outing a la Coventry, or in cup matches.
 
I rate him too, but he’s currently behind Cook, Lerma, Gosling and Billing in the midfield pecking order. Unless one or more of them are sold or pick up injuries, I can’t see him featuring much aside from the occasional bench outing a la Coventry, or in cup matches.
He is a valuable squad member due to the fact he can fill in in the back three also. Too important not to have that versatility available given the size of the squad.
 

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