Starting 11?

I've been thinking about the lack of defensive cover and my expectation is that we may only see two more signings - Gk cover and central defense cover.

My observation from last season is that S&H place a lot of value on a settled back 5, maybe even back 6 inc Niven.  They want quick attacking full backs and centre backs who will give their all.  Whilst Garner and I'Anson may have had more footballing ability I think S&H felt they weren't quite made of the right stuff.  The first aim next season will be to be organised in defence and keep clean sheets and for that you want a settled side.  Wood will be a utility man on the bench and there'll some places in the squad for one or two reserve team bodies who will be mainly there to make up numbers.  If there is a long term injury or loss of form, they'll look to the loan market rather than tie up budget all season.

In midfield and upfront, it's different as they'll want to adjust tactics both home and away and for footballing sides and cloggers.  So it's worth having a few strong options in the squad to allow 442, 433 and to bring on quality from the bench.  This is why we seem to have a top heavy squad.

I may be wrong and next week we'll probably sign two class central defenders but this is my theory for now!

The 442 line up being suggested by most seems to make a lot more sense to me. There were things that could be improved on from last season but I never thought we were crying out for a change of formation.

                   McKeown

Hatton     Miller         Pearson   Thomas

                      Niven
            Thanoj          Artus

Pearson           Cook           Hearn

Don't know yet but I'd start like this (to experiment) vs Donny.

....................McKeown
Hatton.....Miller.....Pearson...Thomas
..............Niven.....Thanoj
Colbeck........Disley...........Soares
...................Cook

4-5-1/4-4-1-1.

wow....no hearn! That's bold

looks a good team though when you can afford to have Hearn on the bench.

Quoted from Southwark Mariner

wow....no hearn! That's bold

That's me mate !  

  

Quoted Text

McKeown

Hatton     Miller         Pearson   Thomas

                      Niven
            Thanoj          Artus

Pearson           Cook           Hearn

  That looks like a pretty decent team to me, especially with Colbeck, Disley,Soares, and Elding waiting in the wings. Any of them could end up as starters and I would have no problem. And Bradley Wood is on the bench as cover for several positions. We definitely need a third recognized center half quickly though.

Quoted from brad_gtfc

Ino we've got a few more people to come in, but what does everyone think it will be or hope it will be?

I'd think it will be..


                   McKeown

Hatton     Miller         Pearson   Thomas

                      Niven
             Disley          Artus

Pearson           Cook           Hearn

What is it with people on here. What is the obsession with playing Hearn out wide???? These people cant have seen him wasted in that position at the back end of last season.
He scored all his goals playing up top and was our best player last season because he was in that position.
Before any one brings up his playing days at other clubs just fook off because it is irrelevant that's in the past, the point is what he has done and will continue to do in a Town shirt.
Play Hearn wide and it will end in tears.
As for 80s who has left him out of his starting 11           get a grip man.

Quoted from TAGG

What is it with people on here. What is the obsession with playing Hearn out wide???? These people cant have seen him wasted in that position at the back end of last season.
He scored all his goals playing up top and was our best player last season because he was in that position.
Before any one brings up his playing days at other clubs just fook off because it is irrelevant that's in the past, the point is what he has done and will continue to do in a Town shirt.
Play Hearn wide and it will end in tears.
As for 80s who has left him out of his starting 11           get a grip man.

If he hadnt scored shed loads of goals from the wing forward position at his PAST clubs then he probably wouldnt be playing for Town now, so i'd hazard a guess that the past is still pretty relevant.

Quoted from TAGG

What is it with people on here. What is the obsession with playing Hearn out wide???? These people cant have seen him wasted in that position at the back end of last season.
He scored all his goals playing up top and was our best player last season because he was in that position.
Before any one brings up his playing days at other clubs just fook off because it is irrelevant that's in the past, the point is what he has done and will continue to do in a Town shirt.
Play Hearn wide and it will end in tears.
As for 80s who has left him out of his starting 11           get a grip man.

The problem last year though was that when we put Hearn at the left of a front three (not out wide as some people are saying) it left us short in the middle. In effect, we needed Hearn centrally because Elding, Duffy and Coulson were nowhere near prolific enough. We have far better options up front now and will maybe not need as many goals from Hearn to carry the team. He is just as capable of beating the full back and whipping over a cross for someone else to score as he is cutting inside and scoring himself. When he played left for Alfreton, they were successful and got promoted with that system.

I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility with the players we have now. I also expect (hope for) more goals from midfield this season.