Shaping up ...

[danburyshrimper]

...................................BENTLEY.........................
WHITE.........PHILLIPS..............PROSSER.....COKER
ATKINSON.......LAIRD.............TIMLIN.......STRAKER
................EASTWOOD..........CORR.......................

SUBS: LEONARD,BARKER,PINNOCK,NJIE,SMITH,AUGER,TATHAM



The team is taking shape quite nicely now( im assuming Cresswell moves on) but reckon this starting line up , beefed up by maybe a couple more players ( centre midfield + striker ), could hold its own in Div 2 ..... not sure theres enough quality in depth to be a real promotion force , but what do others think ?

 

[RobB11]

Kevan Hurst?

Oh and Payne is ahead of Tatham, he's not got a pro deal has he?

We lack strength in depth massively, the bench is basically has beens and youths. We desperately still need a CB, 2 CMs and 2 CFs IMHO

 

[Napster]

No Hurst? Bizarre.

 

[onlyonekingkevin]

Smith ahead of Bentley any day of the week for me ! , Dans not ready yet

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

The other day I thought it was shaping up nicely as well, but now you've put together a line up, it's just not good enough to compete at the top yet IMO.

 

[Napster]

I'd have based on reports etc

Bentley
White Cresswell Phillips Coker
Hurst Atkinson Laird Straker
Corr Eastwood

Subs: Smith, Prosser, Leonard, Barker, Payne, Njie

I think an extra striker, CB and CM and we're there.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

I think it looks very very average at best and that's with no injuries!! I would say we badly need at least 4 players especially at least 1 more striker considering we have lost Britt and Tomlin and not replaced them.

 

[Smiffy]

Perhaps it's me being negative (As usual some may say) but that looks a pretty average XI and even worse on the bench. For me, that side is nowhere near the quality of last seasons and they finished 11th.

Several better quality signings required if we are to even have a sniff of the play-offs IMO.

 

[Shrimper95]

Chesterfield have now ended their interest in Cresswell.

 

[shrimperjon]

Not sure how anyone can leave Hurst out of the team and keep Straker in. Nothing against Straker, but he is defo not good enough yet to play and hold down the left side of midfield. A starting midfield of Atkinson, Laird, Timlin and Hurst looks good. Defence looks weak if we lose Cresswell and upfront, already Corr is injured and Fred although playing ok doesnt look like he will score that many based on some of the chances he has missed so far in preseason, Losing Britt and Tomlin has been massive and we need to sign two similar replacements. The team above, will struggle next season. As PB said we are still at least 4 short of where we need to be. The likes of O'Toole and Lee would add to the midfield, at least one more striker and if cressy goes another CB. Not sure shaping up nicely is correct at this stage.

 

[dannypav]

Chesterfield have now ended their interest in Cresswell.

So he signs for them tomorrow then :smile:

 

[OldBlueLady]

Dan's made a couple of mistakes so far that have proved costly, we've yet to see Paul Smith feature. For me, until I hear differently, he's still our no. 1 GK and I would expect him to start if he's fit.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Agree with a number of the comments above. We need experienced and capable cover for injuries, cup games and suspensions and at least 2 more strikers.

Still, we're making decent progress ....... Rome wasn't burnt down in a day ...........:'(

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

I'd say that line up would struggle to finish top half and certainly struggle to stay fit. A left side of Coker and straker do me a favour! Very little skill in that lineup.

 

[wiggy]

...................................BENTLEY.........................
WHITE.........PHILLIPS..............PROSSER.....COKER
ATKINSON.......LAIRD.............TIMLIN.......STRAKER
................EASTWOOD..........CORR.......................

SUBS: LEONARD,BARKER,PINNOCK,NJIE,SMITH,AUGER,TATHAM



The team is taking shape quite nicely now( im assuming Cresswell moves on) but reckon this starting line up , beefed up by maybe a couple more players ( centre midfield + striker ), could hold its own in Div 2 ..... not sure theres enough quality in depth to be a real promotion force , but what do others think ?

Lucky to make top 10 with these lightweights!

 

[onceknownasrab]

Lucky to make top 10 with these lightweights!

Oh thank God for you Wiggy! This board has been driving me to distraction with the new found positivity. Optimism is all well and good but we are The Blues, by name and nature. I knew I could rely on you to keep things in perspective. :smile:

 

[simac21]

Find it strange people are putting Straker in the First Team, Atkinson has been signed to play games and Hurst got the most Assists last season so they're surely first choice for Wingers

Straker needs to prove himself alot more than a couple of pre season friendly's against lower opposition before i even think he should step into the first team sheet

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

Throw in couple of strikers and a good central midfielder to cover Timlin (maybe on loan) and I think we have a squad that can certainly finish in the top half. Not hopeful of promotion though, I can see depth and goalscoring being issues this season. We have more youth products in the squad than normal so there's that unknown element too, a couple of them could do well if given the chance.

 

[manor15]

Main worry for me is up front, 3 strikers is not enough. Njie doesn't seem ready for the first team yet, Freddy is looking good in pre-season but it's been a while since he was scoring goals for fun, and Corr has his injury problems. That midfield doesn't produce that many goals either, Hurst doesn't score loads, neither do Laird or Timlin. That's the biggest worry, I can't see where the goals are going to come from.

 

[leeblue]

Smith
White cresswell prosser coker

Leonard laird atkinson hurst

Corr eastwood

This starting 11 needs a pacy forward and a pacy winger plus a centre mid general