Smallest squad in entire football league ?

[MILLERSTALE]

Why !

Just 20 fit players, which includes three goal keepers.

Two other players who we may see or may not! Robertson and Jones ?

With both the new players not available tomorrow we won’t even manage a full bench ! Unless we name three goalkeepers.

No back up players available with the loss of Lamy, Hinds, Kayode, Cooper and Grattan !

Why are we playing Russian Roulette ?

[vespabri]

6 & 2 thirds really...
People (including me) complained when Evans signed about 58 players .
We get told quality not quantity and folk will complain at that.
I sit in the quality not quantity camp...

[mikemiller]

Proctor and Beeden are also out on loan. Beeden (and Gratton) are only on one month loans though (I think). Part of the problem is that our reserves don't play many fixtures in their current league, so unless the lads go out on loan, they don't get competitive playing time .Our reserves have had a "winter break" of about 7 weeks!

Rightly or wrongly, Warney obviously has no intention of putting any of the players mentioned in the first team starting eleven at the moment, so the logic is to loan them out. (Hinds has gone anyway)

[Scum-Triumphant]

Crap being top ain’t it?

[pip_y]

I’d rather have what we have now even as a yo-yo club than being in administration/points deduction/high ground rent. We have moved on from those days and are a far better run nowadays. Success comes at a price and we have had success but not the price is not worth paying if we will go bust.

[millertop]

Well said pip

[Pocket rocket]

Crap being top ain’t it?

Exactly pal.
How can we be happy at the moment it’s just garbage.

[rolymiller]

Yep I count 6 subs today assuming all fit
Price or Bilbo, Lindsey, McDonald, ladapo, Clarke, olasunde. We could have another young lad on the bench e.g. hull who looks decent when I have seen him. It covers all positions but cb. If owt were to happen in the gam3 tho I suppose you could put Thompson at cb and bring on olasunde at right back. Think we can manage for one game.

[rolymiller]

There is summat to be said for having a small squad because it means players know they have a chance of getting a game or part game instead of rotting in the reserves so keeps em on their toes. The only prob is when we have a lot of injuries like we have had this season. Certain players are key cover players to us because they can cover a number of positions e.g. Billy Jones. If we can get him back that is both full back positioned covered with an experienced player.

Tilt will provide cover for the cbs and we could arguably then even play him and play 3 at the back for a 3 5 2.

We have a strong squad which will get stronger with players back
My only worry now is if we lose smith long term
I'm not sure who can play the role he does which is so vit al to us. Think keeping smith fit for the remaining games now might be the key to us getting up in the autos

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

I don't think it's particularly a problem.

It would be nice to have a bigger squad but with that comes a bigger wage bill. Our core support is low and there are limits to commercial opportunities. So a smaller squad is a bit of a compromise.

We also need to remember that there is no reserve football of any merit, just an odd game now and then. as such you can get fringe players becoming restless and causing more trouble than they are worth.

I think the management team have adapted well to the smaller squad by trying to make players more versatile, Wiles for instance playing midfield or full back, Olosunde playing on the wing or as full back.

One thing we can't predict though is how injuries can come in clusters putting strain on the squad, and really it's never been established whether or not the injuries are random chance or are caused by our training regime.

One thing that can kill small squads is red cards, particularly those with 3 match bans. We need to avoid those and to develop some "ring craft" so that it's the opposition that get the cards.