Starting 11 for Kettering

[3spirit]

 

Get you,SR,showing off with your green, marked out pitches ! lol !

 

Exciting formation. I must admit Manny Williams is a hard player to leave out, as he creates so much.

My omission of him as a starter for the Kettering game was my head ruling my heart, based on the fact that I didn't think we should be so gung ho for the first 45 to 60 mins and that having him make an impact from the bench would be better suited for our first league game. 

 

Saying that, I would love to see him start the match,as he makes things happen for our team and is class.

[3spirit]

We have a tough opening 8 days to the season with two longish away trips, so it would amaze me if we didn't change personnel for the trip to Gosport next Tuesday ahead of the game at Hereford. Not wholesale changes, but I'd certainly expect us to use more of the squad, and not just because certain players had not performed well.

 

Matt, it depends if we win or not on Saturday and what the level of performance was like.

Why change a winning team, if all the players have played well and are available for Gosport?. It makes no sense. Different matter if it's down to injuries or unavailability.

 

It will certainly depend on how convincing the performance is on Saturday. 

[Neil Baker]

Matt, it depends if we win or not on Saturday and what the level of performance was like.

Why change a winning team, if all the players have played well and are available for Gosport?. It makes no sense. Different matter if it's down to injuries or unavailability.

 

It will certainly depend on how convincing the performance is on Saturday.

 

And I am afraid Stuart that is where managing a squad comes into it, the easy thing would be to keep everything the same if we win and play well, and is in fact harder to change it, however if we want to be successful this season we need to use the whole squad and keep them all interested, and the only way of doing that is to mix it up.

We open ourselves up to more criticism no doubt, as if we make changes and lose, the easy thing is to say why change a winning formula, however there is also no guarantee that if we hadn't of changed it we would have won the game.

The fact that there is so many different options for the first game, shows how healthy the competition is, and the fact that there is not a lot to chose between a number of players.

Hopefully we will have tough decisions all season, as it will mean people are playing well and we don't have too many injuries.

[David Carpenter]

Neil - best wishes to you and Unders with your (pleasantly) difficult task. COYR!!

[Mark44]

Have just red through and glad to see everyone is having the same problem as me in trying to figure out who will play on Saturday.

 

Having mulled a bit I have settled on

 

Turner

 

Fraser. Smart. Nisbet. Wells

 

Harris. Dunn. Lench. Dobson

 

Williams. Flood

 

For me it is Williams and smart who have really put the cat amongst the pidgeons and surprised me with very good pre seasons imo.

[Reading Rebel]

Have just red through and glad to see everyone is having the same problem as me in trying to figure out who will play on Saturday.

 

Having mulled a bit I have settled on

 

Turner

 

Fraser. Smart. Nisbet. Wells

 

Harris. Dunn. Lench. Dobson

 

Williams. Flood

 

For me it is Williams and smart who have really put the cat amongst the pidgeons and surprised me with very good pre seasons imo.

 

 

Oh dear Mark44.

 

I think you could be in a spot of trouble when Auntie Sue sees your post. Still, makes a change from Glennie  

[GlenSTFC]

OLD MANny is in so she'll be ok

[Reading Rebel]

OLD MANny is in so she'll be ok

 

 

You could be right, I think lovely legs Manny is her real fav.

[3spirit]

And I am afraid Stuart that is where managing a squad comes into it, the easy thing would be to keep everything the same if we win and play well, and is in fact harder to change it, however if we want to be successful this season we need to use the whole squad and keep them all interested, and the only way of doing that is to mix it up.

We open ourselves up to more criticism no doubt, as if we make changes and lose, the easy thing is to say why change a winning formula, however there is also no guarantee that if we hadn't of changed it we would have won the game.

The fact that there is so many different options for the first game, shows how healthy the competition is, and the fact that there is not a lot to chose between a number of players.

Hopefully we will have tough decisions all season, as it will mean people are playing well and we don't have too many injuries.

 

Neil, you have to do what you and Unders think is best. You have all the facts at hand ie who's carrying knocks,who's going to be unavailable in the coming weeks, what the opposition is about ,who seems the right fit for any given game etc.

 

From my angle, I cannot see the incentive of a player playing fantastic,if he is to be dropped the next game for anyone. To me players need to earn the right to play in the first eleven.

 

I'm am not saying the squad shouldn't be used to the maximum, as I know this is a very good squad on paper [and from what I've seen so far] but IMO you reward players when they play well, not penalise them.

 

To me, tinkering with the team to freshen it up or for a tactical change makes sense.

Changes for changes sake just because a certain player isn't happy with not being in the team, won't win you the title. 

Obviously, good man management is needed, which I think is a big strength of yours, Neil [and Jon] but it's no good if you let the players manipulate you for their own ends. 

 

Getting the right balance is key.

[3spirit]

One other point, when I say 'they need to earn the right to be in the first eleven'  I don't mean to undermine the value of the first sixteen.

 

Tactical substitions are vital for success.

[maidenheadrebel]

Whilst I appreciate all that's being said about using the squad if a player is playing well he will want to play week in and week out. Some will not want to get 'slinters' when they know they should be playing. Looking at it from another way as 'playing years' move on very quickly again some may not find it agreeble to be missing out.Anyway, best of luck to the managers in keeping all of them interested!

[maidenheadrebel]

'Slinters is splinters' . Fat fingers?

[redwine rebel]

I never liked Mark44 anyway

 

How could he leave me Guy out, stupid decision

[Curtis]

Odds for this match:-

 

Slough 10/11

Kettering 2/1

Draw 13/5

[C'est la vie]

It's an interesting subject this squad rotation. If say Chris Flood is banging in the goals and Simon Dunn or Matt Lench are on top form, can we really see them being dropped?

[GlenSTFC]

Obviously not every player will be dropped, it may be 2,3 or 4 players and there are some positions that aren't covered as widely as others. I too doubt if anyone scores a hat trick would be dropped.

[Reading Rebel]

It's an interesting subject this squad rotation. If say Chris Flood is banging in the goals and Simon Dunn or Matt Lench are on top form, can we really see them being dropped?

 

 

In answer to your question and after listening to the managers forum tonight, I think it was pertinent that when a question came up about 'player rotation' the words 'Certain areas of the pitch' were used.

 

So that say's to me if players like Chris Flood, Simon Dunn and Matt Lench are 'on top form' and only because IMO they are pivotal to the team that they should not fall into this category.

Edited August 10, 2017 by Reading Rebel

[3spirit]

Bit disappointed Brad Wadkins won't be a sub or starter for two of our early matches, as was hoping to see more of him. Understand the logic of getting him game time with Met Police , providing he starts both games !

Just irking that I've longed to see him play for Slough and now that we've got him we've let him go, although thankfully only for two games.

 

While I understand doing Met Police a favour, which can, of course be a reciprocated arrangement, I'm not sure it's such a good move for the very start of the season,with it not being a great way to build Brad's affinity for our club.First home game is always a good atmosphere,so it's a pity he will miss it.

 

Losing both our games, while he is on leave, won't be the end of our season but I thought Kettering would warrant a full strength line up.

Though, the midweek away game against Gosport I don't have any qualms about. 

[SloughFlyer]

I agree with you 3spirit, disappointed to see no Brad 8n the squad for those 1st 2 games. I had made the assumption that both Innes and Togwell would miss out and get game time due to the formers injury and the laters nuptuals through pre-season. I just hope that the move pays off and he benefits from the minutes and comes back with no injuries as knowing our luck he'll go and get injured!

 

From that squad i would assume Togs will miss out as the 17th player and perhaps grt some game time somewhere else (although not sure were)?

[Reading Rebel]

I think it's fair to say that Brad Wadkins is not 100% fully match fit yet so loaning him out to get match fitness leaving only one player to miss out tomorrow makes sense to me.

Edited August 11, 2017 by Reading Rebel