[TheBaggieMan]

With Villa losing, as I write, 1-6 to Man City, you have to wonder how we would fare if we did get promoted.

Would we strengthen the squad enough to avoid humiliations like this one? Would Lai make funds available to strengthen with the needed quality players?

If we are do get promoted, how many drubbings like this will we find ourselves on the wrong end.

There is clearly a massive gulf between the Championship and Premier League and I wonder just how we could bridge that gap.

Yes I want to be dining at the top table but not if that's the kind of meal we have to look forward to unless we can do a Wo1ve5 or Sheffield United.

[gazberg]

We'd need to invest wisely although that's easier said than done.


Look at Sheff Utd. A limited bunch but managed well and organised and added a few quality players in the summer.

Villa have just gone and bought a load of tat in general. Swore they were not doing a Fulham but thats exactly what they have done.

[wbarenno]

With Villa losing, as I write, 0-6 to Man City. You have to wonder how we would fare if we did get promoted.

Would we strengthen the squad enough to avoid humiliations like this one? Would Lai make funds available to strengthen with the needed quality players?

If we are do get promoted, how many drubbings like this will we find ourselves on the wrong.

There is clearly a massive gulf between the Championship  and Premier league and I wonder just how we could bridge that gap.

Yes I want to be dining at the top table but not if that's the kind of meal we have tolook forward to unless we can do a Wo1ve5 or Sheffield United.

I get what your saying mate but games against Man City aren’t the important games to us. We will never be on par with teams like that’s . The games we target to win aren’t against teams like city and you can’t judge teams like Albion or villa against teams like. City

You could finish 5th in the league but still get hammered 10-0 by city

[liverbaggie]

If 2 points per match on average gets you promotion,we need 13 more wins from 19 games left.
Or say another 38 points.
Start the countdown,but as we know it is the Albion were talking about here.
Passing Villa on the way up.

[TheJacko2000]

Villa went up at least a year early carried by one player and in spite of any tactical nous from their poor manager.


They then s*** the bed and refused to back the lads that got them there instead spending the best part of £150 million on an entire team that aside from the goalkeeper had never played in the Premier League.


It's the blue print for how not to do it.

[leeiswba]

To be honest since Lai has been here I don’t really see how anyone can say we haven’t been backed or made signings. The first summer he was here we basically spent the whole budget and we’re playing people £100k+, pretty much everyone was saying it was our best ever window. Ended in relegation but that’s not really his fault.

Last January we made plenty signings and again people were saying fantastic window, again we didn’t kick on but once again that’s not his fault; I would say the last summer window was successful as well.

I think we will spend if we go up as it really is in his best interests for us to stay up, it’s up to other people to make sure it’s spent correctly

[zippyandbungle]

To be honest since Lai has been here I don’t really see how anyone can say we haven’t been backed or made signings. The first summer he was here we basically spent the whole budget and we’re playing people £100k+, pretty much everyone was saying it was our best ever window. Ended in relegation but that’s not really his fault.

Last January we made plenty signings and again people were saying fantastic window, again we didn’t kick on but once again that’s not his fault; I would say the last summer window was successful as well.

I think we will spend if we go up as it really is in his best interests for us to stay up, it’s up to other people to make sure it’s spent correctly

Agree, someone wasted money on Burke ....but the chairman gets moaned at for not spending .
I have faith in those in charge now.

[TheBaggieMan]

Agree, someone wasted money on Burke ....but the chairman gets moaned at for not spending .
I have faith in those in charge now.

"One for the future" Pulis said when he bought Oliver Burke.  I think Pulis meant the future scrapheap!

I understand it was widely suggested that both Burke and Pulis shared the same Agent at the time and one wonders what 'incentives' were offered for us to take Burke at what was it, £13m ?  £13.00 would have been nearer the mark!

[johnnyg]

"One for the future" Pulis said when he bought Oliver Burke.  I think Pulis meant the future scrapheap!

I understand it was widely suggested that both Burke and Pulis shared the same Agent at the time and one wonders what 'incentives' were offered for us to take Burke at what was it, £13m ?  £13.00 would have been nearer the mark!

I think the P (ulis) word should be completely banned by mods on here. It just shouldn't be uttered at all. By anyone.

[Standaman]

As ever the bottom half of the Premier League is very congested as it has been for the last decade clubs continue to spend money badly chop and change managers and are pretty much stuck in the range of 0.75 to 1.25 points a game. As ever any team is 3 good or bad results away from comfort or crisis.

For what it is worth if promoted I can see us being rock bottom or mid-table. I don't think we will break 50 points but then again less than half the division will. I assume we will strengthen. I would hope we don't fall into the trap of trying to buy a whole new team. I hope we concentrate on getting players that fit Bilic's basic style of play focussing on younger players from outside the Premier League. The last thing I want to see are a bunch of players with Premier League experience being bolted onto this squad. No more Darren Fletcher's or Gareth Barry's thank you very much.

[mulliganstired]

I have decided to make a list of our players who are good enough for the Prem:

Perreira

[wba_1996]

We'd need to sign 6-7 starters to stay up imo, assuming Diangana goes back and not counting Pereira. It would be helpful if we could get 1 of them in this January. I think Pereira, arguably Furlong, one of Hegazi/Ajayi (alongside a better CB), Gibbs if fully fit (unlikely) and maybe Sawyers if we get a top quality ball-winner alongside him are good enough to start in the PL. Obviously we'd have a ok-ish bench with the likes of Phillips, Livermore, Austin/Zohore.

I honestly think we'll drop into the playoffs though. Brentford and Fulham look stronger to me, and the current run is bringing us closer to where I thought this squad would finish. We'd need to win the next 3 for me to really believe we could finish top 2, and all look like nailed-on draws to me.

[Throstletown]

If you look at Sheffield Utd team, so far the success from promotion no real stars but a team of high energy with quick feet and passing, solid defence and go for 90 minutes every time they cross the line.
Does that remind you of our team or is it a case of we have relied on our 2 loans predominately who are between them good enough to take apart most teams in this division.
Major rebuild for me if we get there as I think most teams have worked us out in this division, and in the Premiership our midfield and the pace they play would not hold up against them all.
Im a realist folks Mr Lai needs deep pockets in my opinion
 

[wbarenno]

Team if we go up

new keeper
furlong
new center back
Hegazi /ajei
new left back ( can’t rely on Gibbs always injured)

Livermore
Sawyers

Phillips ( probably need to improve on him now though)
Perriera
Diangana if we sign him if not someone new

New striker

Potentially 5-6 new starters needed on the team we have now I think

[overseas baggie]

If you look at Sheffield Utd team, so far the success from promotion no real stars but a team of high energy with quick feet and passing, solid defence and go for 90 minutes every time they cross the line.
Does that remind you of our team or is it a case of we have relied on our 2 loans predominately who are between them good enough to take apart most teams in this division.
Major rebuild for me if we get there as I think most teams have worked us out in this division, and in the Premiership our midfield and the pace they play would not hold up against them all.
Im a realist folks Mr Lai needs deep pockets in my opinion

Could spend £20m and survive, or £120m and get relegated.  The odds are stacked against us.  Wise, clever and sensible recruitment is vital, and of course only two loans permitted.  It wouldn’t bother me if we came straight back down as long we “give it a go”, like Sheffield United are, trying to win the truly winnable games.  I never want to see us setting up at home with 8 defensive players like we did v the likes of Huddersfield!   Promotion isn’t worth it if that’s all we are going to do.

[elmo_in_swansea]

I was deeply disappointed by losing the po to the Seals. However, in my heart I knew we weren't goog enough to go up. They've spent in excess of 100m K and are still struggling. Tbh I don't think we'd have spent that so would probably have been worse off. ps they had a few loanees last season as well.
As always there are exceptions ie Sheff Utd but will they be ok next season when they've been found out. Remember Huddersfield, I think, got something like 24pts early on one season and struggled.
Unfortunately good quality investment is needed to survive realistically.

[Throstletown]

I think Livermore and Sawyers would need upgrading.
Sawyers is good if given time but if you close down his right foot, the other one is just for standing on.
Livermore is a Championship player and his past record speaks for itself.
Without a dominating partnership everything else suffers just like teams now high pressing us every game causing us problems. The prem midfielders will love our 2, they are faster and more clinical and we haven't the pace to recover when it goes wrong. Championship teams let you off with mistakes the Premiership make you pay more often then not.       

[FallOutBoy]

Villa went up at least a year early carried by one player and in spite of any tactical nous from their poor manager.


They then s*** the bed and refused to back the lads that got them there instead spending the best part of £150 million on an entire team that aside from the goalkeeper had never played in the Premier League.


It's the blue print for how not to do it.

Players that get you out the Championship are not necessarily ones that will keep you in the Premier. Gayle is a 20+ goals a season man in the Championship, but in the Premier 6 is a good season for him.

If we get promotion and stick with this team, we'll be mullered every week.

[kendo]

Most of the posts on this subject are spot on. We can,t beat teams in the lower half of the championship ,never mind the prem. Some of the problems fans can see , never seem to be noted by the men at the top. We never have any pace in midfield and never get the midfield playmaker we have been crying out for for ages. We have a keeper whose boots are set in mud, never dominates the box. Do we have a goalkeeping coach? We might aswell start playing more of our youngsters, they might have more energy

[TheJacko2000]

Players that get you out the Championship are not necessarily ones that will keep you in the Premier. Gayle is a 20+ goals a season man in the Championship, but in the Premier 6 is a good season for him.

If we get promotion and stick with this team, we'll be mullered every week.

Tell that to John Fleck et al.


For example Sawyers will easily be good enough for the PL provided we get a decent defensive centre midfielder in the Mulumbu mould.


Furlong will be fine in the top division. We know Hegazi, Austin, Gibbs and Phillips can play there. Pereira obviously good enough while due to his pace Ajayi should be able to make a fist of it.


We will need a first choice Goalkeeper, a first choice striker and a left side midfielder. Along with the aforementioned engine room midfielder. The rest are easily good enough to stay up. That's all that matters first season back, another thing Villa and their "top 6" fans failed to understand.

[skyclad99]

Players that get you out the Championship are not necessarily ones that will keep you in the Premier. Gayle is a 20+ goals a season man in the Championship, but in the Premier 6 is a good season for him.

If we get promotion and stick with this team, we'll be mullered every week.

To put this in perspective, you do know that Dwight was the top goalscorer at Crystal Palace for the three years he was there don't you? That tells you everything you need to know about the quality of service that the strikers were getting at the time.

  https://www.holmesdale.net/page.php?id=82&story=4356

[Albionic]

This is all a bit premature IMO, Forest win their game in hand and they are just 6 points behind us, we should be more interested in how we grow the gap again rather than worrying about footballing nirvana

[TheJacko2000]

This is all a bit premature IMO, Forest win their game in hand and they are just 6 points behind us, we should be more interested in how we grow the gap again rather than worrying about footballing nirvana

We way to look at it (at this stage) is that we grew that gap to offset the inevitable blip. We will come good again imo with some minor tweaks.


Forget the 14 point lead, if we'd have been offered 7 points clear on January 12th and still in the cup back in August everyone would have taken it.

[Throstletown]

John Fleck has a determined energetic team around him.
They run for 90 minutes, and have players busting a gut to get in the box from all over the field.
At the moment we have Pereira trying to orchestrate everything going forward.
Austin is a 30 minute footballer at best and slow, how the Premiership is going to make his ability to run faster and longer is beyond me.
Phillips has the ability but has not done it consistently for weeks/months now he is sporadic at the moment and this is his usual season as witnessed over the years.
Gibbs is paying the price of age and his injuries are coming over and over again. Don't get me wrong he is our best left back but the constant overlapping is now taking its toll on his body.
Hegazi decent solid box defender and can do a job but was in the team when we were relegated in a defence minded team, and his frailties showed when trying to playing out from the back.
Sawyers very good Championship midfielder but lacks the ability to drive the ball forward, can not tackle and gives up on chasing his opposite number if he cant pull him back. There's a reason why he has not had his chance above this level.
This might sound a downer its not Ive enjoyed the football this season but this is about promotion and being honest.
We will stay within a budget and hope if we do get to the promised land to survive, our best players this season has been youth and that's what we should be speculating in this transfer window.
Young and hungry players needed who concentrate on the pitch to do there talking ala Pereira, Grady, Fergie and Furlong who have shone for me just need a few more to replace for a real crack at it. 
         

[timdon]

Tell that to John Fleck et al.


For example Sawyers will easily be good enough for the PL provided we get a decent defensive centre midfielder in the Mulumbu mould.


Furlong will be fine in the top division. We know Hegazi, Austin, Gibbs and Phillips can play there. Pereira obviously good enough while due to his pace Ajayi should be able to make a fist of it.


We will need a first choice Goalkeeper, a first choice striker and a left side midfielder. Along with the aforementioned engine room midfielder. The rest are easily good enough to stay up. That's all that matters first season back, another thing Villa and their "top 6" fans failed to understand.

Might as well add Brunt to this list. All 4 used to be of the required standard to play in the Premier League, but a mixture of age and injuries have taken their toll, and none of them are of the required standard any more.