Thought I'd compile something similar for the Saints. It'll be interesting to see how many changes they make and how they compete next season.
These are the twelve players with over 30 league appearances during Southampton's 2010/11 season in League One:
GK Kelvin Davis (46 apps) DF Danny Butterfield (34) DF Dan Harding (36) DF Jose Fonte (43) DF Radhi Jaidi (31) MF Guly do Prado (34) MF Dean Hammond (41) MF Adam Lallana (36) MF Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (34) MF Richard Chaplow (33) FW Lee Barnard (36) FW Rickie Lambert (45)
Southampton brought in three key new players last summer; Jack Cork, Jos Hooiveld (initially on loan) and Danny Fox, whilst releasing at least eight players from their League One squad. Here are the XI with the most appearances over the season:
GK Kelvin Davis (45 apps) DF Frazer Richardson (34) DF Jose Fonte (42) DF Jos Hooiveld (39) DF Danny Fox (41) MF Jack Cork (46) MF Guly do Prado (42) MF Dean Hammond (43) MF Adam Lallana (41) MF Morgan Schneiderlin (41) FW Rickie Lambert (42)
Interesting to note, the above highlights how important it is to keep the majority of your players fit through the season and find a balanced and settled side.
Other than that, draw what conclusion you will. Six players were present through both seasons, whilst three were new arrivals. On top of that, two players that appeared to not be able to play a regular part in the League 1 season, played a vital part in winning promotion from the Championship. Motivation for Dale Stephens, amongst others?
Who are these two players? Richardson injured himself pre-season, and would have played most of it otherwise. Schneiderlin I believe has also been first pick throughout his time, barring injury.
All that can be said about this, is that to have a strong spine that is able to step up a division is all important. I think we have. I'm not sure if we have enough energy in midfield, apart from another forward, be that in the shape of a Billy Sharpe or Simeon Jackson, the midfield is where our emphasis needs to be.
Good thread this. Thanks to Henry and Callum for taking the time to research the figures.
Think it proves what most on here would suspect that we'll need at least 5-6 new players to challenge at the right end of the Championship next season, 3-4 for mid-table. Less than three good new players and we'll be at the wrong end of the table.
Haven't read all thread but imo this emphasisis our need to strengthen going forward. we don't possess a hoolihan/holt or lallana/lambert at the moment (thankfully nor do most of the championship).
It's worth adding that many of the players Norwich have added are also lower league players, e.g. Pilkington from Huddersfield, Wilbriham from MKD, Bradley Johnson and Jonny Howson came from Leeds and would have also played against us in L1, while Steve Morison played against us in L1 for Millwall, and Simeon Jackson was Gillingham's star player.
Indeed, their team has extraordinarily little PL experience, which says a lot about the job Lambert has done. You wonder how well they will do next season, especially if he gets poached by a larger club.
Excellant debate which informs what we need to do .
As a matter of interest how many of their League One players are still at Carrow Road even if they do not play regularly ?Much of our current team could do a job as squad members in the CCC but not necessarily as regulars.
Lambert is ruthless in dumping players he did not rate such as the Doc . Injuries made him rethink about Ginger Pele in League One but as soon as they went up his days were numbered even though he was in the L1 team of the year and 3rd in their POTY vote .Another example of this was our current captain Jacko when he was at Colchester and Lambert moved him quickly out to Notts County.
I think Powell has a similar mentality and does not give away much in his public statements when he always makes positive comments about his players. For example I remember him saying good things about Dailly ,Doherty and Fortune in press conferences at the back end of last season and then he replaced them by bringing in Cort ,Morrison and Taylor in the close season .
I hope this window SCP follows this approach and improves us again by beefing up our squad with 6-8 players .
Players who I think could make it in the premiership (Not to say they definitely will though): Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Wiggins, Pritchard, Kermogant,- Bigger doubts but still possible - BWP, Hollands, Haynes, Green, Stephens. JJ's age/pace/injuries works against him but could do a squad player job I think.
GK C Ankergren 46 RB Iñigo Calderón 50 CB Adam El-Abd 40 CB Gordon Greer 36 LB Marcos Painter 54 RM Elliott Bennett 51 CM Gary Dicker 44 CM Liam Bridcutt 37 LM Matt Sparrow 28 ST Ashley Barnes 38 ST Glenn Murray 45
And 2011/12
GK Peter Brezovan 24 RB Iñigo Calderón 37 CB Lewis Dunk 36 CB Gordon Greer 47 LB Marcos Painter 18 RM Craig Noone 21 CM Alan Navarro 29 CM Liam Bridcutt 43 LM Will Buckley 22 ST Ashley Barnes 41 ST C.Mackail-Smith 44
Brighton lost Bennett to Norwich and Murray to Palace. Ankergren also played 22 games in goal
Interestingly looking at the Brighton stats, quite a few of them did play in League 1 the season before (Noone with Plymouth and BHA, CMS at Posh and a few others played less in L1 than they did in the Championship for example).
Only CMS and Buckley were summer signings, so Brighton did not make as many changes as Norwich yet had a successful season.
On an added note, Hamer is a superior keeper to Ankergren and Brezovan, expect BHA to sign a new keeper this summer.
Powell said at Bromley that Poyet had commented that he (GP) had been "too loyal" to his players.
Which maybe accounts for the low appearance numbers of a few BHA players compared to Saints and Norwich in the Championship although it could be injuries or just poor form.
Brighton losing Murray on a free must have been a blow. His move to Palace still seems odd and looking at what Lambert and Holt did you have to wonder how BHA would have done had they kept him. Agree CMS looked good but not the continuity that Murray would have been.
Great thread. It certainly reinforces what I think that we will need to sign a minimum of five players that have the ability to be first choice from day one if we are to progress to anything other than a position of consolidation. Will totally depend on how much money we have to play with and I would be happy if two of the five were quality division one players but I really do think that a new striker, playmaker and centre back all have to have been playing at a higher level. What happens this summer will go a long way to letting us know whether there really are deep pocketed Mysterons lurking in the background imho.
Powell said at Bromley that Poyet had commented that he (GP) had been "too loyal" to his players.
Which maybe accounts for the low appearance numbers of a few BHA players compared to Saints and Norwich in the Championship although it could be injuries or just poor form.
Brighton losing Murray on a free must have been a blow. His move to Palace still seems odd and looking at what Lambert and Holt did you have to wonder how BHA would have done had they kept him. Agree CMS looked good but not the continuity that Murray would have been.
Yes, it was an odd move, apart from the controversy of joining your club's closest rivals on a Bosman, Brighton are clearly a club on the rise, with their new expanding ground and wealthy owner, whereas Palace are solid Championship but unlikely to go any higher in the near future.
Thanks very much to Henry and Callum for the very interesting statistics. I'm sure that Chrissy does have an unsentimental grasp on what's needed, whether he'll be given the money is another question. Do the new rule changes to the Champs. money make it more of an imperative to go full out for promotion this coming season? I really don't understand all the ramifications.
I think that comparing players to play in the premiership, although a good subject for debate/discussion, is a very speculative subject. Hopefully, the present squad will be able to secure a mid table position, with an additional 4-6 players. so do you buy young players, or the more experienced players, if of course they will come. a combination of both for me. For instance should we sign Michael Owen.....
It isn't simply about the players but the style of football. We are more defensively minded than brighton, norwich and southampton. Repeating this approach will minimise the risk of relegation but at the same time I'm not sure we will score enough goals to compete for promotion. To gain promotion we need to improve squad depth and play more attacking football.
I'm not expecting any of our regulars to be 'moved on'. The churn will occur at the bottom end of the squad. However those we do sign will compete for first team places and some regulars will become squad players.
I've read elsewhere that we should sign cover for solly at right back. That is the wrong approach. We should sign a right back who is better than solly. If solly wants to keep his first team place then he will need to improve. Its curbs old philosophy 'improve on what you currently have' and it doesn't matter if the player being challenged is going to be player of the year.
One thing I am sure off is that powell is ten steps ahead of this conversation.
One thing I am sure off is that powell is ten steps ahead of this conversation.
absolutely.
Also agree with your Solly point. However, it might be very hard to find a better RB within our budget and it could argued that the money is needed elsewhere in the squad. But if we can improve we should
Just using solly as an example. If anyone can identify a young quality full back, with untapped potential and then get him on the cheap, then it would be powell. (He's already done it with wiggins)
I recon we will definitely lose Hayes, Doc, Hughes & Alonso so thats 4 and there may be a couple of more established players. I don't think we will bring in any more than 5 unless more players go - I think Chrissy thinks the squad is big enouh and doesn't need to be bigger,
Comments
These are the twelve players with over 30 league appearances during Southampton's 2010/11 season in League One:
GK Kelvin Davis (46 apps)
DF Danny Butterfield (34)
DF Dan Harding (36)
DF Jose Fonte (43)
DF Radhi Jaidi (31)
MF Guly do Prado (34)
MF Dean Hammond (41)
MF Adam Lallana (36)
MF Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (34)
MF Richard Chaplow (33)
FW Lee Barnard (36)
FW Rickie Lambert (45)
Southampton brought in three key new players last summer; Jack Cork, Jos Hooiveld (initially on loan) and Danny Fox, whilst releasing at least eight players from their League One squad. Here are the XI with the most appearances over the season:
GK Kelvin Davis (45 apps)
DF Frazer Richardson (34)
DF Jose Fonte (42)
DF Jos Hooiveld (39)
DF Danny Fox (41)
MF Jack Cork (46)
MF Guly do Prado (42)
MF Dean Hammond (43)
MF Adam Lallana (41)
MF Morgan Schneiderlin (41)
FW Rickie Lambert (42)
Interesting to note, the above highlights how important it is to keep the majority of your players fit through the season and find a balanced and settled side.
Other than that, draw what conclusion you will. Six players were present through both seasons, whilst three were new arrivals. On top of that, two players that appeared to not be able to play a regular part in the League 1 season, played a vital part in winning promotion from the Championship. Motivation for Dale Stephens, amongst others?
All that can be said about this, is that to have a strong spine that is able to step up a division is all important. I think we have. I'm not sure if we have enough energy in midfield, apart from another forward, be that in the shape of a Billy Sharpe or Simeon Jackson, the midfield is where our emphasis needs to be.
Think it proves what most on here would suspect that we'll need at least 5-6 new players to challenge at the right end of the Championship next season, 3-4 for mid-table. Less than three good new players and we'll be at the wrong end of the table.
we don't possess a hoolihan/holt or lallana/lambert at the moment (thankfully nor do most of the championship).
Indeed, their team has extraordinarily little PL experience, which says a lot about the job Lambert has done. You wonder how well they will do next season, especially if he gets poached by a larger club.
As a matter of interest how many of their League One players are still at Carrow Road even if they do not play regularly ?Much of our current team could do a job as squad members in the CCC but not necessarily as regulars.
Lambert is ruthless in dumping players he did not rate such as the Doc . Injuries made him rethink about Ginger Pele in League One but as soon as they went up his days were numbered even though he was in the L1 team of the year and 3rd in their POTY vote .Another example of this was our current captain Jacko when he was at Colchester and Lambert moved him quickly out to Notts County.
I think Powell has a similar mentality and does not give away much in his public statements when he always makes positive
comments about his players. For example I remember him saying good things about Dailly ,Doherty and Fortune in press conferences at the back end of last season and then he replaced them by bringing in Cort ,Morrison and Taylor in the close season .
I hope this window SCP follows this approach and improves us again by beefing up our squad with 6-8 players .
GK C Ankergren 46
RB Iñigo Calderón 50
CB Adam El-Abd 40
CB Gordon Greer 36
LB Marcos Painter 54
RM Elliott Bennett 51
CM Gary Dicker 44
CM Liam Bridcutt 37
LM Matt Sparrow 28
ST Ashley Barnes 38
ST Glenn Murray 45
And 2011/12
GK Peter Brezovan 24
RB Iñigo Calderón 37
CB Lewis Dunk 36
CB Gordon Greer 47
LB Marcos Painter 18
RM Craig Noone 21
CM Alan Navarro 29
CM Liam Bridcutt 43
LM Will Buckley 22
ST Ashley Barnes 41
ST C.Mackail-Smith 44
Brighton lost Bennett to Norwich and Murray to Palace. Ankergren also played 22 games in goal
I'm staggered he hasn't done better. The couple of times I saw him for Peterborough the season before he looked a real class act.
Oh yeah, didn't notice the date. Cheers.
Only CMS and Buckley were summer signings, so Brighton did not make as many changes as Norwich yet had a successful season.
On an added note, Hamer is a superior keeper to Ankergren and Brezovan, expect BHA to sign a new keeper this summer.
Which maybe accounts for the low appearance numbers of a few BHA players compared to Saints and Norwich in the Championship although it could be injuries or just poor form.
Brighton losing Murray on a free must have been a blow. His move to Palace still seems odd and looking at what Lambert and Holt did you have to wonder how BHA would have done had they kept him. Agree CMS looked good but not the continuity that Murray would have been.
Hopefully, the present squad will be able to secure a mid table position, with an additional 4-6 players.
so do you buy young players, or the more experienced players, if of course they will come.
a combination of both for me. For instance should we sign Michael Owen.....
I'm not expecting any of our regulars to be 'moved on'. The churn will occur at the bottom end of the squad. However those we do sign will compete for first team places and some regulars will become squad players.
I've read elsewhere that we should sign cover for solly at right back. That is the wrong approach. We should sign a right back who is better than solly. If solly wants to keep his first team place then he will need to improve. Its curbs old philosophy 'improve on what you currently have' and it doesn't matter if the player being challenged is going to be player of the year.
One thing I am sure off is that powell is ten steps ahead of this conversation.
Also agree with your Solly point. However, it might be very hard to find a better RB within our budget and it could argued that the money is needed elsewhere in the squad. But if we can improve we should
We all know he's quality, but pull the other one!