Starting XI V Sheff Wed

[Clark W Griswold]

Gollini, Hutton, Elphick, Okore, Amavi (or Sissoko), Bacuna (or pref new signing), Tshibola, Westwood, Grealish, Ayew, Gestede.

I think these will be gone - Veretout, Guzan, Gueye (unfortunately as I'd stick him in ahead of Westwood otherwise)
I hope these will be gone too - Agbonlahor, Richards, Sinclair, Sanchez

Subs:
Cissoko and Bacuna if Amavi is fit and we sign a new right side midfielder)
+ Bunn, Clark, Green, Gardner, Hepburn-Murphy.

[tomd2103]

Is Clark injured?

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

Is Clark injured?

yes

[SoccerHQ]

Gollini, Hutton, Elphick, Baker, Cissokho, Gardner, Westwood, Tshibola, Grealish, Ayew, Gestede


Still looks pretty grim at the moment.

Would agree with that, very grim.

[Ads]

The defence and front line is better than what Wednesday have. Unless you think Hooper and Bannan are superstars.

Midfield needs work. I'm not sure why Westwood is omitted from some of these sides either.

[Steve67]

Gollini
Hutton
Elphick
Okore (Clark)
Amavi, if fit. Unlikely, so Cissokho

Tshibola
Gardner

Ayew
Grealish
Sinclair

Gestede

Boy do we need signings. Replace Gardner, Gestede, Hutton and Sinclair please.

[KRS]

RDM should play the strongest team regardless of experience and cost, and pick a formation to suit those players...


Gollini

Hutton
Elphick
Clark/Baker/Okore (not sure which is worse)
Amavi (Cissokho/Bennett...again not sure which is the better option if Amavi is injured)

Westwood
Tshibola

Green
Grealish
Ayew

Hepburn-Murphy


Either 4231 or 442 diamond with Ayew playing alongside RHM.


edit: I think Gana, Richards, Sanchez, Sinclair and Veretout will all be leaving so wouldn't include any of them.

[villadelph]

RDM should play the strongest team regardless of experience and cost, and pick a formation to suit those players...


Gollini

Hutton
Elphick
Clark/Baker/Okore (not sure which is worse)
Amavi (Cissokho/Bennett...again not sure which is the better option if Amavi is injured)

Westwood
Tshibola

Green
Grealish
Ayew

Hepburn-Murphy


Either 4231 or 442 diamond with Ayew playing alongside RHM.


edit: I think Gana, Richards, Sanchez, Sinclair and Veretout will all be leaving so wouldn't include any of them.

But to be fair if Gana or Veretout featured and picked up a knock, ending the interest in them, I'd be okay with it..

This thread makes me feel really uneasy. No pun intended but I hope this Italian between the sticks is ready to go. I really don't like our midfield at the moment.

[VancouverLion]

Thought Bennett had done ok pre season, surely if Amavi is considered not match fit yet he has to play? Cissokho is useless imo, or is he a different player from what I see over here on the box?

[enigma]

No matter which players are picked, the team doesn't look very inspiring does it? I'd hoped for more transfer activity both in and out by now.

[rougegorge]

No matter which players are picked, the team doesn't look very inspiring does it? I'd hoped for more transfer activity both in and out by now.

I agree. If someone had said 2 months ago that we'd sign Elphick, Gollini,  and Tshibola and go with that with just over a week to go to the start of the season,  I would have been non-plussed, especially as I had no awareness of the latter pair at all. They may turn out to be great, and I know we're not in the Premier League any more, but at the moment I'm left scratching my head.

[KRS]

As a benchmark, how many players have Newcastle and Norwich signed so far? and are they known quality players?

Similarly, what about the teams that we will hopefully be competing with at the top end of the table...how does our squad compare to the likes of Brighton, Derby, Sheff Weds, Ipswich, Cardiff, Brentford, Blose, Preston and QPR?

[Matt Collins]

I agree if we go with the current squad it's very hard to see us fighting for the promotion. But I'm still optimistic we'll get at least one centre forward and one creative midfielder - presumably right sided. As things stand, I reckon it might be the following v Wednesday

Gollini - Hutton Elphick baker cissokho - bacuna Westwood tshibola Sinclair - grealish - ayew

Then I'd imagine Sinclair may leave and ayew will go back to that position; a new centre forward comes in and a new player on the right with green as his under study

He could go with gestede v Wednesday but from what I've read I doubt he's been that impressed.

[mr underhill]

that line up scares the fuck out of me - if Bacuna and Westwood asre the answer, what is the question? As things stand we are not good enough for a serious challenge.

[Matt Collins]

I agree it wouldn't get promoted. But the choice for right mid is either bacuna or green making his debut at 18.

Ditto it's Westwood or gardner. I'd love it to be Gardner but to plunge him and tshibola in together seems a real risk. I still think a lower level premier league team might come in for Westwood. They're not going to come in for Gardner

I think we all agree we need more quality. I think that's most important in the attack / creative dept  though.