How good is our squad?

I think we lazily throw around the idea that our squad should be more than good enough to stay up, but is it? I'd use the gauge in my head of "if they left, where would they go?" and I reckon there's a lot that wouldn't get a premier league gig or would be a squad option at a poor team that regularly start for us. There's also very few that would go to a better team, Ruddy nailed on, maybe Fer and RvW then I don't think Howson or Snodgrass could do better than us. Someone may take a risk on Bassong but he's not going to a top 8 side. Hooper I'm sure would go somewhere around our level, too early to tell how good he is.

We start regularly with Turner who is terrible unless you play with a very deep line, where he's pretty decent. Most teams don't want to play this negatively and he left a poor Sunderland side for us. I think he'd struggle to get a PL gig and I don't see many players starting at CB who are loads worse than him other than at really s**t teams.

Then there's Martin and Whittaker - I think they're both top Championship standard to be honest. I don't think there's many clubs out there who struggle at right back as much as us.

Olsson spent a year in the Championship after relegation and there was hardly a load of competition for him and Garrido isn't Prem standard.

Tettey was largely average/poor last season, alongside Fer he's looked good but I don't think we've had enough games to know if that's how good he is. Probably a bottom half Prem player.

Pilkington, Snodgrass and Redmond are all decent wingers. Redmond is more one for the future but I imagine loads of teams would want him on the bench. I doubt there's many clubs who'd start him as much as we do though. On this season's performances I don't think Snodgrass is more than a bottom half winger and I had question marks over him last season. Good defesnively and from set pieces but not sure he's ever offered loads in open play. Pilks I have a massive hard-on for and if he keeps himself fit he's a solid Premier League winger.

Wes and Howson are both midtable standard for me but one of them never plays.

Elmander is dog s**t and wasn't good enough at this level when he was younger, yet alone now.

That sounds very doom and gloom. I think we have some good players but I don't think this squad has a divine right to be ahead of clubs like West Ham, Sunderland, Villa, Fulham or Stoke based on the quality of the squad alone.

Posted By: bjg123, Jan 21, 18:11:18