Our best eleven - when all fit

[IslandExile]

Formation: 4-2-3-1

                     Wildsmith

Wilson.     Nelson.    Cashin.   Forsyth

                  Bird.        Fornah

Mendez-Laing.  Sibley.    Barkhuizen

                        Waghorn 

I think that's pretty good with the Arsenal kid, Rooney and Thommo to come on as needed.

[IlsonDerby]

6 hours ago, IslandExile said:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

                     Wildsmith

Wilson.     Nelson.    Cashin.   Forsyth

                  Bird.        Fornah

Mendez-Laing.  Sibley.    Barkhuizen

                        Waghorn 

I think that's pretty good with the Arsenal kid, Rooney and Thommo to come on as needed.

Ward? 

[Caerphilly Ram]

It’s an interesting conversation as to what our strongest XI is when everyone is fit. I think the squad is more balanced and has the depth we were lacking last season, though the individual brilliance of McGoldrick is missing there’s at least an industrious collective in attack. Knight was a good player, but with everyone fit I don’t know that we miss his attributes as much. There’s cover in most positions and a bit of depth building in the academy too. 

Current Squad 2023/24

GK - Wildsmith

GK - Vickers

GK - Loach

RB/RWB - Ward

RB/RWB - Wilson

RB/RWB - Nyambe

LB/LWB - Elder

LB/LWB - Forsyth

CB - Cashin

CB - Nelson

CB - Bradley

CB - Rooney

CM - Bird

CM - Hourihane

CM - Smith

CM - Thompson

CM - Fornah

CM - Embleton

AM/WF - Barkhuizen

AM/WF - Mendez-Laing

AM/WF - Sibley

CF - Collins

CF - Washington

CF - Waghorn

CF - John-Jules

 

[Blondest Goat]

7 hours ago, IslandExile said:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

                     Wildsmith

Wilson.     Nelson.    Cashin.   Forsyth

                  Bird.        Fornah

Mendez-Laing.  Sibley.    Barkhuizen

                        Waghorn 

I think that's pretty good with the Arsenal kid, Rooney and Thommo to come on as needed.

You could argue that Barks deserves to keep his place based on last night's game but in our best 11 based on all of his performances for us?  Not in a million years. He's been hugely disappointing overall.

Good thing with our squad depth now is he can keep his place but know that someone will be waiting to replace him if he drops off.  Same for everyone.  Have a poor game and you'll find yourself replaced.

[valakari]

Tbh that squad, with the right tactics should win this league..as long as they play 4 at the back!

[MadAmster]

7 hours ago, IslandExile said:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

                     Wildsmith

Wilson.     Nelson.    Cashin.   Forsyth

                  Bird.        Fornah

Mendez-Laing.  Sibley.    Barkhuizen

                        Waghorn 

I think that's pretty good with the Arsenal kid, Rooney and Thommo to come on as needed.

You do realise that Warne isn't going to play that formation, don't you? It's all the players I'd probably go for but in a formation that PW would contemplate. That would be either 3-5-2 or 3-4-3.

Wildsmith in goal.

Back 3 Nelson, Cash, Foz

MF 4 of Wilson, Bird, Fornah and one of Sibs/Barks

Front 3 of NML Waggy and the other one of Sibs/Barks

 

OR 

Wildsmith in goal.

Back 3 Nelson, Cash, Foz

MF 5 of Wilson, Bird, Sibs (playing in between MF and the front 2) , Fornah, Barks

front 2 of NML and Waggy

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

In last night's post match interview he said he liked 4-2-3-1.

[Carnero]

Warne slipped in that "I do like a 4-2-3-1" last night in his Radio Derby interview - hopefully that is a hint towards playing that system more often going forward as it suits this squad down to the ground. He also stated that signing Nyambe would allow them to play Ward or Wilson further forward as an alternate option to NML to stop the current over-playing of him.

The squad now, if the majority can stay fit, is more than good enough to be competing for promotion in this league so there really are no excuses other than where there's a long injury list.

It's actually difficult to even select a "strongest XI" as whatever you can come up with leaves out some quality players at this level.

My inclination is that the strongest XI is:

Wildsmith

Nyambe, Nelson, Cashin, Forsyth

Fornah, Bird

NML, Sibley, Barkhuizen

Waghorn

... even that leaves out the likes of Elder, Ward, Wilson, Hourihane, Embleton, Smith, Tommo, Collins, Washington who have all played top end of L1 or higher for most of their careers!

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

It’s an interesting conversation as to what our strongest XI is when everyone is fit. I think the squad is more balanced and has the depth we were lacking last season, though the individual brilliance of McGoldrick is missing there’s at least an industrious collective in attack. Knight was a good player, but with everyone fit I don’t know that we miss his attributes as much. There’s cover in most positions and a bit of depth building in the academy too. 

Current Squad 2023/24

GK - Wildsmith

GK - Vickers

GK - Loach

RB/RWB - Ward

RB/RWB - Wilson

RB/RWB - Nyambe

LB/LWB - Elder

LB/LWB - Forsyth

CB - Cashin

CB - Nelson

CB - Bradley

CB - Rooney

CM - Bird

CM - Hourihane

CM - Smith

CM - Thompson

CM - Fornah

CM - Embleton

AM/WF - Barkhuizen

AM/WF - Mendez-Laing

AM/WF - Sibley

CF - Collins

CF - Washington

CF - Waghorn

CF - John-Jules

 

Not missing Knight? This is Knight who is getting MoM performances for Ireland and Bristol City (5th in Championship)? 😄

Not even sure who has replaced Roberts tbh.

Wildsmith

Ward Nelson Cashin Fozzy

Bird Fornah Hourihane

NML Sibley Waghorn

[Ambitious]

We have plenty of options now, a squad more than capable of winning this league. Nyambe helps with the balance of the team. A flat back four suits all our centre backs, our left backs. It puts Wilson and Ward out. Wilson can play right back, but more of an attacker. Ward will probably be right wing now. 

Elder still not looking 100% so until he does then I’d go: Wildsmith. Nyambe, Nelson, Cashin, Forsyth. Ward, Bird/Hourihane, Fornah, Sibley, NML. Waghorn. 

A solid flat back four. Fornah and Bird at the base of midfield, as the ball players and then essentially four attackers in NML, Ward, Sibley and Waghorn. 4-2-4 with the ball. The flat back four stops and the base stops any counters which we have been disgustingly poor at dealing with since Warne came through the door. 

[Caerphilly Ram]

16 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Not missing Knight? This is Knight who is getting MoM performances for Ireland and Bristol City (5th in Championship)? 😄

Not even sure who has replaced Roberts tbh.

Wildsmith

Ward Nelson Cashin Fozzy

Bird Fornah Hourihane

NML Sibley Waghorn

I said not missing his attributes, not that we’re not missing the player. We have got players in the squad than can run with the ball, that can press, that can push us up the pitch, that can tackle. 
Have a day off for once Roy, not every conversation has to turn into a dig about something or someone

[sage]

12 minutes ago, Carnero said:

Warne slipped in that "I do like a 4-2-3-1" last night in his Radio Derby interview - hopefully that is a hint towards playing that system more often going forward as it suits this squad down to the ground. He also stated that signing Nyambe would allow them to play Ward or Wilson further forward as an alternate option to NML to stop the current over-playing of him.

The squad now, if the majority can stay fit, is more than good enough to be competing for promotion in this league so there really are no excuses other than where there's a long injury list.

It's actually difficult to even select a "strongest XI" as whatever you can come up with leaves out some quality players at this level.

My inclination is that the strongest XI is:

Wildsmith

Nyambe, Nelson, Cashin, Forsyth

Fornah, Bird

NML, Sibley, Barkhuizen

Waghorn

... even that leaves out the likes of Elder, Ward, Wilson, Hourihane, Embleton, Smith, Tommo, Collins, Washington who have all played top end of L1 or higher for most of their careers!

This, though when Embleton is fit he may start instead of Sibley, especially away.

[TheRamOfSwad]

                    Wildsmith

  Wilson  Nelson  Cashin  Forsyth

 

              Bird         Hourihane 

 

 NML                                        Barks

                         Sibley

 

                      Waghorn

Think this is a balanced side 

Fullbacks in Wilson and Forsyth offer something going forward 

Between Hourihane NML, Sibley, Barks, Sibley & Waghorn are the most likely goal contributors. So should get goals from all over the park

Then bring on the loan lads as impact subs, to be honest we have strength in depth for this league and should be top 6

The likes of fornah can be swapped out for bird and Ward for NML etc

When we are fully fit you could replace maybe 4 or 5 players easily, so plenty of rotation and still get a similar output. How many teams in this league can say that

we definitely need a 10 to make up for lack of pace generally in the team to create chances in my opinion 

 

[RoyMac5]

13 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

I said not missing his attributes, not that we’re not missing the player. We have got players in the squad than can run with the ball, that can press, that can push us up the pitch, that can tackle. 
Have a day off for once Roy, not every conversation has to turn into a dig about something or someone

You have a day off. If you think we're not missing Knights attributes doesn't equate to saying we're not missing Knight. You may as well say we've 11 players on the pitch, we'll not miss Knight, Didzy, Roberts, Cashin or Bird! 

Tell me who provides those attributes as well as Knighty?

[Caerphilly Ram]

6 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

You have a day off. If you think we're not missing Knights attributes doesn't equate to saying we're not missing Knight. You may as well say we've 11 players on the pitch, we'll not miss Knight, Didzy, Roberts, Cashin or Bird! 

Tell me who provides those attributes as well as Knighty?

No one player in the squad is as good individually as Knight. Would I prefer him to still be here with us? Yes sure I would. But he’s not, so I’d rather focus on what we do have and what the squad can offer and there are players in the squad collectively who bring elements of what Knight did to the side.

I’ve got a lot of time for your contributions at times, then at others you are relentless in your misery. 

[BramcoteRam84]

Probably too attacking but I’m thinking this especially at home 

                          Wildsmith

Wilson         Nyambe      Cashin     Elder 

                     Fornah      Bird

   Mendez-Laing    Sibley     Barkhuizen    

                           Waghorn 

Lots of options to change things off the bench can move sibs wide and bring in Embleton. TJJ gives us another option when fit.

 

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

59 minutes ago, MadAmster said:

You do realise that Warne isn't going to play that formation, don't you? It's all the players I'd probably go for but in a formation that PW would contemplate. That would be either 3-5-2 or 3-4-3.

 

That in a nutshell is our entire problem. Our strongest XI, with everyone being played in their ideal positions does not involve us playing with three at the back.

[RamLad1884]

Ward and Wilson when fit should be our new Brayford/Coutts combination. Both are comfortable at right back but can overlap each other in attack. 

[RoyMac5]

10 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

No one player in the squad is as good individually as Knight. Would I prefer him to still be here with us? Yes sure I would. But he’s not, so I’d rather focus on what we do have and what the squad can offer and there are players in the squad collectively who bring elements of what Knight did to the side.

I’ve got a lot of time for your contributions at times, then at others you are relentless in your misery. 

Fortunately it's only Derby's current predicament that makes me miserable. 😄

Maybe because you think we can play three other players instead of Knight? 😄 You're relentless in your happy-clapping, no doubt still trying to think of a way to see the good side of Mel Morris? 😄 I think it has to be recognised that we are 'struggling' and if you think it will get better by ignoring it to praise how good average players look then go ahead. I'm getting a very strong sense of Clough Jnr deja vu at Derby atm, I hope I'm wrong. You perhaps don't remember the seasons of starting with positivity only for it to drain away by about February. Indeed I think that's were our 'Awful February' meme started. So whilst I hope Warne gets it right apparently someone said post-game he thought we looked comfortable in 4-2-3-1 I'm not without 'fearing for us'!

Edited September 20, 2023 by RoyMac5

[Caerphilly Ram]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

Maybe because you think we can play three other players instead of Knight? 😄 You're relentless in your happy-clapping, no doubt still trying to think of a way to see the good side of Mel Morris? 😄 I think it has to be recognised that we are 'struggling' and if you think it will get better by ignoring it to praise how good average players look then go ahead. I'm getting a very strong sense of Clough Jnr deja vu at Derby atm, I hope I'm wrong. You perhaps don't remember the seasons of starting with positivity only for it to drain away by about February. Indeed I think that's were our 'Awful February' meme started. So whilst I hope Warne gets it right apparently someone said post-game he thought we looked comfortable in 4-2-3-1 I'm not without 'fearing for us'!

I’m no Mel Morris apologist, the bloke is a very unpleasant 4 letter word as far as I’m concerned. 
And I’m not happy clapping Roy, I admit and have done consistently that there are concerns with Warne’s tactical approach, I look to be objective where I can and consider other people’s opinions, I haven’t nailed my colours to one mast and will insist on dying on that hill unlike some. 
If Warne doesn’t improve things, he goes, we get another manager and I back them, same as I have done since I started supporting the club as a child. I’m not as experienced as some of our fans as I have no control over when I was born and that my first games were in the early 90s where some peoples were in the 60s or 70s. Credit to those of you who’ve stuck at this longer than the rest of us.

I’ve lived through my own issues and as a result I don’t see the need personally to get wound up by things out of my control and I choose to look for positives because it’s a better way for me to be. Sometimes it’s enjoyable to just discuss things objectively about the squad we have or the way we’re playing without it turning into a more spiteful exchange, that’s all I’m ever trying to do on here and as I’ve said before it’s increasingly hard to do so as so many are keen to dig into all the negatives.