So here we are, the new season is nearly upon us and our first league game is against Fleetwood Town. Being in a new league, we couldn't have really asked for a better first fixture, at home, and against a team who are beatable.
Fleetwood go into this season with some serious off-field problems, with their owner who bankrolls the club, Andy Pilley jailed for 13 years for fraud. Fleetwood issued a statement where they reassured their supporters that they would continue to operate as normal and that there was no risk to the future of the club.
I really do think that despite the clubs' statement this will subconsciously affect the players and the manager. With the owner in prison, there's a high possibility that they will have to sell some of their best players. For now, it looks like they will be going into the game against us with their full squad, unless, they get an Aaron Hayden style transfer like us a few years ago.
Fleetwood finished last season in 13th place in League One with their top scorer, Jack Marriot scoring 16 goals. He's their danger man to look out for. Fleetwood's goalkeeper, Jay Lynch won a few different Player of the Year awards last season, he is another play who they will be relying on. They have an attacking RB in Shaun Rooney, who scored 6 goals and made 4 assists last season. Perhaps we can take advantage of the space Rooney vacates with big Jon or Jack Armer on the break.
Fleetwood's pre-season form is LLLDDW. The most recent result was a 1-0 home victory vs Grimsby, nothing to write home about. Their two draws were against Preston and Blackburn, both nill-nills. I think it's safe to say this will be a defensive game, with us likey to play 352, our good home defensive record, and the fact that it looks like Fleetwood is trying to improve their defence after conceding 38 expected goals in open play when they in fact actually only conceded only 29 goals in open play (according to Opta). I think that due to us not being a heavy possession team that Fleetwood will press us when the ball is in our defensive 3rd, but once we manage to get the ball into their half, they will drop back in a deep block and try to hit us on the break with direct play and win the second balls.
As for us, our pre-season has been reasonable from a game result viewpoint. The big question is what we are able to create and score up front. I am confident that we will be able to get a clean sheet or at least not concede less than one goal. Can we score 2? I think it will come down to set pieces, we scored 22 goals from set pieces last season, while only conceding 5 (according to Opta). If we can get a goal from a set piece and get a goal from open play, we will win this 2-1, or 2-0. Goals will come from Edmondson and Lavelle.
For the line up I think Simmo will go with this.
Holy
Back
Armer
Lavelle
Huntington
Mellish
Guy
Moxon
Gibson
Garner
Edmondson
I am a bit torn about whether Simmo will put Gibson and McCalmont behind Edmondson. I just feel like Simmo will play it safe for the first game and play the tried and tested 2 strikers rather than two attacking mids behind one striker. Harsh on McCalmont, but from what I have seen Gibson is looking really good in preseason. Simmo might play it even safer and play McCalmont from the start instead of Gibson. The rest of the team picks itself, maybe the only discussion point, Lavelle vs Barclay.
The bench will be a tough shout, the 7 places to fill could be.
Breeze
Barclay
McGeouch
McCalmont
Butterfield
Charters
Plange
That would mean players missing out would be Whelan, Ellis, Robinson, Harris, and Maguire. They are all going to play their part this season, so hopefully, Simmo can keep the spirits up.
Let's hope for a big crowd and a win. The first 10 games of the season will be the are going to make or break us, in my opinion.
Up the Blues.
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