(That long since we've had any, couldn't find the thread)

Alan Nixon: "Top Liverpool starlet Cameron Branagan will Ben allowed out on loan in Jan.

Bolton lead the race for the 20 year old midfielder"

Edited December 11, 20169 yr by Ratwhite

2 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

We both agree on that the mainstay he will play is 4/2/3/1  changing perhaps to 4/3/3.... Getting rid of Thommo and with Dempsey injured i doubt we will go 4/4/2 this season as again you are taking  the strength of our wingers out of the equation and we certainly are short of playing two up at this time.........Just i dont see us ever returning to 5 at the back 

I really hope not.

4 hours ago, masi 51 said:

Go on i will bite, where do you fit Gayle and Duberry into the team if we go 5 at the back

In the main I agree with you, in that I think his approach and Plan A is very much a 4-2-3-1. and Gayle and Duberry have been recruited with this in mind. And that’s why we have lined up like this every pre-season game.

But it’s not inconceivable (and I would say fairly likely) that at some point in the not too distant future a different formation will be used (more likely as an in-game tactical switch) to either chase or protect a game.

If he just remains bedded to the same system, same approach, with no variation, every game, with mechanical subs in the same position, doing the same things, then he’ll be making similar mistakes to IE.

In answer to your question, the two wide-men could do a job in a 3-4-3, 5-4-1 or 5-2-3.

Or they may be sacrificed if we are protecting a lead, with the wide duties going to more defensive minded players like Conway. 

I repeat, I’d be very surprised if we saw this from the off any time soon, but no issue and not unreasonable for anyone to suggest and debate how players may fit into different systems.

And @gonzo, I don’t think we need to worry, SS has made it pretty clear, the sideways and backwards approach has been ditched, whatever formation we may turn to at some point this season 😊

Iles doesnt seem to think Will Keane is on the radar….

2 hours ago, desperado said:

In the main I agree with you, in that I think his approach and Plan A is very much a 4-2-3-1. and Gayle and Duberry have been recruited with this in mind. And that’s why we have lined up like this every pre-season game.

But it’s not inconceivable (and I would say fairly likely) that at some point in the not too distant future a different formation will be used (more likely as an in-game tactical switch) to either chase or protect a game.

If he just remains bedded to the same system, same approach, with no variation, every game, with mechanical subs in the same position, doing the same things, then he’ll be making similar mistakes to IE.

In answer to your question, the two wide-men could do a job in a 3-4-3, 5-4-1 or 5-2-3.

Or they may be sacrificed if we are protecting a lead, with the wide duties going to more defensive minded players like Conway. 

I repeat, I’d be very surprised if we saw this from the off any time soon, but no issue and not unreasonable for anyone to suggest and debate how players may fit into different systems.

And @gonzo, I don’t think we need to worry, SS has made it pretty clear, the sideways and backwards approach has been ditched, whatever formation we may turn to at some point this season 😊

Very much agree with you on all of the above....If we are 1-0 up first game against Stockport with 15mins to go

Taking off a Gayle or Duberry and going 5 at the back bringing on another centre back or a Defensive Midfielder, and trying to see the game out is a sensible option.

The debate is not about that.......It was about starting the game with a five which as the squad stands would mean starting a Schon or Desmond and benching a Gayle or Duberry.

Let us see what the squad looks like on the 1st of September

 

21 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

The debate is not about that.......It was about starting the game with a five

Was it?

I can't see that anyone's argued that

9 hours ago, gonzo said:

Luca Connel just isn't that good.

Aye, was phenomenal first season at Barnsley. Had two very average seasons since.

As is often the case, not the same player since he got glandular fever. Would have been all over getting him back two years ago. Really not fussed now. 

Obviously we're massively lacking up front but i wonder if he'll go back in for the lad from Salford? According to his wiki page he already plays for us 😂

I think we need two strikers (ideally one with good pace who could be pushed out wide), a CM and a right back. 

Edited July 23, 2025Jul 23 by bwfc4ife

8 hours ago, masi 51 said:

We both agree on that the mainstay he will play is 4/2/3/1  changing perhaps to 4/3/3.... Getting rid of Thommo and with Dempsey injured i doubt we will go 4/4/2 this season as again you are taking  the strength of our wingers out of the equation and we certainly are short of playing two up at this time.........Just i dont see us ever returning to 5 at the back 

 

The only thing I can say for definite is that whatever anybody thinks the team is going to look like, who the key players will be, what the starting XI js... we'll probably be proven totally wrong over the course of the season. That's just football. Few people would've predicted after we beat Orient on the opening day last season that 7 players and the manager would be gone less than a year later.

Duberry and Gayle have both scored worldies in pre-season and that's very exciting. But it would be daft of any manager to take it as read that they are now locked in as every week starters for the rest of the season. Injuries, loss of form and just generally games and moments where we don't want to play two out and out wingers.

If we get in the players SS wants, then there will be a fair amount of versatility in the squad. And for better or worse, most players in the squad are used to playing five at the back. But that's fine - there's nothing innately wrong with that formation, just how Evatt implemented it by the end.

Iles seems to think Kenny still tops our wish list over Keane, plus some other unamed names 

 

 

 

I think we'll get Johnny Kenny

50 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I think we'll get Johnny Kenny

Certainly not going away is it.

 

51 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I think we'll get Johnny Kenny

Loan or permanent?

A couple of rumours we're one of a few clubs that are interested in Ethan Erhahon at Lincoln, can't remember who it is on here that loves him?

1 minute ago, Blondi said:

A couple of rumours we're one of a few clubs that are interested in Ethan Erhahon at Lincoln, can't remember who it is on here that loves him?

Good player and surprised he’s not already left as there’s been lots of noise about his moving.

 

3 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

Good player and surprised he’s not already left as there’s been lots of noise about his moving.

He fits the kind of player that we'd be looking to sign, but I think he could probably end up in the championship sadly.

29 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

Loan or permanent?

Loan

16 minutes ago, Blondi said:

A couple of rumours we're one of a few clubs that are interested in Ethan Erhahon at Lincoln, can't remember who it is on here that loves him?

@masi 51

1 minute ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

@masi 51

Thought he was obsessed with that Jatta lad?

7 minutes ago, Blondi said:

He fits the kind of player that we'd be looking to sign, but I think he could probably end up in the championship sadly.

Yes I agree, there are a few rumoured to be after him like stoke, Nob End and Swansea plus the likes of Wigan and Huddersfield. I’m surprised he’s still there really because it’s been rumoured he’d move all close season but apparently he’s now told the club he wants to leave so it’s just a question of where to. As you say he’s exactly what we need but if there’s a Championship club seriously in there you’d realistically have to expect him to go there.

1 minute ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

@masi 51

Would not quite go that far....Was ideal for us the last three seasons. I think Simonds as at last got us covered 

Not sure spending upwards of 1m on him at this time is a priority

2 minutes ago, Blondi said:

Thought he was obsessed with that Jatta lad?

Again not obsessed, just think he is a upgrade on players like Keane

Seems Kenny is still being mooted and would be more than happy with Kenny or Taylor at Forest

Interesting few days coming up

9 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Again not obsessed, just think he is a upgrade on players like Keane

Seems Kenny is still being mooted and would be more than happy with Kenny or Taylor at Forest

Interesting few days coming up

Who's Taylor?

11 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Who's Taylor?

Forward from Notts Forest....Wigan player of the year last season Got 11 goals and i think 6 assists

Seems he is available for loan With several lge1 clubs mooted to be interested in taking him

Scored the opener against us last season.

Edited July 23, 2025Jul 23 by masi 51

13 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Forward from Notts Forest....Wigan player of the year last season Got 11 goals and i think 6 assists

Seems he is available for loan With several lge1 clubs mooted to be interested in taking him

Scored the opener against us last season.

Ta

He sounds decent