First team for Europa League?

marty mcfly · February 27, 2015

Based on form and experience I think this is our first team and the one that should play every game of the Europa league.

Lukaku
Naismith Mirallas
Gibson
Barry McCarthy
Baines Jags Stones Coleman
Howard

However I would like to see Barkley (Gibson/Barry), Besic (Gibson,McCarthy) Oviedo (Naismith), Garbutt(Baines), Kone (Lukaku), Lennon (Mirallas) and Joel (Howard) used a lot in the league to keep our first team injury free as much as possible. The Europa League final at the end of the season will be played at a time when our opponents if we make it will probably have had a long season challenging for a victory or CL places in their leagues.

Not only should we use our poor league season to our advantage but it would also give plenty of players game time without upsetting team morale.

However does anyone disagree that would be our first 11?

ElGato · February 27, 2015

Adversus said:
Based on form and experience I think this is our first team and the one that should play every game of the Europa league.

Lukaku
Naismith Mirallas
Gibson
Barry McCarthy
Baines Jags Stones Coleman
Howard

However I would like to see Barkley (Gibson/Barry), Besic (Gibson,McCarthy) Oviedo (Naismith), Garbutt(Baines), Kone (Lukaku), Lennon (Mirallas) and Joel (Howard) used a lot in the league to keep our first team injury free as much as possible. The Europa League final at the end of the season will be played at a time when our opponents if we make it will probably have had a long season challenging for a victory or CL places in their leagues.

Not only should we use our poor league season to our advantage but it would also give plenty of players game time without upsetting team morale.

However does anyone disagree that would be our first 11?

Seems bang on, but not 3 holding midfielders... I think Ross would step up in Europe so chuck him instead of gar bar, get gibbo to drop back a bit and have ross kev and nais dead fluid behind Rom. Kushty

neil999 · February 27, 2015

if that team plays sunday and we lose, will the team then change?

marty mcfly · February 27, 2015

ElGato said:
Seems bang on, but not 3 holding midfielders... I think Ross would step up in Europe so chuck him instead of gar bar, get gibbo to drop back a bit and have ross kev and nais dead fluid behind Rom. Kushty

Too much of a gamble that "he will step up". Gibson has shown more in the one and half games than Ross has shown all season of his ability to play that position.

If he plays his way in through merit then fair enough but Europa is too important to risk on a player maybe turning up.

Plus it makes sense tactically to play Gibson who is a bit of a proper CM who can do both the defending and attacking rather than a AM or even another DM.

Bert1985 · February 27, 2015

ElGato said:
Seems bang on, but not 3 holding midfielders... I think Ross would step up in Europe so chuck him instead of gar bar, get gibbo to drop back a bit and have ross kev and nais dead fluid behind Rom. Kushty

That's the thing though, they are not fluid are they? It's so unbalanced when he plays RB & SN together in the 3 behind the forward.

ElGato · February 27, 2015

Adversus said:
Too much of a gamble that "he will step up". Gibson has shown more in the one and half games than Ross has shown all season of his ability to play that position.

If he plays his way in through merit then fair enough but Europa is too important to risk on a player maybe turning up.

Plus it makes sense tactically to play Gibson who is a bit of a proper CM who can do both the defending and attacking rather than a AM or even another DM.

I disagree... to an extent. I thought Ross ran the show away at Bern. And i get the feeling that he fancies Europe, just a gut feeling though. As for Gibson showing that he's less of a gamble than Ross in one and a half games... I'm not so sure. However his passing is umpteen times more incisive than Barry's, and he gets the nod ahead of ga ba for me.

Bert1985 said:
That's the thing though, they are not fluid are they? It's so unbalanced when he plays RB & SN together in the 3 behind the forward.

I agree that they're not fluid, but I think in part due to lack of any service wide/into feet/behind opposition back 4. Gibson brings that to us and, in asking the opposition defence to think about the through ball or one over the top- a lot more space is created for Naismith, Mirallas and Barkley.

Saint Domingo · February 27, 2015

As much as I'm all about winning the Europa, we have to ensure we stay in the prem as well. We're one injury to Stones, McCarthy or Lukaku away from having a very serious relegation battle on our hands.

EvertonRhys · February 27, 2015

Adversus said:
Based on form and experience I think this is our first team and the one that should play every game of the Europa league.

Lukaku
Naismith Mirallas
Gibson
Barry McCarthy
Baines Jags Stones Coleman
Howard

However I would like to see Barkley (Gibson/Barry), Besic (Gibson,McCarthy) Oviedo (Naismith), Garbutt(Baines), Kone (Lukaku), Lennon (Mirallas) and Joel (Howard) used a lot in the league to keep our first team injury free as much as possible. The Europa League final at the end of the season will be played at a time when our opponents if we make it will probably have had a long season challenging for a victory or CL places in their leagues.

Not only should we use our poor league season to our advantage but it would also give plenty of players game time without upsetting team morale.

However does anyone disagree that would be our first 11?

Agree pretty much everywhere there, but maybe put Besic in instead of Barry, although saying that I'm guessing he'll get a suspension in the Europa somewhere along the line, most likely second leg of Dinamo Kiev. Also would prefer Robles over Howard but there's not a cat in hell's chance RM will do that. Agree though that we may as well use our poor league form to our advantage- get the points we need in the league and go all out for Europa now. The games vs Wolfsburg and Young Boys have been the only matches I've actually been happy about this season. Thanks in part to the fact we've been able to be counter-attacking and punish European teams on the break because they don't know our system like other English teams.

PeterPrinciple · February 27, 2015

Saint Domingo said:
As much as I'm all about winning the Europa, we have to ensure we stay in the prem as well. We're one injury to Stones, McCarthy or Lukaku away from having a very serious relegation battle on our hands.

With the emergence of Besic and the ressurection of Gibbo, we can sustain an injury to McCarthy I believe. If we get quality keeping (which I am pessimistic on) we could even sustain the loss of Stones. Kone is no substitute for Lukaku, but maybe something could be put together if we lost him. Not much a team not owned my a sheikh can do if their 28m striker goes down

Saint Domingo · February 27, 2015

PeterPrinciple said:
With the emergence of Besic and the ressurection of Gibbo, we can sustain an injury to McCarthy I believe. If we get quality keeping (which I am pessimistic on) we could even sustain the loss of Stones. Kone is no substitute for Lukaku, but maybe something could be put together if we lost him. Not much a team not owned my a sheikh can do if their 28m striker goes down

That's true but usually the 28 million striker has got you in a decent league position by that point We're barely scoring in the league as it is. If Lukaku goes, or god forbid Stones did we could potentially see the unholy double act of Howard and Distin back again with no goals in the team. ideal relegation formula. If Gibbo can stay fit though we should be alright. Stupid that we're even having this discussion though given this squad.

sageyefc · February 27, 2015

Play strongest team available each game, gotta only focus on the next game instead of thinking down the line

ijjysmith · February 27, 2015

sageyefc said:
Play strongest team available each game, gotta only focus on the next game instead of thinking down the line

This.

It's so very simple.

WA Toffee · February 27, 2015

Saint Domingo said:
As much as I'm all about winning the Europa, we have to ensure we stay in the prem as well. We're one injury to Stones, McCarthy or Lukaku away from having a very serious relegation battle on our hands.

No. Just, no.
I really wish people would stop saying we are going to be relegated. It is not going to happen.

FTY · February 27, 2015

Gibson

PeterPrinciple · February 27, 2015

Saint Domingo said:
That's true but usually the 28 million striker has got you in a decent league position by that point We're barely scoring in the league as it is. If Lukaku goes, or god forbid Stones did we could potentially see the unholy double act of Howard and Distin back again with no goals in the team. ideal relegation formula. If Gibbo can stay fit though we should be alright. Stupid that we're even having this discussion though given this squad.

Too much talent on this squad to be having discussion agreed, though CB does seem to be lacking despite being very solid at the top.