RUFC - 'Team nearly decided'

Rotherham United manager, Mark Robins, has told The Advertiser, that the first eleven for the first League game against Hereford, has almost been decided.

'I have an idea who my starting eleven will be, it's just a case of fine tuning,' Robins said.

Robins has made it no secret that he has used the friendly games to look at the fitness of the players and to see how the play together as a team and has had little interest in the results.

Derek Holmes has featured up front in both the home pre season games so far with Chris O'Grady (against Barnsley) and Marc Newsham (against Sheffield United) pairing up with him.

Dale Tonge and Marc Joseph have both played at right-back with Stephen Brogan and Paul Hurst at left-back - although both Tong and Brogan had stints in mid-field too.

In defence it seems almost certain that captain Graham Coughlan and ex captain Ian Sharps will play with Andy Todd and Peter Holmes on the wings.

Before being stretchered off against the Blades on Tuesday night, Mark Hudson would surely have been picked to play centre mid-field, but Robins will now have to look against Hartlepool tomorrow, as Hudson will be out for around six weeks.

Robins has been pleased with the games so far and said, 'we are looking solid all over the pitch - defensively we have done well. We just need to convert our chances.'

As an onlooker and fan I have to say against Barnsley I thought we moved the ball about well - against the Blades the football flowed and our set pieces were delivered with confidence. Get the ball into the back of the net and in my opinion, we have a team who will be up there at the end of next season.