How good are we?

[Buck]

Personally, from what I've seen so far, we don't have a lot to fear from other teams in this league.
We are physically strong, plenty of quality and we will score goals.
However, we lack a 20+ goalscorer. History shows you need a 30+ striker or 2 x 20 goals. We do need someone else in my opinion

 

[Beach Hut]

We look very strong however the worry to me is when injuries and suspensions kick in as there is not a lot of depth at present.

That said we may get lucky as lose two and you slide away into oblivion like Wendy.

 

[Napper]

We have something about us this year and look good.

The goals scored column is a concern though , we are well in the bottom half on this statistic.

Tuesday will reveal yet more

 

[Smithy]

My main concern is also if we will score enough goals. Hopefully, Sandaza will turn out to be a quality player.

 

[Buck]

Time will tell, but i think we are one of the best footballing sides in this division. I just worry we lack a bit of strength in depth.
On the 'glass half full' side of the fence, we should win this league and I would love to stick 2 fingers up at all the doubters!!!!

 

[Silent Bob]

Personally, from what I've seen so far, we don't have a lot to fear from other teams in this league.
We are physically strong, plenty of quality and we will score goals.
However, we lack a 20+ goalscorer. History shows you need a 30+ striker or 2 x 20 goals. We do need someone else in my opinion

Well we haven't seen Sandaza yet, he might be that player.

But if you get say 15 from him or Murray, with the other strikers getting a goal here and there off the bench or whatever. Say 25 between Bennett, LuaLua, and Sparrow - maybe a touch optimistic but Bennett should be breaking double figures at least, and Sparrow just based on the Swindon game (hasn't threatened to score since then). Then you're on your way.

I don't think we've anything to fear, with everyone fit we've got two good players for nearly every position. We were comfortably better than both MK Dons and Rochdale who have had decent starts. I didn't go yesterday so I can't comment on that.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Goal scoring is the only problem that I see with this team, Sparrow has rarely scored goals in his career, though started brilliantly with us! Navarro doesn't score goals, neither does Dicker and you can't expect any from Kishishev. We're reliant on Bennett and Murray, with Barnes chipping in and hopefully getting a few goals from set-pieces.

That said, the arrival of LuaLua went a long way to curing that problem, it doesn't matter how good your service into the box is, so long as you consistently get it there... something can happen. And LuaLua makes things happen! I'd like to see more of Baz aswell, he's naturally left footed and that's a big advantage and gives us something different.

I don't think we've anything to fear from any side, if teams want to play physical with us then we've got players to cope with that and give it back, and if teams want to play football with us, we'll let them and then pick them off, ala MK Dons!

I'm still not convinced by either of our preferred goalkeepers, but the defence in front of them is strong enough that it shouldn't be too much of a problem now, and Ankergren proved again up at Carlisle that he's a superb shot stopped. Just don't expect him to command his area.

 

[Buck]

I know the physio at the Albion very well and he reckons Greer is different class. Obviously none of us can comment yet. Add that to Murray (class), Lua Lua (wrong division), Bennett (wrong division) and the rest as a quality unit and the future looks good.
I so hope we are good enough and believe one more goalscorer will secure promotion

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

We have something about us this year and look good.

The goals scored column is a concern though , we are well in the bottom half on this statistic.

Tuesday will reveal yet more

Spot on.

 

[BLOCK F]

Solid looking team,but without the goals we will under achieve.Let us hope we can put that aspect of our game right....soon!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

To those bemoaning our 'lack of strength in depth', I wonder if you would EVER be satisfied, whoever we had in the squad.

The entire team, below, is above and beyond the starting XI from Saturday.

Brezovan

Whing
Greer
Dunk
Tarricco

Baz
Battipiedi
Navarro
Smith

Barnes
Sandaza

Subs:
Walker/Poke
Hart
Caskey

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I don't think we should get too hung up on a must have two 20+ goalscorers.

Those that were promoted automatically...

00/01
Millwall - Harris 27, Moody 14
Rotherham - Robins 24, Lee 13

01/02
Brighton - Zamora 28, Steele 9
Reading - Forster 18, Cureton 15

02/03
Wigan - Liddell 16, Ellington 15
Crewe - Hulse 22, Ashton 9

03/04
Plymouth - Friio 14, Evans 12, Keith 9
QPR - Gallen 17, Furlong 16

04/05
Luton - Howard 18, Brkovic 15
Hull - Elliott 27, Barmby 9

05/06
Colchester - Iwelumo 17, Danns 8
Southend - Eastwood 23, Goater 11

06/07
Scunthorpe - Sharp 30, Keogh 7
Bristol City - Jevons 11, Showumni 10

07/08
Notts Forest - Agogo 13, Commons 9, Tyson 9
Swansea - Scotland 24, Robinson 8

08/09
Leicester - Fryatt 27, Howard 13
Peterborough - McKail-Smith 23, McLean 17

09/10
Norwich - Holt 24, Martin 17
Leeds - Beckford 25, Becchio 15

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I don't think we should get too hung up on a must have two 20+ goalscorers.

Those that were promoted automatically...

00/01
Millwall - Harris 27, Moody 14
Rotherham - Robins 24, Lee 13

01/02
Brighton - Zamora 28, Steele 9
Reading - Forster 18, Cureton 15

02/03
Wigan - Liddell 16, Ellington 15
Crewe - Hulse 22, Ashton 9

03/04
Plymouth - Friio 14, Evans 12, Keith 9
QPR - Gallen 17, Furlong 16

04/05
Luton - Howard 18, Brkovic 15
Hull - Elliott 27, Barmby 9

05/06
Colchester - Iwelumo 17, Danns 8
Southend - Eastwood 23, Goater 11

06/07
Scunthorpe - Sharp 30, Keogh 7
Bristol City - Jevons 11, Showumni 10

07/08
Notts Forest - Agogo 13, Commons 9, Tyson 9
Swansea - Scotland 24, Robinson 8

08/09
Leicester - Fryatt 27, Howard 13
Peterborough - McKail-Smith 23, McLean 17

09/10
Norwich - Holt 24, Martin 17
Leeds - Beckford 25, Becchio 15

Although, I actually AGREE with you, an equally interesting set of stats, would be if any side ever had 2 x 20-goal strikers and DIDN'T get promoted...

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

To those bemoaning our 'lack of strength in depth', I wonder if you would EVER be satisfied, whoever we had in the squad.

Would they ever be happy? No they wouldn't. Almost no point trying to make such a rational point on NSC, as you well know.

But I do think the lack of goals (relative to the other teams in the top half) may in the end prove to be our downfall this year. I'm convinced the squad is good enough - but just a bit goal light. Let's see what Sandaza will do, but worrying that he's not in the team already.

Still very excited about this season and I know it's early but seeing Hudd (16 goals), Peterborough (18), Rochdale (12), Bournemouth (17) etc makes me wonder.

 

[Simster]

Personally I think a lack of striking depth might turn out to be why we don't go up automatically, but a top 6 spot is well within reach.

We had one decent chance on Saturday (it wasn't even shown on the BBC highlights) when Murray strode clear of the defence and shot tamely wide. He should have taken one more touch and hammered it, and that is the difference between 1 and 3 points against strong sides.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Although, I actually AGREE with you, an equally interesting set of stats, would be if any side ever had 2 x 20-goal strikers and DIDN'T get promoted...

Good point. That will require a bit of research.

Last season

09/10 Swindon Town - Paynter 26; Austin 19 (near enough)

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Although, I actually AGREE with you, an equally interesting set of stats, would be if any side ever had 2 x 20-goal strikers and DIDN'T get promoted...

2x 20+ goals a season strikers is a lazy go-to for people who don't want to think the issue through. What they really mean (I think) is that most sides have two effective goals scorers and the figures above show this. If not 20+ then certainly one 20+ and typically one in the teens.

But what is consistent about promotion sides is that they generally score lots of goals (and of course generally have good defences).

07/08
Swansea - 82
Notts Forest - 64

08/09
Leicester - 84
Peterborough - 78

09/10
Norwich - 89
Leeds - 77

Gus hasn't set us up to feed two front men so we'd expect more players to chip in with say 8-12 a season that would aggregate up. We look like we have a good defence this season (5 goals in 6 games - only Carlisle are better) so 75 goals might do it.

Murray - 15
Sandaza/Barnes - 12
Bennett - 12
LuaLua - 8
Kish - 6
Sparrow - 6
Other midfield - 5
Defence and other - 8

Total - 72.... a bit short of the fire power to convince me we'll definitely go up but should get us into the play offs if the defence keep it up.

 

[British Bulldog]

We have something about us this year and look good.

The goals scored column is a concern though , we are well in the bottom half on this statistic.

Tuesday will reveal yet more

Looking at it from another angle defensively we're the 2nd best team in the league so it evens itself out, Obviously like other posters I'd like to see us score a few more goals but so far we've had no competition for places up front but that should change once Sandaza gets involved.

A point on tuesday will put us in the play offs and thats about where we deserve to be so far.

 

[bhaexpress]

We are a decent side but there are people like Huddersfield who have bigger squads. Right now we are getting a lot of different results and when you see that Southampton and now Sheffield Wednesday are having a bit of a botty burp it's too early to gauge. We are getting decent results though. Tomorrow night will be a good indication.

 

[Mellotron]

Under most other League One managers, we'd be good. (7th-11th)

With Gus as manager, we are VERY good. (2nd-7th)