[Devongone]

I think the most interesting fact about Binnom-Williams is his height. He's tall, 6'2". Tall full backs are quite often the most successful exponents of three at the back. Defence is looking over-loaded if we are playing any conventionial way. We've three right backs, three left backs and Maguire, Evatt and Hird. So back three of say Wiseman Maguire and Binnom-Williams, two attack-minded wing backs, say the Swindon lad and Donohue, then maybe a converted defender as a defensive midfield anchor, perhaps McGinn, behind Rowley and Sinnott then perm from Simons, Ugwu, German, Dennis, Brewster and ?Brooks?. And where does that leave Mitchell, the rest of our youngsters and how much quality are we getting as Dancing says?

Certainly Binnom-Williams has a pedigree, but little recent form, Dele-Alli Brewster was a major feature of a successful Everton junior squad, but that wasn't last season either. Sinnott's got his dad and Halifax's success last season. The Swindon boy was hardly worshipped in railway city. Gozie now has to reach his potential in a league team. Simons has shown us hints of potential no more. Maguire has to break through. Dennis spent so long outside the league last season proved a big leap. German, I thought he'd be our centre forward this season, then I thought he must be leaving when he sat out every Saturday gameless, now he has to prove himself to GC who clearly doesn't rate him. Rowley did great, but he did it from nowhere with no expectations on his shoulders.... if he can do the same again as the main man at 18, he's a real prospect. Mitchell shows some promise but where does a wide man fit in GC's world? We have question-marks everywhere and where we're not asking ability questions we're wondering which of our experienced players are regressing quickest and out of the team ........... forever.

I was hoping for a good midfielder, who can run a game, can put his foot in a bit and spot a pass. maybe it's Sinnott? Brooks plays an advanced midfield role. Maybe he can do that, but he's very young ............. But then so long as we can guarantee to finish 22nd or higher I'll be happy this season.

I suspect Dennis, Simons or German still must be leaving. Otherwise the balance to the squad looks weird. But then Plymouth had a totally unbalanced squad last season and they went up.

[bluepooch]

Whats the saying ? 'If they're good enough they're old enough' and I'm hoping theyre good enough.
Again I will stress, as Carson hinted ,its not finished yet so please try and refrain yourselves from saying we are not good enough until the squad is complete and we have at least seen a glimpse of them .

[Devongone]

Some of these lads, our own youngsters and our new heroes might be excellent. The only problem with their age is that it means they've never had the chance to prove themselves. I'd be delighted to see any number of up-and-coming youngsters in any match-day squad. I'd be happy for these players to develop and lose far more than they win this season so long as they stay out of the bottom two. I'd give them the time they need.

The BUT for me is that we are going to need some real experience in the team too. Players to rely on! And we have question marks there too. Evatt is certainly a good influence, but is he a good enough player now? Sam can play, but should his lack of pace exclude him from a three at the back? Scott Wiseman has been good enough, has great experience but might he turn into GC's Liddle? McGinn, looked as though he'd be good, but we've had a season of injury. And in goal, if it is Tommy, fit to be the real Tommy, he'll be an influence for good, but if he's struggling now or it's Anyon, what then?

Apparently Sam Morsy wants out of Wigan. We could never get him back, but if we had a player of his type, who'd work, tackle, pass and knows where he ought to be, I'd be loads more confident of our prospects. Usually a squad is midfield-heavy. Ours looks as though Joe Rowley and perhaps Charlie Wakefield and Rai Simons will have to take giant strides. Maybe we'll sign more, but at the moment we look like somebody's trolley in the supermarket. You're looking at what they've got and you're wondering how their life works .....

[bluepooch]

Morsy for me was in the top 5 midfielders we have had in the last 40 years thats how highly i rated him .In some games he never misplaced a pass ,a rare occurence in modern football .
If we could find someone in a similar mould it might be one of the last pieces in the promotion jigsaw along with a mid twenties quality centre half and striker .

[Devongone]

That's the complete spine of a team Pooch. So what are we going for ........
invertebrate football?

We have nine defenders and we're up to our arse in forwards. We had a mid-twenties centre back. He's on a two-year at Oxford now, who let another mid-twenties centre back I've always wanted go to Wigan .......... and replaced him with our man.

If we're short a centre back, a midfielder and a striker what in our current position makes you so confident all is well? On that assessment all we need is Tommy not to stand training and its hello Guiseley and Solihull Moors.

[bluepooch]

I think we will be ok as it stands but for a serious promotion push we need those additions.

[spireitematt]

As it stands this is the team we've got.

Goalkeepers:

Tommy Lee
Joe Anyon
Dylan Parkin

Defenders:

Paul McGinn
Sam Hird
Ian Evatt
Ritchie Humphreys As I was writing this the club have announced he's left the club
Laurence Maguire
Ify Ofoegbu
Scott Wiseman
Jerome Binnom-Williams
Jay Smith
Bradley Barry

Midfielders:

Reece Mitchell
Connor Dimaio
Dion Donohue
Joe Rowley
Jack Brownell
Charlie Wakefield
Jordan Sinnott

Strikers:

Kristian Dennis
Rai Simons
Ricky German
Delial Brewster
Gozie Ugwu

[bluepooch]

Looking at that Matt just backs up what i said about the need for a striker ,midfielder and central defender of decent quality who are at their peak .We can hope that the likes of Rowley Maguire and Ugwu can step up to the plate but its a bid burden on inexperienced shoulders

[Devongone]

I never wanted Ritchie, but now he's gone it means that if GC carries on as last season we have no internal candidate when the gravitational pull of the National League becomes too strong for even our boardette of director impersonators.

I was counting Donohue as a defender as I'm guessing he's due to play wing back. Reece Mitchell might even be up for that role or as a wide man up front, which I think is how he sees himself. But even in Matt's excellent list the majority of league games played by our seven "midfielders" are by one man - Dion Donohue (and he often wasn't in midfield!)

I'm still worried by our goalkeeper situation. I don't have much faith in Anyon if Tommy doesn't make it. I've never known us have nine (or more!) potential defenders. I've never known us to have no truly experienced midfielders. And I can't remember us starting a season with so few league goals within the team.

I'm sure we have potential but look at Leyton Orient's squad from last season. It had loads of potential. They had promising youngsters. Look how they reacted to their ownership crisis.

[spireitematt]

Liam Graham is training with the club today so it sounds like he's on trial.