@rh3 I'm not convinced we do. It may mean a style of play less reliant on crosses, with more cutting inside and more patterns.

I've always felt we are more effective when we are not always whipping it in from deep, especially against sides with a strong (and large) defence.

Alfie, Jake Laurence, Nikaj, Barratt and McShane should give us plenty of options 

AdeB. What position do you feel we need more backup?  As I said before I don't feel a squad of 21 is  enough, and a lack of depth in a couple of areas cost us the title last year.

I do think we need at least one more attacking option in the side if you look at the list of attacking options we had at the end of last season compared to now. Barrett is a direct replacement for Carter, and Nikaj is effectively a replacement for Casey, but that still leaves us with no real replacements for Prior or McCallum.

Considering we play a system with two strikers every week, we can't go in to the season with just two senior strikers in the squad. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Prior-esque type player, but we do need something. We made this same mistake last season and were soon having to scramble around to sign Marquez, etc.

I do feel we're maybe short a left sided defender as well. Will be interesting to see if there is anyone from the academy that can provide a bit of depth for this area.

Also feel we need centre back to cover for injuries to Annersley/Philpott, assuming latter is coming.

There was mention of possibly changing to a 343 this season on a recent boa episode. If this is the case- I should imagine it will be a case of Alfie as the central forward with a choice of nikaj, wood, Lewis and Jimmy on either side for him. I do agree that a jp9 style player would be beneficial if we had to go a bit longer at any time.

@tommywilms10 Yeah I saw that as well but I see a couple of problems with that.

1. I don't see how Josh Barrett would fit in that shape at all.

2. I don't think we have enough wide players to fill all the required roles. I guess it would look something like this:

                             Morris

            Camp       Annesley      Sayers

   Muitt         Pybus         Pinchard        Lewis

            Wood       Rutherford       Nikaj                         

That means all our wingers are playing every game which isn't sustainable. You also lose a bit of the attacking returns of Muitt and Lewis by playing them in those more traditional wingback roles, and you also just can't get Barrett in to the team.

@calvertskans Interesting stuff, Tom. So give me your ideal line up based on the current squad...

Sam Pearson has joined Merthyr Town in the NLN

George Knight on love island 🤣 good for him tbf! 

@calvertskans yeah I agree with the concern of not being able to fit in potentially our best player. Josh Barrett will be a luxury and has to play in an advanced 10 role. No doubt the gaffer will have a clear plan on what he wants to do. I guess a 4-3-3 may be more suited to the current personnel

@mattywanderer My other half watches it every night, ill have to keep an eye out and see how he gets on🤣

@calvertskans maybe something like this with Barrett doing bits just behind Nikaj and Alfie  

                     Morris 

    Camp          Annesley        Sayers

muitt       Pinchy       Gallagher       Lewis

              Nikaj     Barret   Rutherford 

@adeb 

I think the stock 3-5-2 will just be this most weeks. Obviously the likes of Taylor, Gallagher, Muitt, Philpot will rotate in and out as well.

                      Morris

       Camp     Annesley    Sayers

Wood       Pybus       Pinchard     Lewis

                     Barrett

          Rutherford       Nikaj

I reckon we might see a few more back 4s as well though, especially away from home, with Philpot coming in for Rutherford or Nikaj.

As Gallagher is captain, would expect him to start regularly, and feel Taylor would replace Pybus once fit.

@crawleysth He'll definitely play a lot, especially away from home, but I don't think he'll necessarily be first name on the team sheet in that area. We've had club captains before who don't play every week (Fuller, etc).

Pinchard and Taylor together may be a bit too samey, but I imagine we will see them together a bit in home matches where we are expected to dominate the ball.