First XI for Saturday

[Bob's Orange]

Despite me also agreeing that Reg is a moany bastard, after reading his explanation, believe that the points he has made about the team on paper are perfectly valid.

Lets all hope that he is proved wrong by these players performing where it matters, on the pitch.

[Reg Smeeton]

I havent a fucking clue if this side is shit or not.  I also dont have a clue as to whether crewe, pox, rovers, etc etc are shit.  Im not going to comment on whether this is the best or shitest side on the evidence of one match against long ball merchants from the zamaretto league.  I am, however, not going to make comment on a team before a ball is kicked in the league.  Frankly Im excited about seeing whether they are shit or great, who knows?  Its STFC, its not going to be a smooth ride, but STFC never give us a smooth and easy ride do they?

All very true...but part of the fun of being a fan is to speculate about players, compare and contrast present players with former players and try to gauge the outcomes of combinations of players.

[Saxondale]

I think that me playing any games like that will result in the opposite from you.  But then Im an realist with optimistic tendencies.  I think the squad looks strong enough to compete but needs more up front.  Well see in the coming weeks.  I don't think we are as weak as we were last time we were in division 4 and we got out of there.  Actually Im saying that without looking at what our team was then. 

Ill get back to you.

[Saxondale]

Last game in Div 4 we had the team was

Phil Smith
Jamie Vincent, Andy Nicholas, Jerel Ifil, Jack Smith
Zaboub, Pook, Peacock, Roberts
Corr, Sturrock

I do think our squad is better now.  Stronger in midfield and defence and forwards.

Personal opinion and all that.

[Reg Smeeton]

Last game in Div 4 we had the team was

Phil Smith
Jamie Vincent, Andy Nicholas, Jerel Ifil, Jack Smith
Zaboub, Pook, Peacock, Roberts
Corr, Sturrock

I do think our squad is better now.  Stronger in midfield and defence and forwards.

Personal opinion and all that.

Of that line up, I think Vincent and a fit Corr would walk into the current side, Peacock and a focussed Roberts would add some sort of lower league nous.  Jerel...had a good season, but....I do hold out some hopes for Flint.

On the management side though....Sturrock knows what it takes in the lower leagues....we'll find out soon enough if di canio does.

[Parkin09]

A worst starting XI....in my opinion this one hands down

Greminik
Davis Reeves Willis Robinson
Duke Hewlett O'Halloran Invincible
Grazioli Alexander

But hey as is the disclaimer with every negative post these days...it's my opinion.

[Arriba]

Nobody can know how strong or weak this squad is yet. Until we are a few weeks in we can only guess.

[Frigby Daser]

A worst starting XI....in my opinion this one hands down

Greminik
Davis Reeves Willis Robinson
Duke Hewlett O'Halloran Invincible
Grazioli Alexander

But hey as is the disclaimer with every negative post these days...it's my opinion.

But that is in hindsight. Alexander had scored goals in league football. So had Grazioli. That midfield was never going to be that strong (I think if you put Migs in for Hewlett, it looks a lot better - but back then we were having the same "why isn't he playing" chat as we now have about Ferry). Adam Willis actually had some decent games (and deserves special credit for having Danielle Lineker (as she is now) on the go at the time. That must have been distracting for him)... Reeves had played in the top flight and knew what it was all. Again, more proven than the current defence.  Griemink was appalling though and makes Smith look cool, calm and collected.

[Nomoreheroes]

Hopefully a worse starting 11 will be the one Crewe puts out!

[jb]

But that is in hindsight. Alexander had scored goals in league football. So had Grazioli. That midfield was never going to be that strong (I think if you put Migs in for Hewlett, it looks a lot better - but back then we were having the same "why isn't he playing" chat as we now have about Ferry). Adam Willis actually had some decent games (and deserves special credit for having Danielle Lineker (as she is now) on the go at the time. That must have been distracting for him)... Reeves had played in the top flight and knew what it was all. Again, more proven than the current defence.  Griemink was appalling though and makes Smith look cool, calm and collected.

O'halloran was decent aswell, atleast before that bone cruncher.

[Batch]

Nobody can know how strong or weak this squad is yet. Until we are a few weeks in we can only guess.

Quite right, both views are different sides of the same coin.

[Reg Smeeton]

A worst starting XI....in my opinion this one hands down

Greminik
Davis Reeves Willis Robinson
Duke Hewlett O'Halloran Invincible
Grazioli Alexander

But hey as is the disclaimer with every negative post these days...it's my opinion.

To me that looks a fairly solid well balanced side...I always liked Sol Davis, KOH was shaping up very well until getting hisleg broken, and up front Alexander is still a workhorse who'll get a few goals in lower leagues 128 in 405 appearances.  Graz, the fox in the box type.

Daisy actually playing in his proper posion and Invincible capable of something a bit different. 

I'd reckon that side would piss on Div 4....it nearly found itself having the chance, but just about had enough to stay up.

[Parkin09]

So surely Alexander is no different to Connell now? Davis is Caddis? Hewlett is Smith? (though I can't see how he could be any worse) De Vita is Grazioli?

There are a lot of parallels!

[nevillew]

Nobody can know how strong or weak this squad is yet. Until we are a few weeks in we can only guess.

I agree with this, but I really hope for a winning start, if for nothing else than to avoid a meltdown in the dugout.

[Huwwy]

Nobody can know how strong or weak this squad is yet. Until we are a few weeks in we can only guess.

True and I just hope that the crowd gives the whole team a bit of time to settle. At the moment it feels like the build up to the Brighton game last year with so much optimism about, which is fine, but I think some of the new guys will need a fair few games to get used to L2. Until they do, we all need to tell any moaning bastards in the CG to zip it.