Pre-season is over, we know the players who are going to be available on Saturday, so it's time to put on your quasi-manager's hat on and choose the starting XI. I'm going to go with:
I'd go with that same side. Whichever of the midfielders and strikers do miss out could still play valuable roles off the bench. We will have strong players to bring on if we need to freshen it up.
I think many will be surprised if that is not the starting line-up on sat. Remember the other team do turn up play one up front and scrap a result out. To many àre getting a bit giddy. Hope we get a win first game new players see what they are made of.
We aren't England though. Does it really work for them? At least Vassell can cross a ball with his left foot, direction don't think he's sure. I'd have Wiles in for Macdonald on the right side of midfield but Warney won't cause Macdonald will be one of the players he'll find it hard not to play. When we need to win a game might be different. Want Hinds on the bench cover for Mattock. Don't need 5 strikers in the match day squad of 18.
Sure Warney thinks league 1 it's going to be easy pickings. These no nonsense league 1 defenders will have other ideas. Where's the plan b if playing 3 up front isn't working. Where's the left wide man? Another thing if we play Smith in a front 3 it's no good having him stuck out on the wing. His strength is his hold up play & getting on the end of crosses. Can't see many crosses coming in. I'd play Wiles on the right of midfield in place of Macdonald or Crooks. At least then we have one wing were we can get some supply in.
Went to Roundwood to watch the lads train this morning. No Jones or Clarke training. Apparently Jones has a heel injury which is slightly worse than first thought!!
A lot of one touch stuff with plenty of movement. A lot of the lads looked good and Mattock was showing no signs of a groin strain. Apparently Crooks has broken the mile record held by Taylor and he looks very fit. Ladapo has that air about him, full of tricks and confidence. Vassell also has a spring in his step. I would be surprised if those two were not in the starting line up.
Ronnie has stated on Twitter or some media outlet that Lindsay is a big signing for us and is better than a division one player. He claims he can tackle and is comfortable on the ball. I still think he will start with MacDonald, Barlaser and Crooks but has good back up in Wiles and Lindsay. I feel MacDonald has to hit the ground running to keep hold of the shirt as both Wiles and Lindsay won't want to be bench warmers for long.
Iversen
Olosunde Ihiekwe Robertson Mattock
MacDonald
Crooks Barlaser
Vassell Ladapo Morris
whiston01 Crooks must be deceptive cause with a ball he looks about as quick as me. I had no basic speed but not a bad distance runner. I'm not taken in by the friendly's don't think Vassell & Morris are players you can rely on for any consistency. Smudger he was one of our better players in championship week in week out. To me you've got to take the shirt off him. But we haven't got a wide left sided player. Got a solution to that play Wiles on the left, saw him put a cross in with his left foot end of last season. I'm going 4-4-2.
Iversen
Olosunde Ihiekwe Robertson Mattock
Barlaser Mcdonald or Lindsay Crooks Wiles
Lapado Smith
On the bench I'd have Cooper for Wood. The latter when he came on in the friendly's in the words of Ronnie Moore the defence was like Fred Carno's circus!
I personally would start with Richard Wood some of you are easily forgetting that he was one of our better players the last time we were in div 1. We are going to need him if we are to do well this season who dragged us through the play offs. See how we go on Sat I can't recall the last time we had a good result on opening day. I am with gwru not sure about 433 where is plan b still I hope we can bring home the bacon in 2 days time.
A couple of posters on various various threads quoting Ronnie as saying Lindsay is too good for league one..
I've seen a recent tweet from Ronnie saying "quality player Lindsey, too good for league 1, lets hope we can keep him".
He was actually talking about Osolunde and replying to a tweet from a fan called Lindsey 😀
whiston01 Crooks must be deceptive cause with a ball he looks about as quick as me. I had no basic speed but not a bad distance runner. I'm not taken in by the friendly's don't think Vassell & Morris are players you can rely on for any consistency. Smudger he was one of our better players in championship week in week out. To me you've got to take the shirt off him. But we haven't got a wide left sided player. Got a solution to that play Wiles on the left, saw him put a cross in with his left foot end of last season. I'm going 4-4-2. Iversen Olosunde Ihiekwe Robertson Mattock Barlaser Mcdonald or Lindsay Crooks Wiles Lapado Smith
On the bench I'd have Cooper for Wood. The latter when he came on in the friendly's in the words of Ronnie Moore the defence was like Fred Carno's circus!
If our defence is a circus gwru you might get a game. Every good circus needs a clown. You've savaged Warne for playing right footed players on the left, but you would put Wiles there because he once crossed a ball with his left foot. Cue buckets of confetti and fake flowers that squirt water.
You might want a 442 but it isn't going to happen. Not yet anyway.
smiler Wiles he's in a different league to last season's wingers who played on the left though Portsmouth gain getting William's on the right. Criminal if he doesn't start Saturday. He could do a job on the left. There's some clowns on here saying don't play Smith Saturday. I'll know then Warney he's lost it for the sake of playing 3 up front. You have to win the shirt off Smudger though he needs to be up front not on the wings.
Someone on here said everyone is entitled to their opinion. I wholeheartedly agree. But hearing exactly the same opinion a few times per day, seven days per week, 52 weeks per year does grind my gears somewhat.
AARGH!! It's someone's opinion, which they are entitled to. What makes you think that your opinion based on watching fifty percent of the Millers games mean that your rather weird opinions are more valid than those who watch every Millers game. Your German rant revealed that you are a bit....odd
I think i am the one who you think is a clown Gwru by saying i wouldn't play Smith. We are going to play 4.3.3. i don't think there is any doubt about that. I believe we will play Ladapo because he is our marquee signing and from what i have seen of him and his record in this division he should be the central striker of the three. I also believe Vassell has had a good pre season and should be started . Morris is a left footed striker who has also proved his worth in this division with Shrewsbury( a real handful at wembley) and is also on loan. Not sure Norwich would want him on the bench for the first game.
You make a good point about Smith having the shirt. However, he appeared to thrive last year as being the lone striker. This season is totally different because we are playing 4.3.3. which in my opinion might not suit Smith's style of play. This is only my opinion and yes Warne is loyal to people who have done it for him (witness Ball and others starting at Brentford first game last season). He could well go with Smith and he might thrive as one of three with license to roam and interchange. Whatever, we have options up top.
I think the front 3 is a fine balance. I put Smith in based on Vassell working well on the left and Lapado being a handful down the middle. Morris is also a leftie so wouldn't give the balance that Smith affords. Having said that, pre season games have shown such mobility up front that assigning players to positions is pointless. Accordingly, there's no obvious formula and I won't be surprised at any line-up that PW selects. Proctor may well feature!
