Just how bad is our second XI?

[Allezfan]

The go to thing to say about us this season is excellent first team but thin squad.

So if we assume that our best eleven players are the ones we put against Spurs.

Howard
Coleman Jagielka Distin Baines
Mirallas Gibson Osman Pienaar
Fellaini
Jelavic​

Then our second best will probably be this.

Mucha
Hibbert Duffy Heitinga Oviedo
Naismith Neville/Hitz Barkley Gueye
Anichebe
Vellios​

So just how weak is that team in comparison to the bench warmers at our rivals?

Too weak for us to be able to compete?

 

[ijjysmith]

Yes it is weak.

 

[PeterMeter]

Apart from all players on the sides being played out of position I can definitely see that second XI going head to head with teams like Villa. Probably fighting around the relegation placings, but I think especially Mucha and Heitinga could make do with getting a bunch of consecutive games.

 

[Joey66]

How can you tell when DM persist in using the squad players played out of position using dads army instead of giving a youngster a try even as a sub the cup game proved that !!!

 

[TheBlueGibbon]

The go to thing to say about us this season is excellent first team but thin squad.

So if we assume that our best eleven players are the ones we put against Spurs.

Howard
Baines Distin Jagielka Coleman
Pienaar Gibson Osman Mirallas
Fellaini
Jelavic​

Then our second best will probably be this.

Mucha
Oviedo Duffy Heitinga Hibbert
Gueye Neville/Hitz Barkley Naismith
Anichebe
Vellios​

So just how weak is that team in comparison to the bench warmers at our rivals?

Too weak for us to be able to compete?

Mucha's a goalkeeper mate not a centre-forward, Although Anichebe as a sweeper could be interesting.
(Left and right are a bit muddled)

The second 11 is quite weak in comparison to Spurs though.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Depends who our rivals are doesn't it? I think most of the reserve players can come in and do a job, but what we're lacking a bit at the moment is a player that can come off the bench and change a game.

Man Utd have Hernandez or Valencia (or Nani?). Man City have a wealth of strikers to choose from. Chelsea had Oscar, Torres and Marin on the bench against Stoke.

Spurs are arguably our main rival at the moment, and their bench against QPR was:

• 24 Friedel
• 32 Assou-Ekotto
• 33 Caulker
• 02 Dempsey
• 06 Huddlestone
• 08 Parker
• 22 Sigurdsson

I'd say that's a better bench than our first choice bench, let alone our bench when a few are out injured.

 

[toffeemax]

you not know your left and rights?

 

[Bungle]

Have to be honest, that second XI is better than I thought we could field, although if it was our first XI I'd say they are a mid to lower half table team at best.

 

[toffeejack]

i don't reckon our 2nds team is that bad. but we do need about 3 or 4 good signings for sure. I reckon all the youngsters have a bit of something and then there's a blend of experience. I'd fully expect it to beat a few championship teams lets put it that way - just not as good as spurs or arsenal, but what do you expect with our finances - it looked a whole lot worse a few years back that's for sure

 

[Allezfan]

you not know your left and rights?

The left sided players are on the left side of the screen.

And the right sided players are on the right side of the screen.

What's wrong with that?

 

[TheBlueGibbon]

The left sided players are on the left side of the screen.

And the right sided players are on the right side of the screen.

What's wrong with that?

Baines is on the right with respect to the keeper. Coleman on the left.

 

[jtl60]

When you think the likes of Heitinga, Neville, Hitz, Naismith and Anichebe will regularly be on the pitch and part of the decent start we've made to the season. Then Duffy & Barkley have got good futures ahead of them. I would say only Gueye & Mucha are out and out not good enough. Oviedo hasnt really settled yet but I think he's useful enough

 

[emb]

Surprised there's actually 11 of them. Much better than I'd expected, but not a patch on the first XI, and not really strong enough for where we want to be.

 

[toffeejack]

Friedel
Fryers? Dawson/Caulker Gallas Naughton
Carroll? Huddlestone Parker Townsend
Siggurdson
Dempsey
​

not even sure what's their best XI, but seems to be adebayor and defoe up top atm - that's worse than ours i'd say tbh, surprising.

Fabianski
Jenkinson Mertesacker Squillaci Andre Santos
Gervinho Ramsey Diaby Rosicky Arshavin
Giroud​

better than ours

 

[Big Fat Sam]

Our second XI is terrible but we do have some players who can come in and do a job, a la Anichebe when he's on form, Hitzlsperger is a good option and Heitinga and Oviedo are both more than decent enough to come in if injuries strike. The problem is when we have to call on three or four of our 'second XI' at any one time, then we go to pieces.