Our best XI and bench this season

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 21 Mar 2022, 13:56

I think this would be our best matchday eleven and bench, but I cannot recall ever having them all available at the same time:

Evans
Blair
Raglan
Pollock
Boyle
Williams

Wright
Bonds
Colkett

May
Etete

Subs
Flinders
Long
Freestone
Thomas
Sercombe
Brown
Nlundulu

This means leaving out enough players to make a better bench than we have been able to muster at times:
Hutchinson
Chapman
Ramsey
Lloyd
Williams
Brown

Plus the players out on loan.

As much as injuries have been a real blow, it has meant we avoided having to leave good players out of the squad which is never an easy decision!

21 Mar 2022, 14:48

Surprised to see Long omitted in favour of Blair or one of the defenders - but I admit to seeing very few games this season.

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Shade · 21 Mar 2022, 15:54

I'd have Long there instead of Blair for the defensive side of things, but Blair definitely adds more going forward, when he isn't taking too many touches! He really must not fancy himself hitting a cross first time because he never does it, even when the ball is begging for it. I'd still like to see him playing further forward but I don't know where or who in place of currently, given we have scored more than the 12 teams behind us and 10th placed Portsmouth. Only 3 teams have scored more than 10 goals more than us.

Think I'd also have Thomas in for Bonds or Colkett. Trouble is, Bonds, Colkett and Thomas all want to play in that same position. We really need to add a good box to box midfielder or two this summer, preferably one in his mid-20's and has played in the division before.

Flinders and Evans is a toss up...I'd pick Flinders on experience and I'd bet on him having made more "big" saves.

21 Mar 2022, 16:11

asl wrote: ↑21 Mar 2022, 14:48 Surprised to see Long omitted in favour of Blair or one of the defenders - but I admit to seeing very few games this season.

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Long definitely not good enough to play wing back in this league, just not got the pace to drive forward that Blair does. He's fine cover for the back three though and did really well earlier in the season covering for Boyle.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 21 Mar 2022, 21:32

Robin wrote: ↑21 Mar 2022, 16:11
asl wrote: ↑21 Mar 2022, 14:48 Surprised to see Long omitted in favour of Blair or one of the defenders - but I admit to seeing very few games this season.

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Long definitely not good enough to play wing back in this league, just not got the pace to drive forward that Blair does. He's fine cover for the back three though and did really well earlier in the season covering for Boyle.

That was my thinking. Pace is so important, and like Hussey being outpaced most weeks the same would be my fear Long at RB.

shevates · 22 Mar 2022, 17:12

Must admit Id have Dan Crowley in my side although departed to Holland. Think im right in saying we had our worst run when he was left out of the side, but not 100% sure on that

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 22 Mar 2022, 17:39

shevates wrote: ↑22 Mar 2022, 17:12 Must admit Id have Dan Crowley in my side although departed to Holland. Think im right in saying we had our worst run when he was left out of the side, but not 100% sure on that

Our worst run began when he was in the side. He started the 0-5 collapse at home to Cambridge and played a fair bit in our other awful December games when we were absolutely rubbish.

At least after he left our performances etc massively picked up even if games were drawn when we should have won.

Shade · 22 Mar 2022, 19:06

1st Jan at Oxford, first game he wasn't in the squad, was the beginning of the slow turnaround throughout January, I believe.