As we draw to a close....

[Faggits]

Sawyers doesn’t have the awareness and understanding of the defensive responsibilities of the position he plays it’s that simple . He switches off and doesn’t track runners end of and that won’t change.

[CA Baggie]

The idea that players would do better in the PL than the championship is often spouted and rarely, if ever true.

You don’t get longer on the ball, the players touch and speed of thought is just that much better.  The only player who seems genuinely more suited I’ve seen is Sam Johnstone, his weakness of crosses isn’t as exposed in the PL as teams don’t just “lump it into the mixer”. 

Dekka- the idea that you were on your own claiming the midfield was as weak as piss isn’t true either.  Many, myself included, were calling for the midfield to be revamped.

Biblical messed up big time.  Both in recruitment and player fitness, Downing not sure on.  Could he really go against Bilic to the extent of signing first team players and not signing who Bilic wanted?  Signing Kipre for development is one thing but signing an expected first team starter would have caused carnage.

As for Sawyers - I think he tries (in his own), he definitely cares and he’s a good footballer. He just doesn’t have enough game for the PL.  in the PL players can pass like he does but they also tackle, or score, or follow runners etc.  Sawyers offers one part of the modern PL midfielder.

Livermore has similar issues in that only has part of the game required, mix them together into 1 player and you’d have a PL standard player.  That’s what made our defence so bad, playing with effectively 10 men for 1/2 a season.

[Fulham Fallout]

I don't recall most people saying our players would be more suited to the Premier League. Most people thought we wouldn't get anywhere near as many points as we have now.

Go back and have a look

[HawkingsHalfpint]

I don't recall most people saying our players would be more suited to the Premier League. Most people thought we wouldn't get anywhere near as many points as we have now.

Go back and have a look

I remember the usual ‘just spend the money’ and usual post-transfer window gloom. We were clearly not well enough equipped and I don’t believe the assertion most on here were happy with the business done. It’s been the toughest top flight in quite some time, and one we limped over the line into. If anyone argued that our bunch as-promoted were up to it, then I’m struggling to actually recall anything other than pragmatic hopefulness. 

Personally, as per a few seasons before (since the golden days of Wingie, Long, Lukaku, Wood, et al.) we never even had enough firepower for this campaign, let alone the ability to create the chances for a strike force we didn’t have.

[Dial M for Mick]

I don't recall most people saying our players would be more suited to the Premier League. Most people thought we wouldn't get anywhere near as many points as we have now.

Go back and have a look

It depends upon your definition of "most". If you think it means "a few" then you're right. The majority thought we'd struggle though, which you have chosen to ignore.

[Derek Hardballs]

The idea that players would do better in the PL than the championship is often spouted and rarely, if ever true.

You don’t get longer on the ball, the players touch and speed of thought is just that much better.  The only player who seems genuinely more suited I’ve seen is Sam Johnstone, his weakness of crosses isn’t as exposed in the PL as teams don’t just “lump it into the mixer”. 

Dekka- the idea that you were on your own claiming the midfield was as weak as piss isn’t true either.  Many, myself included, were calling for the midfield to be revamped.

Biblical messed up big time.  Both in recruitment and player fitness, Downing not sure on.  Could he really go against Bilic to the extent of signing first team players and not signing who Bilic wanted?  Signing Kipre for development is one thing but signing an expected first team starter would have caused carnage.

As for Sawyers - I think he tries (in his own), he definitely cares and he’s a good footballer. He just doesn’t have enough game for the PL.  in the PL players can pass like he does but they also tackle, or score, or follow runners etc.  Sawyers offers one part of the modern PL midfielder.

Livermore has similar issues in that only has part of the game required, mix them together into 1 player and you’d have a PL standard player.  That’s what made our defence so bad, playing with effectively 10 men for 1/2 a season.

I never said I was on my own with regards to my comments about the midfield CA. I did get needless flack for saying it from a few who haven’t got over spats we had when TP was manager. The criticism that those who didn’t think Bilic was a great fit, were his teams were easy on the eye but lightweight and he couldn’t turn things around when the team hit a poor run of form... no surprise really that that’s exactly what transpired over a year or so.