TUFC 23/24 Squad

Always thought he should be here 😀

Statement of intent and good signing.

Excellent news 😀

link - introduction video

Going back one year in time.

I confidently predict Jordan Young will sign in the 2024/25 season...

I may well be wrong but I’m not convinced we will be looking in that direction as I think Wotton feels that between Dreyer, Dyer, Foulston, Palmer and Tomlinson we have that position covered. Would need some movement out if we were in that market.

Was good to see us back getting a clean sheet the other night. Thought all 5 starters performed ok at the back and we weren’t noticeably weaker or stronger at all there when Craske and Dyer replaced Tonks and Palmer, with Craske going on to make a telling contribution toward our winner. That said, I didn’t think Salisbury were particularly threatening barring a few decent through balls down our right hand side in the first half.

Carson impressed me a great deal up close. Defends stoutly, distribution sound and attacks with purpose. Good bit of business by our board securing his signature for another year early doors. That sort of proactive direction was severely lacking at TUFC before the Bryn consortium took over. He will be attracting interest from higher up, no doubt. I was very surprised when watching us at Hornchurch the other week that he wasn’t a starter and was very pleased to see we didn’t persist with that starting formation of 4 at the back again on Tuesday as I think it destabilised our defence for more than just that match, but certainly for that match. As well as being fairly unimpressed with Foulston at left back cf in the centre, Tonks also looked like a fish out of water with what he was asked to do in the first half there.

A few elsewhere have been moaning about Threlkeld and Hayfield of late, but at least one of them must start so that we can gain a foothold in games. Perming a midfield three from Hasani, Mussa and WJD and there exists no bite whatsoever, albeit plenty of trickery, with Hasani and WJD looking very impressive from the bench on Tuesday night. Threlkeld quietly goes about the job of breaking down opposition attacks and is the type of player we absolutely need, although his distribution has been lacking of late. Hayfield, I’m not quite sure what the moaning is about. Seems fairly solid. But it may be that we seek to strengthen and add to that position? Particularly as Mussa looks destined for something further up the field than either of them.

Mussa, Young and Cooke as a 3 or Mussa just behind the two seems a very strong option at this level to me. They are all very good and exciting players, with Cooke fast becoming a very consistent plus leading the line. I don’t see a role for Seymour, Ash or a returning Crosbie in the starting X1 while those three are fit - or as is Cooke this coming Saturday, not suspended. Bench only. So maybe one out one in there, too?

Three points off the top with a game in hand on the leaders after 15 games is the stuff of dreams compared to the stuff of nightmares while Edwards and Osborne were killing us off. The impatient are quickly becoming tired of that observation. ‘Twas ever thus. But they’d have a darn sight more to moan about if we weren't so high up the table. Wotton is keen any new acquisition will improve us, so anyone signed will be a potential day one starter like Young. As it should be. And as it patently wasn’t in the latter stages of Gary Johnson’s management.