Pick our team until January... 09:39 - Sep 1 with 2131 views | jackrmee | Now the window is over, barring free agents, we won't be improving our squad until January. No point crying over spilt milk. Let's hope RM can get a tune out of these players and that one or 2 of the squad surprises us in what they have in their locker. I'm not ecstatic about how the window went, but I am still optimistic we can do Ok and be in the top half easily. Here's the team I think will play, with sub in each position. Looks pretty solid to me, albeit not perfect yet. .................................... BENDA/Hamer................................ ....................WILLIAMS/BENNETT/NAUGHTON/Cabango........ .LAIRD/Lati.....................................................................BIDWELL/Manning....... ..........................GRIMES/DOWNES/Fulton.............. ................................WALSH/Ntcham................. ...................... PIROE/OBAFEMI/Whittaker......................... Reserves: Defreitas-Hansen - speaks for itself. Cooper - will play games and may even move ahead of Ben for me. Smith - decent backup when he's not injured. Williams.D - hopefully can get games. We are lucky he's still here. Dhanda - nothing really to say, has some creativity to give. Cullen - RM seems to like him. Can definitely do a job off the bench. GK - I think should be fine. Benda just needs confidence, training and practice. I don't think anyone wanted a change there. Give him a season to show what he can do in the #1 jersey. CBs - We have plenty of these and a lot of experience. With 7 players who have shown they can play at CB, surely there's 3 there who will adapt do what RM wants them to do and will be solid there. Whether it's the 3 I picked is yet to be seen. Not worried about CB and I wouldn't have advocated getting another one in just now. WBs - Right side is Laird's, with backup of Lati or Kyle. They can do a job defensively if Laird gets injured, but lets hope that doesn't happen, as they don't have the pace or attacking nous needed to play RMs game fully. I would look for a permanent RWB for Jan. Left side is not ideal. RM clearly wanted to replace Bidwell, but even though it never happened, I still think he's done OK so far and is better going forward than many think. His crosses will make some goals. Manning is in the same ilk. Not perfect. Strengthen in January. DM - We have loads of strong options. Grimes and Downes will start I think. Williams needed a loan really, but he's here, so that's great for the club, not so great for him. So, Fulton, Dan, Ntcham, Smith can all do a job there apparently, so we are well stocked there to say the least. AM - At the moment Paterson has been doing a decent job. Still not up to speed, but seen glimpses of a quality and I think he was a good signing. When Walsh is back I think he'll get this spot, as he looks top quality. Ntcham will have to work hard, which apparently he doesn't like to do, but still a good player if we can get him to work. We even have Dhanda who is creative and can be a sub. Solid in this position. STR - Piroe and Oba look like a perfect partnership to me. Speed and finishing together. I can see a lot of goals being scored tbh. Cullen and Whittaker both still here as backup. Many didn't want Whittaker to go on loan, so they have their wish. If Oba is good, I think we have a very good strike force. ALL IN ALL A GOOD SQUAD UNTIL JANUARY. WBs will need strengthening, but apart from that I think we have a very decent squad. WE WILL BE FINE. BELIEVE! [Post edited 1 Sep 2021 9:42]
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Pick our team until January... on 14:14 - Sep 1 with 2018 views | jack247 | It is a decent squad. Left WB worries me a bit and I think he’s going to have to vary the way we play a bit. I’d just drop the WBs back to get them involved earlier on in moves and push the midfield forward so there’s less chance of getting turned over deep in our half. I don’t think he will do that. If he can get the system we use to work, it could be brilliant. At the moment, I can’t quite see how he is going to do that. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Pick our team until January... on 16:55 - Sep 1 with 1931 views | jackrmee |
Pick our team until January... on 14:14 - Sep 1 by jack247 | It is a decent squad. Left WB worries me a bit and I think he’s going to have to vary the way we play a bit. I’d just drop the WBs back to get them involved earlier on in moves and push the midfield forward so there’s less chance of getting turned over deep in our half. I don’t think he will do that. If he can get the system we use to work, it could be brilliant. At the moment, I can’t quite see how he is going to do that. |
Yeah I think we will have a different LWB in January. It's pretty clear that although Bidwell is playing well there, it's not the way RM wants it to go out there. | ![](/images/avatars/11384.gif) |
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Pick our team until January... on 20:37 - Sep 1 with 1838 views | Brynmill_Jack |
Pick our team until January... on 14:14 - Sep 1 by jack247 | It is a decent squad. Left WB worries me a bit and I think he’s going to have to vary the way we play a bit. I’d just drop the WBs back to get them involved earlier on in moves and push the midfield forward so there’s less chance of getting turned over deep in our half. I don’t think he will do that. If he can get the system we use to work, it could be brilliant. At the moment, I can’t quite see how he is going to do that. |
The left of the back 3 needs to be pacy to cover if bidwell marauded forward. Also the CDM needs to be alive to this. For me :- Benda Laird Naughton Cabango Williams Bidwell Downes Ntcham Walsh Obafemi Piroe | ![](/images/avatars/8686.gif) |
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Pick our team until January... on 20:44 - Sep 1 with 1828 views | Catullus | Maybe we'll see Grimes being the CDM and Ntcham and Downes being more advanced? Laird is quicker going forward so maybe Bidwell will have to be more careful. Maybe Grimes will drop in to cover when Bids is forward? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
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Pick our team until January... on 21:10 - Sep 1 with 1792 views | Brynmill_Jack |
Pick our team until January... on 20:44 - Sep 1 by Catullus | Maybe we'll see Grimes being the CDM and Ntcham and Downes being more advanced? Laird is quicker going forward so maybe Bidwell will have to be more careful. Maybe Grimes will drop in to cover when Bids is forward? |
If Walsh recovers, stays free of injury and finds his groove he will be a mainstay. Grimes will need to show more to keep his place. | ![](/images/avatars/8686.gif) |
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Pick our team until January... on 07:22 - Sep 2 with 1691 views | pencoedjack |
Pick our team until January... on 20:37 - Sep 1 by Brynmill_Jack | The left of the back 3 needs to be pacy to cover if bidwell marauded forward. Also the CDM needs to be alive to this. For me :- Benda Laird Naughton Cabango Williams Bidwell Downes Ntcham Walsh Obafemi Piroe |
I’d swap Bennett for Naughton but that looks a decent side. Like you I’d drop Grimes (although I can’t see RM doing it) slows everything down & doesn’t seem to pass forward. | ![](/images/avatars/9450.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Pick our team until January... on 08:25 - Sep 2 with 1664 views | Brynmill_Jack |
Pick our team until January... on 07:22 - Sep 2 by pencoedjack | I’d swap Bennett for Naughton but that looks a decent side. Like you I’d drop Grimes (although I can’t see RM doing it) slows everything down & doesn’t seem to pass forward. |
When Ntcham and Walsh bed in the dysfunction in the midfield will be highlighted. Grimes will stick out like a sore thumb and hopefully Downes will get his chance to stake his claim. I expect Grimes to go for a cut price fee in January but it will be balanced out by his wage being saved. | ![](/images/avatars/8686.gif) |
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Pick our team until January... on 13:32 - Sep 2 with 1588 views | ReslovenSwan1 |
Pick our team until January... on 08:25 - Sep 2 by Brynmill_Jack | When Ntcham and Walsh bed in the dysfunction in the midfield will be highlighted. Grimes will stick out like a sore thumb and hopefully Downes will get his chance to stake his claim. I expect Grimes to go for a cut price fee in January but it will be balanced out by his wage being saved. |
No point keeping Grimes if his head is elsewhere. It is not good enough for the Captain to state "I will always give 100% while I am here". No one wanted to buy him and his wages demands were not met. Time to get back to work and earn what he dreams of. Less dreaming more reality. Signing a 1 year option with a buy out clause puts his commitment issues to bed. If he is good enough the buyers will take up the option. | ![](/images/avatars/27402.gif) |
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Pick our team until January... on 14:23 - Sep 2 with 1549 views | jack247 |
Pick our team until January... on 08:25 - Sep 2 by Brynmill_Jack | When Ntcham and Walsh bed in the dysfunction in the midfield will be highlighted. Grimes will stick out like a sore thumb and hopefully Downes will get his chance to stake his claim. I expect Grimes to go for a cut price fee in January but it will be balanced out by his wage being saved. |
I think it’s the tactics rather than the players. Grimes and Downes are good enough without doubt. Ntcham could go pear shaped, but could be a game changer. He either gets this tactic to work, if he does, we’ll cause teams a lot of problems, or he swallows his pride and plays the wingbacks the conventional way, so they can be options when we pass out from the back. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Pick our team until January... on 15:16 - Sep 2 with 1504 views | Brynmill_Jack |
Pick our team until January... on 14:23 - Sep 2 by jack247 | I think it’s the tactics rather than the players. Grimes and Downes are good enough without doubt. Ntcham could go pear shaped, but could be a game changer. He either gets this tactic to work, if he does, we’ll cause teams a lot of problems, or he swallows his pride and plays the wingbacks the conventional way, so they can be options when we pass out from the back. |
Yes it is the tactics - Grimes needs more time to control the ball as CDM due to his chronic one footedness. You never know he could adapt - a case of wait and see. I’m really looking forward to seeing Downes hit his straps - he seems to be ultra competitive and likes to carry the ball too. It may well be that Downes will sit slightly behind Ntcham but they take turns in driving forward with the other dropping behinds to cover. Walsh has a lot to prove but seemed fantastic for Coventry so hopefully he can rediscover that form and load the bullets for Piroe and Obafemi to fire. | ![](/images/avatars/8686.gif) |
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Pick our team until January... on 16:16 - Sep 2 with 1466 views | onehunglow | Hows about this then. No hate posts please Benda Rhys Bennett Cabango Laird Downes Froggie Paters Bidwell Joel and Mikey Im assuming Walsh will be written off and Grimes seen as not really as good as Russy thought. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
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