The new season starts tomorrow, with the visit of Forest Green Rovers to the United Stadium.[@opponent]Forest Green Rovers[/@opponent] United started last season with a home game, beating Halifax 2-0 with a Rob Duffy penalty and a wonder goal from the now departed Andy Burgess. The previous home match against FGR had a less happy outcome, the Nailsworth-based side winning 2-0.[@connection]Forest Green Rovers[/@connection] The plethora of former Oxford players who used to grace the Forest Green side have all now departed, although this may not necessarily be good news for Oxford as Rovers have strengthened considerably over the summer, and could be a good outside bet for a play-off place.[@news]2081[/@news]

Jim Smith and company have also been busy over the close season, despite the slow start to the squad-building process. Gone are many of the players who were generally thought to be the weaker links (at least those who were out of contract), while many of their replacements look to be stronger. Obviously they will remain largely unknown quantities until the proper games start, but on the evidence of the pre-season fixtures the likes of Alex Jeannin, Phil Trainer, Joel Ledgister, and Michael Standing should all improve the squad considerably. Plus, of course, United have signed Luke Foster and Michael Corcoran.

There has obviously been a good deal of speculation about the first line-up that Smith will select. We know that the only injured players are defenders Chris Willmott and Phil Gilchrist, and so we can state with some confidence that team captain Barry Quinn will start in the centre of a back three, while Billy Turley will start in goal. The evidence of the pre-season games suggests that Corcoran and Matt Day will be the other two central defenders, with Eddie Anaclet and Jeannin as the wingbacks. It looks likely that Eddie Hutchinson will start on the right of the midfield trio, with Standing possibly in the centre and Trainer on the left. Up front the preferred partnership appears to have been Gary Twigg and Yemi Odubade, but Duffy has had a good pre-season, and looks to be fitter than he was last season, so who knows?