v Bracknell Town

[Reading Rebel]

Should be an interesting watch.

We'll be coming up against some ex rebels in Sean Fraser, Ben Harris and Joe Grant.

Along with the ex Bracknell players in the rebels ranks.

 

[GlenSTFC]

Could be tasty just hope there’s no silliness and potential injuries.

[Bernie Gogan]

Watched highlights of Bracknell's last pre-season friendly on their new 3G (no rubber balls in the surface, a sand based alternative) v Hartley Wintney and overheard someone off camera saying that Slough haven't been picking Mikel Platt. The implication being that he hasn't been selected & others preferred. Hopefully his return to fitness will be on display tomorrow!

[Reading Rebel]

I'm pretty certain that's not the case Bernie.

Scott is on record saying that Mickel has been carrying an injury for a couple of months.

He's also been at recent games doing some light training.

I reckon it's just someone from Bracknell looking at it from the outside and coming to the wrong conclusion.

I think we'd all like to see Mickel Platt make his debut but as far as I'm aware only Jeanmal Prosper could possibly be involved tomorrow

[Curtis]

I spoke to Mickel at a match recently & he said he was recovering from an injury.

[Scott Davies]

Let me tell you now, I can’t wait for Mickel to be ready and available! He’s a great lad and going to be a huge player for us. I’m gutted for him that he’s carrying the injury as he’s desperate to be back playing.

[Bernie Gogan]

Funny what perceptions oppo supporters have. I've seen him around and at Tuesday's game doing sprints before and after the game (at least I guessed that was him!!).

[3spirit]

Enjoyable friendly to watch today. Firstly I hope Gary Abisogun's injury is not as bad as it looked. He's been playing well and I was impressed by him this afternoon. Real blow for the Rebels if he is out now for a lengthy period.

Scott Davies looked Glen Hoddle-esq spraying perfect long passes in the first half. He and Dan Baylis fitted in together and dealt with most of what Bracknell offered. Could they be the starting centre half pairing against Maidstone?

Also thought Jeanmal Prosper showed what he can do and he would be a cert in my first eleven for the Maidstone match. With Tom McElroy scoring again he seems to have done enough to nail down a squad place and it was good to see Nathan Minhas scoring as well and making the Bracknell keeper make a couple of saves from his shots.

A good workout for our lads all told but certainly harder matches to come.   

[3spirit]

Any news on Gary Abisogun's injury/x-rays?

Just watched Scott's post match interview and he talked a lot of sense in it. The Charlton friendly on Tuesday is certainly a risky match, in terms of getting injuries for Saturday.

My angle of this pre-season is that it has been valuable in terms of winning games and gelling the new players together but I would have thought a game against a National Premier team like Wealdstone or Maidenhead would have been of benefit to our new fledgelings.

Scott says he doesn't know his best eleven yet but I bet he has an inkling. In my mind I have a 4-4-2 to start against Maidstone, going by the performances I've seen so far and with the absence of Josh Jackman for the first two games. My line up will be different to what I'm expecting Scott to name. Centre midfield seems the hardest area to define currently considering Matt Lench is going to be missing quite a few games in the coming weeks.    

[Reading Rebel]

4 hours ago, 3spirit said:

Any news on Gary Abisogun's injury/x-rays?

Just watched Scott's post match interview and he talked a lot of sense in it. The Charlton friendly on Tuesday is certainly a risky match, in terms of getting injuries for Saturday.

My angle of this pre-season is that it has been valuable in terms of winning games and gelling the new players together but I would have thought a game against a National Premier team like Wealdstone or Maidenhead would have been of benefit to our new fledgelings.

Scott says he doesn't know his best eleven yet but I bet he has an inkling. In my mind I have a 4-4-2 to start against Maidstone, going by the performances I've seen so far and with the absence of Josh Jackman for the first two games. My line up will be different to what I'm expecting Scott to name. Centre midfield seems the hardest area to define currently considering Matt Lench is going to be missing quite a few games in the coming weeks.    

Scott's interview was a bit contradictory but he said they've not yet been able to put out what they feel is their strongest 11, not too sure it is but it's what they believe it is.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Reading Rebel

[Scott Davies]

It’s not really that complicated is it?

Not been able to put out our strongest 11, or what we believe is our strongest 11 as we haven’t had everyone available.

How do we know unless we’ve actually played it. Our strongest 11 in our minds hasn’t been tried and tested so we are just going off our thoughts. I think it makes perfect sense, but maybe that’s just me. 😅

 

[3spirit]

14 hours ago, Scott Davies said:

It’s not really that complicated is it?

Not been able to put out our strongest 11, or what we believe is our strongest 11 as we haven’t had everyone available.

How do we know unless we’ve actually played it. Our strongest 11 in our minds hasn’t been tried and tested so we are just going off our thoughts. I think it makes perfect sense, but maybe that’s just me. 😅

 

In some ways Scott, it might be beneficial long term that you haven't played what you think is your strongest team yet, as if we get off to a bad start in the first month or so, least we have the better players to call upon to change our fortunes around. If, however we get off to a flying start [crossing my fingers we will] then we have a great opportunity of building on that success going further into the season.

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

I think we’ll see a 3-4-3/3-5-2 on Saturday, need to keep it tight and I’m not sure a back 4 is the right thing to do in the circumstances as the team still needs to gel:

Graczyk

Dandy, Davies, Bayliss

Prosper Lench Sundire Dyce

Ogbonna Minhas McElroy

Or Goddard will play behind Minhas and Ogbonna/McElroy

 

[Reading Rebel]

     Davies Bayliss Dyce

            Sundire

Ogbonna Goddard Lench Giles

        Minhas McElroy

 

[michaelSTFC]

For those who missed the match, there are some highlights via a Bracknell fan's game day diary.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by michaelSTFC

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

6 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

     Davies Bayliss Dyce

            Sundire

Ogbonna Goddard Lench Giles

        Minhas McElroy

 

Ogbonna and Giles I like as wing back options, very attacking line up but I will be shocked if Scotty starts them both as wing backs away at Maidstone.

[3spirit]

10 hours ago, Wycombe Rebel said:

I think we’ll see a 3-4-3/3-5-2 on Saturday, need to keep it tight and I’m not sure a back 4 is the right thing to do in the circumstances as the team still needs to gel:

Graczyk

Dandy, Davies, Bayliss

Prosper Lench Sundire Dyce

Ogbonna Minhas McElroy

Or Goddard will play behind Minhas and Ogbonna/McElroy

 

My line up would be similar but  I would play a fluid 4-4-2 which becomes a 5 man defence when being attacked/under the cosh.   It is

Graczyk

Dandy[right back/right centre half]    Davies[organiser/sweeper] Baylis  Dyce

Prosper[mainly right wing but cover for Dandy as a wing back] Parillion-Chambers  Lench  Ogbonna

McElroy   Minhas

Subs: Goddard, Benyon, Giles, George and Sundire. 

 

[Curtis]

Graczyk

Prosper, Dandy, Bayliss, Dyce 

Goddard, Lench, Sundire, Ogbonna 

Minhas, McElroy