Expectations

Quoted from Mariner Timsky

Could we see Pollock, Clifton and Rose starting on Sat??

Clifton will start surely. Could see him going with Davis over Pollock, but wouldn't be surprised either way. I doubt Rose will start. Think it'll be Green/Hanson/Ogbu in a three.

And of course Max Wright!

Some real promising youngsters for the season ahead

Quoted from 1mickylyons

I hope for Play Offs I expect midtable.

Same for me

Solid mid table/top half finish, with another positive season for our academy players breaking through.

We'll probably stay up because there's Macclesfield and Oldham with their financial problems and maybe 3 or 4 sides that could be in a relegation battle.

But our spine, bar Macca, really worries me. Upfront were reliant on two 32 year old who have chequered injury history and it might one EFL season too many.

Our midfield is hard-working but lacks creativity without Embleton. Again were over reliant on Whitehouse been superb after 12 months out.

The fact that Pollock has played so much pre season says a lot about our centre halves.

I hope I'm wrong. It's perfectly feasible that our kids are brilliant, Whitehouse is the player we wanted him to be and Hanson and Green bop in plenty of goals but my head says we'll end up on the edge of a relegation battle.

Not sure he will start with Clifton.

Hewitt was a big feature of our attacking play on Saturday through the short corner routine and his crosses when he went to full-back.    Our real strength lies in our aerial presence in the form of Hanson from crosses plus any 2 of Pollock, Davis and Ohman from set-pieces.

Be it in midfield or at right-back, I've a feeling Hewitt will start.  If it's in midfield it'll be at the expense of Clifton, if at right-back Ring to drop out with Hendrie moving across to left-back would be my guess.

Expectation wise, there's an awful lot riding on Hanson's form and him staying fit.  Hopefully Ogbu can come good as a real creative influence, otherwise we're very much eggs all in one basket.  As long as we've got enough variance in options of where from and who delivers the crosses into him, I'm not too concerned with the supply line or his ability to do something with it and/or create space for others.  It's the 'what if' scenario that concerns me most.

Realistically a top half finish is progress whilst it would be nice to have a push towards a top 7 berth. Plus with the development of the youngsters it may be another season where we look for improvement rather than defined success.  Last season was as freebie for Jolley.  He got extra-time because of the Houdini act a few months prior and was building from nothing.  This year we need to see something.  It doesn't have to be promotion or any set position as such, but we need to see evidence of some identify emerging.  At no point last season did I really feel we were playing with a set style or even something that could be worked on to improve us.

Safe by Christmas, promoted by Easter, Champions at the end of the season. FA Cup fifth round. New owners. New stadium... And surgery to reduce the size of my ever growing nose...

If only everyone was really this okay with mid-table come November when we lose 2 on a bounce...

Mid table is fine with me, keeping the spine of the team again for the season after, and challenge for play-offs

Reading the comments I have to agree... Realisticallly ive said before I'd like us to  be near the play offs and have a half decent chance with a few games remaining but happy wiith top 12...

Although  I have put us on a lucky 15 each way at 50/1  

I don't know enough about the other clubs, and haven't seen the new players so really hard to forecast.

But should be safe. Anywhere between 22nd and 4th would not come as a surprise. Outside of that I'll be gobsmacked.