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I think this will be the starting 11, but from what I’ve seen Pett and Walker are very similar and I worry about all the attacking intent being left to Pirlo. I think Smith was fantastic at RWB / RB last season under DC and sticking with that would be better. Walker anchoring, Conlon and Worrall in more of a free midfield role to support and drop back.

Hot take

Tough first month starting with a tough first game. If we can hang in the middle after the first 8-10 games then slowly build from there I’d be happy. I think this team will have far too much quality for the bottom 2/3rds over a whole season and fully expect us to be there or there abouts at the end. A solid draw to start would be fine, but we should go all out every game against anyone because the team is good enough.

DC is a straight talker, so there’s going to be some players who don’t like it, but not because he’s being a <ovf censored>, because they don’t want to hear the truth or admit it to themselves. I’m sure he’s put a squad together willing to learn and willing to let him tutor them. This is going to be a great season!

Nice area if nothing else.

Rodney was playing well in a bad team, scoring goals, got covid which can take athletes back to pre-season fitness through no fault of their own. With a formation suited to strikers and better players in every position, players like him are always going to benefit most.

Solanke signing or what? We should flip him for a winger.

Bolton gone, everyone else was beatable. This league is trash and we have a much better squad. As I say, anyone can save these posts and say I was right when we go up. Discuss how and why and whatever, but we’ll be up.

If you extrapolate the games DC has with the old squad into a full season, that’s promotion chasing with a much poorer squad. in terms of goals, the best goal threat has been retained and the other strikers signed should offer more.

DC has already had more success than any of the last 5 or 6 managers by actually making the fans believe, bringing in faces people know and having a professional outlook. What does that say for the other managers if that’s all it takes to overtake them? I have never heard of a manager taking a team getting spanked game in game out, falling down the league and leading that same group of players to win 8 on the bounce. That is probably something for folk lore straight away. My genuine only concern for the new season is DC has his head turned by the big bucks, as he seems very ambitious.

The core of the team is top 3 in the league now. There’s no better players than Benning, Martin, Worrall and others in their positions - other than maybe a few who are paid double. excited to start now, though we may be a slow burner. We’re going up, basically. Mark it now, whatever people say, when it’s all said and done, we’ll be in L1 next season.

The team we have constructed is man for man a top league 2 team with no obvious weak links and better depth than last year. A massive improvement on the side that went on a huge winning run last season. Everything is in place for a successful season and I doubt many teams are in a more stable position. Let betting articles written in 10 minutes write us off, makes no difference to DC I’m sure.

I can see a lot of draws this season. There’s a huge amount of pressure on Rodney because fans will expect him to repeat and surpass last season’s tally. Wilson isn’t under that same pressure from Vale, only pressure to reignite his own career, which is different.

I don’t see how we can go into the new season with 3 out and out wingers, that’s if you put Woz in that category. I prefer him as a wandering 10, but I acknowledge he is probably more popular as a tricky winger putting in crosses. That leaves Amoo, who many would have tried to buy out and few would say is good enough to play regularly, fewer still would call a starter. He has talent no doubt but I would feel nervous relying on him. Then Hurst, who is a developing player whoI would loan out tbh. DC seems to be relying on Benning, Jones, Gibbo etc. to do it all down the sides. We’ll see I guess.

15th would be more where I’d put them.