Team for the opening day of the new League One season

[IndoMike]

Ray is still contracted to City for next season but Grounds, as yet isn't. Paradoxically Grounds is probably more likely to play for City next season than Ray.

Thanks. And agree.

 

[andrew p long]

This seems like a good time to start my favourite summer thread. As Red Bill has commented on the retained list thread, this must be the strongest squad in years we've had in place for a following season. Normally at this stage we are scrabbling around trying to put an 11 together; this year we already have enough players under contract to make up a very decent looking bench.

Lee
Sweeney Stubbs Hartridge
Key Sparkes
Collins Dieng
Jay
Brown Nomber

Subs - Brown/ Arthur, Pond/Ray, Diabate, Caprice, Kite, Coley, Cox

So with George Ray heading for the exit door, time for the first change to the 'what team would start the first game from what we've currently got contracted for 22-23'?

Interestingly nobody on this thread went for Ray in their starting line up.

And the OP had Ray's departure anticipated by already putting in the alternative on the bench as Alfie Pond, which is difficult to disagree with.

 

[Martin Lawrence]

Subject to new arrivals, the team would appear to pick its self after the moment. I would suggest an XI of:

(Gk) Harry Lee
(Rwb) Josh Key
(Rcb) Pierce Sweeney
(Cb) Cheick Diabate
(Lcb) Alex Hartridge
(Lwb) Jack Sparkes
(Rcm) Archie Collins
(Cm) Tim Dieng
(Lcm) Matt Jay
(Att) Jevani Brown
(Att) Sam Nombe

Bench

(Gk) Scott Brown
(Rwb) Jake Caprice
(Cb) Alfie Pond
(Cm) Harry Kite
(Rw) Josh Coley
(Lw) Nelson Iseguan
(Att) Sonny Cox

I think a left sided defender, left winger, a goalie and a gouple of strikers are needed. Only time will tell if we have the bunch to bring them in. Fingers crossed

 

[wiveygrecian]

Subject to new arrivals, the team would appear to pick its self after the moment. I would suggest an XI of:

(Gk) Harry Lee
(Rwb) Josh Key
(Rcb) Pierce Sweeney
(Cb) Cheick Diabate
(Lcb) Alex Hartridge
(Lwb) Jack Sparkes
(Rcm) Archie Collins
(Cm) Tim Dieng
(Lcm) Matt Jay
(Att) Jevani Brown
(Att) Sam Nombe

Bench

(Gk) Scott Brown
(Rwb) Jake Caprice
(Cb) Alfie Pond
(Cm) Harry Kite
(Rw) Josh Coley
(Lw) Nelson Iseguan
(Att) Sonny Cox

I think a left sided defender, left winger, a goalie and a gouple of strikers are needed. Only time will tell if we have the bunch to bring them in. Fingers crossed

Where’s Stubbsy???

 

[Martin Lawrence]

Where’s Stubbsy???

On the treatment table

 

[Moomin Grecian]

On the treatment table

I assume he’s still feeling the affects of playing so much on increasingly firmer pitches towards the end of the season.

Can’t see him playing much, if at all in pre season.

 

[Martin Lawrence]

I assume he’s still feeling the affects of playing so much on increasingly firmer pitches towards the end of the season.

Can’t see him playing much, if at all in pre season.

I suspect you are right. Hopefully we can get him fit and firing soon.

 

[Bridgy 81]

Subject to new arrivals, the team would appear to pick its self after the moment. I would suggest an XI of:

(Gk) Harry Lee
(Rwb) Josh Key
(Rcb) Pierce Sweeney
(Cb) Cheick Diabate
(Lcb) Alex Hartridge
(Lwb) Jack Sparkes
(Rcm) Archie Collins
(Cm) Tim Dieng
(Lcm) Matt Jay
(Att) Jevani Brown
(Att) Sam Nombe

Bench

(Gk) Scott Brown
(Rwb) Jake Caprice
(Cb) Alfie Pond
(Cm) Harry Kite
(Rw) Josh Coley
(Lw) Nelson Iseguan
(Att) Sonny Cox

I think a left sided defender, left winger, a goalie and a gouple of strikers are needed. Only time will tell if we have the bunch to bring them in. Fingers crossed

If this is the squad we start the season with and I presume it won't be, I'd have Scott Brown in goal and Harry Lee on the bench.
Plus, I'm hopeful Sam Stubbs will start the season. Unless you know different.

 

[SEA Grecian]

On the treatment table

It was noticeable in the pre-season training videos that he seemed to be the only player not outside kicking a ball around. If he's not fit for the first game and Chieck has a strong start to the season he may struggle to get his place back in the team.

 

[Snoop Fog]

It's been 7 weeks (not 3!) since we played Port Vale and if Stubbs is injured this is worrying, more than recovering from playing on hard pitches at the end of the season I would suggest.

Really hope he's fit to start as I think we'll really need our notorious good start to the season this year. The first handful of games look winnable.