With no matches to discuss but having now played 9 matches (including 1 Cup & 1 Trophy match) we’ve been able to see the new players in action and see how last seasons players have adapted to the step up. We still have some injures but by the time Oxford rolls around who would you pick to start if the power was in your hands?

My starting 11 would be:

Belshaw

Gibbons Ness Bedeau

Tsaroulla Palmer Finneran Samuels-Smith

Cooper Mustapha

Kanu

The keeper and defence picks itself for me, but one of the tougher decisions was at left wingback. I think Lipsuic has been solid but being on the ‘wrong-side’ hampers him a bit, especially going forward. I would like to see him play on the right-hand side. I’ve not seen a lot of Samuels-Smith but he is very athletic and naturally left-footed I just have a hunch that he could be most suited here.

In terms of the midfield, I think Evans is great in terms of tenacity and pressing, but with Palmer back in the middle it potentially frees up Finneran a bit more to do this. I think a partnership of Palmer and Finneran allows us to be more in control and build out from the back more effectively.

Finally the last attacking spot was between Mustapha and Roberts. I think the athleticism and dynamism of Mustapha just shaded it, but I’m pretty 50/50 because Cal has been more of goal threat and his set-pieces are more often than not very effective too. I genuinely wouldn’t mind either or even both starting.

Upfront I went for Kanu, he was really impressive on loan at Walsall and I don’t think we have seen the best of him yet.

I can't fault those individual choices from among our fit players.its just a question of whether we have enough creativity in there. Roberts has faded a bit since his good start but he's our best bet for getting a goal out of nothing. Palmer picked him out on Tuesday for his goal, would be nice if that happened again, we're short of partnerships just yet.

Great subject @menzinho I've been meaning to reply but have had no time recently

I'll change it a bit, and make a hard question even harder....pick a first XI from the whole squad. I'll go

Belshaw

Macari Ness Bedeau

Tsaroulla Robertson Campbell Longelo

Cooper Mustapha

Kano

I think it'll take ages for Macari to get his spot back, it'd probably take a Gibbons injury for it to happen. More likely than that is Macari released next summer. But I hope it doesn't come to that. He's 4 years younger and a much better ball-player IMO. This pick/position crystallises the owners/DofF tendencies v Pato's. Can Gibbons ever gel with Tsaroulla as well as Macari did?

Ness - We have McDonald, Platt, Browne, Baker, but Ness at his best can catch the eye the most...After how he played at Huddersfield they'd be just one of many ready to give us 7 figures....got to believe this is on the club's mind

CM - we have 6 contenders for 2 places! How do you sort that out? I went Campbell because he looked class in the 2nd half we saw and we did pay a fee after all. Robbo's Notts career has almost been a complete disaster, but when fit and at his best he does seem to be able to reach a level that's a little out of reach of the others. Finneran is too young IMO to sustain form throughout a game let alone a season. I'll be harsh here, we'd be relegated if he ends up starting 25+ games. At this stage of his career, he just doesn't have the matchwinning knowhow for L1.

LWB is now our weakest link IMO. But Salford nearly went up and Longelo would've been playing in L1 for them as one of their better players. Lipsiuc isn't quite ready. Tsaroulla hates it out there. Samuels-Smith will have to prove it - we haven't really seen what he can do

Until Cal gets stronger, you have to go with Cooper. Don't ask me why but I expect him to fade though. I hope Roberts can then prove to Pato, and us, that he's a true L1 starting no.10. Mustapha offers a level of physicality and ball-carrying that the other 2 don't. A Cooper/Roberts pairing wouldn't last long if they had a bad day...the need for more physical presence would be obvious

Smyth might take a year to get fully up to speed with English football. I think Pato sees Kano as his starting No.9 and hopes that we'll see his Walsall form very soon and that'd seal it.

Prior to my break and absence from games due to that, I didn't think Notts played to Daniel Kanu's strengths. I don't think, as an lone striker, it gets the best out of him, so I would find it difficult to select him in our traditional starting formation based on that. On paper, statistically our strongest team would be different from what I would personally choose.

Statistically the strongest XI:

GK James Belshaw
RWB Nick Tsaroulla
RCB James Gibbons
CB Lucas Ness
LCB Jacob Bedeau
LWB Ishé Samuels-Smith

RM Callum Roberts
CM Rory Finneran
CM Scott Robertson
LM Ollie Cooper

ST Daniel Kanu

However, I think Ishé Samuels-Smith, Scott Robertson and Daniel Kanu would be replaced in my personal choice.

Rosaire Longelo, Jack Evans, and Luka Smyth would come in.

I think a fit Emile Acquah could make a strong contention, with Danny Kanu being an option if we were to play two up top. Matt Palmer and Max Sanders are additional optional choices for Jack Evans. I am a big admirer of what Palmer brings; he's becoming underrated by areas of our support, but Evans gives us a bit more defensive cover. Which is exactly what Sanders offers, but I do like the options Martin Patterson has, and he's far more knowledgeable than I am.