Pre-season star and upcoming talent

[Moomin]

So we’re now into week 4 of pre season and we’ve all had chance to play some friendlies…From what you’ve seen/heard so far:

1. Who’s impressed you the most and you expect to be star player this season?

2. Also any youngsters coming through that you expect to make an impact this season?

For us, new signing Sam Nombe has looked excellent. 4 goals in his last 2 games, albeit against Taunton and Bath City but you can see he will be a key player this season. Bags of pace and power which will excite us fans. He’s still a bit raw so we he could frustrate a bit in front of goal, but early signs are very good.

In regards to upcoming players, I will say James Dodd. He’s a player who would have been playing for over a year but he has had 2 cruciate operations and thankfully he’s now fit again. Plays CAM and scored on Friday against Bath. I expect he may be loaned out to get regular games but I can see him coming into the first team later this season if that goes well.

 

[shoddycollins]

I haven't seen any of our friendlies, but those who have reckon Zach Clough looks very decent. Also 4 goals in 2 friendlies. Apparently he can score with his head, with either foot, from range from up close, can place it, blast it, score solo goals, get on the end of crosses and set pieces.

A couple of our first-year pros come with great expectations though probably won't make their impact this season.

Keeper Gabriel Breeze has been training with the first team going back to last season. I don't expect him to fill a regular squad slot this season but if we have any injuries to keepers we're likely to promote him to the bench rather than bring in a loanee as we did last season. He's one of two keepers we've offered pro deals but I think he's slightly ahead of Scott Simons.

17-year old striker Sam Fishburn was the top scorer in the country in his age bracket last season and those involved with the youth set-up have been raving about him for a while. Honestly surprised we managed to keep him, usually if an academy player stands out from the crowd in any way then Premier League clubs will start circling hoping to nab him for a couple of grand before he signs a pro contract on the off-chance he turns out to be a future Premier League star.

Attacking midfielder Taylor Charters is now into his third season as a pro. Last year wasn't quite the breakthrough he might have hoped for though. He looked exciting and industrious in his appearances but the second half of the season was pretty bad for all involved and his appearances were more restricted. I would expect him to feature a lot more this season.

Midfielder Josh Dixon is another in his third season, he and Charters both came through the same cohort as McCarron, Galloway and Branthwaite... all of whom are now at Premier League clubs, so it's a decent group of players, however his development was set back at year when he spent the entirety of his first season out through injury.

 

[valefan16]

Only seen the one but Tom Conlon is likely to be stand out again, scored another stunner of a free kick at Newcastle. PFA league two player of the year and huge boost to get him on a new deal.

Pett looked excellent against Forest of the new signings.

Our youth system has been crap hence big investment on them in recent months to improve that, we had two back on trial but both released however youth striker Eden Bailey looks a good prospect, maybe not this year although involved in pre season I would expect us to loan him out for experience but scored a lot in a dire youth side last season.

 

[Casey]

A couple of Crawley's youngsters may start getting game time.

Zaid Al-Hussaini is a powerful runner with a good touch and a nice swerve. Right sided attacker.
Rafiq Khaleel is a neat and tidy midfielder. West Ham asked to look at him at the end of last season and although he still looks a little slight there's something about him.
Simon Kowalcyzk is one of those players that make you sit up a little bit when you see him. Goes past players but needs to look to end product.

Of the trialists Joe Lynch (if it is him) looks a beast of a centre back. Strong in the tackle and commanding in the air. First time I saw him I thought he looked a tad overweight but not so much now. If he signs we will have five centre backs all capable of starting.

Casey

 

[Monkey Tennis]

We've only played one game so far, which the bedwetters have been wetting the bed about.

From that performance, I think we'll be relatively comfortable in mid-table barring any big dramas, but I can tell we're still a few players short so any success this season probably depends on who comes in.

The star man I think will be Joe Grayson from Blackburn. Even against lowly opposition you could tell he's extremely assured on the ball - and our subs warming up were even discussing how good he was.

Without a youth setup, we don't really have any young prospects as such, and I can't really see our French teenage striker Dimitri Sea getting much of a run. If any youngsters do make an impact for us, they'll be a kid on loan from a higher division.

 

[Bottega Don]

We're going to be playing a lot of youngsters this season due to our tiny budget.

Mason O'Malley our LB played a lot last season and is one of our better players, I imagine Harry Jessop (ST) and Tom Pugh (CM) will get some game time this season as well but I have no idea if they're gonna be any good.

 

[shoddycollins]

I

We've only played one game so far, which the bedwetters have been wetting the bed about.

From that performance, I think we'll be relatively comfortable in mid-table barring any big dramas, but I can tell we're still a few players short so any success this season probably depends on who comes in.

The star man I think will be Joe Grayson from Blackburn. Even against lowly opposition you could tell he's extremely assured on the ball - and our subs warming up were even discussing how good he was.

Without a youth setup, we don't really have any young prospects as such, and I can't really see our French teenage striker Dimitri Sea getting much of a run. If any youngsters do make an impact for us, they'll be a kid on loan from a higher division.

If Devitt has an injury free season reckon you'll be top half easy

 

[Monkey Tennis]

I

If Devitt has an injury free season reckon you'll be top half easy

From what we've seen so far, Devitt is no longer the player that Carlisle fans tell us he was. I think he contributed one good assist and a free-kick in a dozen or so matches, but barely got involved.
I think Josh Kay might be seen as being ahead of him in that position, given he's just signed a two-year deal.

 

[hellogregory]

I haven't seen any of our friendlies, but those who have reckon Zach Clough looks very decent. Also 4 goals and 4 assists in 2 friendlies.

Fixed that for ya.

 

[Chris FGR]

Reckon Jake Young will do well for us this year, scored a belter at Melksham, only player to do 90 on Saturday at Yate.

Got 3 academy/first year pros in the squad, all have looked promising Luke Hallett did well at the back on Saturday, quite commanding for a youngster.

 

[E10rifle]

Darren Pratley looks all-important for us. Marshals the midfield superbly and tells the other idiots where they should be standing.

As for the yoof, Ruel Sotiriou will be looking to bounce back from a terribly disappointing and injury-riddled campaign last year. Scored a laaavly goal against Spurs at the weekend.

Best of the rest have been monstrous CB/LB Shadrach Ogie who has been on loan in the Conference for the past couple of seasons and Dan Nkrumah who I know precisely fuck-all about. He’s come from nowhere to start the friendlies against Spurs and the Hamsters.

 

[McTee]

We’re a bit behind because of the late playoffs in the National League, so we’re on about day 9 of pre-season.

We beat the mighty Runcorn Linnets 9-1 on Saturday though. Man of the match was Triallist, who scored 4 goals in the second half, closely followed by Triallist, who bagged 2, then Triallist, Triallist and Holohan who scored one each.

 

[Trapdoor]

Watched our game against Weymouth last night. Nombe looks like a real striker, I suspect he will give L2 defences nightmares. Other than that we look light defensively and in midfield.

 

[Moomin]

Watched our game against Weymouth last night. Nombe looks like a real striker, I suspect he will give L2 defences nightmares. Other than that we look light defensively and in midfield.

Yes, he has pace and power in abundance, which we’ve lacked for so long. So far he looks a superb signing.

Agree we look light in other areas. Hopefully Taylor can rectify that in the next couple of weeks.