Did this last summer and now the squad is starting to take some sort of shape, I thought lets do it again for this season. Bit tricky as we don’t know exactly how MF will set up, but by all accounts he’s a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-1-2 man. Will be updating as new signings come in.
So, if the season started tomorrow I reckon our first 11 could look a little like this (L to R as a 5-3-2):
Harris
Haynes
Bradbury
Bennett
Walters?
AJB
Kinsella
Young
Pell
Taylor
Street
Bench:
Bonds
Thomas
Keena
Liggett
King
Wilcox
Plenty of debate to be had about who will start in midfield, I went with Kins over Bonds because I assume MF knows him from Swindon and Walsall. I’ve not seen enough of Young to say what type of player he is, but potentially he’s Pett’s replacement. I’ve left Pett out as it sounds like he’s halfway out the door.
Hopefully he can also work out a way to get Thomas into the team. Maybe as an RWB option or as the AM in 3-4-1-2?
As a starting 11, it’s not far off - desperately need a RCB and a 1st choice keeper. Then it’s building the squad, probably with a fair few loans and Charlie Austin…
Next season’s 11 (24/25 edition)
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I can't remember too much about Bonds in previous league two campaigns and a quick check shows he was loaned out to Kidderminster for the majority of it. I think he (now) 'could' provide a solid foot on the ball in league two with three seasons in league one under his belt and the league giving him a little more forgiveness in some of his passing, should score more as well.
Will have to take his chances as can't see him starting with the players that have been bought in.
Will have to take his chances as can't see him starting with the players that have been bought in.
Midfield is looking comparatively strong and you'd imagine Young and Pell have come in to be first choice. I've been a big fan of Bonds, and always thought of him as a player who could kick on and player higher up but he wasn't great last season and we only saw the best of him in brief flashes.longmover wrote: ↑19 Jun 2024, 08:54 I can't remember too much about Bonds in previous league two campaigns and a quick check shows he was loaned out to Kidderminster for the majority of it. I think he (now) 'could' provide a solid foot on the ball in league two with three seasons in league one under his belt and the league giving him a little more forgiveness in some of his passing, should score more as well.
Will have to take his chances as can't see him starting with the players that have been bought in.
He strikes me as a confidence player, and maybe dropping down a level could help him rediscover his best form. There's another six-figure player there if he's playing at his best (I think Championship clubs have looked at him in the past?). If he's not at his best he'll find it hard to get into the team ahead of Kins, Pell and Young.
Don’t have to remember, it’s common knowledge.
Will be interesting to see what value we have put on him then, presume this is already known?
You say this like other clubs are lining up for him. He was a free agent when we picked him up last, what...October? Presumably because nobody had wanted him. He's now a year older and he didn't exactly end the season in good form.
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Warwickshire Robin
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Totally agree Shade. Also, I know we probably have to sweaten contracts with clauses like this as we can't pay the £'s players want, but it just stinks that they can basically say 'I can fail in my job but it doesn't matter as I'll just go back to League 1 anyway, stuff you lot'.
I was going to update this with the latest outgoings, but according to JP we might get some incomings today so i'll hold off until later.
Let's hope it's not just Evans and Day... Didn't GJ say we'd have 3/4 of our squad sorted by the Cleeve friendly? For that to be true we need about 8 signings by Friday!
Let's hope it's not just Evans and Day... Didn't GJ say we'd have 3/4 of our squad sorted by the Cleeve friendly? For that to be true we need about 8 signings by Friday!
I make 15, which includes Day who hadn't signed when I wrote the post, so 14, minus the inevitable departure Pett and Harris leaves 12... so 3/4 of 24 is 18 so let's say 6 would've been more accurate. Forgive the hyperbole! 5 transfers to go...
Right you are, i'd already discounted Pett for some reason so deducted him twice effectively. So only 4 transfers needed by Friday, with Evans coming in that leaves just 3. An RCB is pretty essential as we don't currently have that covered (I assume Bennett will play as the central CB) so one of them would be handy!
A squad of 24 seems too small unless you are excluding the three first year pros?
My preference would be for a tight, versatile squad and would say 24 senior pros plenty big enough.
Something like:
GKs - 2
CBs - 5
WBs - 4
CM - 6
ST - 5
In defence we'll probably have a CB that can cover WB and/or vice versa. That gives 22 players - in that i'd include King as 5th striker and potentially Liggett or Wilcox as 6th choice CM. Thomas maybe as a 23rd man as I'm not sure where he fits!
Based on Flynn's updates and the recent incomings and outgoings, here's an updated 11:
Evans
Haynes
Bradbury
Bennett
Walters?
AJB
Pett
Young
Pell
Taylor
Keena
Bench:
Day
Kinsella
Liggett
Wilcox
Thomas
Dulson
King
Not sure why I went for Kinsella on the bench, any midfield combo could work. I still don't see where Thomas fits, but he could easily be a starter, maybe in a 3-4-1-2? Sounds like we’ve seen the last of the major outgoings (unless a big bid comes in… not sure I see anyone going big on anything we’ve got left!). Really need to see some defensive incomings now…
Personally think we need 4 or 5 defenders, 1 or 2 more midfielders and 1 or 2 more strikers. How many will depend on the plans for Thomas and if the younger lads are actually going to be involved in the 1st team or are heading out on loan, sounds like Flynn is still undecided there.
Evans
Haynes
Bradbury
Bennett
Walters?
AJB
Pett
Young
Pell
Taylor
Keena
Bench:
Day
Kinsella
Liggett
Wilcox
Thomas
Dulson
King
Not sure why I went for Kinsella on the bench, any midfield combo could work. I still don't see where Thomas fits, but he could easily be a starter, maybe in a 3-4-1-2? Sounds like we’ve seen the last of the major outgoings (unless a big bid comes in… not sure I see anyone going big on anything we’ve got left!). Really need to see some defensive incomings now…
Personally think we need 4 or 5 defenders, 1 or 2 more midfielders and 1 or 2 more strikers. How many will depend on the plans for Thomas and if the younger lads are actually going to be involved in the 1st team or are heading out on loan, sounds like Flynn is still undecided there.
Not updated this in a while, so lets have a look with signing number 10 being announced:
Evans
Haynes
Bradbury
Bennett
Walters?
AJB
Pett
Young
Pell
Taylor
Keena
Bench:
Day
Kinsella
Archer
Sohna
Thomas
Dulson
King
Bench is a bit stronger, and I feel there's a fair chance we might see a front three at times based on the signings and friendlies. Still very light in defence, need at least 3 or 4 signings in that area, maybe one more striker... 5 more?
Evans
Haynes
Bradbury
Bennett
Walters?
AJB
Pett
Young
Pell
Taylor
Keena
Bench:
Day
Kinsella
Archer
Sohna
Thomas
Dulson
King
Bench is a bit stronger, and I feel there's a fair chance we might see a front three at times based on the signings and friendlies. Still very light in defence, need at least 3 or 4 signings in that area, maybe one more striker... 5 more?
I would think the team is as follows:
Evans (GK)
Jude-Boyd (RWB)
New signing (RCB)
Bennett (CB)
Bradbury (LCB)
Haynes (LWB)
Pell (CM)
Pett (CM)
Sohna (AM)
Bowman (SC)
Taylor (SC)
Subs:
Day
Waters
Payne
Young
Thomas
Dulson
Kinsella
Missing out Liggett, King, Wilcox, Archer.
Evans (GK)
Jude-Boyd (RWB)
New signing (RCB)
Bennett (CB)
Bradbury (LCB)
Haynes (LWB)
Pell (CM)
Pett (CM)
Sohna (AM)
Bowman (SC)
Taylor (SC)
Subs:
Day
Waters
Payne
Young
Thomas
Dulson
Kinsella
Missing out Liggett, King, Wilcox, Archer.