[Zigsuk]

I know we are in the lowest league we have ever been in but in terms of strength in depth isn't this one of the strongest squads we have ever had?
Okay maybe not defensively but attacking wise. And a few of the players could certainly play at a higher level and some have.

In my time town have had a number of good / great sides:
1970 - but little strength in depth, of course it wasn't a squad game back then, one sub and a handful of players used all season.
1980 - the best side I have seen, but again not a lot of strength in depth beyond the first 11/12/13.
1985 - strangely enough I don't remember this side as well as the two earlier ones.
Nicky Law's side - again not a lot of strength in depth.
and Cook's last side here - the second best I've seen after Cox's, but again a lack of strength in depth after the first choices.

[hilly81]

Zigsuk, on 25 September 2023 - 10:40 AM, said:

I know we are in the lowest league we have ever been in but in terms of strength in depth isn't this one of the strongest squads we have ever had?
Okay maybe not defensively but attacking wise. And a few of the players could certainly play at a higher level and some have.

In my time town have had a number of good / great sides:
1970 - but little strength in depth, of course it wasn't a squad game back then, one sub and a handful of players used all season.
1980 - the best side I have seen, but again not a lot of strength in depth beyond the first 11/12/13.
1985 - strangely enough I don't remember this side as well as the two earlier ones.
Nicky Law's side - again not a lot of strength in depth.
and Cook's last side here - the second best I've seen after Cox's, but again a lack of strength in depth after the first choices.

Remember the level we are at. Yes, this squad is very good and would probably compete ok in the division above but Cooks first XI from his last tenure would batter the current one and the reserves would probably give them a good game as well.

[Osborne again]

[quote name='Zigsuk' timestamp='1695638413' post='1773612']
I know we are in the lowest league we have ever been in but in terms of strength in depth isn't this one of the strongest squads we have ever had?
Okay maybe not defensively but attacking wise. And a few of the players could certainly play at a higher level and some have.

In my time town have had a number of good / great sides:
1970 - but little strength in depth, of course it wasn't a squad game back then, one sub and a handful of players used all season.
1980 - the best side I have seen, but again not a lot of strength in depth beyond the first 11/12/13.
1985 - strangely enough I don't remember this side as well as the two earlier ones.
Nicky Law's side - again not a lot of strength in depth.
and Cook's last side here - the second best I've seen after Cox's, but again a lack of strength in depth after the first choices.

Apart from the right centre back position, the cover is impressive, but after seeing the Blades on Match of the Day, we want to hope they don't want to recall Freckleton 😀.

[Wooden Spoon]

Zigsuk, on 25 September 2023 - 10:40 AM, said:

I know we are in the lowest league we have ever been in but in terms of strength in depth isn't this one of the strongest squads we have ever had?
Okay maybe not defensively but attacking wise. And a few of the players could certainly play at a higher level and some have.

In my time town have had a number of good / great sides:
1970 - but little strength in depth, of course it wasn't a squad game back then, one sub and a handful of players used all season.
1980 - the best side I have seen, but again not a lot of strength in depth beyond the first 11/12/13.
1985 - strangely enough I don't remember this side as well as the two earlier ones.
Nicky Law's side - again not a lot of strength in depth.
and Cook's last side here - the second best I've seen after Cox's, but again a lack of strength in depth after the first choices.

Don’t forget many of those you only had 1 sub, so the bigger squad wasn’t really a thing anyway.

[Osborne again]

Wooden Spoon, on 25 September 2023 - 12:59 PM, said:

Don’t forget many of those you only had 1 sub, so the bigger squad wasn’t really a thing anyway.

We did have a reserve team, which was handy for bringing players through, and for those coming back from injury.

[metallilad]

If we look at the particular areas we are so strong in now, if we look at for example the team that Cookie assembled in his first tenure.
To build a bench equally as strong as the first team players (like on the level we have now) then Cookie would've had to have spent thousands upon thousands just to get the bench anywhere near.

But just to throw another question out there then, with the quality we have in our midfield/forward line now. Would we have been unhappy to have any of these on the bench in any of those squads mentioned in the OP?

[Sussex Spireite]

We've scored 29 goals with 12 different players, which to me is a good thing. We're not dependent on a 30 goal a season forward. I wonder how last season would have panned out if either Mullen or Langstaff had been out for 4 or 5 months of the season?

[DIFH]

List the actual squads - no contest

[dim view]

Zigsuk, on 25 September 2023 - 10:40 AM, said:

I know we are in the lowest league we have ever been in but in terms of strength in depth isn't this one of the strongest squads we have ever had?
Okay maybe not defensively but attacking wise. And a few of the players could certainly play at a higher level and some have.

Apart from the right centre back position, the cover is impressive, but after seeing the Blades on Match of the Day, we want to hope they don't want to recall Freckleton ��.

Imo, we have no top class cover for Naylor and Jones in CM. Banks and Oldaker don't have the defensive qualities that are required. Not that it's crucial for over 80% of matches, but I'm convinced Cook's next major signing, the one most likely to guarantee us promotion, will be a quality CM to allow Jones to rest. And if he's left footed, so much the better.

This post has been edited by dim view: 25 September 2023 - 09:06 PM

[Jud]

dim view, on 25 September 2023 - 09:05 PM, said:

Imo, we have no top class cover for Naylor and Jones in CM. Banks and Oldaker don't have the defensive qualities that are required. Not that it's crucial for over 80% of matches, but I'm convinced Cook's next major signing, the one most likely to guarantee us promotion, will be a quality CM to allow Jones to rest. And if he's left footed, so much the better.

When Naylor signed it felt like Jones would provide cover for him. Didn't think they would work together with them both being defensively minded but I was very wrong. Happily, so. Jones deserves to be one of the first names on the team sheet, regardless of the fact that he's a year younger than I am, the old blèeder.

[Search & Destroy]

Jones is MOTM pretty much every game, the guy is just insane

[trickytrevsfanclub]

Are people going a disservice to Jones constantly going on about how he needs rest. He’s a young man, 36 isn’t old and he’s fit as a fiddle. Don’t hear anyone going on about resting Ronaldo and he’s older.

[Wooden Spoon]

It’s hard to judge.

Clucas played at this level with the yellow stain and Hereford, Gary Roberts played in the welsh league and at this level with Accrington Stanley, so do Berry Dobra Colclough match up with them?


Morsey and Ryan? Jones and Naylor?

Banks was with us in L2 and L1.

[dim view]

trickytrevsfanclub, on 25 September 2023 - 11:36 PM, said:

Are people going a disservice to Jones constantly going on about how he needs rest. He’s a young man, 36 isn’t old and he’s fit as a fiddle. Don’t hear anyone going on about resting Ronaldo and he’s older.

What I'm saying, questioning whether we have got complete strength in depth, is that we haven't for CM. Which in Cook's system is primarily a defensive role that don't suit Banks or Oldaker.

Another 4 matches till our key men might well be able to take a well earned rest for a fortnight. They are gruelling as well. If we can stay unbeaten I'll be happy.

[Goku]

dim view, on 26 September 2023 - 10:15 AM, said:

What I'm saying, questioning whether we have got complete strength in depth, is that we haven't for CM. Which in Cook's system is primarily a defensive role that don't suit Banks or Oldaker.

Another 4 matches till our key men might well be able to take a well earned rest for a fortnight. They are gruelling as well. If we can stay unbeaten I'll be happy.

Don't think it's realistic for the club to have 3x first team defensive midfielders on their books all capable of playing to the required standard bearing in mind budget constraints etc. Jones and Naylor should be enough with Banks/Oldaker filling in when needed. Obviously they don't perform the same role but they provide different qualities. Saying that, I don't think I'd have offered Oldaker a new deal personally.

[Zigsuk]

Goku, on 26 September 2023 - 10:22 AM, said:

Don't think it's realistic for the club to have 3x first team defensive midfielders on their books all capable of playing to the required standard bearing in mind budget constraints etc. Jones and Naylor should be enough with Banks/Oldaker filling in when needed. Obviously they don't perform the same role but they provide different qualities. Saying that, I don't think I'd have offered Oldaker a new deal personally.

I wouldn't either. He looked impressive initially but hasn't brought much to the team since. I think I would prefer Banks over him, but Jones and Naylor arer better than either of them.