Probable line up vs the Brewers

[brucie]

i would probably use Mcphee as a striker - he certainly isn't a winger as he doesn't know how to control a football. Bearing in mind though we have three strikers in front of him Mcphee is not going to make the starting line up.
I don't think the starting line up is going to be that much of a mystery.

Big ugly keeper (whatever his name is)

Oastler-Robbo-Saah-Nico

Macklin-Mansell-O'Kane-Morris

Kee-Howe

You always start the season with your most experienced players. Subs wise I reckon you need two strikers and a winger. Mcphee could yet prove valuable in this respect due to his versatility.
Personally I wouldn't have Rice on the bench as it wastes a substitute. if he is called upon we will lose, so given that keepers don't get replaced very often I wouldn't have him on the bench. He could prove his use by being the "opposition" goalkeeper in training games, and cleaning the toilets on saturday afternoons.

[ferrarilover]

i would probably use Mcphee as a striker - he certainly isn't a winger as he doesn't know how to control a football. Bearing in mind though we have three strikers in front of him Mcphee is not going to make the starting line up.
I don't think the starting line up is going to be that much of a mystery.

Big ugly keeper (whatever his name is)

Oastler-Robbo-Saah-Nico

Macklin-Mansell-O'Kane-Morris

Kee-Howe

You always start the season with your most experienced players. Subs wise I reckon you need two strikers and a winger. Mcphee could yet prove valuable in this respect due to his versatility.
Personally I wouldn't have Rice on the bench as it wastes a substitute. if he is called upon we will lose, so given that keepers don't get replaced very often I wouldn't have him on the bench. He could prove his use by being the "opposition" goalkeeper in training games, and cleaning the toilets on saturday afternoons.

Need I bother, or do we all know where I'm going with this?

Matt.

Decent team, B, but seriously, who'd you have on the bench?

[bobby93]

I'm thinking:

Olejnik

Oastler
Saah
Robertson
Nicholson

Macklin
O'Kane
Mansell
Morris

Howe
Kee

This depends on Kee's knee injury, which hasn't really been mentioned anywhere so can't be too bad.

[Fonda]

The only decisions are left-back (which is a tough one) and right-wing, where i expect Macklin to get the nod ahead of Mcphee. The rest pick themselves.

[royalgull]

This is what a good pre season does, who seriously 3 weeks ago would have named MAcklin (after all transfer business was done) in their starting XI? Not many I reckon.

I rate him, have done during his darkest times because there is a player there trying to get out, LRT too as well deserves credit. Now he I thought was truly dire when i first saw him at Cheltenham. Looked like a Kings Lynn defender and not a Leicester City one. Now he's far more composed, knows he belongs at this level and gives a totally different form of attack to Nicho. I think LRT could be one of these quite rare goalscoring full backs. Good left foot, good in the air, extremely fit and fast, he'll get up and support the attack a lot more than Nicho could and goals like his at Barnet I think could be a fairly regular thing. 5/6 a season kind of player.


Those are the two decisions that need to be made really. Saah and Robertson should be a given, Ellis hasn't done enough. I think Kee will get the start over Atieno whose pace and unorthodox style looks ideal for the 'Plan B' option off the bench.

Do we go with the pace of Macklin or Stevens (who i think Ling likes) or the new signing and maybe safer option of McPhee on the right even though he's probably not 100% comfortable out there? And who gets the shout at left back? The more experienced safe option of Nicho with his set piece delivery or the raw pace and athleticism of LRT?

I think he'll go with McPhee and Nicho and leave the speed option as the Plan B. Stevens, Macklin, LRT and Atieno on the bench leaves us lots of room to change styles if things aren't going so well.

I really like the look of our squad now, we have options (and good options) in just about every position. We shouldn't need the loan market too much and also the young players as well have had a good pre season and look to be part of things. Good times. Important to get a good start, banish any 'hangovers' from last season and just filter around the 7th-15th area for the season. I think most would be satisfied with that I certainly would.

[tufcbrett]

Best thing about it is, through out the season any of those players will play a big part in a game. One game as you said LRT could rip apart the left side score a goal and there we go. Couple games later Nicho could swing in 2 amazing corsses and all finished off by Howe and hes made an impact. What ever Ling feels would effect a game against certain teams he can do has he now has the options.

I just have a good feeling about Ling, this season we will do pretty well and will suprise some people. Then i honestly think the season after, ling will know whos good at what and bring in more players that will fit better and lose the ones that not so. Then i feel a real push could really happen.

[Wubble U]

I see no-one's really mentioned Danny Stevens in their starting line ups.

From the way Ling was talking around the time Danny signed, I got the impression he saw him as a starter on the wing.
Almost like he was challenging Danny to 'keep his place', as though it was a given that he'd be starting.

Plus a 2 year contract seems to suggest he really rates him and wants him involved in the first eleven

Wouldn't have him in my starting line-up personally, but I'm convinced Ling will...

[royalgull]

Stevens was in the starting line up at the beginning of last season when we had a decent run. Played the full 120 i think against Reading or definitely into extra time, didn't stop some of the prats having a go at him. I think that was my biggest low of last season, was us being the much better side against a side that ultimately was 1 match away from the PRemiership, all of our players ran their guts out and still some (within ear shot because he turned round and confronted them) had a pop at Stevens.

Stevens may well start as the 'in between' of McPhee and MAcklin. Pacey, bit more experience and more naturally a wide player. I wouldn't have a problem with that. Happ with all of our players, think they can all fill in and do the job whoever he picks.

[stevegull]

surprised so many of you are seeing McPhee as a wide midfield player rather than in central midfield. He signed for us on the back of some very good seasons playinging from the centre of the park. I understand he has been playing out wide in pre-season but i think this could just be so that he has a chance to get fit.

Macklin appears to have forced his way into many of your sides, and unfortunately I haven't been able to see him this pre-season yet and haven't been able to witness his apparent transformation. However, i do have to agree with 'Wubble U' on Stevens. From listening to Ling he appears to have tried to take Danny under his wing and almost made him a personal project to improve this season. I am just not convinced he can cut it yet. But time will tell... (as we say about Stevens EVERY year)

Would definietely stick with nico at left back. Yes, he may lack some pace, but people forget that he is a tremendous tackler and so his pace is somewhat less required if he gets his tackles right! His set-pieces are also second to NONE in this division, a great weapon for us.

Looking forward to the season now....

[JamieE]

I think he will play:

-------------------Olejnik

Oastler-----Robbo-----Saah------LRT

Stevens----Mansell---O'Kane---Morris

--------------Howe-----Atieno

However, I would like Nico, Macklin and Kee to start.

[ferrarilover]

Couple of things, Steve.

Firstly, I think it's tough to know where to put Mchee, simply because he plays everywhere and it a case of slotting him in to fill a gap. The central midfield roles are nailed on for Manse and Eunan, there is no way he is a better striker than the three first choices for two slots and he will be wasted at the back, so the only places up for grabs for which he can make a realistic claim are the wide midfield places, which is why people have put him there. I agree though, I would not be disappointed to see him line up in central midfield, should Eunan or Manse need a day off.

Secondly, don't be fooled into thinking that Macklin has become a legend in his own lunchbox over night, he hasn't, its just the he exploited a piss-poor Filth side (well done to him for doing so, but against that absolute trash, it was nothing extraordinary) and he was no better than good against Brizzle Rovers. He didn't help himself by being terrible against Tiverton (1st PSF, so not a disaster) and not especially good against Burnley.
I don't rate him, quite rightly given how hopeless he was during his brief appearances under PB. I accept all the arguments about lack of pitch time and what not, and I have taken everything into account and I still don't think he's good enough, often enough, to warrant being an automatic choice.

I hope, and, perhaps, believe, that he will come good, he will get better and more consistent and be a real force in this division, but as Arsene Wenger knows all too well, you win trophies with performances, not potential.

Matt.

[Regiment]

there does seem to be a degree of consistency in what people think on here. for me, not having seen any PSFs, i only see three positions at this moment in time, that are still up for grabs. those being left back, right mid, and who partners Rene. so, my guess is what i think Ling will do (as opposed to what i might do) :-

------------Olejnik---------

Oastler---Robbo---Saah---LRT

McPhee--Manse--O'Kane--Morris

-------Howe-----Billy--------

[Fonda]

A few points i've picked up on from earlier comments. I agree Mcphee is more comfortable in a 'central' position, but i can't see him getting in the side in the middle of the pitch. The only place he can realistically challenge is on the right-wing, where he offers the experience that Macklin lacks and a degree of ability that Stevens lacks. As for Macklin, it's fair to say he's not achieved anything after a couple of pre-season games. And i've never been a huge fan of his (see my references to Forrest Gump), but his performance against City was fantastic. Even if they were having a bad night, they couldn't have countered his pace however they were playing. And crosses still need to be made, regardless of how poor the opposition is playing. I didn't know he was capable of the kind of deilivery he showed that night. He needs to add consistency, but there is evidently some talent to work with and what he has done is stake the most convincing claim to start the season on our right wing. LRT or Nico? I think this is the toughest decision. You know what you'll get from Nico - reasonably sound defensively and excellent delivery. LRT remains more of an unknown quantity, but i've always been convinced of his defensive quality. He's athletic, reads the game pretty well and offers some extra height. Tough call that one and i've got no idea which way Ling will go. I don't think he can make a 'wrong' decision either way. The keeper is very sound, Oastler is excellent at full-back (some might even suggest it's his natural position), Robbo has seen off any challenge from Ellis, Manse and Eunan complement each other perfectly, Morris has a left-foot and a football brain (perhaps negating the need for Nico to a degree) and Kee and Howe have done enough to deserve initial selection.

For me...?

Olejnik

Oastler
Robbo
Saah
LRT

Macklin
Manse (c)
Eunan
Morris

Kee
Howe

Rice, Nico, Lathrope, Mcphee, Atieno

[Gulliball]

Olejnik

Oastler
Robbo
Saah
LRT

Macklin
Manse (c)
Eunan
Morris

Kee
Howe

Rice, Nico, Lathrope, Mcphee, Atieno

Exactly what I'd go with, although possibly a winger on the bench would be good. This may be McPhee, or else Stevens or Halpin if he develops well. 5 subs seems restrictive now after getting used to 7.

[nicktufc]

For me. I saw us play Exeter and Burnley, and can only go on those 2 games, so here is my team.

Olejnic
Oastler, Robertson, Saah, Nico
Macklin, Eunan, Manse, Morris
Kee, Howe
Bench of Atieno, Stevens, McPhee, LRT, Rice

I, like most people, think that left back, right wing and Howe's strike partner are the only positions going. It would not surprise me should LRT, Stevens/McPhee or Atieno given the nod.