The pre-season thread - 2023/24

That's a lovely finish from Arma

 

More of that this season please Arma.

 

Excellent save from Bazunu to deny Reading a second.

 

Double sub on the hour mark.

On: Manning, Edozie
Off: Walker-Peters, Tella

 

Brilliant save from the Reading keeper to deny Arma

 

I missed most of this and way too late to shove a fiver on. Is it on the radio?

 

So whose missing today?

Lyanco, Salisu & Sulemana obviously.
Onuachu
Doyle
Meghoma
McCarthy

Ballard is injured

Whilst Perraud, Larios, Armstrong & ABK presumably not ready to play yet.

Just goes to show how big a squad we have.

 

More changes on 71 mins...

On: Bree, Charles, Lavia, Djenepo, Aribo, Adams
Off: Livramento, Stephens, Smallbone, Ward-Prowse, Alcaraz, Armstrong

 

Blimey - I keep forgetting how many players we have. Struggling to work out who would be in a squad of circa 25. Mainly because outgoings are still up in the air

 

Djenepo is captain

 

We seem short in central defence with presumed outgoings despite the bloated squad

 

Reading 1-4 Saints

Aribo 76'

 

Enjoyed this

 

So which young players seem closest to the team this season? Seems like Meghoma, Amo-Ameyaw, Doyle and Ballard? I guess Dibling as well?

 

I think Dibling is a bit further off and I think Meghoma will be away for a bit too. Amo-Ameyaw will make the bench on some occasions I think, as will Ballard. Not sure on Doyle, will hinge a lot on what happens with JWP/Lavia and who comes into those areas. (+ how Charles gets on)

 

Isn’t Doyle more attacking than Lavia and Charles? As usual we seem to be moving into a position where we only have one proper defensive midfielder in the entire squad

 

2-4

Hard to dress that up as anything less than a howler from Baz

 

Based on how he's used them in pre-season and what he said in the press conf, I think Russ sees Smallbone as a deep midfielder too. Not sure on Doyle.