Pre-season 2023

I'm not sure what SSC is learning from this game other than how much we really need MGW, but it's not a lot of fun to watch.

Leeds look like they'll be a decent Championship side.

Indeed - Ampadu was excellent. Good early bet for Championship player of the season.
Forest were adequate, without being good - but given only four or five are serious potential starters at Arsenal it's hard to draw too many conclusions.
We looked very solid at 3-4-2-1, but offered little going forward - interesting to see Yates and Danilo behind Taiwo. Good options with MGW and Brennan to come back in there, but can see the choice of selling Brennan is made a lot easier by this.
Yates has been integral to the team for two-three years now, but he's behind all three for me for that role for now.
And with us going all out for the PSV DM, probably behind him and Mangala for that role too, if we're going with 3-4-2-1.
We looked better going forward at 4-3-3, particularly with Serge down the right, but then gave away two silly goals (lack of options for Worrall, Shelvey badly positioned for first, lack of central cover for second).
Scarpa played very well for the first 10-15 minutes he was on, but then faded.
Freuler was Freuler - neat tidy, keeps possession well. Vastly under-rated and underappreciated. Can see why he was so highly rated elsewhere, but not sure he is the right fit for the way we want to play now and got exposed by a lack of support when playing alongside Aguilera and Scarpa in CM when Mangala went off.
Disappointed by Elanga - felt he was trying almost too hard to impress. Some very bad first touches, and gave possession away too much.
Powell was what you'd expect from a young, inexperienced player. Some good touches, but bit nervy (not brave enough on the ball at times) and caught out of position too often.

Possible team v Arsenal (if everyone's fit)...
New GK
Worrall, Felipe, McKenna/Boly
Williams, Mangala, new DM, new LWB
Danilo/Yates, MGW
Taiwo

Bench: New GK, Aurier, McKenna/Boly, Freuler, Kouyate, Elanga, Danilo/Yates, Johnson, Wood
Squad: Hennessey, Biancone, Richards, Scarpa, Aguilera, Mighten
Injured: Niakhate.
That's 24, plus three U21s (Elanga, Aguilera, Mighten).
(For the 2023/24 campaign Under-21 players will have been born on or after 1 January 2002)

Then there's a competitive League One side in
Horvath; Mbe Soh, Cook, Panzo; Laryea, J Shelvey, O'Brien, Toffolo; Bowler, Dennis; Hwang.
plus G Shelvey, Fornah, Ojeda (and of course Arter).

Still a lot of movement I sense over the next month.

Serge right back over anyone right now.

Will be interesting to see what the new boy does.

Chicago: Serging ahead.

Unless I'm missreading, it's hard to believe Aina won't be in the 25. And that would give us 4 credible right backs - Binacone must be on the out list.

Yep,completely forgot him as he wasn't there last night.

Serge in a back four, but I think SSC will go with Neco as a wing-back

If anybody is super clever and can find a link to the PSV game we could watch Mr. sangare and figure out if he’s worth buying.

Hint hint.

Chicago: Trawling the internet.

It's on Forest TV for a fiver. Are you especially broke since becoming a Property Owner, or is it not available in Forrin Lands?

I actually am.

Chicago: Cheap Bugger.

Sorry to hear. I'm afraid I lack the necessary skills to help out on the interweb link thingy. Studied the wrong stuff at college. But i can send you a damn fine essay on the origins of the English Civil war instead. Is that any use?

Horvath! Wood! Aina!

Seán Snr. would've been alll over that.

But he's dead now, so we're both shit of luck on that score.

Good for him, sorry to hear he's gone. . My historical studies ended decades ago, but I still read a fair bit. Useless subject for getting a job, great for a lifetime of interest

Anyway, let's see what this Sangare fellow is made of...

We are legion. I know fuck all about most things, but was once banned from the Golden Hour and am now oddly drawn to historical battle documentaries and am somehow shit hot at answering random stufI didn't know I knew on The Chase.

No idea on line up v PSV, however.

WELL I BIT THE BULLET TO SUBSCRIBE AND PAY AND THE FUCKING STREAM IS DOWN.

NICE WASTE OF MONEY!

CHICAGO: YAY!