Penultimate pre-season game: Rennes (A) - Saturday 29th July 1700hrs

OldCastleSwift

I thought I'd give this game it's own thread as I suspect we'll see the majority of the first team involved now that everyone (bar Antonio and Johnson) are back in training.

I would imagine Moyes will use his preferred line up and formation for this one and Leverkusen on the 5th August, so it'll be interesting to see what he goes with. He's experimented with 3-5-2 in the earlier games but I think we'll probably see a return to 4-3-3.

I'm expecting:

Areola
Coufal Zouma Aguerd Emerson
Downes Paqueta Fornals
Bowen Scamacca Benrahma

Most won't get the full 90, so it'll be good to see Mubama and Potts get some more time against better opposition to see how close they are to the first team picture.

Also interesting to see if Cresswell gets any minutes given his links to a move away.

Ravel49

Do u think Areola will be number one this season then?
Also I think Scam won’t be involved

buffybegood

Can't see Soucek not being involved tbh, Moyes will definitely start him ahead of Downes imo.

OutcastLondoner

Without Rice, I think Downes has to start. We need to see him play the DM role in pre-season, as long as we don't have another signed. I don't think Soucek can do that role with Fornals and Paqueta.

welovethehammers

Is it a case of who we think is most likely to start or who we think is best? If it’s the latter, I’d play a midfield trio of Downes, Paqueta and Fornals based on our current options.

OldCastleSwift

Ravel49 said:

Do u think Areola will be number one this season then?
Also I think Scam won’t be involved

Areola has only played one pre-season game, so I think he'll start on Saturday.

Fabianksi has been really good in the earlier games, so as it stands I think Fab will play against Leverkusen and will start the PL season as No1.

I can't see any reason for Scamacca not playing, unless he's on the way out.

Hamstew

Loss

Ravel49

And the winner of the ‘grafties’ for most likely to say loss…. Is….

My broski Ham 😎

Lukerz

I’d go:

Areola
Coufal - Zouma - Aguerd - Emerson
Downes - Potts
Bowen - Paqueta - Benrahma
Mubama

Fabianski, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Fornals, Chesters, Cornet, Ings, Scamacca

No Johnson or Antonio involved.

Cornet may get some minutes over Mubama and Downes may play over Potts. Scamacca has been out in Italy this week it seems so not sure how his preparation is going.

Whitehorsehammer

Scamacca was in the training pics posted yesterday on the club website.

alderz

I can't see Soucek not starting, personally. I also think he'll end up being club captain if Cresswell leaves. I think it'll be Downes, Soucek & Paqueta in the middle.

buffybegood

Lukerz said:

I’d go:

Areola
Coufal - Zouma - Aguerd - Emerson
Downes - Potts
Bowen - Paqueta - Benrahma
Mubama

Fabianski, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Fornals, Chesters, Cornet, Ings, Scamacca

No Johnson or Antonio involved.

Cornet may get some minutes over Mubama and Downes may play over Potts. Scamacca has been out in Italy this week it seems so not sure how his preparation is going.

So our 2 holding midfield players are Downes and Downes 🤔🤔🤔?

Lukerz

As in Soucek comes in with Downes 😂

alderz

buffybegood said:

Lukerz said:

I’d go:

Areola
Coufal - Zouma - Aguerd - Emerson
Downes - Potts
Bowen - Paqueta - Benrahma
Mubama

Fabianski, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Fornals, Chesters, Cornet, Ings, Scamacca

No Johnson or Antonio involved.

Cornet may get some minutes over Mubama and Downes may play over Potts. Scamacca has been out in Italy this week it seems so not sure how his preparation is going.

So our 2 holding midfield players are Downes and Downes 🤔🤔🤔?

Lukerz said:

As in Soucek comes in with Downes 😂

Doubling Downes on that error, are we?

ASLEFshrugged

Rennes have a 23yo Cameroonian CB called Christopher Wooh

Hope the Rennes fans go "Woooooooooooo" every time he touches the ball

PrestonHammer

Is he related to Wiggly Wooh?

Hamstew

Is he another of George Weah's cousins?

Deanscaleshammer

I have a worm at the bottom of my garden called that.

We should sign him, just for the song possibilities

OldCastleSwift

So if the rumours are true that Cresswell hasn't trained all week and hasn't travelled to France, who is our back up left-back for this one (and maybe Leverkusen)? I'm assuming Scarles?

alderz

I’d assume Scarles too

MrsGrey

Cresswell stuff moved off the match thread, to its own 'gossip/conspiracy theory/rumour/speculation/drawing conclusions based on no real evidence' thread.
(Sorry, couldn't merge into existing main transfer rumour thread.)

Lukerz

Fabianski
Coufal - Zouma - Aguerd - Emerson
Bowen - Soucek - Paqueta - Benrahma
Cornet
Mubama

With Potts gone, altered line-up.

buffybegood

I think we'll line up fairly close to what I'm expecting the line up for the first PL game. The only real debate,(apart from who is our PL keeper out of Fabianski and Areola) with the current squad, is whether we go with Downes or Fornals imo:

Fabianski/Areola
Coufal-Zouma-Aguerd-Emerson
Soucek-Downes
Bowen-Paqueta-Benrahma
Scamacca

or

Fabianski/Areola
Coufal-Zouma-Aguerd-Emerson
Soucek
Bowen-Paqueta-Fornals-Benrahma
Scamacca

Lukerz

Areola
Coufal - Zouma - Aguerd (c) - Emerson
Soucek - Downes - Paqueta
Fornals - Ings - Benrahma

Fabianski, Ogbonna, Kehrer, Coventry, Bowen, Cornet, Mubama, Scamacca

Is the side, no Cresswell. Johnson & Antonio still not involved.

Lukerz

Still a decent squad with potential & if we can add 3/4 additions…

steve

Ings instead of scamacca ,why

Lukerz

I’m happy with 11 but would have gone with Mubama over Ings, we know what Ings offers

OldCastleSwift

steve said:

Ings instead of scamacca ,why

Rumour is we've accepted a loan + obligation offer from Roma.

Guess we'll find out soon.

buffybegood

steve said:

Ings instead of scamacca ,why

The guy who was very reliable with ITK info last summer over on KUMB is saying that it's nailed on that Scamacca is leaving this summer, likely initially on a loan.

alderz

Surely he wouldn’t even be on the bench if that was the case? Aguerd as captain today is interesting

thornburyiron

It’s against his old side so I guess that’s the reason.