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---------------Poke
Oastler - Saah - XXXXX - Nicho
--------Manse - Lathrope
-------------O'Kane
----Jarvis - Howe - Bodin

Looking a good team to me bench of;

Rice
Leadbitter
Cruise
Macklin
Stevens
Morris
Yeoman

...don't forget Craig Easton and Nathan Craig! They would definitely be on the bench (min) for me.... probably ahead of Leadbitter and Yeoman ... which makes the bench look even stronger, in my opinion.

Absolutely superb signing, well done Martin Ling and well done Torquay United. When we sign a great replacement for Ellis (the confidence I have with Ling) I think we'll have a stronger side then we did last year! Having said that, IMO I would like to see another striker to replace Howe if he is injured or suspended. I don't see Bodin or Jarvis as a striker and definitely not a lone striker, if playing 4-5-1. But I respect ML decision if he does not bring in a striker and realise he fully knows what he is doing.

Back on topic and it's fantastic to welcome Bodin back and can't wait to see him in a yellow shirt again! Very much looking forward to the season ahead!

PlainmoorRoar wrote:---------------Poke
Oastler - Saah - XXXXX - Nicho
--------Manse - Lathrope
-------------O'Kane
----Jarvis - Howe - Bodin

Looking a good team to me bench of;

Rice
Leadbitter
Cruise
Macklin
Stevens
Morris
Yeoman

We still need a striker and that confirms it for me. If Plan A goes wrong or if Howe gets injured then what. We are left with 2 winger forwards and nothing on the bench to look to which will improve the situation. Similar to the playoff final at OT. Fine if plan A works, murked if it doesn't. Also agree there is no chance Yeoman, Leadbitter and Macklin will be before Craig and Easton. (I also like how that spells out Craig Easton's name)

My gut feeling was correct! See my post 28 June on page 4 of this thread. Fantastic signing.
Martin Lings No 1 target but the real clincher was Billy was dead keen to return to Plainmoor. Why?
I think Lee Mansell has made a huge contribution to a wonderful team spirit at the club and of course a first class Manager in Martin Ling.
Billy knew he would enjoy his football here and I have a feeling we could be in for a cracking season.

No need to lower our expectations..?

brucie wrote:Definately agree - he is worth about 10k tops.

Yet brucie says Bodin is a good signing.

The squad is now starting to really take shape. We have 23 out of 24 of the players Martin Ling wants here, so it looks like just a centre back to come, unless someone moves on.

I think there's a few distinct groups within the squad, and as we saw last season Martin Ling doesn't change the line-up too much without good reason.

(9) First Team:
Poke, Nicholson, Oastler, Saah, Lathrope, Mansell, O'Kane, Bodin, Howe

(5) Squad Players:
Cruise, Easton, Stevens, Jarvis, Morris

(9) Development/Back-Up:
Rice, McKenzie, Thompson, Yeoman, Leadbitter, Macklin, Craig, Halpin, McPhee

Obviously that's only my personal view, and there's a few players who can fit into different groups. By the time you have Rice and another CB, that's 16 players in the match day squad, leaving room for two development players to make the bench and challenge. I think that balance is pretty good for a club our size, with the majority of players first team regulars or youngsters to develop into first team players and the minimum number of squad players.

If we could shift McPhee out and bring in another striking option, then that would be the icing on the cake. Otherwise we need someone to really step up like Danny Stevens did last season.

The even better view is that quite a few of the first team players are contracted here for 2 more seasons, whereas the squad and development players are out of contract next summer, leaving Ling with some extra room in 12 months time to ship out the players he doesn't want and improve the squad again year on year. With that, the new stand, and new training ground, the future is looking pretty good right now. Devon's Number One Club.

Fantastic move , well done TUFC and Lingy just goes show were our club is now and what regard it's held in, Billy Bodin could have gone to Crewe, league 1 and a club well known for developing young players, yet he chose to come here.

Just a few short weeks ago a fair few on here were losing their heads over the club selling O'kane on the cheap, along with afew other I said wait and see, have a look at our squad pre-season before flying off at the deep end, things taking shape quite nicely now.

Great signing!

I agree with Yellowsmiffy that Jarvis is the cover for Howe with Stevens and Bodin out wide with cover from Morris and Macklin.

The middle three will be covered by Easton and Craig

An experienced CB is required to partner Saah and we have full back cover on both flanks.

Poke is as close to Olejnic as we could possibly have hoped for

All in all we are close to the finished squad which has a nice balance to it and if we can move McPhee out to loan and bring another striker/utility in then we have a real chance in the season ahead.

Looking forward to the new season now!

Billy is all signed up!! on the o/s now. http://www.torquayunited.com/page/News/ ... 31,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

although both Billy and Lingy look pretty unimpressed in the picture!

Happy with that.

I think Stevens could start ahead of Jarvis, dunno why everyone is presuming Jarvis is going to start.
Bodin is way more effective cutting in from the right, one great thing though although his left is his best foot, his right is better than most in the team anyway!

Poke

Oastler Saah NEW CB Nicho

Mansell Lathrope
O Kane(if he goes then Easton to come into a more solid midfield)

Bodin Howe Stevens

Yep, Stevens was quality all year until he did his ankle at Crawley in March. Hopefully after a full preseason he'll be back to his best next year.