Starting XIs

[joethegill]

So, the big kick off is under a month away - how is your side shaping up for August 4th?

We've kept a lot of our spine from last year, and added a few. Mostly, it's gambles from non-league or kids, but the first 11 is pretty useful:

Tomas Holy

Luke O'Neill - Gabby Zakuani - Max Ehmer - Bradley Garmston

Billy Bingham

Mark Byrne - Callum Reilly

Dean Parrett

Josh Parker - Tom Eaves​

Tom Hadler, Barry Fuller, Alex Lacey, Josh Rees, Regan Charles-Cook, Elliott List & Conor Wilkinson as a possibly bench line up

Still room for a couple of additions, but numbers-wise we're more or less there. I'd expect a couple of the kids (Ben Chapman, Aaron Simpson, Noel Mbo & Darren Oldaker) to go out on loan, but they could just as easily make the first team squad - Oldaker and Simpson in particular.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Think we might be off with a back 3 this season, something like this:

Richard O'Donnell
Ryan McGowan - Anthony O'Connor - Matt Killgallon

Joe Riley Connor Wood

Jake Reeves - Hope Akpan

Sherwin Seedorf Tyrell Robinson

Charlie Wyke

Looks ok, probably mid table, have I missed anyone though been so many through the door I can't remember?

Still think we'll bring in more though, with maybe Wyke leaving.

 

[Bottega Don]

Ours is looking shocking and we need some new signings.

Rory Watson

Jordan Clarke Rory McArdle Cameron Burgess Conor Townsend (will probably leave though)
Duane Holmes (Might leave) Funso Ojo No other CM Josh Morris
Stephen Humphrhys Lee Novak

We are in trouble.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Biggest question for me is not who plays but how. Will we stick with the diamond or switch to a back three as we seem to have a lot of starting centre halves

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

The 352 does seem to fit with us right now I must say my only pause on it is that Jones has been incredibly dogmatic in sticking to the diamond midfield, even to the extent of playing players out of position to ensure that we kept it.

The real nadir of it was playing Jordan Cook and Gilliead as central midfield players just to keep that shape. We found a way of getting it work last season and that in my view was the real key to our success, in Berry we finally had the right midfielder to play in that shape and we moved Lee away from the DM spot as we had a proper one in McCormack and then he was injured Rea took over. Having got it to work last season and embedded how he wants to play it would be strange for him to look to change it.

We did play 352 a couple of times last year but that wasn't really out of choice and was more against teams who we knew would pump it long a lot which we wanted to negate (Lincoln away is the stand out example if us doing this I think).

We do have the players for a 352, but we also did last season as well really and we remained steadfastly on the diamond majority of the time.

 

[Marked Ox]

Ours is:

Simon Eastwood

Tony McMahon or Cameron Norman
Curtis Nelson
Rob Dickie
Luke Garbutt

Cameron Brannagan
Josh Ruffels

Samir Carruthers
James Henry
Robbie Hall

Jon Obika (although I'd rather give Owen James, a 1st year pro, be given a chance)


A decent basis to begin from but will need strengthening and depth. Although the defence is pretty much sorted with John Mousinho, Charlie Raglan, Canice Carroll and Sam Long all available. Also, Josh Ruffels can cover left back as well.

There will be more coming in as KR has mentioned 2 loans (a winger and forward) and other permanent signings will follow no doubt. We do need at least 2 forwards so that Jon Obika is back up to the back up.

 

[Hatter86]

Likely something like this.

GK Marek Stech
RB Jack Stacey
CB Alan Sheehan
CB Sonny Bradley
LB Dan Potts
DMC Alan McCormack
MCL Luke Berry
MCR Jorge Grant
AMC Andrew Shinnie
FWD James Collins
FWD Danny Hylton

Subs- Shea, Justin, Pearson, Glen Rea, Pelly Ruddock, Elliot Lee, Harry Cornick.

Leaves Senior, Jones, Gambin and Jervis without a place in the match day squad.

Won't be the XI for the first game as Berry is injured and Hylton is suspended, imagine Ruddock and Elliot Lee would start with Jervis and Gambin moving up to the bench.

As other mentioned there is a chance we will play 352 with wing backs, in which case Pearson comes in, probably for Pelly.

 

[Fedora Dale]

Plenty of options available to us. Will probably play 3 centre backs, and based on the friendly at Staley Vegas last Friday, the team may be...

Gk: Lillis (or Moore (or Wade))

Rcb: McGahey (or Finnerty)
Ccb: MJ Williams (or McNulty)
Lcb: Delaney (or Ntlhe)

Rwb: Rafferty (or Thompson)
Lwb: Done (or J Williams)

Quarterback: Camps (or Morley)
Ratting Midfielder: Perkins (or Rathbone)
Attacking Midfielder: Cannon (or Adshead)

No. 10: Henderson (or Inman)
Target Man: Andrew (or Wilbraham)

Spare forward/winger: Gillam, Dooley.

Probably have more idea closer to the season...

 

[F!RTHY]

Bradford City:

GK: Richard O’Donnell

CB: Ryan McGowan
CB: Anthony O’connor
CB: Thomas Isherwood/Matt Killgallon

RWB: Joe Riley
LWB: Tyrel Robinson

CM: Hope Akpan
CM: Jake Reeves

RW: Alex Jones
CF: Charlie Wyke
LW: Sherwin Seedorf

Subs:
Shay McCartan
Josh Wright
Connor Wood
Nat Knight-Percival
Jordan Gibson
Omari Patrick

Quietly confident (aren’t we all, secretly) - especially with attacking arrivals expected.

 

[nelsonpfc]

I would say we are likely to line up either 433
GK: Macgillivray

RB: Nathan Thompson
CB: Christian Burgess
CB: Matt Clarke - Unless someone comes in with a huge bid
LB: Lee Brown

DM: Tom Naylor
CM: Gareth Evans
CM: Danny Rose

RF: Jamall Lowe
CF: Brett Pitman
LF: Ronan Curtis

Either that or been playing 4231

GK: Macgillivray

RB: Nathan Thompson
CB: Christian Burgess
CB: Matt Clarke - Unless someone comes in with a huge bid
LB: Lee Brown

DM: Tom Naylor
DM: Danny Rose

RW Gareth Evans
AM:Jamal Lowe
LW: Ronan Curtis

CF: Brett Pitman

 

[Kenneth E End]

Likely something like this.

GK Marek Stech
RB Jack Stacey
CB Alan Sheehan
CB Sonny Bradley
LB Dan Potts
DMC Alan McCormack
MCL Luke Berry
MCR Jorge Grant
AMC Andrew Shinnie
FWD James Collins
FWD Danny Hylton

Subs- Shea, Justin, Pearson, Glen Rea, Pelly Ruddock, Elliot Lee, Harry Cornick.

Leaves Senior, Jones, Gambin and Jervis without a place in the match day squad.

Won't be the XI for the first game as Berry is injured and Hylton is suspended, imagine Ruddock and Elliot Lee would start with Jervis and Gambin moving up to the bench.

As other mentioned there is a chance we will play 352 with wing backs, in which case Pearson comes in, probably for Pelly.

I’d say that’s a bloody strong team. Would be interested to see if others think the same at this level?

 

[joethegill]

I’d say that’s a bloody strong team. Would be interested to see if others think the same at this level?

Hard to say. Collins and Hylton don't fill me with a huge amount of dread as a strike partnership if I'm honest. From what I know, defence is ok. In midfield, McCormack is about 40 by now surely? Don't know much about Shinnie, and Berry and Grant are untested at this level, although have done well a level below. I think you're probably looking at a decent mid-table finish.

 

[iWomble]

Not sure we've got 11. Seriously. Somehow beat Reading 4-2 on Saturday with kids and triallists packing out the squad but we need at least another 4 or 5 through the door still.

At the moment likely starters are (with probable rotation in brackets):

GK Tom King

RB ?
CB Will Nightingale
CB Deji Oshilaja
LB Jon Meades

LM Andy Barcham
CM Liam Trotter
CM Tom Soares
RM Mitch Pinnock

CF: James Hanson (Joe Pigott)
CF: Cody McDonald (Kwesi Appiah)

Subs: Joe McDonnell (GK), Egli Kaja, Anthony Hartigan, er, that's it.

Of those, Meades should be in midfield and Soares nowhere near the starting 11.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Hard to say. Collins and Hylton don't fill me with a huge amount of dread as a strike partnership if I'm honest. From what I know, defence is ok. In midfield, McCormack is about 40 by now surely? Don't know much about Shinnie, and Berry and Grant are untested at this level, although have done well a level below. I think you're probably looking at a decent mid-table finish.

Kind of agree with you, especially looking at it written down, it looks a mid table side for me.

McCormack is good but I just feel is a year or two too old and hence why im slightly confused we dont seem to be link with any other younger DM type players.

I think Hylton will be fine stepping up to be honest, hes clearly done better here than he has anywhere for whatever reason and even when not scoring can be such a creative force, as well as a total ball ache with his "style" for want of a better word. His movement is exceptional at times and I would think definitely worthy of this level, which he hasnt really had a crack at. Collins im not sure about but its the partnership of the 2 at a higher level im most not sure on. It was clunky at times even last season.

In Collins favour is i think the fact he is a pure goal scorer so if you put enough on a plate for him he will put them away. We have shown that we can create a LOT of chances so we will see on that. But yeah not sure if his overall play is of the level.

Berry will be fine if he gets back what he had pre injury, he is absolute quality.

Everyone else in the midfield though, I have question marks over to be honest.

 

[Mr Plow]

At the moment I'd guess at something like this:

GK: Mark Oxley

RB: Jason Demetriou
CB: John White
CB: Michael Turner
LB: Ben Coker

MF: Michael Kightly
MF: Dru Yearwood
MF: Sam Mantom
MF: Stephen McLaughlin

FW: Simon Cox
FW: Tom Hopper / Theo Robinson

With the rest of the matchday squad made up of Ted Smith (GK), Stephen Hendrie, Harry Kyprianou, Luke Hyam, Timothee Dieng, Sam Barratt, Norman Wabo.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I'd argue we should definitely be doing better than mid table. Six players in the League 2 team of the year in that team above.

I'd say we're defensively pretty sound now with Pearson and Bradley joining. Midfield is pretty solid and the strikeforce unproven, but with 40 goals between Hylton and Collins last year isn't exactly bad.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Quite like the look of that Southend XI.

Sorry to say.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I'd argue we should definitely be doing better than mid table. Six players in the League 2 team of the year in that team above.

I'd say we're defensively pretty sound now with Pearson and Bradley joining. Midfield is pretty solid and the strikeforce unproven, but with 40 goals between Hylton and Collins last year isn't exactly bad.

Defence and forward line I’m confident in. Midfield I’m very much unsure on. They all have questions over them for me, even Berry with his injury. If we play the diamond then it would be interesting to see if Grant plays as the 10 as has been suggested or box to box like Lee did, and who starts opposite whilst Berry gets back up to speed.

If we are banking on getting a decent number of games out of McCormack then I think that’s poor planning on our part and not sure Rea is technically good enough to play DM a level above.

Really would like another one in there to be honest but doesn’t look like we are looking too. Very interested to see how it goes and if we make changes to the shape as a result of this summers business.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Agreed that Collins looks a bit awkward at times and doesn't seem to have a great all round game. But he does work his bollocks off and got 10 assists in 42 games last season so I think his all round contribution is a bit deceptive.

He'll score goals too. 20 in 68 in League One to date but he's coming off the back of his two best ever goal scoring seasons (20 then 19 league goals - previously his best return was 15 which he managed in both League Two and League One).

Same with Hylton - not proven at this level but he's been the best striker in the level below since he's joined us and clearly become a much better player since he moved here (his goal return is miles beyond what it was at Oxford in the same league). I'm confident they'll get 30 between them.

Agreed that the midfield is the big question mark. I think our first choice midfield if all fit and in form would be good enough but there's huge question marks over the fitness of the two most important ones, and then huge question marks over the consistent form of their most natural understudies. I don't think we'll sign anyone this window but wouldn't be at all surprised to see us have a rethink in January after McCormack inevitably breaks down again.

My other question mark is over the centre back partnership. I really don't see Sheehan and Bradley playing together in a two very often. Left footed centre backs spend their careers playing on the left of a two because lefties are uncommon; adjusting to the other side won't be easy. Also we've just spent a small fortune on a right footed centre back who Jones apparently loves and left because he wants first team football. How does it all fit together? Not a clue.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

I’d say that’s a bloody strong team. Would be interested to see if others think the same at this level?

Nope.

You won't find an Oxford fan that doesn't think Hylton could do a job in L1 though.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

I’d say that’s a bloody strong team. Would be interested to see if others think the same at this level?

In honesty mate, I don't really know any of your players except Sheehan and I thought he was crap at this level tbh but he didn't play CB. But I don't really watch League 2 football, so they might be decent, Plymouth and Pompey did well tbf.

 

[LeonTheGreen]

For us id go with:
GK - Harry Burgoyne
RB - Joe Riley
CB - Scott Wootton
CB - Ryan Edwards
LB - Gary Sawyer
CM - David Fox
CM - Antoni Sarcevic
CM - Jamie Ness
CAM - Ruben Lamieras
CAM - Graham Carey
ST - Ryan Taylor

Still getting one more CM in so that could change. Conor Grant could also potentially get in over Sarcevic.

 

[Floreat Salopia]

GK)

RB) James Bolton
CB) Toto Nsiala
CB) Mat Sadler
LB) Omar Beckles

CM) Bryn Morris
CM) Jon Nolan
CM) Sam Jones

RW) Shaun Whalley
ST) Stefan Payne/Fejiri Okenabirhie
LW) Alex Gillead/Abo Eisa

We don’t have a goalkeeper at the minute so can’t include one. We still need another 5 or 6 players, another 2 centre midfielders are expected so Sam Jones won’t start.

Got some quality players in that team, especially Nsiala and Nolan. I have a feeling this Okenabirhie is going to have a good career with us too.

 

[PlymouthCasual]

Our Attacking and Midfield options are pretty much the same as last year but with a lot more quality in depth, If this aspect of the team performs as well as last year then a top half finish and a sniff at the play offs is not an Impossible shout.

The issue we have is that we have could start with a entirely new back five. The way Adams get these lads to gel in pre season could make or break our season if I am honest.

Anyway, my team to start against Walsall would be.

GK - Harry Burgoyne

RB - Tafari Moore
CB - Scott Wootton
CB - Ryan Edwards
LB - Ashley Smith-Brown

CM - David Fox
CM - Conor Grant
CM - Jamie Ness

CAM - Ruben Lamieras
CAM - Graham Carey

ST - Ryan Taylor

Subs - Michael Cooper, Joe Riley, Niall Canavan, Antoni Sarcevic, Freddie Ladapo, Lionel Ainsworth

 

[Posh Hammer]

Ours changes every day as we just keep signing people and getting rid of people.

Gwion Edwards, who is probably our best player has refused to go on pre-season tour and a fee has been agreed with a Championship club. So looking at the squad now, it would be something like this:

GK: Aaron Chapman

RB: Jason Naismith
CB : Josh Yorwerth
CB: Ryan Taffazolli
LB: Tyler Denton

CM: Louis Reed
CM: Mark O'Hara
CM: Alex Woodyard

FW: Danny Lloyd
FW: Jason Cummings
FW: Matt Godden

Subs:

Connor O'Malley
Rhys Bennett
Colin Daniel
Joe Ward
George Cooper
Adam King
Sirike Dembele

That's the team without Marriott, Maddison and Edwards.

And Evans still wants to sign 3 more!

 

[Judge Dredd]

Ours changes every day as we just keep signing people and getting rid of people.

Gwion Edwards, who is probably our best player has refused to go on pre-season tour and a fee has been agreed with a Championship club. So looking at the squad now, it would be something like this:

GK: Aaron Chapman

RB: Jason Naismith
CB : Josh Yorwerth
CB: Ryan Taffazolli
LB: Tyler Denton

CM: Louis Reed
CM: Mark O'Hara
CM: Alex Woodyard

FW: Danny Lloyd
FW: Jason Cummings
FW: Matt Godden

Subs:

Connor O'Malley
Rhys Bennett
Colin Daniel
Joe Ward
George Cooper
Adam King
Sirike Dembele

That's the team without Marriott, Maddison and Edwards.

And Evans still wants to sign 3 more!

Evans is very much a 4-4-2 kind of guy or at least he always used to be.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Ours changes every day as we just keep signing people and getting rid of people.

Gwion Edwards, who is probably our best player has refused to go on pre-season tour and a fee has been agreed with a Championship club. So looking at the squad now, it would be something like this:

GK: Aaron Chapman

RB: Jason Naismith
CB : Josh Yorwerth
CB: Ryan Taffazolli
LB: Tyler Denton

CM: Louis Reed
CM: Mark O'Hara
CM: Alex Woodyard

FW: Danny Lloyd
FW: Jason Cummings
FW: Matt Godden

Subs:

Connor O'Malley
Rhys Bennett
Colin Daniel
Joe Ward
George Cooper
Adam King
Sirike Dembele

That's the team without Marriott, Maddison and Edwards.

And Evans still wants to sign 3 more!

So what’s the turnover now? Surely this will start to have a negative impact on the squad?

 

[Posh Hammer]

So what’s the turnover now? Surely this will start to have a negative impact on the squad?

I think it's 12 in, 11 out so far.

Put it this way, from that list above, only 2 of the starting line up (Taffazolli and Lloyd) were with us last year. There are 3 more on the bench, that all joined us last season.

In fact, I don't expect there will be one player at the club who has been here more than 1 season by the time we've finished pre-season.

We could come top, we could come bottom. None of us know what to expect as we don't know any of the players!

 

[BelizeHatter]

I'd hate that. Scary Steve.......

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Lee Burge

Dijon Sterling
Jordan Willis
Tom Davies
Junior Brown

Jodi Jones
Abu Ogogo
Michael Doyle
Tom Bayliss

Tony Andreu

Jonson Clarke-Harris

Possible 4-4-1-1 as we are lacking strikers.