MONDAY MARDLE: How many of our young ones will make the starting XI?
The pre-season schedule seems to be rapidly drawing to a conclusion. Less than two weeks to go until the opener against Oxford and it feels like by now, with just two friendlies to go, we should be beginning to get a feel for what the starting XI will look like at the Kassam Stadium.
MONDAY MARDLE: How many of our young ones will make the starting
The pre-season schedule seems to be rapidly drawing to a conclusion. Less than two weeks to go until the opener against Oxford and it feels like by now, with just two friendlies to go, we should be beginning to get a feel for what the starting XI will look like at the Kassam Stadium.
Of course, the transfer window remains worryingly ajar until the end of August, meaning that the team that runs out for that first fixture could change significantly for the following fixtures.
Which can only mean one thing… It’s time for that pre-season favourite, the football equivalent of Snog, Marry, Avoid, as we take a look at who has impressed in pre-season and who has not.
We’ll begin at the back. Perhaps the easiest to pick are the goalkeepers. There is a real depth of talent at City’s disposal but the order seems quite clear. Angus Gunn will start every league game he is fit for and George Long will continue to back him up. Archie Mair has done nothing wrong in pre-season – perhaps the choice between him and Dan Barden may come down to the quality of loan spot that can be arranged for either pair.
Of the defenders, there seem to be only two guaranteed starters. Jack Stacey continues to impress, while it seems inconceivable, given the money spent, that Jose Cordoba won’t be a cert as the left-sided centre-back.
Jaden Warner looks like a Rolls Royce at the back and, given his previous first-team experience, would seem likely to stay. However, the future of Jonathan Tomkinson could have been derailed by the hugely impressive performances of Brad Hills. I suspect Tomkinson could go back on loan, allowing Hills to knock on the door of the first team.
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