Burton Albion webchat with Joshua Murray recap - answers to your Brewers questions

Final whistle!

That’s that for today’s Brewers webchat.

Thanks to everyone for getting in touch with your questions, and look out for more of these once the season gets underway.

I’ll be online again later with live coverage of Albion’s friendly at Solihull Moors.

Safe trip to anyone heading there.

Another striker needed?

Richard Gaunt asks: do we need a striker before the window shuts?

JM: I would be surprised to see Burton bring in another striker this transfer window, Richard, unless anything changes with their current forwards.

Liam Boyce is preparing for his first full season in English football and is relishing the chance to make a telling impact in League One after an ACL injury made a mess of his debut campaign.

He will be the focal point of Burton’s attack, and the quality he showed towards the back end of 2017-18 could make him a real force in the third tier.

Lucas Akins will play a crucial role in attacking areas too, as ever, and he partnered Boyce in a 4-4-2 against Villa at the weekend. Don’t forget, he was their top scorer in League One back in 2015-16.

There is also Marvin Sordell, who is historically a striker and has been used out wide by Clough, while Joe Sbarra, Will Miller and David Templeton can also play forward roles as number 10s, which could see them work by playing off Boyce or Akins.

So there is some depth in Albion’s attacking ranks. Sbarra’s been the most successful in front of goal so far this summer.

Manchester City loans

Mark Harden asks: Are we hopeful of any loans from Man City?

JM: The success of Jacob Davenport’s spell with Burton last season shows the quality that Manchester City’s academy has at its disposal - if we didn’t already know it!

He has since joined Blackburn Rovers in the Championship on a four-year deal.

Clough said that successful spells like Davenport’s can help build good relationships with parent clubs, and they have been in contact with the Premier League champions to see what other young players could be available and seen as options this season.

There has been no update on whether any City players have sparked Burton’s interest or could be in line to join later in the window.

'What are the club's ambitions this season?'

Adrian Torr asks: What are the club’s ambition this season?

JM: The ultimate ambition for 2018-19, unsurprisingly, is promotion back to the Championship.

After spending two seasons in the second tier and experiencing weekly clashes with Derby County, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Leeds United et al, Albion are keen to get back to that level as soon as possible.

But they are also realistic about what a challenge that will be, given the strength in depth of League One this season - and some of the recruitment drives a few clubs have been on to boost their ranks.

One primary aim is to make a big improvement in their home form following a miserable run of seven months without victory at the Pirelli Stadium between September and April last season.

That form ultimately relegated them, and was a shock to the system for fans who have been used to seeing Albion as such a dominant force on home soil over recent years.

Like every team, the immediate focus will be on making a fast start to the campaign, to rediscover that winning feeling. What comes after that, we shall see.

Loan signings to boost squad?

JoshBrewer asks: With us having limited numbers and a fair few of the defenders have had injury problems, how many loan players would you expect us to have by the end of the window?

JM: Cheers for both your questions, Josh!

Nigel Clough has spoken regularly this summer about the fact that Albion will go into League One with a tighter squad than the past two seasons, suggesting around 19 or 20 would be the number, including goalkeepers.

They currently have 17 outfield first-team players signed up, including Reece Hutchinson, who is yet to make his competitive debut but fared well against Aston Villa at the weekend.

Given those numbers, I don’t expect a huge influx of loans at any point.

If any players leave, loan signings could be made to replace them, and there could be a chance of one loan nearer to the August 31 deadline either way.

As with any transfer window, things can change pretty quickly at any stage. It was never likely to be a busy window, though.

The onus is going to be on Burton’s current squad to show they can fare with the length and strain of a 46-game League One season, plus cup games.

'Can't get excited'

Frank Ashton asks: I can’t get excited about the coming season. Not felt like this since the mid-90s. We’re starting a season with a weaker squad than the end of the last one.

JM: That’s fair enough, Frank - although personally, I tend to get excited every year at this stage of the summer with the season just ahead!

It is the first time in 41 years that Burton Albion are heading into a new campaign on the back of a relegation, which is a truly remarkable statistic.

Yes, parts of Albion’s second Championship season were disappointing, the home form especially - but it should be quite interesting to see how things go in the coming months, because League One is such an unpredictable league and Albion are heading into it with two years of second-tier experience under their belt.

Yes, the squad is certainly smaller and lacks the depth of last season, but that is inevitable following relegation - and players like Luke Murphy and Jacob Davenport, who may have returned in the Championship, were always unlikely to come back in the third tier.

The season ahead will give Burton’s stars of the future chances to shine, though, and if Albion’s squad can maintain their fitness on a whole, there is some real quality in there.

Darren Bent and Luke Murphy

Mark Harden asks: Are we looking at signing Darren Bent? Is there any chance of Luke Murphy coming back?

JM: Darren Bent was released by Derby County last month and has been training with the Brewers since the start of pre-season.

He is working with Albion to stay at peak fitness while considering his next move and weighing up his options.

He featured for Burton in last week’s friendly win at Kidderminster Harrriers, and Nigel Clough says he is free to play for them in other friendlies if he chooses - but the decision is with the player.

We know that the Brewers are working with a revised budget this season, and whether Bent would want to drop down to League One is another factor to consider.

As for Luke Murphy, Clough confirmed in the days following their relegation back in May that they would not be able to afford the Leeds United midfielder in their League One squad.

“No, finances will prohibit that unfortunately. Luke has been one of the best lads you could wish to work with over the last 18 months,” he said at the time.

It will be interesting to see where Murphy is playing next season, because he has not featured for Leeds in a competitive game since 2016.

He was a pillar of consistency for Albion and would be a reliable addition to most Championship midfields. Burton would certainly have been looking at another move for him had they stayed up.

Speaking of squad size...

Simon Gower asks: It’s been a difficult transfer window. Two in, 12 out (including loan players returning to parent clubs). Is a squad of 19 really the right decision? I feel we need three or four more players, potentially loans. What do you think?

JM: The Brewers were always likely to head into League One with a smaller squad, because they will have to adapt their budget after two seasons in the Championship.

As you say Simon, 12 players who were part of the Albion squad at the end of last season are no longer there.

Loan quartet Darren Bent, Luke Murphy, Jacob Davenport and Martin Samuelsen all returned to their parent clubs, Stephen Warnock and Shaun Barker retired, Luke Varney was released, Tom Flanagan was sold to Sunderland, Tom Naylor and Hope Akpan declined new contract offers to join other clubs and Lloyd Dyer will also not be renewing his deal at the Pirelli Stadium.

Coming in the other direction, Scott Fraser and David Templeton signed on two-year deals.

Albion’s squad will have to be well managed throughout a long campaign.

As Nigel Clough said recently about his defence, there is going to be an onus on every player to stay fit, as there is no longer the variety of options to come in and replace them, especially among the defenders.

One positive for Albion is the number of players they have who are capable of playing in several positions.

Lucas Akins and Matty Lund are among those, while youngsters Joe Sbarra and Ben Fox can play in more advanced roles, out wide or centrally.

That can bring the issue of losing players in their best positions, though, if they have to be continually moved around.

Another addition or two is possible, depending on if players leave, but Burton’s squad is unlikely to be much bigger than it currently is come September 1.

'How many more?'

Tom Jarvis asks: Where are the signings? How many more do you think we’ll sign?

JM: We know that Albion are heading into League One with a smaller squad this season, and they currently have around the numbers that Nigel Clough has talked about going with - so it’s not going to be a busy few weeks for the Brewers.

There’s been a bit of discussion about loans recently, and I would expect any loan movements are more likely than permanent signings at this stage.

Clough spoke earlier in the summer about Burton not having money available for transfer fees, so any permanent deals would have to be for free agents - which could happen if one of Hodge or McCormick sign.

Other than that, I could see another loan signing arriving closer to the deadline at the end of August, but any more movement than that is likely to rely on players heading out of the Pirelli first.

Which trialists could join?

JoshBrewer asks: Out of the trialists Hodge, McCormick and Egert, if any, who do you see most likely to sign at this time?

JM: Well we now know that the Brewers won’t be signing Tomas Egert, as Nigel Clough confirmed on Monday. Time will tell over Elliott Hodge and Luke McCormick.

Hodge has been given more game time by Clough and started Saturday’s clash with Aston Villa, which may suggest he is the player they are more interested in at this stage.

Ex-Notts County winger Hodge has played out on the wing and as part of a central midfield three during his time with Albion, and has looked assured and full of intent in possession.

McCormick has featured off the bench against Mickleover Sports, Kidderminster Harriers and Villa. He scored a late winner against Kidderminster, the game in which he probably got more chances in possession to shine, with one or two runs down the left flank catching the eye.

Clough has suggested that he is similar to what Burton already have in those wide and forward areas.

A couple more outings for both in pre-season will give the Brewers management further opportunities to assess the trialists and what they could bring if signed.

Welcome to the Brewers webchat!

It’s a busy few days for Burton Albion as they gear up for the new League One season.

They’re at Solihull Moors tonight and Alfreton Town tomorrow, before welcoming Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City to the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday.

Plenty of time to further test players’ fitness, formation combinations and have a look at the Burton trialists.

And on the subject of trialists, how about the first question?