The team selection

[Dave_from_Burnley]

What will it look like after all the betting and cab driver scandals etc, what shape and who will start?

Interesting to see where Gray Barnes Walters Vokes fit in but I'm most interested in the midfield

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I don't think we need to worry about Gray...

[Dave_from_Burnley]

Westwood surely will get starts now

[The Bedlington Terrier]

SD has spoken many times about the need to double up with specialist players for specialist positions:

We have two goalkeepers and probably use young Mitchell as third choice.
We have two right backs and two left backs.
We now need another centre half. (We are currently shopping)!
We need to reinforce midfield because by my reckoning Marney might not make it, Boyd gone, Barton gone, we are down to six: Defour, Hendrick, Westwood, Brady, Arfield and Gudmundsson.
We have at present the necessary four strikers, Vokes, Barnes, Gray and Walters.
(Effectively Swap Assombalonga for Gray and we are still OK!)

That leaves us needing a centre back - Lees?
Two more midfielders and we should be fine!

[sinkov]

SD has spoken many times about the need to double up with specialist players for specialist positions:

We have two goalkeepers and probably use young Mitchell as third choice.
We have two right backs and two left backs.
We now need another centre half. (We are currently shopping)!
We need to reinforce midfield because by my reckoning Marney might not make it, Boyd gone, Barton gone, we are down to six: Defour, Hendrick, Westwood, Brady, Arfield and Gudmundsson.
We have at present the necessary four strikers, Vokes, Barnes, Gray and Walters.
(Effectively Swap Assombalonga for Gray and we are still OK!)

That leaves us needing a centre back - Lees?
Two more midfielders and we should be fine!

I can't remember the last time we were in such good shape so early in July, a back-up CH, couple of CMs, maybe one other, replace Gray and Bob's your uncle. And we haven't spent nowt yet, the Gray money will fund a replacement and we must have at least £50m available to cover the rest. Happy days.

[thedonz]

Looking at the midfield options we are short of an enforcer , any ideas?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Looking at the midfield options we are short of an enforcer , any ideas?

I think these two much needed reinforcements in midfield are where it's going to hurt our wallet!

I am hoping that our European networks can throw up a couple of relatively inexpensive additions.

Trouble is every other club has the same ambitions!

It's a great pity young O'Neill is not quite ready.

Marney is still along way off and I think we need to be filling the Boyd, Barton void!

[thedonz]

I'm sure some fans like myself will be wondering and hoping that Dyche will change the framework . He has been consistently clear in the recent past that the team will evolve and players will be asked to do roles that suit them. Does anyone know what he means ?

I have seen no evidence so far that he means what I understood him to mean going off Brady and Defour. Now we have an attacking defender in Taylor.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I'm sure some fans like myself will be wondering and hoping that Dyche will change the framework . He has been consistently clear in the recent past that the team will evolve and players will be asked to do roles that suit them. Does anyone know what he means ?

I have seen no evidence so far that he means what I understood him to mean going off Brady and Defour. Now we have an attacking defender in Taylor.

Donzy, we are going to be physical and do a Stoke and Baggies, forget the beautiful game...

[oldcolner]

May need D4 replacement too.
I see McArthur being mentioned again now.