Squad So Far...

[Muzzle]

IMO the Millwall squad looks stronger than the Bolton one, can see Millwall staying up.
Last year I said I didn't think Burton would go down, but I think they might do this year.
No idea who the last team would be.

It's all about opinion, but that comment of yours is utter rubbish, millwall's squad is no where near stronger than ours, their defence for starters isnt close however, I don't believe that there is a massive gulf between us three sides coming up and the majority of teams that finished middle to bottom half in the championship last season. but we'll find out in general after the first 10 matches of the new season, normally a good indicator of how things will pan out

 

[JoshBCFC]

It's all about opinion,

ok

but that comment of yours is utter rubbish,

What? Whilst I agree with what your saying those two statements are contradictory as fuck

 

[HertsWolf]

It's all about opinion, but that comment of yours is utter rubbish, millwall's squad is no where near stronger than ours

For a club with less money than Greece, Bolton have attracted some experienced players. I've always liked Mark Little and I think Stephen Darby has a lot to offer, including leadership. ALF can and will score goals at this level. Will Buckley has a point to prove having been a perpetual loaner. Not so sure about the wisdom of signing Ameobi though. It looks to me like the strategy is to get, on a free transfer, players whose careers have fallen on hard times and who need a stage to show what they can do. I think players like ALF, Buckley and Ameobi are going to get a lot of airtime at Bolton this season.

I think Bolton have a solid squad capable of doing well in this division. I think they will do better than Millwall.

 

[Rammy]

Still needs some work. Need a couple of wingers and get rid of a few out of Russell, Blackman, Vydra, and Anya. Many would say Weimann, but I still think he could be useful.

GK
Carson
Mitchell
Roos

DF
Olsson
Forsyth
Lowe
Davies
Keogh
Shackell
Pearce
Wisdom
Baird
Hanson

MF
Huddlestone
Thorne
Johnson
Bryson
Butterfield
Elsnik
Anya

AT
Nugent
Martin
Bent
Vydra
Blackman
Weimann
Bennett
Russell

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Many would say Weimann, but I still think he could be useful.

Swap for McBigmac?

 

[JoshBCFC]

Still needs some work. Need a couple of wingers and get rid of a few out of Russell, Blackman, Vydra, and Anya. Many would say Weimann, but I still think he could be useful.

Surprised about Anya being on that list, looked good when he played against us.

 

[Rammy]

Surprised about Anya being on that list, looked good when he played against us.

He just runs. No end product, like Russell. Only difference is Russell runs in to people and loses the ball.

 

[SUTSS]

Nope, not directly, a lot of clubs are going down the foreign route this season, Leeds & Norwich, as well as yourselves. I'd be wary about it myself but Watford and Huddersfield have proven it can work.

Why? I'm not having a go just find it strange that people are so suspicious of a foreign manager when there's no real evidence that British managers do any better at this level. Just looking at the teams that performed well last season and the foreign manager contingent is very high there.

 

[SF_]

Why? I'm not having a go just find it strange that people are so suspicious of a foreign manager when there's no real evidence that British managers do any better at this level. Just looking at the teams that performed well last season and the foreign manager contingent is very high there.

I wasn't necessarily talking about managers, the likes of Karanka, Wagner, Jokanovic and Stam have all done well.

I'm talking more about signing loads of players from leagues which aren't always adaptable to over here, Portugal & Holland for example (although you will always find the odd gem). I could understand the argument of them being cheaper than English talent but Leeds and Wolves have paid good money for their imports.

I think its just because North End have generally ended up with shite when we've signed players from Europe in the past.

 

[SUTSS]

I wasn't necessarily talking about managers, the likes of Karanka, Wagner, Jokanovic and Stam have all done well.

I'm talking more about signing loads of players from leagues which aren't always adaptable to over here, Portugal & Holland for example (although you will always find the odd gem). I could understand the argument of them being cheaper than English talent but Leeds and Wolves have paid good money for their imports.

I think its just because North End have generally ended up with shite when we've signed players from Europe in the past.

I think that's definitely an issue. Our experience of signing foreign players has largely been poor before now. This does feel different though. Before it's felt like it's been a bit of whim. Signing players that no one has ever heard off because the manager got told a good thing or the player's agent has produced a good highlights tape. I think we've also had a system where we've signed foreign players and then just gone 'Here's Norwich. Enjoy' and given them no support in the settling in process. When you have a process like this then signing foreign players is definitely a huge risk.

I think we're doing it slightly different now. We've seperated the recruitment and scouting from the coaching and this should allow us to throughly scout people better. Stuart Webber (sporting director) and Steve Stone (Managing Director) have both said that until a clear out this summer (virtually everyone conencted with recruitment and scouting sacked) that our system was shambolic. And there seems to be some thoughts on getting players involved with the local area beyond just the team as well.

Even then we've seen good foreign players come to this league and take a few months to settle in which I think is a risk you have to weigh up but for a team like ours where we don't have a huge pool of money to dip into it means that we can get better players than we could afford shopping British so even if one or two fail it's not a huge financial risk with the sort of player we're going for.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Our squad is almost done, All I can see being added is a big name striker, described as Nuno as our 'star signing'

Ruddy

Boly --- Miranda --- Vinagre
Doherty ------------------------- Douglas
Neves

Costa --- Cavaliero --- Jota

New striker
​

Goalkeepers

Norris
Burgoyne

Defenders

Ofosu Ayeh
Batth
Hause
Coady
Deslandes

Midfielders

Marshall
Edwards
Saiss
Price
Ronan
Graham
Zyro

Strikers

Dicko
Mason
Enobakhare

​

 

[JJH]

Our squad is almost done, All I can see being added is a big name striker, described as Nuno as our 'star signing'

Ruddy

Boly --- Miranda --- Vinagre
Doherty ------------------------- Douglas
Neves

Costa --- Cavaliero --- Jota

New striker
​

Goalkeepers

Norris
Burgoyne

Defenders

Ofosu Ayeh
Batth
Hause
Coady
Deslandes

Midfielders

Marshall
Edwards
Saiss
Price
Ronan
Graham
Zyro

Strikers

Dicko
Mason
Enobakhare

​

Don't think it'll work for Wolves again this season, will take them ages to click and you may well have to cash in on a few next summer.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Don't think it'll work for Wolves again this season, will take them ages to click and you may well have to cash in on a few next summer.

It's possible. Don't always agree with that it takes ages for them to click though. Look at Costa as a prime example, Watford also did a similar tactic with less established players and it got them promoted. Although many of these kids are young, they are also very experienced. As it stands 7 of our first 11 were regulars in either the Champions or Europa League in the last 2 years (And I dont mean no mark teams, I mean Porto, Benfica, Monaco, Atl Madrid). Also helps to have such a high calibre manager and backroom staff that can help their fellow compatriots adapt to England.

Still I don't mind us being understimated, will work to our favour I am sure.

 

[KevinMcallister]

I am actually worried about Wolves, maybe we will have to settle for 2nd ffs

 

[SF_]

I can't see anyone under-setimating Wolves, expectations will be massively raised with these signings.

Bound to add a big money striker before the window closes.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Goalkeepers
Kieren Westwood
Joe Wildsmith
Cameron Dawson
Jake Kean

Defenders
Jack Hunt
Liam Palmer
Tom Lees
Glenn Loovens (C)
Daniel Pudil
Morgan Fox

Midfielders/Wingers
Kieran Lee
Almen Abdi
Barry Bannan
Sam Hutchinson
David Jones
Lewis Mcgugan
Marco Matias
Ross Wallace
George Boyd
Fernando Forestieri
Adam Reach

Strikers
Jordan Rhodes
Gary Hooper
Steven Fletcher
Sam Winnall
Adthe Nuhiu

Pretty much we need a centre back or 2, Hutchinson can fill in there but he'll be mainly used in midfield, we have a few youth lads who have come on well but I expect they'll go out on loan (O'Grady, Thorniley, Penney, Stobbs, Hirst). Would like to see a tough, athletic midfielder brought in but other than that midfield is sorted so can't see that being high on the priority list. A pacier wide man would come in handy as we have zero pace, but as Forestieri is going to be played there, Matias being fit again and George Boyd signing can't see it happening. We're well stocked up front and probably have the best forward line to pick from in the league. Lewis Mcgugan is on the list but he'll never play for us again.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Goalkeepers
Kieren Westwood
Joe Wildsmith
Cameron Dawson
Jake Kean

Defenders
Jack Hunt
Liam Palmer
Tom Lees
Glenn Loovens (C)
Daniel Pudil
Morgan Fox

Midfielders/Wingers
Kieran Lee
Almen Abdi
Barry Bannan
Sam Hutchinson
David Jones
Lewis Mcgugan
Marco Matias
Ross Wallace
George Boyd
Fernando Forestieri
Adam Reach

Strikers
Jordan Rhodes
Gary Hooper
Steven Fletcher
Sam Winnall
Adthe Nuhiu

Pretty much we need a centre back or 2, Hutchinson can fill in there but he'll be mainly used in midfield, we have a few youth lads who have come on well but I expect they'll go out on loan (O'Grady, Thorniley, Penney, Stobbs, Hirst). Would like to see a tough, athletic midfielder brought in but other than that midfield is sorted so can't see that being high on the priority list. A pacier wide man would come in handy as we have zero pace, but as Forestieri is going to be played there, Matias being fit again and George Boyd signing can't see it happening. We're well stocked up front and probably have the best forward line to pick from in the league. Lewis Mcgugan is on the list but he'll never play for us again.

Just out of interest what do you think the starting 11 will look like?

 

[SUTSS]

Goalkeepers:
Angus Gunn
Remi Matthews
Paul Jones
Michael McGovern

Defenders:
Timm Klose
Russell Martin
Christoph Zimmerman
Ivo Pinto
Ben Godfrey
Harry Toffolo
Jamal Lewis (A youth player that's likely to be loaned out when/if we sign a left back. Played in both our friendlies so far)

Midfielders/Wingers:
Steven Naismith
Matt Jarvis
Wes Hoolahan
Yanic Wildschut (Has played at right back in both our friendlies so far)
Alex Pritchard
Josh Murphy
Jacob Murphy
Alex Tettey
James Maddison
Louis Thompson (possibly out for the season with injury)
Mario Vrancic
Harrison Reed
Marley Watkins

Strikers:
Cameron Jerome
Nelson Oliveira
Carlton Morris

Definitely need some reinforcements at the back especially at CB and LB.

If the season started tomorrow I think we'd line up something like:

Gunn
Pinto ---- Zimmerman --- Klose --- Toffolo
Reed
Watkins --- Pritchard --- Vrancic --- Ja. Murphy
Jerome​

Now with the friendlies done I think we'll start something like this against Fulham next week:

Gunn
Martin --- Zimmerman --- Franke
Wildschut ----------Reed------------ Husband
Watkins --- Vrancic --- Maddison
Jerome
​

Pinto, Klose, Pritchard, Hoolahan, Naismith and Josh Murphy all out for that first game and would all be competing for a place in that starting XI. Oliveria could play instead of Jerome, would be hard to pick which one is ahead at this stage.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Just out of interest what do you think the starting 11 will look like?

The way I'd set it up would be different to Carlos as he wants to stick with a 4-4-2 but he'll probably set it up like this next week at Preston...

Westwood

Hunt
Loovens
Lees
Pudil

Boyd
Bannan
Hutchinson
Reach

Hooper
Rhodes

Kieran Lee is out still and we desperately need to get Abdi in that midfield.

 

[JoshBCFC]

The way I'd set it up would be different to Carlos as he wants to stick with a 4-4-2 but he'll probably set it up like this next week at Preston...

Westwood

Hunt
Loovens
Lees
Pudil

Boyd
Bannan
Hutchinson
Reach

Hooper
Rhodes

Kieran Lee is out still and we desperately need to get Abdi in that midfield.

If one of Hooper or Rhodes really steps up you'll be in the race for automatic promotion I reckon. Very good side you've got there.

 

[El Guapo]

After 25 incomings and departures, it will be like supporting a new club when we play Norwich next week. Hard to predict what team selection and formation Harry will implement, I would probably go with...

------------- Stockdale
Colin -- Morrison -- Dean -- Bramall
-------- N'Doye --- Gardner
------ Jota --- Boga --- Adams
------------- Gallagher

Kuszczak, Nsue, Roberts, Davis, Maghoma, Vassell, Jutkiewicz

 

[SF_]

Defence is a little inexperienced without Clarke and Cunningham and ideally I would have liked another battling midfielder to fill in when Pearson is suspended but I do think we're in good shape.

Very happy with our first eleven and we could field a pretty competitive second eleven too.

Maxwell
Fisher, Huntington, Davies, Earl
Pearson, Johnson
Maguire, Harrop, Barkhuizen
Hugill

Rudd
Woods/Vermijl, Boyle, Spurr, O'Connor
Gallagher, Welsh, Browne
Horgan, Mavididi, Robinson​

 

[Jockney]

Strength of Harris's business (especially compared to last year) is that we now have about ten players who are equally adept in at least two positions, which helps offset the problems of having such a small squad. Our biggest problem is that what was perhaps our strongest area last season has now become our weakest. One goal in 10 league games for Morison and Gregory is very poor, especially with the amount of chances we've had in those games. It's entirely possible that they might score more consistently as they find their feet at this level again, but there are a lot of points to be won between now and January so we're taking a big risk. On the other hand, the defence is looking the best it has for about 15 years and thanks to the signings of Saville and Wallace, and the mini-rebirth of Aiden O'Brien we're creating loads.

Jordan Archer

James Meredith
Conor McLaughlin
Byron Webster
Shaun Hutchinson

Aiden O'Brien
Jed Wallace
George Saville
Shaun Williams

Steve Morison
Lee Gregory

Subs:

Tom King
Tom Elliot
Ryan Tunnicliffe
Fred Onyedinma
Shane Ferguson
Mahlon Romeo
Tony Craig
Ben Thompson

 

[markwwfc1992]

Probably our best lineup and squad up until January. Looks great bar a glaringly obvious lack of strikers. I think we will look better by just playing 3 forward players similar to Liverpool.

Ruddy
Coady - Miranda - Boly
Doherty ------------------ Douglas
Neves - N'Diaye
Costa - Cavaliero - Jota

---Goalkeepers---​

Norris
Burgoyne

---Defenders---​

Bennett
Batth
Hause
Ofosu-Ayeh
Vinagre

---Midfielders---​

Marshall
Saiss
Ronan
Price
Enobakhare
Zyro

---Strikers---​

Bonatini

​

 

[JJH]

After 25 incomings and departures, it will be like supporting a new club when we play Norwich next week. Hard to predict what team selection and formation Harry will implement, I would probably go with...

------------- Stockdale
Colin -- Morrison -- Dean -- Bramall
-------- N'Doye --- Gardner
------ Jota --- Boga --- Adams
------------- Gallagher

Kuszczak, Nsue, Roberts, Davis, Maghoma, Vassell, Jutkiewicz

Why would you drop Roberts? Hasn't he been your best player so far this season?

Anyway, as for us our squad shapes up quite nicely:

Fielding
Pisano Wright Baker Bryan
Leko Brownhill Pack Paterson
Diedhiou Reid

Steele
Vyner Flint Magnusson Kelly
Eliasson Smith Hegeler GoN O'Dowda
Taylor
​

Only missing Woodrow in those off the top of my head.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

We're looking good in all honesty, plenty of depth with two XIs that should be looking at being in the top 6 or so (IMO), just depends now on whether Bruce decides to ditch the negative 10 men behind the ball shit as he did during the two games this season where we scored 4 fucking goals.

1st XI:

Johnstone
De Laet Chester Terry Taylor
Jedi Onomah
Snodgrass Hourihane Green
Kodjia*​

2nd XI:

Steer
Hutton Samba* Elphick Bree
Elmo Lansbury Whelan Adomah
Grealish*
Hogan​

*Currently injured.

And that's leaving out Bjarnason, Agbonlahor and Davis, Davis has been great, Agbonlahor alright, Bjarnason not so much.

We're very right heavy which doesn't help, having one left winger and one left back isn't great, but Bree and De Laet can cover LB and apparently Bruce thinks Bjarnason can play there (don't ask ). Left wing, not such an issue really, Elmo, Snodgrass, Grealish, Kodjia, Agbonlahor, Adomah can all cover there in a pinch.

We SHOULD be looking at top 2, top 6 as an absolute minimum this season. Though you could say that for a lot of teams in the division. We'll see.

(Perhaps I was slightly optimistic saying two promotion challenging XIs, but switch a couple of players from the 2nd into the 1st and it still looks good.)

 

[El Guapo]

Why would you drop Roberts? Hasn't he been your best player so far this season?

I have been disappointed with what I have seen of him, but I'm sure he'll come good in time.

Depends what formation Harry decides to go with, he'll slot in with Dean & Morrison if he goes with 3 at the back.

 

[Madejski]

We're one star striker short of having a fantastic squad. Definitely a better squad than we had last season. Our strength/depth all over midfield is crazy, but weak in reserve up front and at full back.

I would struggle to decide on a first & second 11 so will just list our players, per position, in order of how I would rate them being close to the first team or not. We've also got players to cover several of the different formations Jaap fancies (mostly 4-3-3 and 3-5-2)

Goalkeepers: Vito Mannone, Anssi Jaakkola

Centrebacks: Liam Moore, Paul McShane, Tiago Ilori, Tyler Blackett, Axel Andresson

Full Backs: Jordan Obita, Chris Gunter, Tennai Watson, Omar Richards

Centremids: Liam Kelly, John Swift, Leandro Bacuna, Joey van den Berg, George Evans, Dave Edwards, Stephen Quinn, Andy Rinomhota

Wingers: Sone Aluko, Garath McCleary, Modou Barrow, Roy Beerens, Adrian Popa, Pelle Clement, Callum Harriott

Strikers: Yann Kermorgant, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Sam Smith, Joseph Mendes

 

[Magic]

Wiedwald

Ayling Jansson Pennington Anita

Phillips O'Kane

Alioski Saiz Hernandez

Lasogga

Others

GK: Lonergan, Peacock-Farrell
DF: Cooper, Berardi, Borthwick-Jackson, Shaughnessy
MF: Vieira, Klich, Dallas, Sacko, Gomes
ST: Roofe, Grot, Ekuban

Top 6 please.

 

[MagpieBee]

Ours looking a lot weaker than it did a few days ago:

Bentley
Dalsgaard Egan Barbet Henry*
Mokotjo Woods
Watkins Judge* Canos*
Maupay

Daniels Clarke Bjelland Yennaris McEachran* Jozefzoon Vibe
​

The issue we have is the only other senior players we have outside of that are Sawyers & Macleod*, and half the team are injured (anyone with a *)

Leaves us very weak at the back, would be much more comfortable with another full back and centre back, and once everyone who is injured is back up and running. Would be good to have another striker as well.

Reckon we'll finish somewhere between 12th and 18th I reckon. A few players out of contract at the end of this season and next season who will need new deals or will be sold. Otherwise as we've made a lot of profit recently I expect most of this team to stay together for a while now.