Starting 11

[Riddick]

So, I think this would have been the best XI we could put together matched to the Flynn shape:

Brynn
Hutton
Brennan
MacDonald
Baudry
FBT
Reed
Gladwin
Williams
McKirdy (replaced by Jephcott)
Wakeling

Thats is frightening when you look at the experience lost. Good old Spreadsheet Sandro!

[RobertT]

Yep, and that's what I mean when I say it's tough to make a call on paper.  Brynn turned out OK, the new Keeper could be as good, could be better, could be worse, who knows.

That midfield three has some experienced legs in it - but it was not good enough when under the Kosh.  Does Kinsella, McEachran & Kemp offer more?  Certainly has potential if what we are told is true and what we have seen in glimpses is possible, but would you swap them wholesale if you had to make that decision?  Not sure I would, and it wasn't good enough for promotion (and was missing Payne from the year before, which was also not good enough).

Austin is the potential game changer upfront, but McKirdy did pretty well!

The defence looks quite passable on paper from 2022, but it wasn't that great either.  Does our current back five beat it?  Not sure, it may do when all recruitment is completed.

[Batch]

Thats is frightening when you look at the experience lost. Good old Spreadsheet Sandro!

Balance sheet too

[DMC]

Kinsella vs Reed, who you would argue is the better of our midfielders and closest to Kinsella from last season.  Not sure if I know if Kinsella is better and we need this team to be better than the 21/22 vintage as well.  I did say the new ones look like upgrades from what we had at the end, but fuck me, that's got to be given or we'd be relegated.

We still look, again on paper, to be absent the physical presence and Austin type (not to his level, that's asking a bit much) experience.  The know how to win games and battle through periods of poor form, to know how to handle those 10-15 mins when your backs are up against the wall etc.

I'd b e interested to see a games played comparison of the first Xi right  now vs the one that started last season (our best XI possible that is).

The standard is not that we need to be better than May 2023, it has to be better than May 2022.

The reed we had last year? No contest i would rather Kinsella every day of the week. You can't compare like for like when he played 18 games and 9 of those he was sub or subbed

[RobertT]

Which is fine, that's an opinion.  It's not one I can form because, despite watching Kinsella a few times I imagine, I couldn't tell you I remember his abilities to be honest.  Usually we won against Walsall!  I'm not knocking him, he looks like a decent signing.

[DMC]

Balance sheet too

Based on appearances and goals you can argue it was the right choice as well in some cases. I am not arguing against the case for experience and that doesn't excuse this weird strategy this summer but based on last seasons form on what i seen is a swindon shirt i would only be taking Williams back

The others were great the season before but they were awful last season for us

[RobertT]

And for 21/22:

Wollacott
KKH
Conroy
Baudry
Crichlow
Hunt
Reed
Williams
Payne
Simpson
McKirdy

[Dr Pierre Chang]

And for 21/22:

Benda
KKH
Conroy
Baudry
Crichlow
Hunt
Reed
Williams
Payne
Simpson
McKirdy

Wollacott/Ward rather then Benda

[RobertT]

Oops!  Fucking seasons in League Two, too many of them now.  I fucking hope we do not become a new version of what Rochdale used to be.

[Batch]

Based on appearances and goals you can argue it was the right choice as well in some cases. I am not arguing against the case for experience and that doesn't excuse this weird strategy this summer but based on last seasons form on what i seen is a swindon shirt i would only be taking Williams back

The others were great the season before but they were awful last season for us

I don't disagree players like Reed were badly misfiring.

it is all about the replacements as is always said.

Not sure I can make the fans Q&A, but I'd love to know if there has been a squad adjustment that now means all things being equal we are running at breakeven.

[RobertT]

Is there a way to submit questions?  I may have a few I fancy chucking in, especially after reading the report Carlisle produced.

[DMC]

Really interesting thread actually looking at it

The likely 3 starting 11s if this is tomorrows, do we think theres a huge difference in wages. I think the first one definetly will be the highest but ten the loans fill alot of that

Brynn
Hutton
Brennan
MacDonald
Baudry
FBT
Reed
Gladwin
Williams
McKirdy (replaced by Jephcott)
Wakeling

Benda
KKH
Conroy
Baudry
Crichlow
Hunt
Reed
Williams
Payne
Simpson
McKirdy


Mahoney

FBT
UGM
Clayton
Hutton
Tarik
McEachran
Kinsella
Kemp
RHM
Austin

[Dr Pierre Chang]

As you say, hard to compare due to the loanees in 21/22 - only call out would be Payne who was probably the highest earner.

The club said we had an increased budget last season which I believe looking at the permanent additions and less reliance on loans.

I think it’s almost certain that will have reduced for this season - Clem’s response when asked by Hawes recently was telling.

[DMC]

As you say, hard to compare due to the loanees in 21/22 - only call out would be Payne who was probably the highest earner.

The club said we had an increased budget last season which I believe looking at the permanent additions and less reliance on loans.

I think it’s almost certain that will have reduced for this season - Clem’s response when asked by Hawes recently was telling.

Yeah think you are spot on. I think paying those nominal fees last summer for the likes of Khan Clayton and then Cain in January may have been silly mistakes on players with no league experience in hindsight

[welshred]

We're undoubtedly paying for last seasons mistakes this season. Probably still paying something towards Adeloye's wages FFS