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Quote from: Uday on August 13, 2014, 09:17:55 AM

Quote from: roytonmike on August 13, 2014, 09:09:34 AM

Quote from: Ian Harwood on August 12, 2014, 11:06:49 PM

We'd all love better players in every position, but we've got what we've got based on the funds available. I'm happy to see this team develop over the season, but then I've learned over the last twenty years to keep my expectations under control.

Thank God for some common sense. I agree wholeheartedly - in my case 45 years' experience tells me to temper my expectations!

does your 45 years experience tell you to expect our best two players to be left on the bench?

My 45 years experience tells me that he probably kept them on the bench for the first hour to stop them getting the sh*t kicked out of them so he can bring them on as 'game changers' later on. Also, they will be most effective against teams trying to play football and not hoofball merchants who could put them on the sidelines for a few weeks and really do some damage to our chances. No one will convince me that LS doesn't realise that Reeves and Clee are two of his key players this season.!

I seem one of the few that thinks griffin is ok.

Not sure richman good enough at this level but most of it fair enough

I'm not sure were just glad to be here is a healthy attitude myself I think of lee gets selection right and we play to our best we will finish easily above the drop zone On Saturday we wouldn't have beat the top half in confrence north but we will get much better

Havern and Leather are our best defensive partnership and Leather will be one of the best centre halves in the conference. I hope we don't do what we did last year which was try to accommodate others and play him out of position on occasions until gradually coming around to this inevitable conclusion.

We can't afford to waste points this year. It took LS quite a while to play his best side last year, just in the nick of time in fact but we were very good at the end of last year. This also goes for playing 4-4-2. Don't be wasting time with 3 at the back. An option yes but we should be settled and playing our game.

It's good that by general consensus that all the new outfield signings (with slight debate over S Williams even though he has impressed) should be in the first XI and are better than the incumbents. If you're moving up a division and your signings aren't clearly better than what you already have then you've made mistakes. Don't know whether Gillespie better than Walshaw, but Wally wasn't here so that's by the by. Less important in the case of Parton/keepers in general.

I won't comment too much on Marshall and Perry as I haven't seen enough of pre season other than a couple of points. With his pedigree from Kidderminster, if Tom Marshall is fit and motivated he should be one of the first names on the team sheet. At the moment he's probably our 4th choice centre half. this is something Tom has to deal as there won't be many opportunities to get gifted game time to get fit.

Kyle Perry is a top character who I like, however he was not at the races all last season - having 2 great games against Stalybridge and being a hero in the last minute against Guiseley doesn't mean he was up to scratch.. Some on here seem to think this will be ok in the Conference as he will come up against big galoots of defenders. He won't, they're athletes at this level. Proper athletes, not necessarily great on the ball but proper muscular quick athletes. Kyle will have to get as fit as he possibly can and just do his best, that's all we'll ask for. If it isn't working, LS may need to be cruel to be kind in that regard.

I'm hoping some of our ball players who flatter to deceive occasionally flourish and take their play off form into the conference where it might suit them more (Lawrie, Moult, Wilkinson). I also hope Mike Williams is truly fit.

Moreover, and it sounds as though he will, I hope LS plays exciting attacking football and takes teams by surprise. we should have enough about us to overcome the inevitable rocky patches  if we do.

My team for next week at Aldershot - who really weren't great last season remember is.

Coburn
Densmore Havern Leather Griffin
Crowther Richman Cavanagh Clee (who on earth suggested he wouldn't start, have you seen us play without him?!)
Gillespie Reeves

Subs Parton M Williams S Williams Moult Lawrie Wilkinson Marshall Perry

If we take Gillespie off and go 4-5-1 I hope his replacement is a Lawrie/Wilkinson to play in the hole and still provide an attacking threat where necessary.