Starting 11

[Suttonpie]

Based on the current squad, what's your starting 11 and formation based purely on what you know about the squad. Mine is........
3421

Slocombe

Lacey Rawlinson Cameron

Brindley Francis Palmer Taylor

Roberts Rodrigues

Wootton

[the_anticlough]

Based on the current squad, what's your starting 11 and formation based purely on what you know about the squad. Mine is........
3421

Slocombe

Lacey Rawlinson Cameron

Brindley Francis Palmer Taylor

Roberts Rodrigues

Wootton

Not sure that looks like a team on the front foot aiming for the top 3/1! A lot of burden on Cal and Rodders, with 5 defenders and 2 Mids (1 being a converted defender) with hardly any career goals between them...
I get we can't fully trust Ruben in a midfield 2 so Nemane in and Brindley to CB for now and look for the right attacking mix and balance once we understand the squad better?

[KPie]

I'd go with vs majority of teams 3-4-3 (5-2-3)

------------------Slocombe--------------------
-------Brindley-Rawlinson-Cameron----
Nemane--Francis------Palmer------Taylor
---------Roberts--------------Ruben
------------------Wooton

If needing to go more defensive i'd maybe go with 4-2-3-1

----------Slocombe
Brindley Lacey Rawlinson Cameron
--------Palmer Francis
Roberts-----Ruben------JOB
------------Wooton

Which leaves a bench of : Knight ( JOB ), Sam, Vincent, Dion, Lacey which covers all positions i think?

[ncfcog]

I'd go with vs majority of teams 3-4-3 (5-2-3)

------------------Slocombe--------------------
-------Brindley-Rawlinson-Cameron----
Nemane--Francis------Palmer------Taylor
---------Roberts--------------Ruben
------------------Wooton

If needing to go more defensive i'd maybe go with 4-2-3-1

----------Slocombe
Brindley Lacey Rawlinson Cameron
--------Palmer Francis
Roberts-----Ruben------JOB
------------Wooton

Which leaves a bench of : Knight ( JOB ), Sam, Vincent, Dion, Lacey which covers all positions i think?

I think your 3-4-3 is pretty close to be fair.

[HAPPYMAGPIEHAPPY]

Based on the current squad, what's your starting 11 and formation based purely on what you know about the squad. Mine is........
3421

Slocombe

Lacey Rawlinson Cameron

Brindley Francis Palmer Taylor

Roberts Rodrigues

Wootton

And when Wootton gets tired/injured/banned we have no one to takeover that’s why it’s imperative that we sign a decent centre forward.

[TSANHO]

It’s hard to argue with those starting 11’s. Can’t help but feel we still look light weight in midfield. Palmer is hardly well built....I really hope we’ve learned from last year.

I read somewhere a comment from a Bradford Dan saying Palmer is a poor man’s Jake Reeves 😬😬

[ncfcog]

It’s hard to argue with those starting 11’s. Can’t help but feel we still look light weight in midfield. Palmer is hardly well built....I really hope we’ve learned from last year.

I read somewhere a comment from a Bradford Dan saying Palmer is a poor man’s Jake Reeves 

TBF Reeves isn't exactly a heavyweight in the middle. Palmer will be great and Francis alongside him but a bit deeper in the Doyle role will work just fine. Both Palmer and Francis, despite being young, both have a fair bit of experience between them.

Let's not forget, any player that has established himself as captain of a Man City U23 side playing in PL2 should be able to handle division 5. PL2 is a very good standard which is why many of the big clubs prefer to keep hold of their starlets to try and develop them inhouse rather than send out on loan. Problem is by the time these lads reach 21/22 yrs old there is no budget left for them unless it is a Phil Foden type player as they are already pumping money back into their youth development squads. This is why players like Roberts, Cameron, Francis, Nemane etc suddenly find themselves looking for a new career in football at such a young age.

[durhampie]

TBF Reeves isn't exactly a heavyweight in the middle. Palmer will be great and Francis alongside him but a bit deeper in the Doyle role will work just fine. Both Palmer and Francis, despite being young, both have a fair bit of experience between them.

Let's not forget, any player that has established himself as captain of a Man City U23 side playing in PL2 should be able to handle division 5. PL2 is a very good standard which is why many of the big clubs prefer to keep hold of their starlets to try and develop them inhouse rather than send out on loan. Problem is by the time these lads reach 21/22 yrs old there is no budget left for them unless it is a Phil Foden type player as they are already pumping money back into their youth development squads. This is why players like Roberts, Cameron, Francis, Nemane etc suddenly find themselves looking for a new career in football at such a young age.

We shall not know if these players are any good until we see them in league action against good opposition...We have had far too many false dawns to be making early assumptions.....

[Bridg4d_Pie_]

We shall not know if these players are any good until we see them in league action against good opposition...We have had far too many false dawns to be making early assumptions.....

Agreed as ever Durham, we may well sign Bennett yet plus another Sticker.

[nw6pie]

IB has talked about getting more energy/intensity into the side and we’ll certainly have that on the flanks with the new wing backs. My concern is the lack of a Ryan Yates/Neal Bishop-type to get around the opposition and win the ball back for the likes of Ruben and Cal.

In short, who’s going to do the battling in the middle of the park when we’re playing a big, physical side like Bromley (who we failed to beat last season)? Who’s going to get stuck in when our backs are against the wall at, say, Stockport or Chesterfield?