The talents of players like Michael Owen are not in doubt, while they are expected to include £7.4million summer signing Bebe in the squad.
The Portuguese youngster is considered untested, despite playing regular first-team football in the Portuguese lower divisions. One other supposedly untested player is midfielder Corry Evans, 20, who has yet to take part in a competitive game for the club.
He is the younger brother of Jonathan Evans, with the pair regular internationals for Northern Ireland.
It is remarkable that Evans junior could be an established international player without playing first-team football for his club, but that is the situation he is in as he takes to the bench at Glanford Park on Wednesday evening.
"I've had a little taste of what it's like to play for the first-team when I was on tour to America in the summer," he told the Belfast Telegraph.
"I started once and came on in another game, but playing in a competitive game would be completely different. I will be involved in the squad against Scunthorpe, but I won't be starting.
"I just hope that I get on at some stage and it would be great if that happens — a dream come true for me."