Official Match Thread Reading 2-0 Southend (behind closed doors)

[Shrimpergonzo]

So, we have our first pre-season friendly tomorrow. Given the squad we currently have, and injuries - let's have a guess at the starting XI. I'll go for:

Oxley

Bwomono Lennon Kiernan Clifford

Milligan

Mantom Dieng Kightley

Humphrys Goodship​

and then at half-time he'll change to

Bishop

Howard Taylor Jordan McLaughlin

Roberts Yearwood Klass Hutchinson

Robinson Kelman
​

I guess he might go for more of a mix and match between youth and experience (eg with Centre Backs), but I suppose tomorrow is more about fitness than anything else.

 

[tottenham541]

I think a few won’t be risked for this, expect to see a few trialists in this one.

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

Dieng is injured so won't take any part

 

[Grapevine]

I hear Roberts is also injured and there’s not a cat in hells chance of Taylor being included in first team games yet....also expect to see Blackman play a part

 

[Grapevine]

I guess he might go for more of a mix and match between youth and experience (eg with Centre Backs), but I suppose tomorrow is more about fitness than anything else.​

​

A million % he’ll mix things up tomorrow. First friendly why would anyone risk de-motivating players by openly going strong and weak in each half a week into pre season.....

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Agreed, and I don’t think he’ll want to possibly imply some are seen as first XI and some not at this stage

 

[BriggBlue]

I'd quite like to see what Batman and Theo tried up front together, I've got a feeling it might be the sort of partnership that could just work

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I hear Roberts is also injured and there’s not a cat in hells chance of Taylor being included in first team games yet....also expect to see Blackman play a part

It's not really a first team game though is it? I expect it'll be a rolling subs type affair (I think that are no suspensions are the attractions to behind closed door matches) with u23s/academy players filling in when the first team squad have done their stint.

If we take Milligan as a defensive midfielder (which is where Bond says he sees him) that leaves us with Kiernan, Lennon, White (if he re-signs/doesn't hold himself out in case he gets injured) and the trialist Jordan.

It's then either him or Miles Mitchell-Nelson as the next man up if anyone (Lennon!) has a knock and Taylor is the one with the pro deal.

 

[Grapevine]

Tomorrow’s game will, I imagine be 22 players from the 25 that have been training.....that won’t include any 23s other than the lads that have already broken into the first team squad and formed part of that 25.....they’ll play a straight 45 mins each side which, again I would imagine, will be pretty equally split.....

There’ll be some square pegs in round holes because primarily it’ll be a fitness exercise not a tactical one.

I saw some of Taylor in 18s and 23s games last season and he’s no closer to first team than Sonny Coutts or Taylor Curran were....which was miles....

No idea how the split will be but :-

GK - Oxley / Bishop

CB - two in each half from White / Bournemouth triallist / Kiernan / Lennon

FB - Two in each half from Blackman / Elvis / Clifford / Howard

Midfield players - four in each half from Kightly / Mantom / Yearwood / McLaughlin / Klass / Hutchinson / Milligan / Lynden

CF - two in each half from Humphrys / Robinson / Kelman / Goodship

Injured :-

Cox
Dieng
Hyam
Roberts

Can’t see who else would be included in the 22?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Tomorrow’s game will, I imagine be 22 players from the 25 that have been training.....that won’t include any 23s other than the lads that have already broken into the first team squad and formed part of that 25.....they’ll play a straight 45 mins each side which, again I would imagine, will be pretty equally split.....

There’ll be some square pegs in round holes because primarily it’ll be a fitness exercise not a tactical one.

I saw some of Taylor in 18s and 23s games last season and he’s no closer to first team than Sonny Coutts or Taylor Curran were....which was miles....

No idea how the split will be but :-

GK - Oxley / Bishop

CB - two in each half from White / Bournemouth triallist / Kiernan / Lennon

FB - Two in each half from Blackman / Elvis / Clifford / Howard

Midfield players - four in each half from Kightly / Mantom / Yearwood / McLaughlin / Klass / Hutchinson / Milligan / Lynden

CF - two in each half from Humphrys / Robinson / Kelman / Goodship

Injured :-

Cox
Dieng
Hyam
Roberts

Can’t see who else would be included in the 22?

Don't disagree with how close he was just that it's not uncommon to see a Taylor Curran or someone like that make a sub appearance in a pre-season friendly. It's not pre-season unless there's at least one player who wasn't on the team sheet and you don't recognise! Otherwise that's how I see it as well.

ps You mention 25 who were in training - but there are 22 listed there plus 4 injured, so who's the odd one out Cox because he hasn't trained at all?

 

[Napster]

Don't disagree with how close he was just that it's not uncommon to see a Taylor Curran or someone like that make a sub appearance in a pre-season friendly. It's not pre-season unless there's at least one player who wasn't on the team sheet and you don't recognise! Otherwise that's how I see it as well.

ps You mention 25 who were in training - but there are 22 listed there plus 4 injured, so who's the odd one out Cox because he hasn't trained at all?

No Hopper either

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

No Hopper either

Hopper, Barratt, Kyprianou, Demetriou and Gard all all long term injured (although hopefully for not too much longer)

 

[Ricey]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1147231758015852544

 

[Ricey]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1147232676094631938

 

[MK Shrimper]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1147232676094631938

Welcome to Southend. Bring bandages.

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Bond is planning to use 22 players at Reading tomorrow.

More...

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1147232676094631938

At least he turned up for training. If you know his attitude and discipline problems, you will get this.

 

[Shrimper]

Nothing on our Twitter about todays game team?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

What time is the match?

 

[tottenham541]

Reading team is up, nothing about southend,