| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team 14:46 - Jan 23 with 3345 views | Stainrod |
This is an entirely "what if" thread for which apologies, but seeing how brilliantly results are going this season without always putting in brilliant 90 min performances, I have been thinking about our team of a couple of years ago: did it massively under-perform with the talent we had? For it hit some peaks that this team hasn't managed yet (like the 11 it scored against the Welsh teams in a week), but couldn't string runs together or grind out results consistently.
When you think we had a younger and in-form Naki and Hugill up top, with Eze, Bright (still motivated) and Chair (admittedly he wasn't quite the Chair we have now), plus Manning at left back (yes I know he became a pariah but would arguably suit our current set up very well).
Those players at least stand comparison player for player with the current squad, yet we only finished mid-table.
Did it lack the team spirit of this squad, with too many loans?
Was the defence much weaker then man for man?
Was it the 4-4-2?
Is it the 5 at the back with Barbet-Dickie-Dunne being flanked by two players who can effectively become wingers?
Or is it that Stef/ Field are much better at protecting the defence and recycling possession?
Or is it tactics? Back then Warbs was still in his "if you score four we'll score five" purist period - this season he has been far more pragmatic (rightly) IMHO.
I know its all ifs and buts but if we could select from that team as well as our current one, how good do you think we would be in this league? And who would start from that previous team? Or is there no one?
(Not looking to undermine any of our existing squad by the way, who I think have a great team ethic.)
[Post edited 23 Jan 2022 14:49]
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| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 15:22 - Jan 23 with 3148 views | Toast_R |
Lack of leaders on the pitch I think gave that team a bit of a soft underbelly at times but I think we're improved in every position since. Goalkeeper was a big problem until Seny got his chance. Up top we had to rely on loans and I think having players properly contracted to the club as we do now bar Gray, makes a huge difference to effort and accountability. Also the team has gelled nicely over 18 months with last summer being the first new season window in a while where a major shuffle of players wasn't necessary so a continuation of last season's progress.
[Post edited 23 Jan 2022 15:29]
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| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 17:30 - Jan 23 with 2914 views | Match82 |
We were 4th top scorers that year. I don't think we underachieved in attacking terms but we were terrible defensively and that was our undoing. |  | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 17:33 - Jan 23 with 2899 views | Toast_R |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 17:30 - Jan 23 by Match82 |
We were 4th top scorers that year. I don't think we underachieved in attacking terms but we were terrible defensively and that was our undoing. |
That's true. Remember being annoyed when Grant Hall left? In hindsight, that was probably the best thing he ever did for the club... | | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 17:49 - Jan 23 with 2827 views | CamberleyR |
We've now got a far stronger spine in the team and as others have alluded to with the senior professionals like Chaz, Stef and Uncs we have now, we have leaders at the club and on the pitch. |  |
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| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 18:07 - Jan 23 with 2739 views | GeorgeKulscar |
I think with that team we would often dominate games, or at least the first half, but not capitlise and concede poor goals. This team is the opposite - clinical when chances come, hard to score against, win games that we shouldn't. The centre backs and Willock are the main reason for this at the moment. |  | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 19:13 - Jan 23 with 2552 views | daveB |
The big difference is the midfield, we're a lot better with Johansen and Field now than when we had Ball & Amos as first choice. Also have more of a winning mentality in the squad than we did that season
I do think that team did under perform in the end but not by much, should have finished top half but fell away after lockdown. |  | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 19:16 - Jan 23 with 2539 views | EmpireStateRanger |
I think a lot of it has come down to Warbs, too. He has undoubtedly improved as a manager. The formation has changed since that season, and he seems much less rigid and more ready to embrace change.
I also think some of our other players fit in much better with what we’re trying to do (swapping Leistner/Hall for Dickie/Dunne/Jordy, Scowen for Stef, etc). | | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 19:19 - Jan 23 with 2526 views | WestbourneR |
Always said Grant Hall was a poor defender with no leadership. Used to get pellets.
But in essence the key fact in this is Warbs has built the entire team from the ground up, in his image and with a fresh and united ethic.
So this team is greater than it’s parts.
The team he inherited was not. |  |
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| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 19:20 - Jan 23 with 2525 views | Rangersw12 |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 19:13 - Jan 23 by daveB |
The big difference is the midfield, we're a lot better with Johansen and Field now than when we had Ball & Amos as first choice. Also have more of a winning mentality in the squad than we did that season
I do think that team did under perform in the end but not by much, should have finished top half but fell away after lockdown. |
I still think we had chance of the play offs after that Preston win. We were on a roll and felt like we were gonna go on a run
Lockdown changed that and we were poor when we played again | | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 20:04 - Jan 23 with 2426 views | GroveR |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 17:30 - Jan 23 by Match82 |
We were 4th top scorers that year. I don't think we underachieved in attacking terms but we were terrible defensively and that was our undoing. |
Epitomised by Manning for me. Superb bombing forward, poor covering back. With him and Kane doing the same thing on either side it was like playing 3-3-1-2 when we didn't have the ball.
Not really seen him play for Swansea so might have improved but I'd like to have seen that improvement with us. |  | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 22:11 - Jan 23 with 2279 views | Logman |
Didn"t see much of Hugill but I wouldn"t say that Nahki Wells was necessarily better than any of Charlie, Dykes or Gray. Good finisher on his day but the latter three are better link-up players. Then, to be honest if you swap out Willock for Eze then you don"t really lose out - in my opinion, you gain. So just taking those three I"d actually say we are no worse off, and then add the improvements at the other end of the pitch (Dieng, Albert, Dickie, Dunne) and its not hard to see why we are more consistent. | | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 06:44 - Jan 24 with 2043 views | dmm |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 19:19 - Jan 23 by WestbourneR |
Always said Grant Hall was a poor defender with no leadership. Used to get pellets.
But in essence the key fact in this is Warbs has built the entire team from the ground up, in his image and with a fresh and united ethic.
So this team is greater than it’s parts.
The team he inherited was not. |
"So this team is greater than it’s parts."
Nail on the head for me. Many will have seen in times past when this happens. When the magic happens, not only does the team perform at its best, but individuals do too. |  | | |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 10:30 - Jan 24 with 1853 views | Paddyhoops |
| The Naki/ Hugil/ Eze team on 17:33 - Jan 23 by Toast_R |
That's true. Remember being annoyed when Grant Hall left? In hindsight, that was probably the best thing he ever did for the club... |
Never ever got the Grant Hall fetish.
Just never impressed me. Some decent games but never cut the mustard for me!! | | | |
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