The best first eleven in the league.

[ToffeeDan]

Give us a new keeper and a settled back four and we will be fine next season.

 

[Brendan Janus]

When I look at the transfer speculation thread and miscellaneous other threads about how our best players are going to be signed this summer by all sorts of teams, it got me wondering about how good our players really are, just how far from the best first eleven in the premiership are we ?

Coleman is going to Utd, Arsenal or Chelsea,
Barkley probably to Man City,
Stones to replace Terry at Chelsea,
McCarthy to Spurs, Utd or Arsenal
Lukaku to Wolfsburg or Altetico Madrid,
Mirallas to Atletico as well
Baines is the only one for certain that we know was a genuine target for Utd.

That is seven of our first team that,if you believe the papers and commentators are wanted by the biggest and richest clubs around.
If you were to add Jagielka to that(subject of a failed bid from Arsenal some years ago) does that mean three more players would give us a first eleven as good as any in the premiership?.............or are we overrating our players as we often do?

That's really cheered me up

 

[catcherintherye]

We have a good core of players. At present we don't have a single world class player though.

 

[Albertini78]

You gits have ruined young Rodwell.

I think City did that mate ... He's been awful for us mind shame as I use to really rate the lad

 

[Allezfan]

I think City did that mate ... He's been awful for us mind shame as I use to really rate the lad

Yeah, it's hard to tell with these young kids I guess. I was gutted when we sold him but he's just not made it at all. Just didn't have the mental side, I think.

 

[MACCA75]

I think City did that mate ... He's been awful for us mind shame as I use to really rate the lad

If you rated him then you hadn't really been watching him. He's the same player for your lot as he was for us.

 

[PhilM]

Sometimes it's just that player fits into that particular system.

Exactly. Football is a team sport and while a player's individual ability is a factor to success, it only works when utilised as a team.

Yes we may overstate some players abilities on occasions, however it doesn't mean that some of our players wouldn't thrive at top clubs.

A player sometimes simply fits into a system and performs. As a whole ours have worked well this season, but then they did the year before.

 

[Albertini78]

If you rated him then you hadn't really been watching him. He's the same player for your lot as he was for us.

I bet he spilt opinions amongst your fans just like Henderson did with ours ... For what I seen of him for you's he looked a good prospect a few year ago IMO

 

[MACCA75]

I bet he spilt opinions amongst your fans just like Henderson did with ours ... For what I seen of him for you's he looked a good prospect a few year ago IMO

There is a difference between a good prospect and a good player - he was always one but not the other.

 

[Deleted member 24970]

Give me a manager that is willing to drop out of form players and play a balanced team.

Howard, Coleman, Jags, Stones, Baines, Lennon, mccarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Barkley, Lukaku is our strongest 11. Of those only Stones, Coleman, McCarthy and maybe Lukaku would be courted by the top 4.