Why do we need so many more players than Swansea and Norwich?

[silvercue]

We are in trouble, no doubt. But most on here think we need more players, some say another 6!

We have brought in some quality (on paper) in SWP, JB etc. And we already seemed to think we had better squads than Swansea and Norwich.

So how come we still need a bucket load of players when they are doing fine?

Is it that their style is better suited to the Prem, or do their players look more comfortable?

I can't simply have it is a teamwork/balance thing - otherwise MH should be able to do something similar without another shed load of players.

For the record I think we need more players too....I just don't understand why they are so far ahead of us and not just in terms of points, but performances.

[Sotonsuperhoop]

Both Norwich and Swansea have squads that are still mostly what they had last year and for the last three or four years in fact. Norwich have climbed the leagues without making massive changes to their squad each season, Swansea the same to a certain extent. Yesterday they fielded 8 of last season's squad in the starting line-up and Norwich do the same.

We on the other hand only had 6 and its fair to say if Traore and Barton were available that would have been only 4. We have a few 'big time' players in our squad with plenty of ego whereas Norwich and Swansea don't. Our lot are much harder to handle than theirs. So to a certain degree togetherness does have an effect, it certainly worked last season under Warnock

[stainrodisalegend]

We don't need MORE players as such, we need BETTER players. Infact in the summer a huge number should depart. We are left with the footballing detritus of half a dozen managers, players who can't even get into league one sides in some cases yet are on such inflated wages they aren't good enough to play for any club who cd afford them. Massive squad, poor first team - bad combo.

[vblockranger]

We don't need MORE players as such, we need BETTER players. Infact in the summer a huge number should depart. We are left with the footballing detritus of half a dozen managers, players who can't even get into league one sides in some cases yet are on such inflated wages they aren't good enough to play for any club who cd afford them. Massive squad, poor first team - bad combo.

just about sums it up

[Bluehoop]

I honestly believe the critical factor in all of this is/was a striker who can put the ball in the net.
There have been plenty of games this season where we have matched and even outplayed the enemy, created pressure and chances - but missed pretty much all of them. Let's face it, at this level you get punished if you don't take your chances. when you are scoring and winning, the luck tends to look after itself - take our fellow promoted teams who haven't had any really serious or long term injuries compared to us.
Finally, there is still insufficient recognition for what Warnock did in getting us up as Champions last season. Reality is, we were a mid table team that the previous season was fighting against recognition and too many of those players have failed to "get away with it" at Premier league level.

[Dale]

Team spirit

See the side great for the first 15 mins yesterday then we went deflated

Its that attitude of giving up once you see others around you not trying enough

[James1979]

1) 1 point from last 27
2) For 24 of those 27 we had 2 of our 1st XI available. Now they're stuck in Africa.

[silvercue]

Accepting all the answers it still puzzles me.

We were better than them last year, we have "improved" more than them and yet they look far more at home at this level.

Dale - if you are right and it is team spirit - then surely MH, if he is as good as we hope, should be able to change all that and at least match those two sides.

Maybe Egos/personalities are a part of all this.

[Mellowhoop]

I don't think anybody could answer that question correctly.

[MattyRangers]

Because we are in the relegation and they arent. Simples.

[silvercue]

I don't think anybody could answer that question correctly.

Vorderman could.

[winalotto]

Team spirit is definitely one issue and i believe as good as the take over was it didn't help this teams preparations for this league. And sadly they had better managers.

[Mellowhoop]

Bet she couldn't. She's not the women she once was.

[silvercue]

Bet she couldn't. She's not the women she once was.

I'll Google her. I might have to tweet her the thread. Mathmatically, she could keep us up.

[Mellowhoop]

Matchmatically she will... This is out of her depth though...Steven fry could tell us....or ray mears