Team

[pib]

Grant says he knows 7 of his first 11, would imagine that we could also name the 7 it’s just the last 4 wonder who misses out

My guess at the seven would be...

TSL
Wood
Maxwell
Bailey
Gibson
Molyneux
Ironside

Then it's Nixon/Sterry for RB, Olowu/Anderson alongside Wood, Hurst/Sbarra in the #10 position, and maybe there's a chance Close/Westbrooke will be back to challenge Broadbent in midfield.

[Alan Southstand]

maybe there's a chance Close/Westbrooke will be back to challenge Broadbent in midfield.

What about Clifton - he’s in front of both Close & Westbrook, fitness-wise?

[ncRover]

maybe there's a chance Close/Westbrooke will be back to challenge Broadbent in midfield.

What about Clifton - he’s in front of both Close & Westbrook, fitness-wise?

Clifton won’t play in the deep role that’s not his game. He’s back up for Bailey in that all-action box to box role.

[pib]

maybe there's a chance Close/Westbrooke will be back to challenge Broadbent in midfield.

What about Clifton - he’s in front of both Close & Westbrook, fitness-wise?

Good point. Forgot about him to be honest.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

maybe there's a chance Close/Westbrooke will be back to challenge Broadbent in midfield.

What about Clifton - he’s in front of both Close & Westbrook, fitness-wise?

Clifton won’t play in the deep role that’s not his game. He’s back up for Bailey in that all-action box to box role.

Players can adapt though. Beaidbent and Hurst both taking on slightly different tiles now. Depends on how McCann feels they can develop, improve and contribute most.

[Alan Southstand]

maybe there's a chance Close/Westbrooke will be back to challenge Broadbent in midfield.

What about Clifton - he’s in front of both Close & Westbrook, fitness-wise?

Clifton won’t play in the deep role that’s not his game. He’s back up for Bailey in that all-action box to box role.

Hope you’re not suggesting either Close or Westbrook can!

[ncRover]

maybe there's a chance Close/Westbrooke will be back to challenge Broadbent in midfield.

What about Clifton - he’s in front of both Close & Westbrook, fitness-wise?

Clifton won’t play in the deep role that’s not his game. He’s back up for Bailey in that all-action box to box role.

Hope you’re not suggesting either Close or Westbrook can!

Not to be rude Alan, but you’re getting a bit repetitive now.

I’ve explained a few times now why I think the depth and flexibility in midfield is better this year. But you can’t get past “Close and Westbrooke aren’t as good as Craig so that’s really bad” in your head.

We didn’t lose that second leg because we were bad, we lost it because our plan A had been worked out (Barrow did it in the first half of that home game too) and we had no plan B.

For the opposition it was - Let Wood and Anderson have the ball. Man-mark Craig and then press the full backs high when it goes wide to them.

You say Broadbent is a rookie in the deep role, but so was Craig? GB has looked great so far and he will be first choice because of his fitness and physicality on top of his new found composure on the ball.

Clifton isn’t an unknown quantity - he’s an athletic workhorse that helps with the balance in midfield should Close or Westbrooke play.

If we get a few months in and it’s obvious that  the midfield isn’t up to scratch I will hold my hands up and admit you were right. And I hope you do the same if I am.

[Chris Black come back]

We’ve got so many more options this season. We own two sets of full backs with different attributes. A range of central midfield talent. Two full sets of wide options with different attributes. Three central strikers all with different attributes. Anderson, Wood, Olowu and Faulkner all are a different set of players, as would be Bailey and Senior if dropping back there. It’s for McCann to get them switching between set up A and B and C, but the diversity is there in the squad.