Are we starting the season with a threadbare squad or has RS got some rabbits in the hat?

Leaving aside Andy Warrington, we have 26 players.

4 are injured - Clements, Osborne, McAlister and Asante.

6 are young pros who aren't expected to be 1st team starters - A Rose, Wright, Clifton, Sawyer, Keeble and Venny.

2 are keepers.

That leaves a possible 14 players for 10 outfield places or 15 assuming we sign a left back.

So team for Saturday is going to be

Macca

Defenders

Collins/ Clarke/ Osborne
Mills/ Davies/ AN Other

Centre mid

Berrett/ Rose/ Summerfield

Wingers

Dembele/ Boli/ Kelly

Strikers

Caldwell/ Jones/ Vernon/ Yussuf

From this, RS should be able to pick a 1st X1 that is better than last season but we are very limited on back up options.  Considering the mix of youngsters in the squad it seems either (1) he still has a lot of firepower left to spend in his wallet, (2) he has a very tight budget from the Board or (3) he has spent heavily to secure the new additions to his squad.

I'm hoping it's the first of this as it feels like we still need 2-3 quality additions to have strength in depth and hope he is waiting to pick up some exciting loan signings.

Still a week to go yet to add to the squad available for the start of the season

Isn't it funny for months we've moaned that we have to many central midfielders... But for me we are lacking much quality in their from the list given here. The team I assume he'd pick is this..

Macca
Mills Clarke collins s davies
Rose beret?
Kelly dembele Yussuf
Jones

I really like the look of Kelly, Dembele, Jones and Yussuf from what I've ever seen of them. I'd like to have tried to get Vernon in their but with the way Slade lines up its difficult. It's jones or Vernon for me as I don't see Jones out wide working.

I know we wanted a smaller squad, but the quality in depth is not there to sustain a top end position through the season. McAllister, Clements and now Osborne injured leaves the crucial central midfield area stretched. Let's get Jones in off the wing and let him play behind the striker with Dembele out wide.

maybe just me but havent seen anything this far from Kelly to excite me

I assume Kelly is the left winger that played at Bideford and I assume against Blackburn? Whoever that was, they took the player on several times and played some great crosses In

From the highlights against blackburn, it looked like kelly whipped in some dangerous balls.

Have we not signed a left back yet?

Vernon is first name on the sheet for me and Russ so it seems, a much improved player from last season faster and fitter.
We have no one else in the squad with his intelligence regarding holding up the ball for others to run onto.
This week's starting line up will include Rose, Jones and Dembele in midfield with Yusuff and Vernon up front.
We will beat Wigan by one goal and Omar will score for them. Final score 2-1

agree about vernon garth, looks a different player

I really cannot believe Berrett and Summerfield are our CM options. Both I more than shirt fillers and neither will inspire us to a top 7 finish.

If those who are currently injured aren't out for the season we need include those in the midfield numbers too. Then we have 6 CM's. Then we certainly have the quantity, the quality would be an entirely different discussion.

I think the trouble we may have is shipping bodies out, freeing up some of the wage bill before trying to get anyone else in. This becomes more of a problem though, if the ones you want to get rid of are injured (I'd heard rumours he is not a big fan of Clements or Osbourne, seems bizarre as to me they are better than Summerfield and Berret).

Also there are still a few weeks until the start of the season to possibly bring in short term loans to help cover any injury period and there is also the possibility of giving some of the more promising youth players their chance.

For me it's too early to start damning the squad when the season hasn't even started yet.

I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but to have 3 of what would be first choice centre midfielders out injured, but still having players with the experience of James Berrett and Luke Summerfield available to choose from, shows we do have strength in depth.

Ok, they might not be world beaters, but I doubt many teams in the league would pass those two up as back ups available for an injury hit midfield.

It's a massive shame Clifton is injured as this would've been a great opportunity for him to stake a claim. Anyone know the extent of his injury? Think he's been out the whole pre season hasn't he?