QPR Vs Nottingham Forest

Me too!

I think what MW is saying to BOS and Manning is...if you don't sign a new contract we will sell you and if we can't sell you we will drop you...if that's correct then he will certainly keep playing them til the end of the transfer window. After that...well then he will have to carry out his threat if they don't sign a new deal.

I'm not sure Thomas will start (is he fit enough) or that Dieng will even make the bench

Lumley
Kakay Dickie Barbet Manning
Ball Amos
Shodipo Chair BOS
Dykes

I can't see BOS playing if the reports about him being sold to Palace are true.

The bigger issue might be the fitness of Dykes who is our only striker and has done well for Scotland in recent games. Our attacking midfield players have been off the pace in the last couple of matches and they will need to get close to Dykes and feed off the chances he will create. My fear is that the likes of Chair, Amos, Thomas and Shopido are not really natural goal scorers  but we will need them to fire to replace the goals scored by Eze.

Last season Warburton had success with Hugill and Wells so I would expect to see another striker come in on loan to play up top with Dykes.

Our defenders can't defend but they have scored goals in recent games so whilst I can't see Warburton replacing Kakay it will be interesting to see what he does with Manning. If he backs down over not playing committed players it will make him look weak if Manning is chosen having not yet signed an extension.

Even with experienced players like BOS, Dykes and Manning in the team we are a poor team but without them Warburton knows it will be damage limitation. Last season Warburton didn't have a tactical clue and never worked out his best team which has continued in our pre season and cup games. The squad we have is weaker than last season and whilst I hope that Thomas,Cousins, Dykes and Dickie do well they are not the quality of Eze, Wells, Hugill Leistner or Hall.

My preference would be to play 3-5-2 but I'm convinced that Warburton will stick with 4-2-3-1. In respect of Manning and BOS I now expect both to play because Warburton has suggested that they have until the end of September to sign new contracts and fully commit to the club.

Lumley
Kakay, Dickie, Barbet, Manning
Ball, Cameron
BOS, Amos, Chair
Dykes

Definitely if Manning goes too! I would also point out that Manning and Chair are currently the only two providing dead ball kicks....

btw Who has decided to pay the £10 and watch the first match of the season live? I succumbed after a short internal debate....  

I have, I'll probably watch most of the games online whilst we can. If the whole season was behind closed doors I'd love to watch every match having never been in a location that meant I could have a season ticket!

It's good for the site if we have a few people able to view the game, as we'll have a different people able to offer their varied perspectives on the action!




Ahhh, that early season optimism hey singlespeed!

I can't see us failing to get a point. Even when we were losing our first few under McClaren when West Brom beat us 7-1 and all hope looked lost we didn't lose the first 6. The current team is better than we had then.

I still believe our first 11 is decent, especially with Dykes looking like a great addition. I worry about the defence, but let's be honest, overall we will probably be in mid-table again with little to play for by March.

Geoff Cameron has been named as official club captain replacing Grant Hall.

I wonder if Barbet will be miffed, having had the role at the end of last season.

It's Cameron who should be miffed...we have a habit of shifting our Captains out of the club pretty quickly!