SQUAD SO FAR

[Alan Southstand]

State of the Squad on 30.07.15

2 – Mitchell LUND
3 – Cedric EVINA
4 – Luke MCCULLOUGH
5 – Rob JONES
6 – Andy BUTLER
7 – Richie WELLENS
8 – Richard CHAPLOW
9 – Curtis MAIN
10 – Harry FORRESTER
11 – Andy WILLIAMS
12 – Thorsten STUCKMANN
14 – Nathan TYSON
17 – Gary MACKENZIE
18 – Paul KEEGAN
19 – Jack MCKAY
20 – Aaron TAYLOR - SINCLAIR
21 – Liam MANDEVILLE
23 – Marko MAROSI
24 – Paul MCKAY
26 – James COPPINGER
29 – Harry MIDDLETON
30 – Ben ASKINS
32 – Billy WHITEHOUSE

And welcome      Dany n'GUESSAN

The Facts.

We now have a squad of 24 players
8 are injured, of which 6 are senior pro's. (Lund, Main, Williams, Chaplow, Tyson, MacKenzie, J McKay, Askins – not yet available for selection)
16 players available for selection with 1 pre-season game remaining.

As things stand today, 16 players available of which 4 are youth/dev players and 2 are keepers. So we have enough for a first team 11 made up of senior pro’s but the bench is lightweight. (We know, from last night’s performance, Keegan is slowly coming back but, as yet, is not match fit).

The Speculation:

Chaplow – he has now missed most of pre-season and I can’t see him being available for at least another 2-3 weeks, due to lack of match fitness alone. If his injury is more serious than what is being let on, he could be out for much longer.
Tyson – he has only had 45 minutes (at Frickley) and he must be a doubt for being available for the opener v Bury. It could depend on his availability for the last pre-season game this Saturday.

The rest - we simply don’t know how injured they are. If we go on what the manager says, there are no concerns about any of them, but that statement can’t possibly be correct, for the reasons given above, so we can’t go on the manager’s comments. You can’t kid a kidder and all that, although the RTS (Rose-tinted Society) amongst the support base are prepared to take everything on face value.

In Summary:

We are 1 or 2 players (of the right quality) away from having a good squad that is capable of mounting a challenge. We could get away with 1 more incoming if in the right position.
We’re not quite the finished article yet, as we do not possess enough strength in depth for a top 6 placing, come the end of the season. A ‘shrewd’ loan signing or 2 through the course of the season could sort that.

If we get a serious / long term injury to one of our crucial players, then we must act fast and not dither, like we did with Keegs last season.

[dickos1]

You can have knocks that aren't worth risking for pre season games but you would start a league game with.

[Yorkiered]

How do you know there aren't any behind closed doors games arranged for next week?

[Danmckay456]

Another one will come in I'm sure of it as Dickov needs to hit the ground running this has been a wildcard signing - it's either right back or another body in midfield

[The Red Baron]

He did say last week he was looking at a wide man. I suppose that was N'Guessan. Good signing for me as he can play up front.

I think we need one more defender, but I'm not sure about CM unless Chaplow is going to be out for a while. Surely Middleton has earned the right to be given a chance?

[PDX_Rover]

We seem to have good options in CM. Copps can slot in there (and at RB) with The new lad coming wide. Do we really need another RB? Lund is a very good player - does he deserve to be second fiddle? For me, the squad is shaping up very well.

[GM-MarkB]

So no 'No.1' in the squad....room for another Goalie ??

[GazLaz]

Can someone put a comparison of the players we released and the ones that have come in please...

[IDM]

So no 'No.1' in the squad....room for another Goalie ??

Stuckmann apparently had the choice?

[Copps is Magic]

Can someone put a comparison of the players we released and the ones that have come in please...

There is no comparison. They are all better.

[les@donr]

I too think we could do with another Keeper.

[GazLaz]

Can someone put a comparison of the players we released and the ones that have come in please...

There is no comparison. They are all better.

Bennett -- N'Guessen
McCombe -- McKenzie
Furman -- Chaplow
Bywater -- Stuckman
Robinson -- Williams
Wabara -- ????

That's basically it isn't it?

[Copps is Magic]

Taylor-Sinclair.

[GazLaz]

He is likely to be an improvement on Stevens as well.

[Yorkiered]

Every single one is an improvement.

[The Red Baron]

I too think we could do with another Keeper.

The only point of signing another keeper would be if we want to send Marosi out on loan. Otherwise in the case of an injury we would just get a loan in.

[steve@dcfd]

According to PD he as said

@liamhoden: Paul Dickov says Dany N'Guessan is his last major signing 'for now.' Still looking at players however #drfc #starlive

[bpoolrover]

If everyone was fit,I'd be happy with just getting a rb in

[mushRTID]

Really pleased with the business. We just need a right back now to complete a good pre season. McCullogh is not the answer for me.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Middleton is a big bonus for us. I didn't reckon on him being in the frame for a starting berth. He feels like a new signing.

[Jonathan]

Got to hand it to all involved at the club for some good recruitment. We've gone about our business well. Nothing has been flashy, but if a rival had recruited a similar collection of players we'd probably be looking over and tipping them to do alright. Sometimes it's good to take a step back and appreciate what you've done. I'm particularly pleased that we've brought in players on permanent contracts above one year. I hate relying on loans and short term fixes.

That said, it's always an error to suppose that just because we have a good team it's necessarily enough. Having everyone fit is a luxury that we very rarely have. I'd have liked to see the rumour about the Peterborough midfielder turn out to be true as he'd have been genuine competition for Keegan - a pivotal role that will allow the likes of Wellens and Middleton (and Chaplow when fit) to play. Would be nice if there was another surprise in there, but we'll see. 

[steve@dcfd]

Middleton is a big bonus for us. I didn't reckon on him being in the frame for a starting berth. He feels like a new signing.

Agree with that but we will have to see if he can produce good performances in a more combative league one midfield.
But when Keegan is not available we still lack that other combative midfielder. Wellens, Chaplow and Middleton are all attacking minded.

When Chaplow is fit the four we have, should be better than last season but one more would be the icing on the cake.

[DearneValleyRover]

Got to hand it to all involved at the club for some good recruitment. We've gone about our business well. Nothing has been flashy, but if a rival had recruited a similar collection of players we'd probably be looking over and tipping them to do alright. Sometimes it's good to take a step back and appreciate what you've done. I'm particularly pleased that we've brought in players on permanent contracts above one year. I hate relying on loans and short term fixes.

That said, it's always an error to suppose that just because we have a good team it's necessarily enough. Having everyone fit is a luxury that we very rarely have. I'd have liked to see the rumour about the Peterborough midfielder turn out to be true as he'd have been genuine competition for Keegan - a pivotal role that will allow the likes of Wellens and Middleton (and Chaplow when fit) to play. Would be nice if there was another surprise in there, but we'll see. 

I'm of the opinion that Paul McKay can play that role, he looks a very assured and classy player and I'm not surprised that Prem clubs have taken a look at him already, it's the right hand side that worries me, a full back would be great, being greedy a wide man to back Copps up would complete things for me.

[Retdon1]

Pretty happy with the squad so far still think we need 1 player in the phil Neville/John o Shea type role who can cover any where in the back 4 or even holding mid if were short in their. I am sure we will add a loan player or 2 along the way too. Still got 1 foot in the dickov out camp but credit where credit is due he's recruited well so far, now time to get us playing well on the pitch.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Couldn't agree more Jonathan. The blocks are in place. If we have anything like a decent run injury-wise then this is Dickov's make-or-break season.

Given the last 2 shambolic close-seasons, he actually recruited quite well and given a remotely reasonable bit of injury luck, we'd not have been relegated in 2014.  And even last season he had bad luck in losing  Coppinger and Keegan at the business end, and not having Jones at all.

We do need that bit of luck now. No team gets promoted with a string of injuries to key players. We've only had one better-than-average injury run in the past 5 years and we won this division that year.

Fingers crossed.

[roversdude]

And not a loan in sight ...yet

[Al4475]

I think it looks ok to be fair! In an ideal world we'd have another 2 or 3 signings of a similar quality to the ones we've picked up - but we don't live in an ideal world do we?

Bring on the season start now!

[Sammy Chung was King]

I stand by what i said a few weeks ago, out of all the side's in this division we have recruited best, and haven't paid a transfer fee.
Williams though he hasn't scored in pre season will do very well for us, i think he is trying too hard at times, relax and let the ability come out.
Now the season is fast drawing near, we get to see if Paul can get the best from players once he signs them, last year=Failure, pre season=Success, let's hope he can keep things going, really encouraging.

[oggycompton]

We are looking at new players, I think the days when things are leaked now from within are going, which is only good for the club.

[GazLaz]

Things have been kept ultra quiet because of the way they have been releasing the transfer news using fans on Twitter.