The season 2020 - 2021.

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Did the survey and it suggests hat optimism is returning, helped by pre-season results. It was pretty obvious before that with one space available it should be a CB. We can't let CB injuries write off another season. Whether it's Gibson or another it must happen. Where we finally finish will depend a lot on the new players gelling quickly, Pukki getting his form back, more goals from midfield and a tighter defence.
 
And whether we can get rid of the players we don't want and hang on to the players we want to keep.
 
The number of players not available for the EFL match at Luton has now gone up by 2 as Sørensen and Placheta have been called up for U21 internationals:

GK: Barden, McCracken
RB: Mumba (Thomas on loan to Orient)
CB: Zimmerman, Klose
LB: Quintilla, McCallum
DM: Tettey, Sitti
CM: Vrančić, Rupp
WR: Martin
AM: Stieperman, Dowell
WL: Hernandez
S: Hugill, Hutchinson?

That still leave a fairly healthy choice of players, which is quite amazing.

Meanwhile the U23s beat Kings Lynn 1-0 thanks to a goal from new signing Matthew Dennis.
 
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I just realised that Buendia isn't eligible because he is still suspended, but at least that means he'll now only miss one league match (assuming he stays of course).

EDIT: Now Thomas is another player not available as has gone on loan to Leyton Orient.
 
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Squad numbers announced, not too many surprises there. Leitner, Drmic, Trybull don't get a squad number. Sitti does.
 
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RiverEndRick said:
The number of players not available for the EFL match at Luton has now gone up by 2 as Sørensen and Placheta have been called up for U21 internationals:

GK: Barden, McCracken
RB: Mumba, Thomas
CB: Zimmerman, Klose
LB: Quintilla, McCallum
DM: Tettey, Sitti
CM: Vrančić, Rupp
WR: Buendia, Martin
AM: Stieperman, Dowell
WL: Hernandez
S: Hugill, Hutchinson?

That still leave a fairly healthy choice of players, which is quite amazing.

Meanwhile the U23s beat Kings Lynn 1-0 thanks to a goal from new signing Matthew Dennis.
Click to expand...

That's a McCracken choice for goal keeper
 
Well certainly DF and SW must rate him to offer a 3 year contract. DF was effusive in his praise in a recent Pinkun article. The split seems to be between those who like specialist players for one position and those who see a flexible role as an advantage. Farkeball depends on flexibility much of the time. The front four constantly interchange positions to create overloads and confuse defenders. McLean can play as a 6 or 8 or even LB and that allows movement by others around him as he shifts to where he is needed. For me, that's the reason he is staying and Leitner and Trybull are leaving.
 
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Whilst I agree McLean doesn't excel in any one category, that does mean that he can compliment other midfielders well, and by giving him a different set of instructions, Farke can change the way our midfield acts without needing a substitution.

I think our plan for last season was to continue our ball retention tactics with a Leitner/Trybull midfield. Both are good at ball retention, Trybull excels at interceptions whilst Leitner makes progressive passes. The issue came when interceptions simply weren't enough from Trybull, and our midfield had all the solidity of a wet paper bag. Tettey came in to increase the defensive strength, but then needed someone highly mobile alongside him who could also help out defensively and offer some attacking benefit. We needed a jack of all trades alongside Tettey, only McLean offered that. The issue was then that McLean was relied upon to do essentially all aspects of attacking play from that deep midfield role, which made life easier for the opposition.

I think in the early days of Webber's recruitment, we had to look for players who really specialised in certain areas, and blend them together. With more money available, we can start to look to sign players with multiple skill sets. So my hope is that this season we'll have midfield options which are less specialised, so easier to mix and match. Skipp appears to blend defensive nous and tackling strength with the ability to play forward passes, whilst Sorensen reportedly can tackle, but also carry the ball forward. Whether they are paired together, or with McLean/Vrancic/Rupp, it means both our central midfielders offer something going forward.

To return to McLean, hopefully we'll see him impose himself on games more this season, but I still wonder if he'd be more suited to a midfield 3 in a 4-3-3, or on the left of a diamond.
 
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RiverEndRick said:
Well certainly DF and SW must rate him to offer a 3 year contract. DF was effusive in his praise in a recent Pinkun article. The split seems to be between those who like specialist players for one position and those who see a flexible role as an advantage. Farkeball depends on flexibility much of the time. The front four constantly interchange positions to create overloads and confuse defenders. McLean can play as a 6 or 8 or even LB and that allows movement by others around him as he shifts to where he is needed. For me, that's the reason he is staying and Leitner and Trybull are leaving.
Click to expand...
I don't agree it's a question of flexibility v specialisation. In so far as Farkeball does require flexibility, it requires flexible players who have attributes which McLean doesn't have. McLean is a typical product of the old-fashioned British school of football. He's a Plan B player, better equipped for a more direct style. I think his place is on the bench, not in our starting XI.
 
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