| The squad 15:36 - Apr 23 with 1754 views | _clive_baker_ |
For differing reasons e.g. ability, potential, age profile, form etc I put the squad in the following buckets of importance. Some debatable ones here I'm sure, but I'm coming at it more along the lines of difficulty to replace and potential to be real differentials for us next season.
We'll lose some but ideally a maximum of 2 from Tier 1 for me, and perhaps 2 from Tier 2. If we've got 10 of those 14 fit and firing here next season its the basis of a really good squad and a decent level of continuity. Ideally retain half of Tier 3, I wouldn't lose any sleep over the Tier 4.
Add 6 or so including loanees who can slot into 1 & 2 and we're cooking.
Tier 1: Delap, Hutchinson, Philogene, O'Shea, Davis.
Tier 2: J. Clarke, Szmodics, Greaves, Tuanzebe, Hirst, Broadhead, Burns, Chaplin, Johnson.
Tier 3: Burgess, Woolfy, Palmer, Ogbene, Townsend, Taylor, Humphreys, Morsy, H.Clarke.
Tier 4: Walton, Muric, Luongo, Al-Hamadi, Baggot, Harness
Thoughts? [Post edited 23 Apr 15:39]
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| The squad on 15:43 - Apr 23 with 1674 views | blue_curacao |
I'd put Tuanzebe in Tier 1. Otherwise pretty much agree |  | | |
| The squad on 15:53 - Apr 23 with 1627 views | SomethingBlue |
Although he'll probably feature less – if he's here at all – I'd put Morsy in tier 2, what he's given us is very hard to replace both tangibly and intangibly. Managing to do so is critical to our fate. | |
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| The squad on 21:50 - Apr 23 with 1317 views | monty_radio |
Given that Delap is a gonna, and finding someone better than Hirst for a sensible fee would be difficult, I'd say Hirst dhould be in the first rank (injuries permitting!). | |
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| The squad on 22:02 - Apr 23 with 1268 views | MK1 |
Tier 1 : Hutchinson, Szmodics, J.Clarke, Morsy, Woolfy, Greaves, Hirst.
Tier 2: Townsend, Burns, Chaplin, Palmer, Philogene, Taylor, Johnson, Ogbene, Broadhead.
If we can keep both of these tiers together, then we start in a very strong position. |  |
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| The squad on 22:09 - Apr 23 with 1241 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
Delap is both our best player and the most difficult to replace. If he goes Hirst's importance jumps to number 1 of the top tier.
We need to develop partnerships all over the pitch. Currently Hutchinson, Philogene and J Clarke are not offering the level of importance the tiers they are in suggests. They definitely have that potential. I would rate Ogbene higher from what I saw of him before he got injured.
It is interesting where Muric sits. He either gets bombed out as an expensive mistake or could redeem himself. Maybe the ideal is he gets a loan away somewhere and recovers confidence. |  |
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| The squad on 22:39 - Apr 23 with 1163 views | Simonds92 |
| The squad on 22:09 - Apr 23 by Nthsuffolkblue |
Delap is both our best player and the most difficult to replace. If he goes Hirst's importance jumps to number 1 of the top tier.
We need to develop partnerships all over the pitch. Currently Hutchinson, Philogene and J Clarke are not offering the level of importance the tiers they are in suggests. They definitely have that potential. I would rate Ogbene higher from what I saw of him before he got injured.
It is interesting where Muric sits. He either gets bombed out as an expensive mistake or could redeem himself. Maybe the ideal is he gets a loan away somewhere and recovers confidence. |
Delap is our best player yes... but not the most difficult to replace when we have a ready made replacement in Hirst. We know Delap is going, so for me, the most important player for us to keep this summer is Hirst. There aren't very many strikers out there of their profiles, and we would really struggle if we lost them both. | | | |
| The squad on 22:47 - Apr 23 with 1146 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| The squad on 22:39 - Apr 23 by Simonds92 |
Delap is our best player yes... but not the most difficult to replace when we have a ready made replacement in Hirst. We know Delap is going, so for me, the most important player for us to keep this summer is Hirst. There aren't very many strikers out there of their profiles, and we would really struggle if we lost them both. |
Hirst has had injury problems and we have needed a 3rd striker with Delap and Hirst. There is no way we can afford to lose Delap and not replace him. Relying on Al Hamadi, Buabo, whoever else is in the U21s really is not a good idea (unless there is a real superstar breaking through).
We have also spent 3 seasons chasing players in that position and only managed to get Hirst, Delap and Al Hamadi (plus Keiffer Moore and Dane Scarlett on loan) over the line when we have clearly tried to get at least 1 more in each season. | |
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| The squad on 23:17 - Apr 23 with 1083 views | LankHenners |
Would maybe switch Broadhead and Ogbene as the latter will share that right hand side duty with Burns and we've seen what happens when we don't have someone like them in the team, and the former has at least a couple if not three players ahead of him in his position as it is.
I wouldn't lose Broadhead completely as someone with his ability who's capable of hitting double figures at Champ level is certainly a good option to have, though he's unlikely to get in many weeks over Clarke and Jaden if everyone's fit and firing.
Could argue Burns should be bumped up to Tier 1 given the above about how we need that right hand side to work and he does such a good job of it it's often called 'the Burns role'. |  |
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| The squad on 10:04 - Apr 24 with 780 views | _clive_baker_ |
| The squad on 15:53 - Apr 23 by SomethingBlue |
Although he'll probably feature less – if he's here at all – I'd put Morsy in tier 2, what he's given us is very hard to replace both tangibly and intangibly. Managing to do so is critical to our fate. |
Contrary to my initial 'ranking' I would agree with that, particularly his influence and experience. We should aspire to be in a position where Morsy isn't a starter for us really, I think we aimed to do it last summer but to Morsy's credit and perhaps Phillip's injuries and form its not really been the case. | | | |
| The squad on 10:11 - Apr 24 with 750 views | WeWereZombies |
TWTD standards are slipping, no one has asked for a vowel from the top row and two consonants yet, Carol... |  |
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| The squad on 10:14 - Apr 24 with 733 views | _clive_baker_ |
| The squad on 10:11 - Apr 24 by WeWereZombies |
TWTD standards are slipping, no one has asked for a vowel from the top row and two consonants yet, Carol... |
Vorders, phwoar! | | | |
| The squad on 10:26 - Apr 24 with 696 views | IPSWICHFANITFC |
I'd have Tuanzebe in tier 1. He will be a noticeable miss if he did move on.
I'd probably drop Philogene to tier 2 (although he will need to play like a tier 1 player next season). I'm yet to see something from him in an Ipswich shirt that makes me feel optimistic ahead of next season (without sounding too critical as he's been here 3 months). Jack Clarke, despite not really having the impact we hoped for this season, has shown more glimpses/moments of his ability.
Morsy I'd have in tier 2 as well. Apart from that, I agree with the rest.
I'll be interested to see how we use Ben Johnson though. Playing right midfield in a team struggling in the PL is a sensible selection, but I can't see him playing right midfield in a team pushing for promotion in the Championship. If Tuanzebe went, would he be trusted to play in that hybrid RB role? He's struggled when he was playing there this season. |  |
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| The squad on 10:58 - Apr 24 with 659 views | _clive_baker_ |
| The squad on 10:26 - Apr 24 by IPSWICHFANITFC |
I'd have Tuanzebe in tier 1. He will be a noticeable miss if he did move on.
I'd probably drop Philogene to tier 2 (although he will need to play like a tier 1 player next season). I'm yet to see something from him in an Ipswich shirt that makes me feel optimistic ahead of next season (without sounding too critical as he's been here 3 months). Jack Clarke, despite not really having the impact we hoped for this season, has shown more glimpses/moments of his ability.
Morsy I'd have in tier 2 as well. Apart from that, I agree with the rest.
I'll be interested to see how we use Ben Johnson though. Playing right midfield in a team struggling in the PL is a sensible selection, but I can't see him playing right midfield in a team pushing for promotion in the Championship. If Tuanzebe went, would he be trusted to play in that hybrid RB role? He's struggled when he was playing there this season. |
I've thought similar about Johnson. He's the profile of a more pragmatic right hand side IMO than we saw last season in Burns (although defensively and positionally he's excellent), and for good reason and to good effect on a few occasions this season. As you say at a lower level and with more onus to hopefully be on the front foot for longer periods it begs the question whether its the role for him. IF Tuanzebe does go I would be inclined to give Johnson the #2 shirt and a chance to make the right sided slot his own. It's a bit of a different ask to a conventional RB in a back 4 but I think he's a good player and his versatility should help. He's a decent 1v1 defender although not at AT's level, can get forward well as well.
A back 4 of Davis - Greaves - O'Shea - Johnson in front of Palmer looks strong to me at Champ level. I could see 1 or potentially both of Davis or O'Shea moving on though. | | | |
| The squad on 12:07 - Apr 24 with 531 views | IPSWICHFANITFC |
| The squad on 10:58 - Apr 24 by _clive_baker_ |
I've thought similar about Johnson. He's the profile of a more pragmatic right hand side IMO than we saw last season in Burns (although defensively and positionally he's excellent), and for good reason and to good effect on a few occasions this season. As you say at a lower level and with more onus to hopefully be on the front foot for longer periods it begs the question whether its the role for him. IF Tuanzebe does go I would be inclined to give Johnson the #2 shirt and a chance to make the right sided slot his own. It's a bit of a different ask to a conventional RB in a back 4 but I think he's a good player and his versatility should help. He's a decent 1v1 defender although not at AT's level, can get forward well as well.
A back 4 of Davis - Greaves - O'Shea - Johnson in front of Palmer looks strong to me at Champ level. I could see 1 or potentially both of Davis or O'Shea moving on though. |
I agree he's the profile of a more pragmatic right midfielder at this level. It's fairly basic what he does though, there's nothing special about him. He's not going to give an opposing full back a hard game because he's not attack minded/a natural winger. I personally don't think he's good enough defensively either. He is good at getting back into position and offering support to the right back, he doesn't switch off when it comes to that, but that is the defensive brain in him.
I think he will look at Tanganga from Millwall if Tuanzebe goes. He's a similar profile and has the same attributes. Harry Clarke has not quite got to the level yet to make that spot his but he fits into the hybrid role better than Johnson does. I'm not sure where Johnson gets minutes next season. I wouldn't be surprised if he moved on. | |
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