First choice first XI

[MadAmster]

Following the Notts game, it was difficult on the back of two decent halves to come up with much more than a lot of and/ors for a starting XI.

We have now played a 2nd game and a lot of decisions look clear cut.

Based on a 1-4-3-3 system with a big un at #9 and a proper DM in central midfield....

Carson
Bogle Wisdom Davies Lowe
Bryson Huddlestone Ledley
Thomas Nugent Lawrence

Bennett can count himself very unlucky not to be in my current first XI.
Forsyth might be in with a shout once he is over whatever it was kept him out of the Mansfield game

The rest who played last night will have to be content with the bench or the door marked exit.

No Martin and no Vydra again although I have seen video of Martin training with the squad this week. I have yet to see Vydra training with the squad as yet but that might just be me missing seeing him when watching.

Olsson still injured. Anya too but as someone else mentioned, rumours that he might be off to the USA.

We also have to include Wilson and Mount. Wilson is a wide man and will have to get past two of Lawro, Bennett and Thomas to seal a place. Although there is a second option where Bennett plays the #9 role with Wilson only having to better either Lawro or Thomas..... Mount is a quandery to me at the moment. He seems to play down the middle but we have, so far, had a DM in the centre of midfield. I think that will remain so. I expect Mount to relegate Ledley to the bench.

The staff has intimated that the starting XI against Soton on Saturday will be closer to their preferred XI but with some places still up for grabs. I expect the shoe-ins to get at least an hour against the Saints. The others, those still in with a shout will get 45 each and the also rans to get the 20 to 30 minutes the shoe-ins don't play. That game will show things even more clearly than they are now.

I fully expect the Reading XVIII to be, barring injury, the XI plus Bennett I mentioned earlier in this post. The 2 new lads will be in there plus Mitchell. That leaves 3 places up for grabs for the rest. 1 defender and 2 midfielders?

I will review my thoughts after the Soton game.

[ManxRam]

Following the Notts game, it was difficult on the back of two decent halves to come up with much more than a lot of and/ors for a starting XI.

We have now played a 2nd game and a lot of decisions look clear cut.

Based on a 1-4-3-3 system with a big un at #9 and a proper DM in central midfield....

Carson
Bogle Wisdom Davies Lowe
Bryson Huddlestone Ledley
Thomas Nugent Lawrence

Bennett can count himself very unlucky not to be in my current first XI.
Forsyth might be in with a shout once he is over whatever it was kept him out of the Mansfield game

The rest who played last night will have to be content with the bench or the door marked exit.

No Martin and no Vydra again although I have seen video of Martin training with the squad this week. I have yet to see Vydra training with the squad as yet but that might just be me missing seeing him when watching.

Olsson still injured. Anya too but as someone else mentioned, rumours that he might be off to the USA.

We also have to include Wilson and Mount. Wilson is a wide man and will have to get past two of Lawro, Bennett and Thomas to seal a place. Although there is a second option where Bennett plays the #9 role with Wilson only having to better either Lawro or Thomas..... Mount is a quandery to me at the moment. He seems to play down the middle but we have, so far, had a DM in the centre of midfield. I think that will remain so. I expect Mount to relegate Ledley to the bench.

The staff has intimated that the starting XI against Soton on Saturday will be closer to their preferred XI but with some places still up for grabs. I expect the shoe-ins to get at least an hour against the Saints. The others, those still in with a shout will get 45 each and the also rans to get the 20 to 30 minutes the shoe-ins don't play. That game will show things even more clearly than they are now.

I fully expect the Reading XVIII to be, barring injury, the XI plus Bennett I mentioned earlier in this post. The 2 new lads will be in there plus Mitchell. That leaves 3 places up for grabs for the rest. 1 defender and 2 midfielders?

I will review my thoughts after the Soton game.

Might have to spoon Josefzoon in to there somewhere too

[MadAmster]

Already bloated squad. 3 in this week already plus the lad from Arsenal for the U23s.

Only Weimann gone so far. Time to make "shipping out" the verb of the week.

[DCFCArmy]

With that squad lets be honest we've no chance of finishing top 10 never mind promotion, that game last night was horrible in so many ways

Lampard was the wrong choice full stop, he wont be up to this rebuild job, one player out and 2 in on load tells you all you need to know.

Still relying on past it players, when you've got Keogh still the main CB after all these managers it tells you something, we can't offload anyone, and we are begging someone to take our best player from last season to fund our next batch of headless chickens.

Lampard gone by Xmas with us stuck in the bottom half with a rubbish squad is my prediction, only crumb of comfort is most of the ****e we still have are into their final year.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Glad to see you are as positive as ever and the season hasnt even started

[ramAnag]

With that squad lets be honest we've no chance of finishing top 10 never mind promotion, that game last night was horrible in so many ways

Lampard was the wrong choice full stop, he wont be up to this rebuild job, one player out and 2 in on load tells you all you need to know.

Still relying on past it players, when you've got Keogh still the main CB after all these managers it tells you something, we can't offload anyone, and we are begging someone to take our best player from last season to fund our next batch of headless chickens.

Lampard gone by Xmas with us stuck in the bottom half with a rubbish squad is my prediction, only crumb of comfort is most of the ****e we still have are into their final year.

Jesus wept...I’ve got some unused razor blades somewhere...you’re welcome to them.

[MadAmster]

Sometimes you read a comment on a game and think "has that person been watching the same game as me" and/or "has that person even seen the game".

My comments on both the Notts and the Mansfield games are based on having seen both games. My further comments in the upcomig pre season games will also be based on having watched the games.

[mistaram]

With that squad lets be honest we've no chance of finishing top 10 never mind promotion, that game last night

was horrible in so many ways

Lampard was the wrong choice full stop, he wont be up to this rebuild job, one player out and 2 in on load tells you all you need to know.

Still relying on past it players, when you've got Keogh still the main CB after all these managers it tells you something, we can't offload anyone, and we are begging someone to take our best player from last season to fund our next batch of headless chickens.

Lampard gone by Xmas with us stuck in the bottom half with a rubbish squad is my prediction, only crumb of comfort is most of the ****e we still have are into their final year.

You forgot to blame Mel . Bet your the one everybody avoids at parties

[ManxRam]

With that squad lets be honest we've no chance of finishing top 10 never mind promotion, that game last night was horrible in so many ways

Lampard was the wrong choice full stop, he wont be up to this rebuild job, one player out and 2 in on load tells you all you need to know.

Still relying on past it players, when you've got Keogh still the main CB after all these managers it tells you something, we can't offload anyone, and we are begging someone to take our best player from last season to fund our next batch of headless chickens.

Lampard gone by Xmas with us stuck in the bottom half with a rubbish squad is my prediction, only crumb of comfort is most of the ****e we still have are into their final year.

What a tit

[Andy_Faber]

Sometimes you read a comment on a game and think "has that person been watching the same game as me" and/or "has that person even seen the game".

My comments on both the Notts and the Mansfield games are based on having seen both games. My further comments in the upcomig pre season games will also be based on having watched the games.

Being serious, thanks for the insights