Next Season's Squad.

[Sutekh]

Not sure how much can be read into it, but squad numbers for McCleary, Gunter, Popa and Baldock

None for Meyler Smith or Southwood though

Please note: these numbers are subject to change before their official submission to the EFL and the Football Association.

[StellaPlease]

I don't think Ejaria offers enough cutting edge to play as an attacking midfielder. I thought his best games for us came as a genuine central midfielder, which allowed him to use the combative side of his game along with that amazing close control.

A midfield with Ejaria and Rinomhota sitting and Swift pushed on a bit should work. I'd prefer Baker or Kelly as genuine DMs but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

He doesn't have a combative bone in his body. He's best drifting around behind the striker.

Would disagree based on his performances in the last few games. He really looked like getting stuck in.

Let's look at the stats. Last season he had 1.8 tackles, 1.4 fouls, and 1.1 interceptions per 90. By comparison Andy Rinomhota had 2.3 tackles, 1.4 fouls, and 1 interception. So the most combative of our remaining midfielders put in one extra tackle every two matches. It's also considerably higher than Lewis Baker who I would intuitively said was more combative than Ejaria.

On the other hand, going forward Ejaria made 0.7 passes leading to a shot every 90 minutes. That's less than half the rate of John Swift (1.6) and is the same as Liam Kelly, a defensive midfielder. It's ahead of Rinomhota and (surprisingly) Baker.

So I stand by my intuitions - he doesn't offer enough of a cutting edge in the final third for an attacking midfielder, but he is good at keeping the ball and winning it back. Box-to-box midfielder is his position.

I watch, I don't give a oxf*rd about stats

[Simon's Church]

So I stand by my intuitions - he doesn't offer enough of a cutting edge in the final third for an attacking midfielder, but he is good at keeping the ball and winning it back. Box-to-box midfielder is his position.

This is what I thought of him as well, best picking up the ball deep and driving forward. Not as good as rinomhota defensively but improved a lot over his time here.

[Victor Meldrew]

People under another topic have been suggesting that, because he has started a number of pre-season games, McIntyre is very much in the frame to start v Wednesday.
I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion on his ability but with 3 other more experienced centre-backs there is not room for all to start (unless of course we go with 4 centre-backs )

As I see it, Miazga is best of the bunch based on last season and is better than Moore.
Morrison was a regular for a Birmingham side that would have finished mid-table but for the points deduction so , apart from the money, I don't think that at his age he would have come to us (he must have had other options) unless he felt that he would be a regular starter.

So we are left with Moore, a few years younger than Morrison and known to have been close to a move away this time last year and somebody who might be wanted as a back-up centre-back for a lower Premier League side.
We will know within the next 2 weeks if this is going to happen and maybe that is why Gomes has given McIntyre the starting place as he becomes the no.1 back-up centre-back which, at his age, is a fair position to be in.

I wonder also if there will be a last-minute move for an experienced keeper, even Martinez, and it is good to hear that we are after another striker as, assuming McNulty goes (and possibly Baldock), it leaves us light and inexperienced up front.

[Kingsley Junior]

Yeah, no #3 was interesting. Doubt we are getting a LB but would suggest we expect another arrival shortly who would perhaps favour that number. Yiadom was #3 last year wasn't he?

He was indeed. Why did they change that I wonder?

Yiadom asked for it after Barrow took #7.

Yiadom wore 17 at Barnsley so I assume that developed/already had some personal meaning to him. I'd still much rather have a number between 1 and 11 if I'd made it as a footballer but each to their own...

[paultheroyal]

A number of players and coaching staff are not overly happy with the rise of Teddy Howe. Accelerated to first team appearances not solely based on his ability.

[morganb]

A number of players and coaching staff are not overly happy with the rise of Teddy Howe. Accelerated to first team appearances not solely based on his ability.

Really? Nepotism?

He only got to play half of a half yesterday though.

[Hound]

Suspect he has had to put up with that his entire footballing life tbh. He has played well whenever I’ve watched him

[Zip]

At least we start the season with close to a fully fit squad. It would be good to bring in a couple more players but only if we can ship some more out. It’s proving painfully difficult to move players on.

[Snowflake Royal]

Suspect he has had to put up with that his entire footballing life tbh. He has played well whenever I’ve watched him

Who has he accelerated past? It's just Watson and Gunter. Gunter has been told he's not wanted and Watson had a long term injury and then a middling loan.

Howe has looked perfectly good enough to me, just as much, if not more so, than Watson - who I really rated at U18 level.

[Stranded]

Courtney Friday has taken a break from his holiday to tweet that we are working on 2 more deals before deadline day. Intimates that one is a striker and the other can play right wing.

If we are only going on who we've been linked with would suggest that is Bonatini and Galeno (unless you class Ejaria as a right wing/attacking midfielder)?

Could of course be someone else entirely but CF's sources have clearly improved of late.

[Millsy]

He doesn't have a combative bone in his body. He's best drifting around behind the striker.

Would disagree based on his performances in the last few games. He really looked like getting stuck in.

Let's look at the stats. Last season he had 1.8 tackles, 1.4 fouls, and 1.1 interceptions per 90. By comparison Andy Rinomhota had 2.3 tackles, 1.4 fouls, and 1 interception. So the most combative of our remaining midfielders put in one extra tackle every two matches. It's also considerably higher than Lewis Baker who I would intuitively said was more combative than Ejaria.

On the other hand, going forward Ejaria made 0.7 passes leading to a shot every 90 minutes. That's less than half the rate of John Swift (1.6) and is the same as Liam Kelly, a defensive midfielder. It's ahead of Rinomhota and (surprisingly) Baker.

So I stand by my intuitions - he doesn't offer enough of a cutting edge in the final third for an attacking midfielder, but he is good at keeping the ball and winning it back. Box-to-box midfielder is his position.

I watch, I don't give a oxf*rd about stats

Likewise, I watch and based on what I saw I'd agree with SCIAG's assessment and I also see where you're coming from. True he's not necessarily combative in that he's not a big boned chap like Parky who'd put in bone crunching tackles every 2 minutes, but he's a bizarre daddy long legs type thing who runs around all over the place and sticks his lanky legs everywhere winning the ball unexpectedly. I've lost count the number of times one of his lanky legs would find its way into the legs of the opposition and nick the ball of him and frustrate his play. He's a box to box menace.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Courtney Friday has taken a break from his holiday to tweet that we are working on 2 more deals before deadline day. Intimates that one is a striker and the other can play right wing.

If we are only going on who we've been linked with would suggest that is Bonatini and Galeno (unless you class Ejaria as a right wing/attacking midfielder)?

Could of course be someone else entirely but CF's sources have clearly improved of late.

No DM? Are there just a lack of options? Surely everyone can see this is a big priority?

[Nameless]

Courtney Friday has taken a break from his holiday to tweet that we are working on 2 more deals before deadline day. Intimates that one is a striker and the other can play right wing.

If we are only going on who we've been linked with would suggest that is Bonatini and Galeno (unless you class Ejaria as a right wing/attacking midfielder)?

Could of course be someone else entirely but CF's sources have clearly improved of late.

No DM? Are there just a lack of options? Surely everyone can see this is a big priority?

Working on 2 deals suggests players are identified and it’s a question of agreeing terms and completing the deals.
Doesn’t mean we won’t be trying to find other players before the deadline.

[NewCorkSeth]

Courtney Friday has taken a break from his holiday to tweet that we are working on 2 more deals before deadline day. Intimates that one is a striker and the other can play right wing.

If we are only going on who we've been linked with would suggest that is Bonatini and Galeno (unless you class Ejaria as a right wing/attacking midfielder)?

Could of course be someone else entirely but CF's sources have clearly improved of late.

No DM? Are there just a lack of options? Surely everyone can see this is a big priority?

It's an interesting one. If Gomes is happy with midfield I would be shocked. Also you would expect someone at the club to say "we need numbers there Jose".

On the other hand if he has been told we dont have the money for any of the targets you set in that position then I would agree it's best not to sign someone just for the sake of it. That's how we ended up in this position.

If Gomes has highlighted a striker and a winger as our areas most needing improvement then I'll have to put some faith that he knows what he needs.

Obviously I would rather keep McCleary as backup winger if funds are that tight and focus on a CM but I'm not on the training ground every day.

[Stranded]

Meyler's contract has been cancelled - can only assume we've either paid up his wages or agreed a sum with him to move on early and find a new club easier.

[Hound]

yeah right choice, and probably inevitable when a) his Cov loan didn't work out and b) wasn't given a squad number

Won't be missed

[Hound]

Our new super-journo Courtney reckons we are close to signing winger Lucas Boye from Torino

Looks half decent on paper

[WestYorksRoyal]

Our new super-journo Courtney reckons we are close to signing winger Lucas Boye from Torino

Looks half decent on paper

If this is on loan, could we get near our 5 loanee squad limit? He would be our third, with Botanini rumoured to be the fourth.

If Ejaria then becomes possible, that's our matchday squad limit. What if we want AN Other who can play a deeper midfield role? What if we need to strengthen in January? I realise that in our situation there are no easy options.

[StellaPlease]

Gomes said “we are completely ready.”
“We are trying to get new players and if we can do it our level will be much better than last season.
“The kids were brave they have done very well especially against strong opposition such as Granada who are first division.
“Right now we can not put the pressure of the shoulders of the playres for promotion. Next week we will hopefully change this.
“i know who is playing on saturday and I am happy.

“It will be very tough for sure.
“We cannot find easy games in the championship.

“They showed very good things very good energy, a good offensive dynamic against Chelsea. Small mistakes cost us some goals that we conceded.”