Ghost of Clough

Can potentially play anywhere behind the CF, but definitely best leading the line.
He was injured for the first half of the season. Came back into the U18 side and scored goals for fun. Played a couple for the U21s towards the end of the season and scored 1.

Can potentially play anywhere behind the CF, but definitely best leading the line.
He was injured for the first half of the season. Came back into the U18 side and scored goals for fun. Played a couple for the U21s towards the end of the season and scored 1.

Can potentially play anywhere behind the CF, but definitely best leading the line.
He was injured for the first half of the season. Came back into the U18 side and scored goals for fun. Played a couple for the U21s towards the end of the season and scored 1.

Having May completely negates Warne's playing style of 'mixing it up', due to not being able to go long and battle it the air. McGoldrick won 47% of his 8.1 aerial battles per 90, Collins won 33% of his 7.7 per 90, and May 8 % of his 1.3 per 90.
The counter argument to having better players around him, is having more congested defences to score past. The opposition tends to set back against Derby a lot more than they do for Cheltenham.
He may be an improvement on what we have at the moment (ie no 2nd choice CF), but he likely will not be as good all round as the forwards we will sign instead.

Take away Hourihane's set pieces and he's on 5 assists from open play vs Bird's 6. With the addition of Ward and others still to join, Hourihane's influence over set pieces will diminish. I still believe Sibley take better corners too.
Bird is much better defensively, actually managed to assists more than Hourihane from open play in less minutes, and retains possession better.
Bird's still only 22, whislt Hourihane is 32. If we do sign another CM, as the season progresses, Hourihane's minutes should decrease as we build for the future.

He won't improve playing U21 football and won't get enough first team football with us.
Hopefully he does enough to earn a spot in the squad next season.

Which is why it'll be 3421. Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen, Sibley and a new signing competing in the '2'.
Collins and 1 or 2 others competing for the CF spot.

I sense we are more likely to play with 2 attacking midfielders of some description and then 1 proper striker. 

Early prediction.
Collins 25 goals and player of the season.

Community Pink.

It helps that he's the most two footed player we have in the squad. He would often take set pieces with his left foot when playing for thr U21s/23s and you wouldn't notice it was his weaker foot.

Basically no chance any of those loans go to League 1 this season.
Pretty much all played at levels above already, or if not have shown they’re ready to and would have plenty of Championship interest at least.
James McAtee just played 37 times for a side that got automatic promotion to the PL, he’d probably be looking to play higher than the Championship this season, let alone League 1.

I'd say a 1 in 3 strike rate at any level in the EFL is enough to show potential (and Toney did around that in 3 of his last 4 loan spells). Harris has 10 over 3 seasons which is pretty dire.
Going on that basis, I'd be asking about Luke Armstrong from Harrogate... 26... just under 1 in 3 in a side that's struggled since getting out of non-league.

It helps that he's the most two footed player we have in the squad. He would often take set pieces with his left foot when playing for thr U21s/23s and you wouldn't notice it was his weaker foot.

It helps that he's the most two footed player we have in the squad. He would often take set pieces with his left foot when playing for thr U21s/23s and you wouldn't notice it was his weaker foot.

They obviously don't have access to his Wikipedia stats unlike us experts on here.

Little hack - dont change your provider from 4G/5G. Everyone else is switching to 3G

It's a back 3/5, not a 4.
1 more CB will take us to 5 in that position.
1 more WB takes us to 3 senior wing backs. Unless we're relying on the likes of Knight/Sibley/other on filling in, that signing will need to cover the opposite side. That is unless the CB covers WB, such as Harding.
I don't want to get into a long debate regarding the midfield again, but neither of your proposals answer the questions you're asking (more goals AND defensive ability).
To get more goals from midfield, you'll be dropping Bird (since Hourihane scored 7 and assisted 10). Brannagan is a set piece merchant. Out of his 9 goals and 2 assists, 6 goals came from freekicks and penalties, and 1 assist from a corner. With Hourihane and Ward already lined up for freekicks and corners, as well as signing a CF confident enough to have a 1v1 with the keeper from 12 years, the end product from Brannagan is redundant. He's also very weak defensively.
Whilst El Mizouni would add a lot defensively to our midfield, his end product doesn't even match Bird or Knight despite playing in a lower division.
The forward situation is simple. 4 SSs and 3 CFs.
1 new signing to compete with Mendez-Laing, Sibley and Barkhuizen.
2 new signings to compete with Collins at CF. One of them ideally being capable of playing in a deeper role.
Whilst I agree with Warne's 5 signings with the current squad to get the right squad size, there are one or two I'd be looking to move on and sign replacements for.

Smith didn’t really play in midfield last season until the later side of the season, plus White was brought in to cover Bird. Once Bird was fit White barely got any game time. 
 
That plus we will likely play 3/5 at the back most games so we will only need two starting midfielders.
Warne’s comments suggest we would only sign if Knight/Bird leaves and that pretty much makes sense with 4 first team midfielders with another two reserve/youth

5 signings takes us to a 23 man squad which is the ideal squad size. That's not including Oduroh and DRobinson who have started pre-season with the first team. It'll be supplemented by the academy, with the view to make alterations or cover for long term injuries in January. 
GKx3, CB x5, WBx3, CMx5, SSx4, CFx3
Anything bigger than that and it's wasted money.
Definitely not. It's 5 plus replacements for anyone we end up selling.

5 signings takes us to a 23 man squad which is the ideal squad size. That's not including Oduroh and DRobinson who have started pre-season with the first team. It'll be supplemented by the academy, with the view to make alterations or cover for long term injuries in January. 
GKx3, CB x5, WBx3, CMx5, SSx4, CFx3
Anything bigger than that and it's wasted money.
Definitely not. It's 5 plus replacements for anyone we end up selling.

I'd say 2 top L1 players or 4 very good squad players.

I'd say 2 top L1 players or 4 very good squad players.

I love reading your opinions 👻