Is 2014/15 really our best ever squad?

I've been looking back at the 09/10 squad.  I seriously think that we're ignoring what a good side that turned out to be.

In that year:

-GK: started the season with Paston but after an injury signed Liam Reddy, who probably out in the best form of his career and the best goal keeping we've seen at Westpac.  This year we have Moss who combines excellent saves with some poor mistakes.  Italiano firmly backup.  Verdit 09/10 win

- CBs: we had Durante, Sigmund and John McKain - all younger and at the top of their game.  Only conceded 29 goals in 27 games.  This year we have Siggie, Durante and Boxall.  No improvement in personnel ond efence that has conceded 100 goals in 2 seasons.  Verdict clear 09/10 win

- FBs: we had Lochhead and Muscat, with Troy Hearfield as backup, took over once Muscat moved into midfield.  Lochhead was playing very good football and went on to be a key player in WC qualifying and played over 100 games for the club.  Hearfield was a decent attacking option.  This year we have the completely untested Doyle and Muscat plus a number of inexperienced backups who would be playing out of position. Verdict, slight 09/10 win

- Central midfield: in 09/10 we used various combinations of Lia, Muscat, and Tim Brown.  Muscat's move into midfield changed our season and Brown had a great year in attack scoring 8 goals but overall this was our main weak spot, not a lot of passing and fairly functional.  Diego a major flop.  This year we have the proven Riera, plus 2 guys with pedigree but very little top level experience.  Should be much better this year but proof will be in the pudding.  Could include McGlinchey here as well, plus some decent young options as back up.  Verdict 14/15 win.

- Wide attackers: Leo had probably his best ever season playing every game providing 8 assists (and 2 goals).  Adrian Caceres was handy scoring 4 goals.  Kosta showed some flashes but not used a lot.  Marco was injured a lot in his first season.  This year we should have a much better range of wide attackers.  I'll include McGlinchey here and he should be a star.  I like Boyd, and Krishna could also play wide.  Fenton could also play a number of matches if he finds form.  Very little proven goal scoring though.  Lots of potentially talented players but may be a challenge to slot them together.  Verdict 14/15 win.

- Strikers:  In 09/10 we signed Chris Greenacre and Paul Ifill, both performed very well and are probably 2 of our top 5 players ever.  Ifill was peerless and scored goals for fun at times (13 plus 9 assist).  Greenacre was a workhorse and a true pro, although not particularly dynamic (6 goals and an assist)  Eugene Dadi was good at the end of the season (scored 5 in 10).  This year striking looks a real weakness with only Brockie a true out and out striker.  Burns has been quiet for a number of seasons and has looked worryingly quiet in pre-season.  Cunningham seems on the outer.  Krishna seems unlikely to start but could be useful, could play wide.  Verdict 09/10 win.

- Bench and squad depth: Kosta, Caceres and Daniel came off the bench fairly regularly but overall we were lucky with injuries as the squad was not particularly deep.  This year, we have a bigger squad, although the worry persists that we have depth, but not much strength in depth (i.e. some of our fringe players haven't shown they are definitely up to or ready for A-League football (Lia, Hicks, Krishna, Rufer, Ridenton, Boxall, Brindell-South).

I'm not sure that our current squad, with what seems like obvious weaknesses at striker and in defence, really deserves the title of best ever just yet.

Muscat was such a beast in midfield that season too. He eliminated the best playmakers in the competition from the so completely they might as well not have been playing.

Thing is that team finished 4th and to be honest our squad this year doesn't really look like to me at least it will match that.  

With you on that JD,am a bit surprised at the many calls about this years squad being the best ever when they havnt even started their campaign.Really hoping that by the end of year we will being saying that they are,but to be calling that at this stage is prmature. 

I think we're relying on all of our new players hitting their peak, but history tells us that just doesn't happen.  There will undoubtedly be disappointments in the players we've signed, that's inevitable.

agree though it has the potential to be. 

Excited to see how it turns out. 

But for now, I think the 09/10 squad edges it because they have already delivered. 

JD, That is a very fair and accurate assessment. To be honest Moss still makes me nervous. One moment of brilliance followed by a schoolboy error. At the other end, I hope Brockie does have a decent season, he should be at his peak around now. Still, watch the free transfers in the Jan window just in case.

Can't forget the fact that every other team has been improving each season.

If that same 09/10 team was our team for this season then 4th would be a miracle.

With Ernie at the helm I reckon overall this years team is better than 09/10.

have other teams really improved every year as much as people say? 

It's often said as a matter of fact, but I often find myself wondering and doubting it. 

I think the best teams are better - I agree with you though as I don't think 6-10 has really changed that much.  Last 2 years we and Heart have been properly crap, like just bad at football crap

have the top teams improved or just swapped places with a team that has but are at roughly the same level (or maybe only slightly better)? I'm thinking CCM here. 

WSW are new and have (as much as it pains me to say) improved the quality of the competition over the team they replaced. That's all I can say for certain. 

Sorry, I'm taking this off topic. 

Excellent question and summary.

14/15 looks fantastic.  Love the midfield; good young players coming through; good experience and level heads.  If Roly or A-Rod turns into an Ifill type signing (talismanic, not positionally) then this may well be the best ever.  I can't wait to find out

10 Days To Go

Completely agree with your assessment in the op, but think you should have included coaching in the mix. I know it doesn't relate to the best squad claim, but Ernie is a huge factor in my hopes that this squad might be able to continue to actually improve on what they've shown individually before. Take Siggy for example, yes he's getting older as you rightly point out, but recently I've been amazed by how calm he was on the ball, and how he is actually putting some lovely passes through. No get the ball, hoof it up field as quick as possible. A clear sign of development under Ernie and his new tactics.

To be honest I think 2014 Siggy is better than 2010 Siggy. Didn't he mostly play backup to Durante and McKain that year?

I would definitely say this is the most competitive squad we've ever had. That is not to say we're going to win the league unbeaten, but we have a very good mix of flair, discipline, youth, experience and a good number of players for key positions (LB is where things can get messy if Doyle gets injured).

Most importantly, we have a coach who knows how to make his team play good, attacking football. Not a dig on Ricky, but I think Ernie is simply a better coach and, even though last season was below average, some of the results were for us all to see.

It might be true that this is our best ever side. Or maybe its false. Who knows. But the thing is that every club in the competition has improved recently, so its irrelevant how good we are compared to previous seasons if we cant beat our improved opposition. For all we know the 09/10 squad couldve got pumped by everyone last season and finished dead last without a win.

The only thing that matters is scoring more goals in each game than the other team..irrespective of squad "best ever" tag.  The 09/10 match day team did that enough times to get 4th.  14/15 best ever match day midfield..yes.

Are you saying beer doesn't matter!?

Disagree. 

I think conceding less goals than the other team is just as important. 

I can be persuaded that this is equally as effective in terms of an outcome..albeit not as "entertaining"(which is what Welnix want). ;>)

I have raised this before and these links pose some questions or give rise to thought..the latter more supports defence first with reference to a book on the matter.

Introduction of goal difference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal_difference

Score more or concede less...

http://www.thesportinmind.com/articles/brazil-2014-to-score-or-to-avoid-conceding/

Maybe as a thought stimulus..or maybe mouth.. for some..but not to me ;>)

Personally i think conceding less goals than the other team is More Important.

Ifill was so good that year.  We scored 43 goals (edit: now includes finals) and he scored or assisted in 22 of them (13 goals, 9 assists). He was absolutely massive for us.  Big impact required to get close to that level

 Since we signed him our form has basically tracked his performances (i.e. downhill)!

Attack! Attack! Attack!

Score one more than the opponent = a win. Everytime*.

*own goals not included.

Never concede, never lose. Strikers have a off day? Take a point. Defenders? Whoops we've got nothing. Especially considering our recent defensive record... 

*I'm not saying park the bus or anything. I want to see goals galore too but a 3-4 loss is worse than a 1-0 win.

sheesh. A guy tries to make one lame joke...

Thanks for bringing to our attention the fact that a loss is worse than a win.

The reason we get that anticipation whenever he gets the ball at the corner of the box is we've seen him do that run where he turns the defender inside and out and then lashes it home so many times...dammit still can't write that in the past tense

i still don't understand why we haven't gone back to look for attacking guys in the same mould as Ifill/Greenacre (dropping down the divisions, 30ish, family guys looking for a good lifestyle).  Maybe the wages have moved on too much with the new premier league deal...

I do think it's the big gap in our squad this year.  A player who can score a goal out of nothing (and before you say Brockie, he only tends to do that when we're 3 or 4 down and the pressure is off)

Because Ernie wants young players with pace at the front.

i want lots of tap ins, which to me means we have played well as a team

tiki tapa - our very own N Zild style.

kia ora bro, tiki tapa it is

If you agree with the saying win the midfield win the game then I think we have our best team.

Except for the 11/12 season where we finished with the same amount of points as 09/10, had more wins, won 4 games in a row for the first time (incl 3 consecutive away wins) and the only season where we have had our points per game over 1.5 past round 3 which we achieved for 8 games. Siggy doesn't get injured in Perth, cracking goals to Greenacre and Muscat, in the finals and may have matched our finals performance too (in 09/10 we did benefit from the Jets upsetting GCU and getting that fixture at home).

Best midfield. Weaker everything else.

Better coaching than in 11/12. I rate Ernie higher than Ricki as a tactician.

i think the defence is on a par

Regardless of how we are looking, don't forget that other teams have also strengthened their squads.

Only time will tell.