Contracted players next XI

[StarterForTen]

Once again, it is going to be a summer of transition in the first team squad as - how things stand - we only have 17 players contracted from July 1st.

Inevitably there is going to be a lot of transfer activity over the next three months and, in a way of tracking that progression, I thought it would be good to see how our 'current best XI' evolves between now and the end of the transfer window.

So, as things stand, I'm picking a 3-1-4-2 formation (a la Bolton last season), and have assumed all players will be fit!:

• GK: Vickers
• DF: Nyambe - Nelson - Cashin
• DM: Rooney
• MD: NML - Fornah - Thompson - CBT
• ST: Washington - Barkhuizen

Subs: Elder, Bradley, Robinson, Forsyth, Wilson, Ward (plus the first three fans who turn up at the stadium on matchday!)

[Magicman]

Vickers 

Ward Nelson Bradley Cashin Elder  

Wilson Rooney Thompson NML 

Washington 

 

Subs Evans Nyambe Fozzy Fornah Robinson Barks 

[MadAmster]

There's also the younger lads who might be considered. They will be named in the 18s or 21s squad, thereby leaving room for 22+ year old players in the 25 man squad (I think 25 is the number we're allowed). Cruz Allen, Tony Weston, Both Robinsons who have made match day squads already, Adebayo Fapetu, Dajaune Brown and possibly others.

Hopefully, Sibs and Collo both sign as well

Edited May 22 by MadAmster

[Srg]

2 minutes ago, MadAmster said:

There's also the younger lads who might be considered. They will be named in the 18s or 21s squad, thereby leaving room for 22+ year old players in the 25 man squad (I think 25 is the number we're allowed). Cruz Allen, Tony Weston, Both Robinsons who have made match day squads already, Adebayo Fapetu, Dajaune Brown and possibly others.

Hopefully, Sibs and Collo both sign as well

Believe Fapetu was in the section where we are in talks, wasn't he? So isn't necessarily here next year.

Just shows you though, what an horrific bottom of the table XI that is right now.  Feel a bit bad for CBT though, @Magicmanwould rather than a bench with 3 empty spaces than include him.

[Ambitious]

This is a good question, depressing, but good:

Vickers

Nyambe   Nelson   Bradley   Cashin   Elder

Thompson     Fornah

NML                                                     CBT

Brown

A flat back five, two defensive, busy, midfielders and then speed on the counter. Bradley in for corners. 

I think with the players we have contracted to the club that's about the best we could hope for at the moment. If CBT still isn't up to much then Wilson or Ward to come in and replace him on the right, NML on the left. I hope that's not the case.

[MadAmster]

1 hour ago, Ambitious said:

This is a good question, depressing, but good:

Vickers

Nyambe   Nelson   Bradley   Cashin   Elder

Thompson     Fornah

NML                                                     CBT

Brown

A flat back five, two defensive, busy, midfielders and then speed on the counter. Bradley in for corners. 

I think with the players we have contracted to the club that's about the best we could hope for at the moment. If CBT still isn't up to much then Wilson or Ward to come in and replace him on the right, NML on the left. I hope that's not the case.

I fully expect CBT to be fit for the new season. He wasn't when he arrived and stayed that way. He has, indeed, been less than average apart from 1 decent cameo and his game against Pompey. If fit, we should see the player that did so well at Charlton.

[richinspain]

5 hours ago, Srg said:

 

Just shows you though, what an horrific bottom of the table XI that is right now.  Feel a bit bad for CBT though, @Magicmanwould rather than a bench with 3 empty spaces than include him.

In @Magicman's case it's more CBA than CBT.

[May Contain Nuts]

1 hour ago, MadAmster said:

I fully expect CBT to be fit for the new season. He wasn't when he arrived and stayed that way. He has, indeed, been less than average apart from 1 decent cameo and his game against Pompey. If fit, we should see the player that did so well at Charlton.

Hopefully he can prove me wrong but I just see a player there who thrives in League One - although it's not like his numbers are extraordinary especially when you consider how much of Charlton's play was put through him - through pace alone but doesn't really have much in his locker against a higher standard of opposition, doesn't have a particularly good touch or awareness levels and isn't clever enough to deal with being doubled up on and offers very little defensively. Aside from the pace I've seen nothing to suggest he's a better footballer than Barkhuizen.

He's young enough to improve though. Always said he represents the perfect Paul Warne signing because that pace on the counter is sometimes invaluable. 

I'd caveat this with saying that I'm sure most Derby fans thought Antonio was a bit of a donkey when at Forest but he's had an excellent PL career. Wes Morgan another Forest player most thought would amount to nothing.

Edited May 22 by May Contain Nuts

[GangwayD]

43 minutes ago, May Contain Nuts said:

Hopefully he can prove me wrong but I just see a player there who thrives in League One - although it's not like his numbers are extraordinary especially when you consider how much of Charlton's play was put through him - through pace alone but doesn't really have much in his locker against a higher standard of opposition, doesn't have a particularly good touch or awareness levels and isn't clever enough to deal with being doubled up on and offers very little defensively. Aside from the pace I've seen nothing to suggest he's a better footballer than Barkhuizen.

He's young enough to improve though. Always said he represents the perfect Paul Warne signing because that pace on the counter is sometimes invaluable. 

I'd caveat this with saying that I'm sure most Derby fans thought Antonio was a bit of a donkey when at Forest but he's had an excellent PL career. Wes Morgan another Forest player most thought would amount to nothing.

Spot on regarding Wes Morgan.  Still can't believe he carved out such a career.  All I seem to remember about him, is being destroyed by the likes of Rasiak and Rob Hulse, who seemed to score every time he played against him and we had Hulse at the wrong time in his career.   

I actually thought Antonio was a good player, especially when he played up front.  I am sure he was more of a winger at Sheff Wed before Forest bought him.

On topic, I hope CBT proves to be a success but the jury is certainly still out.

Cheers for now

Gangway D from the Terrace 

[Jram]

Of the players we’ve retained, I think majority can be good enough for lower/mid table championship with a couple of exceptions:

Not convinced by Fornah- the little we saw he does not appear to be very good at football.

Washington’s knee is a concern. Warne mentioned it a lot last season and he certainly didn’t seem fully fit whenever he played in the latter part of last season. 
 

For the record, think CBT will be really good once fully fit. Hopefully Rooney can kick on post injury. 

 

[Ram1988]

It's hard to get any sort of competitive team together with the current contracted sqaud as it's so thin. Hopefully a handful of signings will change all of that though, as we already have some decent players who could make the step up.

[YouRams]

Got a feeling Rooney is going to come back a beast and work his way into the team this season. Clearly not got the pace for RB which didn't work, but will grow into a quality CB or CDM.