I notice you are beginning to spread your wings a bit more recently - can we anticipate your 'theories' on points for the season? Pretty sure one or two, even three are eagerly awaiting your predictions.

If we keep this squad, 80+ is currently 4/1 I’m tempted.

I can't see too much interest in Facey as he's hardly set the world on fire here and has a questionable fitness record.

I think Odoffin will get plenty of game time

Lets see.

Or he might just have said..
Yes I'm close to knowing my starting eleven, subject to injury and transfers.
Instead he gave a good impression of JFH.

Not at all, his response keeps people on their toes, if he states publicly that he knows his starting XI (which he knows privately) where is the motivation for those who have a good idea if they are in or out.

We all have our preferred XI now, as does Austin, only difference is he can’t announce it. Mine would be as below, but I reckon 4 or 5 of these don’t want to be here or won’t be here in a few week time.

..............Goff..............
Facey..Taylor..Pierre.Buchs
........JJOT..McWilliams.....
Crooks....Morais....Powell
............Williams...........

Facey still injured? Otherwise I think he will start this one.

“Injured”

Odoffin was taken off on the hour Tuesday with a view to this game on Friday.

So he hasn't yet got a clue who his starting eleven against Lincoln will be then!

Or he is keeping the players on their toes so they fight for the shirt. Also, imagine him saying “Yep, Crooks, Taylor, John Joe and McWilliams are my main men and are guaranteed to start” then they are sold, how do their replacements feel knowing they are 2nd best.

do you understand 'minimum'?

In that case you are stating the obvious.

If you had said minimum 5 senior pros are leaving, that would be a different story.

Goff
Odoffin
Barnett
Turnbull
Buchanan
Powell
O’Toole
Bowditch
Waters
Morais
Van Veen

minimum

Well about 5 of the young lads will be going out on loan I imagine (Iaciofano, Whaler, Roberts, Goff, C.McWilliams) are you saying 5 first senior pros will be leaving also?

My thoughts:
Ash Taylor still can’t kick a ball, stick to heading.
Odoffin=Kevin Amankwana
Bridge looks fine for a sub winger
Whaler is not ready for L2
Crooks would be Championship level if he gave a s***.
S. McWilliams will be player of the year and our first million pound player, if we keep him the whole season.
Williams will score goals for us. 15 I reckon if he stays fit.
Waters is better than Hoskins
Very rigid 442 today.

           Cornell

Facey Taylor Pierre Buchs

       McWilliams  JJ

 Crooks  Morais    Powell

           Williams

I think Crooks did well out wide last couple of games of the season.

Spot on, this is how I see it. Would like to see a goalkeeper, a winger and a striker come in and Coddington, Kasim, Waters and Van Veen all to go out, their wages must be over £10k week which would fund the 3 coming in.

"morais is tiny"... He maybe small in height but is built like a barn door

Agreed, he looks solid. Ideal to play off a bigger target man type striker (Williams) Good recruitment on paper, we still need another winger unless Bridge/Roberts/Waller are up to it.

If this squad is kept together and no one leaves , it should shape up well next season .
Clearly we need a keeper , probably another wide player and another centre half / left back .
We are also short of a dead ball specialist .
I would imagine we are trying to offload Kasim , Bowditch and possibly Waters to release funds.

Sounds to me like Bowditch is staying, Austin likes him. To me he reminds me of Foley, a very solid player, but one that doesn’t have a specific position.

Waters might come good but, as many said at the time we signed him, he's very similar to Hoskins and Sammy's all round play probably just about edges it.

If his departure means we can sign a decent left-winger then it could be a good bit of business.

Waters, Bowditch, Coddington, Kasim all leaving will free up well over £5k per week, surely.

Whaler is a wide player, Roberts is an attacking midfielder and Jay Williams is a centre half.

Good enough for the first team?

Confirmed that 22 travelled, Coddington, Waters, Kasim and Iaciofano haven’t traveled plus Morais who doesn’t have a VISA. Nothing mentioned about Van Veen or Bowditch and I’ve not seen them in any photos.

O'Donnell went to Bradford, not Mansfield.

So, here who is there, gives a good indication of the squad and where we need improvements.

Gk (we need a goalie, unless Goff is ready and good enough)
Goff
Cornell

Lb (fine for L2)
Buchanan
Turnbull

Rb (Vgood for L2 if Facey stays fit)
Facey
Odoffin

Cb (very good for L2 with Turnbull also OK to play here as 4th choice f required)
Taylor
Pierre
Barnett

Midfield (very good centrally, need another wide player)
O’Toole
Foley
Crooks
Powell
McWilliams
Bridge

Attack (with Morais to add this is very good, maybe carrying one too many)
Hoskins
Williams
Bowditch
Van Veen

Young players, unsure if ready for 1st team, maybe loaned out?
Whaler (winger)
Roberts (attacking midfield)
J.Williams (defended)

Not there:
Kasim
Coddington
Waters
Iaciofano
Morais (no Visa)

Welcome back! Cobbler78.

Where have you been?

I was banned for pulling one of the moderators up on a ridiculous claim they made, then when reinstated couldn’t be bothered to post anything. I will do my best to tow the party line going forward, the moderators I’m sure are all great guys with lots of friends and hobbies.

Loads of easier games this season!

Apologies Deepcut, you said Oldham at home could be the hardest game of the season, not Bury (unsure if that’s more or less baffling). I assume you were offended by the incorrect quote, I’m happy to stand corrected though.