Having failed to pick up a forward to date with the season rapidly approaching and with the current interest in a further goalkeeper I wonder if Danny boy is considering a radical 4-4-3 system with 4 keepers, 4 across the back, 3 in midfield and no one up front.

We would then keep a lot of clean sheets and nick the odd goal from midfield.

Do Bunkerites think this would bring a greater haul of points than last seasons tactics??

Just a thought!

Northumberland

Keeper is the highest priority, I don't care what anyone thinks. Anyone happy with either Budtz or ALB must like relegation dogfights, simple as that.
Right back will be either McCunnie or Sweeney, it should be McCunnie but Wilson has indicated putting our best goalscorer from deep positions (Sweeney) there instead . If Nelson and Collins are playing in the centre, Ben Clarke could surely be an option at RB - he's a good enough footballer.
Humphreys or Robson at left back again, this will once again be the team's Achilles heel for that reason,. We'll concede goals from this flank again until the club realises we need a specialist left back who can actually defend properly - especially away from home where the pressure is on to defend well for long periods.
The central defence has strength and flexibility in there - Collins, Clarke and Nelson - and if Collins and Nelson play together Clarke is a great option to play the defensive midfield role or right back, as he has got good passing ability and has proven himself in midfield when he first came to the club. They'll perform better than last season, if they're not so worried about having to clear up after clangers dropped by a bad keeper.
It remains to be seen where Humphreys position lies, I think we'll settle for him at left back because he's not good enough to replace Monkhouse or Porter wide left.
Centre mid has Liddle, Sweeney, McCunnie, Boland, the new lads Jones and Power are midfielders but whether they are centre mid I don't know (although I don't expect to see either of these feature much initially) plus it should have the option of Clarke, Humphreys and Robson if required as injuries/suspension take their toll. However as we don't have a left back in place, Humphreys or Robson will get used there instead.Add young Rowell into the mix as he might be ready to step up this year for one or two first team games.
with Brown/Porter, Brown/Barker, or Barker/Porter up front - and if either of those Barker combinations is playing then Brown or Porter out wide - and with Monkhouse on the respective flank depending on whether Brown or Porter is playing wide (are you still with me)? then attacking options aren't bad at all and I think we'll create plenty chances and we'll get our fair share of goals.

My first choice would be

New Keeper (Souter)?
McCunnie Collins Clarke New LB (but we won't get one so Humphreys)
Monkhouse Sweeney Liddle Porter
Brown Barker

subs
Nelson, Boland ,Robson, MacKay, plus Jones or Power or Rowell

I've just though about something - I can't remember if Clarke is right or left footed

Good shout - I definitely agree on the keeper issue. Wilson finally seems to have realised Bidtz is a liability and I don't think we will see much of him from now on. I'm not convinced about ALB either so hopefully this Souter might get signed.

As for the defence I'd prefer a Nelson/Collins pairing in the middle with Humps at left back and I'm not sure about right back - maybe Sweeney if we want some counter attacking otherwise McCunnie.

In midfield we may see Jones on the right, with Monky on the left and I would prefer a Liddle/Boland pairing with Rowell and Power gradually being introduced to replace Boland.

Up front I would have Browny and Porter and only introduce Barker if the game required a more physical presence. So;

Souter
Sweeney Collins Nelson Humphreys
Jones Boland Liddle Monkhouse
Brown Porter

Subs - Barker, Clarke, Rowell, McCunnie, Mackay

I'd certainly want to see one or two of these youngsters really emerge in midfield because that's the area of the pitch where many games are wrestled from the opposition. Any below par performances by some players last season were seemingly rewarded with another game the next week, because quite simply there was nobody in the wings to take the shirt of the offending player, either due to the alternative player being used in other positions or being out injured or whatever. In one or two cases because the manager simply wouldn't play them (Porter and Monkhouse).
Whatever the team, I see no place at all for Foley, not even as a sub - ever.

Edit - I don't see it, but the manager obviously does.

I thought Humphreys and Monkhouse linked up excellently when I saw them against Tranmere away. They were a constant pain in the opposition's arse.
Whether this cancels out any defensive frailty or not is another matter, but on that showing if Humps is going to play LB then Monkhouse has to be his left wing partner.

Humphreys is a good team player when he has someone like Monkhouse to work with on the left, no doubt about it. When he hasn't got anyone to give the ball to, who is actually going to do something with it, then it all looks just awful.

Humphreys to Robson, who runs out of space and into trouble, loses it and the other team attacks.

Humphreys to Foley, falls to ground upon the force of the breath of the centre half behind him, wants a free kick, ref laughs at him, other team attacks.

Humphreys to Monkhouse, Monkhouse glides past his opponent and runs menacingly towards bye-line or into box to pull the ball across for goalscoring opportunity

what do we all like to see?

ffs monkhouse on right wing?

When we strat fucking players around into different positions we get beat. Simple as. Isnt Jones a right winger aswell?

Monkhouse and Brtown swapped over a lot in our promotion season

however I accept putting him on the left gets the best from Humphreys, I'm trying to look at a way of getting the best players in the side seeing as how Wilson will probably pick Barker

ADG, you can try and shoehorm him in any way you like but he is not a good left back, he's a fuck ing liability in that position. Time and time again last season he was found wanting against good wingers.

I used to play a f******* strat but then I saw Green On Red and started playing a f****** Tele. Much dirtier!!

if souter signs. FOUR keepers is an awful lot

It could work, except that Wilson will play the midfielders in goal and the goalies in midfield.

Lets face it, when I quoted the immortal line (thanks Tree for keeping it alive) "You haven't got a Mary's Prayer with Wilson in charge", it was actually based on a longstanding reputation that Wilson had earned for being, well, tactically inept.

Wilson has taken you as far as he can.

he is nearly as tactically inept as you are inept and making predictions