Next Season's Squad.

[Hound]

See Obita is just starting to join in with the actual playing of football rather than just fitness work

Got to think he’s still a fair way off being considered

[URZZZZ]

I'd think there would be lots of loan options to fill in up front (mentioned previously but Nketiah at Arsenal IS apparently available for loan), but the problem is it's bringing in another untried youngster or a failed prem striker, who isn't likely to be cheap (ie Hugill)

I'm actually not that worried by what we have up front. Meite and Barrow have proven to be a good combo, and Loader is a season older. Novakovich has 2 solid seasons behind him and has scored against quality opposition in pre-season, and if Baldock stays he is an option in any of the 3 forward positions

NO has obviously quality, but definitely could have gone either way for us. And in fairness, he did only score 3 for us, one of which was a pen, and had a few poor games for us (Rotherham he was awful) as well. Meite's goals were probably more impt in the run in

CB and CM are the bigger concerns for me at the moment.

Just saw this morning Nketiah is available. Doesn't make sense to me. They let Welbeck go so who is their 3rd striker?

Anyway apparently the kid is the cats pyjamas so I'd take him.

Welbeck was injured a lot of last season and Nketiah barely featured. He isn’t getting close to Aubameyang and Lacazette at this moment in time, so they probably think a loan is more beneficial to his development

[Owlish52]

JLow reports that Lewis Baker and Matt Miazga have both been left out of Chelsea’s pre-season tour to Spain [sic; 99.7% sure the Chelsea tour is to Japan, not Spain, but he and Reading are in Spain, so...]. That seems to allow some glimmer of hope for familiar reinforcements.

[NewCorkSeth]

I'd think there would be lots of loan options to fill in up front (mentioned previously but Nketiah at Arsenal IS apparently available for loan), but the problem is it's bringing in another untried youngster or a failed prem striker, who isn't likely to be cheap (ie Hugill)

I'm actually not that worried by what we have up front. Meite and Barrow have proven to be a good combo, and Loader is a season older. Novakovich has 2 solid seasons behind him and has scored against quality opposition in pre-season, and if Baldock stays he is an option in any of the 3 forward positions

NO has obviously quality, but definitely could have gone either way for us. And in fairness, he did only score 3 for us, one of which was a pen, and had a few poor games for us (Rotherham he was awful) as well. Meite's goals were probably more impt in the run in

CB and CM are the bigger concerns for me at the moment.

Just saw this morning Nketiah is available. Doesn't make sense to me. They let Welbeck go so who is their 3rd striker?

Anyway apparently the kid is the cats pyjamas so I'd take him.

Welbeck was injured a lot of last season and Nketiah barely featured. He isn’t getting close to Aubameyang and Lacazette at this moment in time, so they probably think a loan is more beneficial to his development

Read a convincing article on Arsenal having a big problem not having any back up to their French duo because Welbeck was injured. Thinks its prudent to have a young back up striker available but meh.

[Hendo]

See Obita is just starting to join in with the actual playing of football rather than just fitness work

Got to think he’s still a fair way off being considered

I guess they really just don't want to rush him and will only be considered when they are 100% confident. Maybe in time for the Peterborough game or Chelsea game?

[Snowflake Royal]

Having watched a couple of friendlies, this would probably be my intended XI for the start of the season if no more Ins/Outs currently.

........................Walker
..Yiadom, Moore, McIntyre, Blackett
...............Rinomhota, Olise
Meite,........... Loader,............... Barrow
....................Novakovich

And I think it could do ok.

[Sutekh]

Though he has picked up a knock (why he missed the Games today), there is speculation, according to JLow, that Stam wants Novakovich at Feyenoord.

[Zip]

Speculation, according to JLow, that Stam wants Novakovich....

Yes I saw that. I hope Novakovich stays. His wages will be low and he appears to be promising.

[Hound]

Stam didn’t want him here so I doubt he’d want him there. Thought Talk Reading said it was nonsense?

[windermereROYAL]

Nothing on JLows twitter feed or GR.

Yes talkreading after initially breaking the news went back and said it was probably fake.

[Nameless]

Having watched a couple of friendlies, this would probably be my intended XI for the start of the season if no more Ins/Outs currently.

........................Walker
..Yiadom, Moore, McIntyre, Blackett
...............Rinomhota, Olise
Meite,........... Loader,............... Barrow
....................Novakovich

And I think it could do ok.

Olise would get destroyed playing there. Can’t see any option other than Swift to be honest which would be a waste and far from ideal but better than putting Olise out of position.
Olise is Realistically competing with Loader and Swift for that central role and again hard to see anyone but Swift being first choice. I think Olise might be better off starting on the bench and regularly getting 30 mins to build experience.
Our best 11 playersdon’t quite fit into what seems to be everyone’s Preferred formation

[Hound]

We'll almost certainly get some players in this summer. I wouldn't pick a team and put Olise in a defensive CM midfield position, because I don't think it will ever get as far as needing to do that

I'd like to see Richards get some game time as a left mid/winger. I think he could do a better job there than LB, and also gives Barrow and Meite a bit of competition - I don't see many other wing options at the moment.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

We'll almost certainly get some players in this summer. I wouldn't pick a team and put Olise in a defensive CM midfield position, because I don't think it will ever get as far as needing to do that

I'd like to see Richards get some game time as a left mid/winger. I think he could do a better job there than LB, and also gives Barrow and Meite a bit of competition - I don't see many other wing options at the moment.

Think IF Obita comes back even 70% the player he was, he could provide at least decent cover / competition on both LB / LW. I haven't been convinced by Richards other than his first game, he got found out pretty quick. By the sounds of it isn't looking great in pre season either (but that means squat).

I cant see us not prioritising a CB or CM to sign. Maybe thats why Nelson hadn't been snapped up.

[Stranded]

We will definitely get some players - would expect mainly loans or possibly an unattached player or two. The only positive with the latter, is we could still sign those after the 8th August.

At the moment, I would say the club are still trying to shift those left back at Hogwood to maximise what we can spend - they will be working on deals and may well have loan deals/offers in place but are delaying moves for cost reasons - it's not ideal but very few clubs in the Championship will have their squad finalised now so we are hardly in a unique boat but would have been great to see more incomings by now - or even a positive sniff of one i.e. like the Virginia move that suddenly came from nowhere.

[Hound]

I still think there is a strong chance Baker and possibly Miazga and Ejaria are lined up and good to go. None are wanted by their parent clubs, and all would be available to us, if we sort out finances. Strikers - noticed Charlie Austin is also not wanted by Soton - not necessarily him, but there are likely to be similar players knocking about if we wait closer to deadline day

was a little disappointed (but understand why) Obita didn't get a little run out last night. A nice little 5-10 mins at the end would have been great

[blythspartan]

We'll almost certainly get some players in this summer. I wouldn't pick a team and put Olise in a defensive CM midfield position, because I don't think it will ever get as far as needing to do that

I'd like to see Richards get some game time as a left mid/winger. I think he could do a better job there than LB, and also gives Barrow and Meite a bit of competition - I don't see many other wing options at the moment.

With barely 3 weeks left I hope you're right about the new players.

After watching the friendly last night, I just fear that we'll get steamrollered by most Championship sides this season.

If we can survive this season and then try to follow a model similar to Brentford's the future could be bright.

[URZZZZ]

We'll almost certainly get some players in this summer. I wouldn't pick a team and put Olise in a defensive CM midfield position, because I don't think it will ever get as far as needing to do that

I'd like to see Richards get some game time as a left mid/winger. I think he could do a better job there than LB, and also gives Barrow and Meite a bit of competition - I don't see many other wing options at the moment.

With barely 3 weeks left I hope you're right about the new players.

After watching the friendly last night, I just fear that we'll get steamrollered by most Championship sides this season.

If we can survive this season and then try to follow a model similar to Brentford's the future could be bright.

The main thing yesterday is that we won. Even though it’s only a friendly, as long as we can build a winning mentality before the season starts, hopefully the momentum can continue onto the season. Performances can then start to develop, so I’m not concerned about it. The only thing I am concerned about is some of the ridiculous passes we try out of defence, putting unnecessary pressure on the player receiving the ball

[Hound]

It looks even more risky now the keeper doesn’t have to play it outside of his area

I’m a big defender of playing out from the back but even for me it looks too much

[Stranded]

We'll almost certainly get some players in this summer. I wouldn't pick a team and put Olise in a defensive CM midfield position, because I don't think it will ever get as far as needing to do that

I'd like to see Richards get some game time as a left mid/winger. I think he could do a better job there than LB, and also gives Barrow and Meite a bit of competition - I don't see many other wing options at the moment.

With barely 3 weeks left I hope you're right about the new players.

After watching the friendly last night, I just fear that we'll get steamrollered by most Championship sides this season.

If we can survive this season and then try to follow a model similar to Brentford's the future could be bright.

The main thing yesterday is that we won. Even though it’s only a friendly, as long as we can build a winning mentality before the season starts, hopefully the momentum can continue onto the season. Performances can then start to develop, so I’m not concerned about it. The only thing I am concerned about is some of the ridiculous passes we try out of defence, putting unnecessary pressure on the player receiving the ball

This - there is I believe some corrolation between how a team performs in pre-season games and how it starts the season i.e. first 6 games or so - a successful pre-season can and often does lead to a succesful start to a campaign.

If we can keep this momentum going and win 2 or 3 of the last 4 games then we go in to the Weds game with confidence regardless of new players or not. Performance will never be spot on on Day 1 - it is a case of being fit enough and knowing how you want to play, the level of performance should improve over the first few competitive games.

[Stranded]

It looks even more risky now the keeper doesn’t have to play it outside of his area

I’m a big defender of playing out from the back but even for me it looks too much

It looks too much as it is new and you need to get used to it. Back passes always looked risky when that rule first came in.