How Good Are We?

[zicorice]

I will put this in this thread.
Are we really good enough for top 6?

On our day our threat is obvious and from results we have had we are capable of getting there.

My concerns are:
Back 3 though effective looks painfully slow at times Cook especially
If the Johnson/Spence combo down the right is snuffed out we have few other options
We miss Grabban/ a goal poacher
Lowe has gone back to looking pretty average, there is little threat on the left
Thin 1st team, not many options on bench who would change a game

Discuss.

If it were a 39 game season  I'd be confident we are one of best 6 sides. Unfortunately, its not and we were hamstrung by those first 7 games.

Agree with most of your observations except re Lowe. He currently is the left side  little support defensively or attacking unless Zinc plays out there. 

The formation relies on our right side to win their personal contest which last night Preston managed to win. It happens. 

Think Davis needs to hold ball up better and then release it earlier than he did last night and to a Forest player. 

Back 3 lacks pace  but more than makes up for it in know how. If Mckenna or Joe were quicker they would have been snapped up years ago by a top 6 prem side.

Onto the next one.

[zicorice]

It's obvious that we are not the finished article and a couple of pieces of the jigsaw are still missing.

However it's worth remembering that we are probably ahead of where we expected to be at this stage (since Cooper came in).

Having a fit Joe Lolley again and getting him back to somewhere close to his best would be a massive bonus for us.

100% this

[wassy04]

I will put this in this thread.
Are we really good enough for top 6?

On our day our threat is obvious and from results we have had we are capable of getting there.

My concerns are:
Back 3 though effective looks painfully slow at times Cook especially
If the Johnson/Spence combo down the right is snuffed out we have few other options
We miss Grabban/ a goal poacher
Lowe has gone back to looking pretty average, there is little threat on the left
Thin 1st team, not many options on bench who would change a game

Discuss.

I think this is the best team we've had since Billy mk1 and the last two games haven't suddenly changed that. We were never going to be able to maintain the level that we had vs Leicester and Blackburn permanently. Teams will find ways to match us and hopefully we'll rise above it. We've not even lost in the last two games!

So yes in conclusion I think we are one of the best 6 teams even with the headstart the other teams got. 

I would prefer to see Zinc or Mighten play instead of one of the CMs to unlock the left side as an attacking threat more though. Lowe is a bit isolated right now and it does make us a bit predictable.

[TrentEnd]

I think we have the best team for ages, but fear we will fall short. Those around us keep winning and we just don't seem to be able to get established in that top 6. 

Our start to the season will cost us I think.

[tugger2018]

I don’t like to say this but lolley is finished he will never be that quality player again

[Jon Moss]

I wouldn't write Lolley off yet and getting him back to three quarters of the player he was would still be beneficial to us.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

I agree SL Lolley can still play a big part this season. I was delighted to see him back on the bench at Preston.

[JollyLolly]

I am going to give it a real go when I get back into the side, but it is hard to get a starting place at present, maybe show my worth via 20 min or so sub appearances at the end of games if chasing a result?