Decisions, decisions: The key team selection questions as Gillingham face Luton in the EFL Cup
07.08.26, 00:05 Updated 14.08.26, 02:15
Simon Head
Gareth Ainsworth may be operating with a smaller squad this season, but as we get ready for the first competitive game of the 2026/27 campaign, it already feels like he has a lot more options, and a lot more flexibility, than he did last term.
The first game of the season will see the Gills take on Luton Town in the first round of the EFL Cup, and it’s the first chance for fans to get a glimpse of what the gaffer might be thinking of in terms of his starting XI moving forward.
There are caveats to consider, of course. Injuries mean the likes of Armani Little and Bradley Dack might not be fully ready for this weekend’s clash. But with the Gills boss already making clear that he wants a cup run this season, it’s a fair bet that the XI that trots out onto the immaculate Priestfield turf for the first time this season will contain the vast majority of his preferred starters.
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Simon Head is the founding editor of Gills 365. A veteran sports journalist and editor with more than 25 years in the industry, he has written for major news outlets, broadcasters and sports organisations around the world. Simon is a longtime Gillingham season ticket holder, and has been a regular at Priestfield since the mid-1990s.