Match day squad

Seeing as the window has now shut and we know who we have moving forwards, I’m interested to see who people think will be our best 18 on a match day.

Our squad has plenty of depth.

GK: Simkin (loan), Hornby, G. Barrett.

WB: C. Barrett, Asiimwe (loan), Adomah (plays multiple positions) Gordon, Weir (can also cover LCB).

CB: Allen (could cover LWB if needed), Williams, Okagbue, McEntee, Daniels (injured), Farquharson (injured), Browne.

CM: Comley, Stirk, Jellis, Lakin, Earing (injured), Hall (loan – injured), Maher, Chang (loan), Lipsuic (loan), Thomas.

ST: Matt (injured), Gordon, Johnson, Amantchi, Wheatley (loan), Harrison (loan).

Some of those I’ve included are from our YT, but have made match day squads over the past 12 months (G. Barrett and Thomas) so will almost certainly be loaned elsewhere up until the seasons end as they’re already loan I believe.

Looking at that, I’d think DJ will certainly drop out of the 18 now and potentially Comley to accommodate some of our newer signings. It will certainly be interesting to see how Sadler manages this as he has always said we’ll need everyone at various points in the season. I for one am happy as we definitely have strength in depth and a mixture of experience and young, promising players at our disposal.

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From the YT, you’ve forgotten Rico Browne who has also played at RWB (and can cover RCB?) for a couple of the Trophy games and made a decent fist of it, and Charlie Wragg made the briefest of cameos before being sent out on loan.

Hopefully ones for the future - the more of our own youngsters that can make the switch up to the first team (a L1 first team? :pray:) the better.

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Edited - there’s always one. I went off the squad list on the official site, he doesn’t seem to be on there :+1:t2:

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Think we’ll see a few loaned out to non league now!!

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You do wonder where DJ fits in now. Bit of a kick in the teeth if his reward for two goals is to be dropped!

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If Jamma had been fit on Saturday against Salford, would DJ have been on the bench with Levi coming in?

It’s a shame, but it sounds like he was told that he’s done and had the chance to leave.

If he would rather sit back and take his wages rather than play, then that’s up to him, but he can’t moan if he doesn’t make the squad IMO as it was clear where he stood.

Sadler clearly likes to have two players per position without much drop off in quality and I think we’re as good as back to that. Levi for Jamma, Wheatley for Harrison, the 2 new lads in midfield have replaced Hall and Earing. Excited for the rest of the season.

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Although I’ve been one of his supporters on here, I do think Josh is in danger of slipping down the pecking order now.
His workrate alone won’t be enough.

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He starts for me on Saturday with Jamma (if he is fit)

I don’t see Chang or Lipsuic featuring unless there’s an injury

7 on the bench:
Hornby
1 defenders (from Weir, Browne, Asiimwe)
1 midfielder from (Comley, Chang, Lipsuic)
McEntee
Adomah
2 forwards from (DJ, Levi, Wheatley, Gordon) (assuming Matt and Harrison start)

Good squad, Sadler has big decisions to make.

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Remember that only 5 of the 7 loanees can make the matchday squad. With Simkin guaranteed to make it unless suspended or injuried that leaves four remaining places.

I think the defence and midfield picks itself, and I’d expect Matt and Wheatley to be the first choice strike force.

GK: Simkin
RWB: C.Barrett
CB: Okagbue, Williams, Allen
LWB: L.Gordon
CM: Jellis, Stirk, Lakin
FW: Matt, Wheatley

Subs: Hornby, Weir, McEntee, Chang, Adomah (On for Barratt), Amantchi (on for Wheatley), and Harrison (On for Matt)

Using four loanees, Lipsiuc may get in ahead of McEntee, not sure. Don’t see Asiimwe featuring unless injuries and Hall is injuried but when fit is fighting for bench with McEntee and Lipsiuc.

I can see McEntee starting ahead of Okagbue.
But even if he doesn’t, McEntee offers cover in 2 positions and so I would always put him ahead of Lipsue.

I must be the only poster on this board who would not have minded if we had not signed anyone at all during the window.

Of the players who took us clear at the top of the table only Lowe has left, and we were never going to get anyone as good as him. I think we have a good squad in depth with lots of good options, including a number who have looked very good when given the chance, only to be dropped from the match day squad.

Having said that I look forward to seeing the new guys and hope they prove themselves to be better than the players they are keeping out of the team.

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I don’t think you can leave McEntee out of the squad. Personally, I would play him in the starting XI as one of the three. While we were winning all the games, there was a good argument for keeping the back 3 unchanged but, after leaking a few, we need to pick our best players.

During out recent spell, the opposition have been playing our game on us, looking to counter when our WBs or even centre backs go forward. Sadler needs a bit more pace at the back than Okagbue can offer,

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Yes McEntee is a better CB than CM in most fans opinions but the clamour to drop Dave out of what’s been a great back 3 on the whole is bizarre IMO

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I can’t, Dave has been pretty much ever present in the side now for over a year.

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McEntee was in the back three at the start of the season, along with the Priest. I still think, just in terms of the players and forgetting how injury prone they are, that is our best back 3.

None of the back 3 have been great recently. I wouldn’t single Big Dave out at all.

I’m not sure swapping one player solves the problem, it is a collective thing.

If there were to be a change, Dave is likely to be the one taken out because he plays on the right side of the 3. Unless we played Weir.

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We’ve conceded 9 goals in the 4 games since Lowe left. Why is this? We have to become more solid. We aren’t going to score 3 every game.