(Edited) Updated 21 July 2017
First Team
Goalkeepers
Dillon Phillips 2018
Right Backs
Chris Solly 2020
Centre Backs
Harry Lennon 2018
Patrick Bauer 2019
Jason Pearce 2020 - Contract extension from 2019
Ezri Konsa 2020
Naby Sarr 2020
Jorge Teixeira 2020 Free Transfer to STVV
Left Backs
Lewis Page 2019
Jay Dasilva - On loan from Chelsea for 2017/8 season
Central Midfielders
Andrew Crofts 2018
Johnnie Jackson 2018 (Player/First Team Coach)
Ahmed Kashi 2018
Joe Aribo 2019
Jake Forster-Caskey 2019
Wide Midfielders
Ricky Holmes 2020 - Contract extension from 2018
Mark Marshall 2019 - Signed from Bradford City as free agent
Terique Fosu 2019 - Signed from Reading for undisclosed fee
Cristian Ceballos 2018 - Free Transfer to STVV
Strikers
Josh Magennis 2018
Tony Watt 2018
Lee Novak 2019
Karlan Ahearne-Grant 2019
Billy Clarke 2019 - Signed from Bradford City for undisclosed fee
Igor Vetokele 2019 - Loaned to STVV for 2017/8 season
Nicky Ajose 2019 Loan to Bury for 2017/18 season
U23 Development Squad
Goalkeepers
Jordan Beeney 2018 (believed to have signed a 2 year scholarship and 2 year pro deal)
Ashely Maynard-Brewer 2019 plus 1 year option
Right Backs
Aaron Barnes 2018
Centre Backs
Daniel Bowry 2019
Kenneth Yao Undisclosed "Long Term" (2019 estimated, signed January 2016)
Jo Cummings 2019 - Signed from Sheffield Utd
Ryan Blumberg 2018 - Signed from Nike Academy
Left Backs
Archie Edwards 2018
Central Midfielders
Matt Carter 2018
Regan Charles-Cook Undisclosed "Long Term" (2019 estimated)
George Lapslie 2019
Anfernee Dijksteel 2020
Taylor Maloney - promoted from U18 squad presumed 1/2 year deal
Strikers
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild 2018
Mikhail Kennedy 2018
Brandon Hanlan 2018
Josh Umerah 2018
Louis-Michel Yamfam 2018
Terrique Anderson - promoted from U18 squad presumed 1/2 year deal
5
Comments
Give yourself a promote
I don't expect changes at CB, and even if one leaves we may go with four.
In central midfield we need Kashi to at least be somewhere close to the player he was. We need at least one of Aribo or JFC improve, be consistent and add goals to their game.
Given Robinson's style we need another winger, but KAG may be seen as that player. That would mean our two back up wingers are both young and unproven. Stewart is another possibly and did ok for us in the league above.
In the attacking midfield or "no. 10" role we have a more natural player in Clarke. Our other options are midfielders/wingers/strikers out of position. Have we given up on Reeves? Robinson changed from one the four he wanted being a "no. 10" to a winger.
Up front we lack a natural goalscorer. As a lone striker we need someone that can also hold up the ball and ideally has pace. Could be hard to find such a complete player. A young striker on loan such as Mavididi may be our best chance of finding one, but it would be another inexperienced player.
Get 3/4 players in and numbers will look reasonable. Much like last summer though I have doubts about the quality in the squad. There's a lot of players there that need to either improve or youngsters that need to show they're good enough at this level.
I'm also not yet convinced about Robinson. His idea of an energetic, pacey team playing passing football sounds great but unless you have the right players it's going to be difficult to pull off at this level. In 11/12 we started playing off with more of a passing game but as the season went we made sure we were solid defensively and were happy to go direct. This is his squad so he should have the players for his system, but will he adapt if it's not getting results?
At this stage I'm not as confident as some about promotion, though I can see us at least challenging for the top 6 if 3/4 signings come in and genuinely improve the squad.
I don't massively rate Crofts, but I think he's a solid fourth choice central midfielder in this division. Same for Harry Lennon and being a fifth choice center half (in fact I'd consider loaning him out if he was fit).
For all the talk of the number 10 role, we have Holmes, Watt, Clarke, and to a lesser extent, Aribo and JFC who can all play there. There is a question about consistency with Aribo and Watt, and quality with Clarke, plus it's not the best position for Holmes of JFC. My point is we're not short on numbers, perhaps a bit short on quality.
The Belgians working their usual transfer window magic!
Update it and player is signed or sold within 24 hours
Left Backs
Lewis Page 2019
Jay Dasilva On loan from Chelsea for 2017/8 season
Infact what is a decent squad size?
GK: Amos, Phillips (Martin?)
RB: Solly, Barnes (+Konsa)
LB: Dasilva, Page (+Lennon)
CB: Bauer, Pearce, Konsa, Sarr, Lennon
DM: Kashi, Forster-Caskey, Crofts, Jackson, Dijksteel
AM: Holmes, Reeves, Clarke, Marshall, Fosu, Aribo
CF: Magennis, Novak, Watt, KAG, Hanlan
GK
Amos
Phillips (to be loaned out and replaced by Martin?)
RB
Solly
Barnes
RCB
Konsa/Bauer
LCB
Pearce/Sarr/Lennon
LB
Dasilva
Page (long term injury)
RCM/DM
Kashi
Crofts
Dijksteel
LCM/Box-to-Box
Forster-Caskey
Aribo
Jackson
AMs/Wingers
Holmes
Reeves
Marshall (long term injury)
Fosu
Clarke
Ahearne-Grant (played in the 3 in friendlies)
ST
Magennis
Novak
Watt (sold/loaned and replaced with a new signing?)
Not sure I see any other u23s getting close to the squad. Charles-Cook, Hanlan and Umerah the closest I guess. Think Lapslie has a chance of making it but maybe not this season.
A good balance of right and left footers in CB and CM.
Numbers look about right, 2 per position plus extras in Lennon/Sarr, Jackson, Barnes, Dijksteel and Watt/Novak as a 3rd striker.
Left back a bit of a concern while Page is out. Should have enough to cope with Marshall being out but another winger would be nice.
Goalkeepers
Dillon Philips 2018
Ben Amos - On loan from Bolton for 2017/18 season
Right Backs
Chris Solly 2020
Centre Backs
Harry Lennon 2018
Patrick Bauer 2019
Jason Pearce 2020 - Contract extension from 2019
Ezri Konsa 2020
Naby Sarr 2020
Jorge Teixeira 2020 Free Transfer to STVV
Left Backs
Lewis Page 2019
Jay Dasilva - On loan from Chelsea for 2017/8 season
Central Midfielders
Andrew Crofts 2018
Johnnie Jackson 2018 (Player/First Team Coach)
Ahmed Kashi 2018
Joe Aribo 2019
Jake Forster-Caskey 2019
Ben Reeves 2019 Bosman Free Agent
Wide Midfielders
Ricky Holmes 2020 - Contract extension from 2018
Mark Marshall 2019 - Signed from Bradford City as free agent
Terique Fosu 2019 - Signed from Reading for undisclosed fee
Cristian Ceballos 2018 - Free Transfer to STVVStrikers
Josh Magennis 2018
Tony Watt 2018 - Free transfer to Oud-Heverlee LeuvenLee Novak 2019
Karlan Ahearne-Grant 2019
Billy Clarke 2019 - Signed from Bradford City for undisclosed fee
Igor Vetokele 2019 - Loaned to STVV for 2017/8 season
Nicky Ajose 2019 Loan to Bury for 2017/18 season
U23 Development Squad
Goalkeepers
Jordan Beeney 2018 (believed to have signed a 2 year scholarship and 2 year pro deal)
Ashely Maynard-Brewer 2019 plus 1 year option
Right Backs
Aaron Barnes 2018
Centre Backs
Daniel Bowry 2019
Kenneth Yao Undisclosed "Long Term" (2019 estimated, signed January 2016)
Jo Cummings 2019 - Signed from Sheffield Utd
Ryan Blumberg 2018 - Signed from Nike Academy
Left Backs
Archie Edwards 2018
Central Midfielders
Matt Carter 2018
Regan Charles-Cook Undisclosed "Long Term" (2019 estimated)
George Lapslie 2019
Anfernee Dijksteel 2020
Taylor Maloney - promoted from U18 squad presumed 1/2 year deal
Strikers
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild 2018
Mikhail Kennedy 2018
Brandon Hanlan 2018
Josh Umerah 2018
Louis-Michel Yamfam 2018
Terrique Anderson - promoted from U18 squad presumed 1/2 year deal
Three long term injuries, two suspensions and a partridge in a pear tree.
so 18 first team players available not including AD, RCC and AB who are on the fringes and not playing for the U23s today. Perhaps they should be moved to the first team or will they go out on loan?