A Maturing Squad

Daniel Jennings sounds an upbeat note

No matter what anyone else says, I am quietly confident about our chances this season. Despite the people we let go, the players that left of their own accord and the lack of new faces, I think that the young players we have are beginning to mature and their enthusiasm, if given the chance, could be a telling factor. People are spending a lot of time worrying about boardroom fiascos and other off-field dramas - but why not let the football do the talking? Here's my run-down:

ROGERS: After a stunning debut two seasons ago, he was given a decent run in the first team at the beginning of last term. Despite making a few mistakes it gave him a taster and I'm sure he's ready for another crack. His kicking and throwing is fairly consistent and I think the way he commands his defence gives him an edge over Walsh.

WALSH: Although a few years older than Rogers, DW only made his first-team debut at the tail end of last season. Nevertheless he has been hanging around in the reserves and WPC teams for a few years now as well as representing Wales at Under-21 level. He is undoubtedly a good shot-stopper but his kicking is inconsistent and he often looks dodgy on crosses. Like Rogers, a good run in the first team could do him some good.

WARREN: We first got to see Dave play as a central-midfielder in the last home game of the '99/00 season. At the time he was still only 18 and tried a bit too much on the ball - things he was getting away with regularly in the reserves. Since his switch to right-back he has come on leaps and bounds; his pace alone makes him a hard player to beat. His ability to operate in midfield also makes him a threat going forward.

HOLMES: Our only close-season signing looks more than an adequate replacement for Hardy. He actually reminds me of Hardy in his younger days - strong in the challenge and always willing to get forward and supply quality crosses. Holmes has also had Under-21 experience with NI.

CAREY: Unlike most of the squad he is past his peak, but he can still do a job. With his obvious lack of pace he only looks good with someone quick alongside him - like Roberts or Lawrence. He is a born leader and is likely to carry on the captaincy. I think this will be Brian's final season as a first-team regular as I think Roberts is almost ready to fill his boots.

LAWRENCE: When Dennis made his debut as a defender - as a sub against Bury at home - it looked as though he'd never played football in his life before. After losing 4-0 away to Bristol Rovers on his full debut, I wondered what we'd paid £100,000 for! However, he has since proved me wrong and looks better in the air every time I see him play. With his first touch and passing, he adds a new dimension going forward - a nice change from the Carey long-ball. Although clumsy at times - it seems he has to have one comical fall per match - he is capable of sticking a long leg out from nowhere to save us.

ROBERTS: If it wasn't for injuries, I don't think we'd have brought in Lawrence and Steve would now be a regular in the side. Good in the air, quick and composed on the ball, he's still only young and could move on to play in a higher division. He looks especially good at man-marking and could be useful to call upon against a top striker. I think he will eventually take Carey's place in the side.

PHILLIPS: Still a good player when he's got the ball at his feet but I think that after all his injury problems he occasionally backs out of 50/50 challenges and looks very, very slow! The fact that he is able to deputise at right-back, if called upon, could be crucial if he wants to play this season.

BARRETT: Ever since Barrett moved here from Newcastle I really liked him. He is very fit and dedicated and gets up and down and stuck in. When we were only playing with a left-winger he proved his worth as he had to track back a lot on the right. If he gets a run in the team this season he really needs to show what he's capable of. People often say: 'I didn't even know he was playing'. That's the type of player he is - without doing anything special he works his socks off, often being a saviour in the area and the man who plays the simple passes on the edge of the box. If he doesn't have a good year he could be off at the end of it!

BLACKWOOD: Very promising last pre-season but injury restricted him to just two league starts last year. However, I think he was the best player in both of these matches (Bristol City home and Vale away). Now he looks like he's getting better every game. Quick, lively and confident on the ball he will always run at players and possesses a precise cross. Could provide the perfect service for Faulconbridge. He has also been tried at left-back - given our shortage of defenders - but is obviously more comfortable on the wing.

FERGUSON: Like his dad he always wants to win and his spirit is often echoed by others on the pitch. Particularly good in frantic games, his ability to slow it down in the midfield before dispatching a killer pass can sometimes be the difference. Many fans would like to see him put himself about a bit more - and last season he did just that in the scrappier affairs. He takes up an ideal position on the edge of the box when we're defending, and his passing gives us attacking options.

CHALK: After a brilliant start with us on the right wing, he went somewhat off the boil. I think that since his switch to the middle Chalkie is playing better than he's ever done before and until his injury last season he and Macca were our two best players. His main strength is getting the ball in his own half and charging forward out of defence - quite a contrast to Fergie's style, and the reason I would like to see them paired together in the middle a bit more. Chalkie also got a few goals last season and every team needs at least one midfielder who can do that.

RUSSELL: Rooster has always got a lot of stick from many fans in his second spell here, but he was never likely to produce the form he did in the late-'80s! I'm not Rooster's biggest fan either but I think he's a steady squad player who has turned in some good performances in a midfield role. He still runs around more than most 18-year-olds would, and in what is likely to be his last season I think his first-team chances will come in a central slot.

THOMAS: In my opinion he is very similar in style to Bryan Hughes and, if it wasn't for injuries, could have established himself as the team's playmaker by now. I don't think it fair that he was getting judged in a wide position last year; the two times he played in the middle - Swansea away and Stoke away (as sub) - he was very good. His pre-season's gone well and I've got a feeling Flynn might just start the season with him. He has good vision and picks out some cracking crossfield passes, as well as getting shots in.

GIBSON: Many people think Gibbo should be one of the first names on the teamsheet. These people admire how committed and determined the little winger is - but he's a winger! A lot of the time he seems content to go so far…and then make a short pass or even turn back. This pre-season Gibbo has shown that he IS capable of going past men and he'll have to have to if he's going to keep out Carlos.

EDWARDS: Completely the opposite to Gibson, Carlos goes past men with ease but sometimes wants to do too much on the ball. He's got a very useful cross and really should use it more often - rather than keep cutting back inside and outside all the time. He certainly has the legs to get back and support the defence, and what a lot of people don't notice is that he's a very good tackler - the fact that he doesn't dive in doesn't mean he's not committed! Having adapted to English football, and weather, I think Carlos will come into his own this campaign.

TRUNDLE: Many people view Trundle as our one hope of doing anything this season. He is the most skilful player I've ever seen, he shoots on sight and always looks like scoring. At times I think he should pass a bit more when he's got a lot of defenders around him on the edge of the box but he's also capable of somehow leaving all of them for dead. Trundle's shown he can be quite hot-headed and he has worked on calming himself down in time for the Reading away match - quite a big game for him and the team (he is suspended for the first four games of the campaign). I think our other forwards are more important than Lee because he can't do it on his own.

MORRELL: I can't believe it's taken so long for Andy to get a significant run in the starting line-up. When he first joined us he made a few starts at the tail end of the '98-9 season - notably Walsall away. He always looked lively and got in a lot of good positions and got his first league goal away at Colchester, on as sub, at the beginning of the next season. But he didn't manage a sustained run in the side until the spring of this year. His off-the-ball running dragged defenders away for Trundle to show his stuff and Andy's importance often went unnoticed. When he is picked out - in the space he creates for himself - he added a few quality. He deserves another chance.

SAM: Hector made a very exciting start to his Wrexham career last season - getting off the mark at Bury before going on to bag six goals in five games. This was all in his unique, unconventional and improvised Carribean style. The Oldham match in particular, where he bagged a brace, was good evidence of his pace and flair and looked like a new cult hero.

FAULCONBRIDGE: I personally feel Craig is a striker who could play at a higher level. Despite only managing to get half his target of 20 goals last year, he played really well and just needed a strike partner to play upfront with him regularly. He worked well with Sam at the beginning and Trundle at the end of the season but never really hit it off with Russell or Morrell - a partnership Flynn has tried to improve of late. Faulconbridge is a real battler and more of a creator of chances than a scorer. But, as he proved, if he gets the service he will put them away. His main strength when facing goal is clearly in the air, but with only one winger he didn't get as many headed chances.

THE TEAM AS A WHOLE? I think that there will be a few interesting personal battles this year - Rogers v Walsh, Carey v Roberts, Edwards v Gibson, and Morrell & Trundle v Sam & Faulconbridge. I think this can only be a good thing as it tends to bring the best out of players, and with the squad being so small I also think that we will have a really strong team spirit this year - maybe the best in the division. Think I'm mad? Just look at Wigan in the last two seasons - they have twice gone unbeaten for the first 20+ games and have also looked as good as there in February or even March. On both occasions they have fallen away. Why? Because players keep getting unhappy at not being in the first team, the manager mixes and matches the side a bit, and others get unhappy. With the squad we've got, even if we change the side every week there's only ever going to be four players not in the matchday squad! Also, Wigan have had four managers in two years.

Stick with Flynn and the side just for this season - and get behind them!