Slovenia Pre-Season Tour

[yappy]

Squad announced.

Royals travelling squad
Adam Federici
Andy Griffin
Marcus Williams
Jem Karacan
Matt Mills
Brynjar Gunnarsson
Jay Tabb
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Shane Long
Noel Hunt
Jobi McAnuff
Jimmy Kebe
James Henry
Simon Church
Hal Robson-Kanu
Brian Howard
Ben Hamer
Julian Kelly
Grzegorz Rasiak
Jake Taylor
Alex Pearce
Michail Antonio
Mikkel Andersen
Alex McCarthy

Notable absentees are Cummings, Mooney and Davies. Read into that what you will..

[silas]

Surprised Davies was left out, thought he would feature at least in pre season. Not surprised about Mooney, was hopeful Cummings would go and get a chance to prove himself again but McDermott obviously wanted to take all 4 keepers and there is only so many players you can take for 3 games.

[Big Foot]

4 keepers

[CMRoyal]

4 keepers

Federici and Andersen a bit behind in pre-season prep because of their participation in recent tournaments.

[Hoop Blah]

I'd guess it's a bit more that it's a competitive positition and two of them were away for the season last year so they want to take a good look at them and have them all training together.

It must be a bit of a blow for Davies not be be going, but I think he will of known his position well enough for a while now. It won't stop him pushing for a place when they get back, but it's going to be harder for him to stake a claim.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him move on this summer, which is a shame, but like I've said before I'm not sure he's got quite enough for the Championship just yet.

[yappy]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Davies go, but god forbid something happened to Gylfi (long term injury/sold off) he would seem the natural replacement for me. For that reason i'm a little surprised he didn't get selected, especially when we have 5 wingers travelling.

I'm also surprised Cummings didn't go, as effectively Griffin, Williams and Kelly are the only full backs to have travelled, so those 3 will probably get a fair bit of game time.

On the upside Jake Taylor must be doing well to have been selected. Maybe he'll make a breakthrough this season?

[Royal_Delight]

Where's Bignall?

[CMRoyal]

I'd guess it's a bit more that it's a competitive positition and two of them were away for the season last year so they want to take a good look at them and have them all training together.

True, and on reflection you'd expect at least 3 anyway, wouldn't you?

Disappointed about Davies - he was in the squad at Farnborough, wasn't he? For anyone who was there: how did he do?

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

No Stretch either

[silas]

I'd guess it's a bit more that it's a competitive positition and two of them were away for the season last year so they want to take a good look at them and have them all training together.

True, and on reflection you'd expect at least 3 anyway, wouldn't you?

Disappointed about Davies - he was in the squad at Farnborough, wasn't he? For anyone who was there: how did he do?

Thought he played quite well, at right back.

[Plymouth_Royal]

Not surprised davies, mooney and cummings left behind. clearly not part of mcdermott's plans here. If gylfi got injured though I could see Mcdermott just switching to 4-4-2 or pushing Howard further up.
As someone else mentioned Bignall not included either. Whether he's injured or not, he's miles behind the others. Especially with bell-baggie and jake taylor coming through.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Think Davies is odd man out. Good player but we have so
many in the middle. Not sure bout the similar to Sig statements, certainly not a thought shared by the club.

Cummings and Mooney are on the way out, time to find a club. The fact Poyet talked to the press about how they could have signed him is pretty clear.

They got some big choices over the keeper. Sell one, loan one. keep Locke as third choice.

[Sarah Star]

I think I'm more surprised by the inclusion of James Henry, Jake Taylor, Alex McCarthy, Michael Antonio and Julian Kelly than the omissions.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

[Maguire]

I think I'm more surprised by the inclusion of James Henry, Jake Taylor, Alex McCarthy, Michael Antonio and Julian Kelly than the omissions.

<-- knitting thread's that way love

[Hoop Blah]

I think I'm more surprised by the inclusion of James Henry, Jake Taylor, Alex McCarthy, Michael Antonio and Julian Kelly than the omissions.

Not sure why, apart from maybe Taylor.

As for the Sigurdsson and Davies comparison, I think they play a similar position but in totally different ways. Sigurdsson is all about a clever touch, close control and being able to drifting away from players and having the vision and ability to make a telling pass. Davies is like a poor mans Gerrard, all power and timing of his runs with a pretty decent ability to score goals with his long range shooting.

As SKDD says, if Sigurdsson is missing for whatever reason we'd more like see one of the fowards fill in, or perhaps McAnuff or Henry to be a more like for like replacement.

[Sarah Star]

Have any of them looked anywhere near our first team in the last year?

[winchester_royal]

Taylor's clear someone McD has high hopes for....no suprise IMO that he's been included. The experience will do him good.

[Terminal Boardom]

And hasn't Jake Taylor been placed on standby for the England U19 squad? Sounds to me as if we have unearthed a little gem. Makes perfect sense to me to have him involved on tour. I also think taking Antonio is not a bad thing either. Spent much of last season on loan to that small club down the M3 and, by all accounts, did quite well.

I would like to think that the next few weeks will be make or break for Henry. From what I have seen, he is nothing to get excited about. I expect him to find a consistent performing level somewhere like Forest Green. As for Scott Davies? Wycombe or Brentford at best.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

I think I'm more surprised by the inclusion of James Henry, Jake Taylor, Alex McCarthy, Michael Antonio and Julian Kelly than the omissions.

Not sure why, apart from maybe Taylor.

As for the Sigurdsson and Davies comparison, I think they play a similar position but in totally different ways. Sigurdsson is all about a clever touch, close control and being able to drifting away from players and having the vision and ability to make a telling pass. Davies is like a poor mans Gerrard, all power and timing of his runs with a pretty decent ability to score goals with his long range shooting.

As SKDD says, if Sigurdsson is missing for whatever reason we'd more like see one of the fowards fill in, or perhaps McAnuff or Henry to be a more like for like replacement.

Think Church would be 1st chic to playbthe 10'role without Sig. Though I'm hoping Church can establish himself as the lead striker next season.