You are Gary Monk. There is a mathematical chance that you can make the playoffs - albeit with astronomical odds. Do you: 1. Go for it, using the existing squad, in the hope that we'll overcome the 14 goal swing we require? 2. Accept that the playoffs are a forlorn hope & blood some kids? 3. Do a bit of both - go for it, but blood one or two kids? My choice, well I'm an eternal optimist who will rule nothing out until it's mathematically impossible. I'm also pragmatic, so I'd go for option 3. We're all familiar with Coyle, who is an obvious start to me. There are some other kids in particular I'd like to see out there, namely Stokes, Vann & Wilks. I've seen them play well - very well, but they don't always feature in the u23 team. Seems to be a lot of chopping & changing in selection, which is prolly why we're bottom of the league by a long way. I hear good things about Oduor too. There's a part of me that would like to see the 2 Vieras play DM together. LOL. OK, perhaps some time in the future, but you never know! Finally, wonder if Denton is fit enough to get involved. He may have recovered from his injury, but I don't think there's any chance of him being match fit. Pity - there's a vacancy for him to aim for!
If the Wendies win & Reading lose, they get Fulham again in the semis (unless they pop 14 past them & play us instead ).
Bit of a catch 22 - Monk plays a new fresh looking team, we win comfortably and everyone asks why did he not try that sooner. Also a bit of a strange situation with the contract, why does he care if he isn't going to be here next season OR try 4-4-2, try something totally different and use it as a test for next season. IF Monk feels he wants to be here next season and he wants a new contract then I would try Peacock Farrel in goal, no point playing Taylor now so we need to know if Denton has improved and can be considered and why bother playing ANY of the loan players unless you have a chance of signing them.
Good post. I completely forgot about Baily Double-Barrel. 1st choice IMO. And agree about the loaners too. Might actually be embarrassing for him if he played Barrow & he played a blinder. Then again, more likely we'll win 14-0.