First league match lineup.

[TomDixie]

I fixed it for you.

Cheers mate, I did feel like I'd forgotten some bits of the pitch that McCarthy covers.

 

[Buckers]

There's no way Besic is sitting this one out.

 

[Matthew Martinez]

Either 4-2-3-1,

Gk. Howard,
RB. Coleman, CB. Jags, CB. Distin, LB. Baines
CM. Barry, CM. McCarthy,
AMR. Mirallas, AMC. Barkley, AML. Pienaar
ST. Lukaku

Subs. Robles, Stones, Besic, Gibson, Osman, Mcgeady, Naismith

*assuming Kone and Oviedo won't be fit in time.

Or 4-3-3

Gk. Howard,
RB. Coleman, CB. Jags, CB. Distin, LB. Baines
DM. Barry, CM. McCarthy, CM. Besic,
AM. Barkley ST. Mirallas, ST. Lukaku

 

[Lewy3284]

Real options though

 

[deipnosophist]

this is ace ! Roberto is so good he has clearly taught baines and barkley the super human ability of mitosis in the opponents half.

I'm pretty good at mitosis too, though I tend to do it everywhere, not just in opposition halves.

 

[Bob Latchford]

Robles and Stones? So hard.

God damn it, I missed peanuts, my bad.

Big stones Stones?

Sticks? (Sticks n stones)

Robles - ? Pass

 

[Pavement Blue]

Sticks? (Sticks n stones)

Robles - ? Pass

Safe hands surely?

 

[Fatty Foulke]

-------------Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
---------McCarthy Barry----------
McGeady----Barkley----Mirallas--
-------------Lukaku

First XI decent, rest of bench/ squad average. Badly need a few more signings

 

[EFC Si]

Coleman won't be fit to start this will he?

 

[keith_78]

howard
coleman jags distin baines
barry
McCarthy besic
barkley
mirallas lukaku

should be the first team when besic settles in imo

 

[HuddersfieldToffee]

I can see if Seamus is injured, we might play a back three with Geads playing as a wingback, you know. Stonesy, Jags and Silky Sylvain with Bainesy and Geads as wingbacks.

 

[bluegirl]

If it was me, I'd play:

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy Besic
Barkley
Mirallas Lukaku New signing.

Subs: Barry, Joel, Distin, Naismith, Pienaar, McGeady, Osman.

But I think Bobby will play:

Howard
Coleman Distin Jagielka Baines
Barry McCarthy
Barkley
Mirallas Lukaku Naismith.

Oviedo would start wide left for me, if he was fit, but as far as I know he's out till September?

 

[Zodiak2]

If it was me, I'd play:

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy Besic
Barkley
Mirallas Lukaku New signing.

But I think Bobby will play:

Howard
Coleman Distin Jagielka Baines
Barry McCarthy
Barkley
Mirallas Lukaku Naismith.

I slightly prefer your first team, but I like the second too.

I'm hoping we find a place somewhere for Naismith. Goals win games and the lad has a habit of popping up with important goals.

 

[bluegirl]

By the way, maybe I'm in the minority, but I can't believe how many people are leaving Stones out their sides after last season.

I know we need to find the pairing and all that, but surely Stones HAS to play, he's a breath of fresh air.

For me, him and Jagielka work well in the Martinez system as they are more comfortable on the ball, Distin worries me in possession.

 

[Zodiak2]

For me Distin is our best out and out defender though and when he didn't play last year we missed him.