Packing the midfield

It's a bit of a revolving door at The Kassam at the moment, but as the dust settles on another day of activity, it's good to report that there's been a net gain in numbers for next season.

Out is Lee Mansell, signed by Ian Atkins at Torquay. Mansell is a box to box player, says the dour Brummie, not something that Oxblogger can argue with, although his energy masked a distinct lack of delivery. Atkins' regimentation and discipline may be able to marshal Mansell's enthusiasm into something productive, but his loss won't leave too bad a taste in the mouth.

In comes midfielder Gavin Johnson, midfielder Carl Pettefer and midfielder Eddie Hutchinson. Jim Smith appears to have a solution to a key question from last year; with so many striking options, why so few goals. It seems Jim wasn't keen on the delivery from midfield?

So what might the first team look like (apart from a bit bald, of course).

GK - Turley
RB - Quinn
CD - Gilchrist
CD - Wilmott
LB - Johnson

RW - Pettefer
CM - Hargreaves
CM - Hutchinson
LM - Burgess

CF - Basham
CF - Odubade

Which looks like one big old unit with tough tacklers everywhere. The strikers are beginning to look like a drummer from Spinal Tap; competent but expendable. Line up lots of cheap ones and blow them up at the end of each game when you're done.