Ghost of Clough

Mainly a LB, but has been used on the wing quite a bit this season whilst he gets back up to speed after missing a lot of football over the past 3 seasons due to injuries. 

I'd have been made up, personally.

I was trying to work out who was missing. Thanks, GOC.

Winners of this competition in the last 20 years include: Blackpool, Swansea, Luton, Southampton, Portsmouth, Sunderland and Bolton. All have been in the Premier League since we were last there. It's not exactly a terrible list to be on.
Other winners in that time include: Peterborough, Bristol City, Barnsley, Coventry, Rotherham.
 

To be fair, a number of U21s were missing from the squad. Evans, Cox, DRobinson, Bates. I expect Cox and DRobinson to be in the first team squad tonight.
I believe Bardell, Radcliffe, Lindsay and Davidson are currently injured. Johnson too if you want to include him
Oduroh, Gibson-Hammond, Nunn and Oseni are out on loan.
KRobinson, McAndrew, Allen and Wheeldon are still more U18 than U21, but will have increased game time in the U21s in the 2nd half of the season.

We were so much better than them at set pieces it was pretty laughable. Every corner we had looked like we might score. Thought the sending off looked a tad harsh based on limited replays and angles. They had a couple of handy attacking players with pace which we improved on dealing with as the first half grew on.

Watch live:
 

Watch live:
 

To be fair, Bris didn't say it was not using xG which resulted in us being where we are, but the lack of statistics in general. If we got recruitment (managere and players) right, we wouldn't have wasted 10s of millions on players who didn't improve us or weren't even suited to our style of play. We wouldn't have had to use unusually practices to avoid P&S punishment, and Mel wouldn't have wasted as much money chasing the PL dream. We would have had a greater chance of promotion and would more likely be where Brighton/Brentford are now than sitting in League 1.

I suggest watching the 2nd half again. As I posted the other day
"[At the start of the 2nd half] Nyambe still hugging the touchline, with Barkhuizen pushing high up the field. Cashin and Nelson appeared to be equally as central. However, on the left, it was noticeable how much further Sibley was playing and Mendez-Laing was playing as a forward instead of as a winger.
It was a clear back 3 when Wilson came on as he is more natural in that position, obviously being better positionally as a result. The back 3 were also more suitably positioned."
Like you, I found it difficult to see the shape when watching live on TV. But, I think that was mostly Nyambe and Barkhuizen not quite adjusting to the change in shape. Barkhuizen absolutely was not playing on the left in the 2nd half.

Cashin, Nelson, Nyambe as the back 3. Sibley and Barkhuizen as wing backs.

Cashin, Nelson, Nyambe as the back 3. Sibley and Barkhuizen as wing backs.

Vickers
Ward   Nelson   Bradley   Sibley
Fornah   DRobinson
Wilson   Waghorn   Barkhuizen
John-Jules
 
Subs: Loach, Osayande, Cox, Fapetu, Hawkins, Weston, DBrown

Cashin, Nelson, Nyambe as the back 3. Sibley and Barkhuizen as wing backs.

One to keep an eye on is Ben Wilson - CF playing for Cliftonville in N.Ireland. He's a 21 year old forward who moved from Brighton in the summer, and is on 15 goals in 21 games this season.

I don't think McQuire qualifies for England. To be honest, it seems risky plying a 16 year old keeper at CB anyway.

Vickers
Ward   Nelson   Bradley   Sibley
Fornah   DRobinson
Wilson   Waghorn   Barkhuizen
John-Jules
 
Subs: Loach, Osayande, Cox, Fapetu, Hawkins, Weston, DBrown

One to keep an eye on is Ben Wilson - CF playing for Cliftonville in N.Ireland. He's a 21 year old forward who moved from Brighton in the summer, and is on 15 goals in 21 games this season.

I hope we have, I’ve got a ticket for Orient on the 9th.😳

Points-wise, the target should be the magical 2 points per game over the season - 62 points from our next 29 games (2.13 ppg). A tough ask, since the best our 12 game rolling average hasn't been above 2 since our good run ended last season. Outside of the first 4 games of the season, we haven't been too far off the pace, so the least we need to do until January is maintain our recent league form. We can then strengthen in January.
Our targets depend on intended formation - we either stick with the asymmetrical 4231, or we go back to 3412.
4231 = extending Nyambe's contract, signing a DM, 1 winger and a CF
3412 = extending Nyambe's contract, signing a LWB, DM, and CF
Other signings would depend on departures.
The one difference is winger vs wing back. This is why I would go after Demetri Mitchell from Exeter - he can play in either position (as well as almost everywhere else on the pitch), allowing us to change between the two formations when it suits us. He's out of contract in the summer, and Exeter will likely want to cash in whilst they can. He has the 5th highest attacking contribution in the league (2nd highest winger), and is one of the best dribblers in the league All whilst playing in one of the worst sides in the division.
I like the look of Arthur Read at Colchester. He's perfectly suited to being Hourihane's replacement. He takes a good set piece, contributes to open play assists and goals, but importantly does a lot of the dirty work defensively. Only 24, but has 18 months left on his contract
For CF, my top pick would be Al Hamadi, but interest will be high, including Championship clubs - I think we'll be priced out of it. There appears to be few forwards worth signing from Championship clubs who aren't playing much, and there is also a lack of options in the SPL at the moment. Any forwards would have to be on loan from PL clubs, such as Callum Marshall or Divin Mubama (both West Ham). 
I can see Sibley moving on to make something of his career. In which case, I would try to poach Dan Kemp, currently on loan at Swindon. Arguably the best AM in L2 this season, providing goals and assists.

Vickers
Ward   Nelson   Bradley   Sibley
Fornah   DRobinson
Wilson   Waghorn   Barkhuizen
John-Jules
 
Subs: Loach, Osayande, Cox, Fapetu, Hawkins, Weston, DBrown