Best XI now transfer window closed

And Pennington behind him.

 

What i think GA will do if everyone is fit.....

Walker
Pennington Baldwin Tilt
Neufville Power Metcalfe Touray
Jackson Mullin Pointon

If it was me, I'd be swapping Touray into LCB and dropping Tilt, Tyreik at LWB. Mayne Humps for Pointon too.

 

Can't see us benching a £5M player Kev!

 

Pointon works harder and scores more than Humphrys, seeing him play slightly deeper isn’t going to turn him into a world beater just because he scored 5 goals there at the end of last season. The guy has more clubs than Tiger Woods for a reason, lazy and selfish. He’ll be gone probably next season, personally don’t see the fascination with playing him there. Maybe if he can earn a spot off the bench but for now he’s a bench boy at best.

 

Pennington, Tilt, Touray for me Jordan.

Especially given that Baldwin being a lower league Glen Hoddle is a myth and his defending centrally has always been a lot more suspect than when he plays right sided centre back.

 

Agree with you. I'd still go Pointon but it's not going to be for long, the lads looked poor for probably 10-15 games now, probably since the first Huddersfield match, it felt like his season peaked far too soon. He needs to get involved in games more, feels to me like Pointon can easily drift for 15/20 mins in a match when you barely notice he's on the field.

To be fair, i think Sibley will probably be "next man up" on the left attacking mid role if Pointon doesn't start delivering something soon.

 

It will help having a proper striker in the nine role now Mullin is here but i agree the two 'tens' behind Mullin need to do a lot more, quite a few games i couldn't remember Sarce or Bobby being on the pitch. Can be offset with the non stop long ball we play at times which negates what they do well but its definitely a position on the pitch that can be improved on.

 

It's a weird one with Baldwin, i don't really rate him too much and his passing ability is massively overblown..... i think it's just the fact that he's the only defender we have that doesn't just lump it out of play and looks like he's comfy with it to feet for more than 5 seconds.

But, if you look through all our impressive wins this season, he has been playing centrally in the 3. So does the best fit for what we have on the books have him in the middle? It's been a problem spot for us. I think Tilt has been pretty average really in my view, he started ok before his injury, had that run of 5 or 6 games when he came back where he looked really good, then has had 4 or 5 stinkers in a row. Joe Wright has been so hot and cold too and Baldwin doesn't look like he sets the line at all when he plays middle, felt like him and Tilt were trying to cause each other issues last saturday at times. It's trying to make the best out of an inconsistent bunch. Pennington and Touray for my liking have looked the best RCBs and LCBs this season, does leave us light at LWB though with a lot of square pegs out there.

 

Walker

Pennington
Baldwin
Tilt

Neufville
Touray

Metcalfe
Power

Sarcevic
Humphrys
Pointon

The transfer window hasn't improved our starting 11, it's a hill I'm willing to die on.

 

I know we haven't really seen him yet but surely Mullin is better than Humph in that central role?

 

Vadaine in 2026 would be more effective. Take out his open net tap ins, and i'm sure Humphrys shot conversation rate is 0.05 this season. Keeping them in only moves it to 0.07.

 

I just watched several Wheatley vids, presumably made by Man U or his agents whilst at Northampton and he seldom plays centrally . Hes always coming in from the left mainly or the right. So I can see him constantly swapping left and right with Jackson , rotating around the centre, ie Mullin or Humps?

 

This is kinda what i think. With our options, i don't think we have nailed on starters anymore. I reckon we are in a horses for courses boat or starters/finishers. We know Mullin has struggled putting together 90 mins, so it will probably now be a "is he better starting and giving 60/70 running at the backline or being a 20 minute pest" like last week. Pointon looks decent at home, rough away, maybe that's when he swaps out. Sarce we know needs wrapping in wool now and Jackson has been on the Derby bench for 6 months, it might be a while before he is comfy with 90 mins.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Sarcevic, Jackson, Pointon, Humphrys, Mullin & Wheatley pretty much average out a similar 'minutes played when available percentage' come the end of the season.

 

Mullins record at league one level has been discussed to death and it isn’t good. He will grab a few I’m sure though. Our main issue is creating chances. I don’t see Jackson doing this and Evans is a poor signing imo.
We have more options going forward now which is means we can change it up abit and take the pressure off but I still think goals will be an issue.

 

Mullin isn't an improvement on Humphrys?

 

Can agree with this. For all the signings we haven't changed our approach. I think the extra energy and pace around the final third will help us defensively by pushing further up the pitch but it still.looks the same approach attacking wise of being reliant on the wingbacks.

 

First defensive name on the team sheet

 

I agree, should be Sibley before Humphrys when Bobby drifts out of the game. The way we've played in that tie really hasn't helped our forward 3, with aimless balls constantly. People were saying it was Bobby's best game in ages, same with Josh. That's because they were receiving the ball to feet in dangerous areas rather than it going over their head all game.

 

Forgot about Wheatley when typing, I don't think he'll start straight away but if he can impress off the bench then he can certainly stake a claim.