Starting 11 vs Stoke as it stands

[Stuartisitc1878]

i liked us with 3 at the back and letting Baines and Coleman supply the width. Think Kenny would do well in that role.

 

[DownOnTheUpside]

Except that when Morgan plays, Gana actually plays as a B2B which is why he's pressing at the opponent's corner flag and taking shots from the edge of the box .... just because Gana also has the ability to play CDM doesn't mean he can't (or isn't currently) playing a different role.

If some of you are suggesting that Davies is already a better B2B midfielder than Gana, that's a different story ... but what you're doing is essentially "punishing" Gana for being able to play two different roles and instead trying to pigeon-hole him as a holding midfielder.

Although Lukaku won the POTS award, Gana was in reality the best player in the team last year (spending effectively 2 months away in mid-season was probably the difference). Then, in the first competitive match of the new season, Gana is once again the best player in the team ... and yet without hesitation there are some fans cutting him from their starting lineup before the first EPL game, primarily because he's not as sexy as Schneiderlin, not as youthful (and local) as Davies (and without the flowing golden locks), and not as recently (and expensively) purchased as Klaassen.

It's an interesting phenomenon for mine, and makes me wonder whether those same fans would leave him out of the line-up if his name was Kante? Assume the answer would be no, despite the fact that over their two shared seasons in the league, Gana has statistically outperformed his counterpart.

I'd drop Morgan for Davies

gana is undroppable

 

[DownOnTheUpside]

also why does literally nobody play two strikers anymore? it makes for far less frustration if one can pick up second balls for the other and stops your main goal threat being marked out the game

Rooney and Sandro up front together would be my choice atm

 

[TyphooToffee]

Based on signings and current pre-season showings, what do you think our starting 11 will or should be against Stoke at the beginning of the season?

So far I'm going for:

Pickford
Kenny Keane Williams Baines
Schneiderlin
Gueye-----Klassen
Dowell???-----------------Mirallas
Rooney​

No doubt Sandro will enter the fray and the potential signings of Giroud, Sigurdsson and Barkley's fate could change this of course.

I'd try Holgate instead of Williams

 

[bluestevon]

..I recall @bluestevon challenging the partnership, suggesting Gueye doesn't offer much creativity when he has possession. There's no doubt he has great ability to intercept and pick players pockets but we might at times see a Klaassen/Schneiderlin or a Davies/Schneiderlin axis because it offers a bit more going forward.

It's an interesting discussion.

Take each of them separately then they are both quality players, but i honestly don't think they compliment each other at all

Schneiderlin i believe is best given a box to box role, sitting deep negates him quite a bit, Gueye is best as an energizer bunny who can just press all over the shop, but he is actually pretty crap offensively and atm he is almost in a box to box type role for us (which IMO Schneiderlin is far far superior at)

Ultimately i don't know what the answer is, but right now we are playing Schneiderlin so deep that it negates his creativity (which he ahs a lot of) and playing Gueye further forward when he has zero creativity - all told it renders the centre mid as ineffective.

If we are talking about a combination of a midfield 3, then think Schneiderlin and Klassen/Davies/Sigurdsson would prove far far more effective in the majority of games than the current favoured setup

Oh will give a shout to @davek here - slagged him off - mainly due to fitness etc - but think a Schnedierlin (and fit) McCarthy would prove a better combination than the current one also - with them alternating who sits and who goes

 

[TyphooToffee]

I'd drop Morgan for Davies

gana is undroppable

Agree about Gana but wouldn't drop Schnieds for anyone

 

[chippy1722]

Pickford
Kenny. Keane. Williams. Baines

Gueye. Schneiderlin

Rooney

Sandro. DCL. Mirallas

 

[bluestevon]

Last season I'd have agreed but he looks far more well rounded this summer.

Geuye?

he doesn't mate, he started last season looking similar and then faded quite badly around Jan/ACON

Gueye is a very good player if you can fit him into your system/around the rest of the players, but he has flaws also

 

[bluestevon]

For now, until we get a proper out and out forward/new CB and LB in:


-----------Pickford
Kenny--Jagielka*--Keane--Baines
-----Gueye---Schneiderlin
Davies----Rooney---Mirallas
------------Sandro


That would be fairly solid in defence and very lively in attack.


*yes, Williams is that much of a liability.

Much as a slated Martinez for playing Alcaraz i will do the same if Koeman plays Martina mate. Absolutely inexcusable if until Coleman comes back that Kenny isn't regarded as the number 1 - or at least given the genuine chance of it.

As for Jags starting, GOOD GOD MAN, if your post alone doesn't illustrate the desperate need for another quality centre back in i don't know what does

 

[Tigger]

For now, until we get a proper out and out forward/new CB and LB in:


-----------Pickford
Kenny--Jagielka*--Keane--Baines
-----Gueye---Schneiderlin
Davies----Rooney---Mirallas
------------Sandro


That would be fairly solid in defence and very lively in attack.


*yes, Williams is that much of a liability.

This for me.

 

[Eggs]

Take each of them separately then they are both quality players, but i honestly don't think they compliment each other at all

Schneiderlin i believe is best given a box to box role, sitting deep negates him quite a bit, Gueye is best as an energizer bunny who can just press all over the shop, but he is actually pretty crap offensively and atm he is almost in a box to box type role for us (which IMO Schneiderlin is far far superior at)

Ultimately i don't know what the answer is, but right now we are playing Schneiderlin so deep that it negates his creativity (which he ahs a lot of) and playing Gueye further forward when he has zero creativity - all told it renders the centre mid as ineffective.

If we are talking about a combination of a midfield 3, then think Schneiderlin and Klassen/Davies/Sigurdsson would prove far far more effective in the majority of games than the current favoured setup

Oh will give a shout to @davek here - slagged him off - mainly due to fitness etc - but think a Schnedierlin (and fit) McCarthy would prove a better combination than the current one also - with them alternating who sits and who goes

....if we have true b2b midfielders with all around capability (which I think RK likes), couldn't the shackles be lifted off Schneiderlin a bit? I remember him being interviewed last season and saying he needs to get into the top third more, especially against certain teams.

 

[meagher94]

Pickford, Kenny, Keane, Williams, Baines, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Klaasen, Rooney, Mirallas, Sandro

It's becoming pointless laying it out in a formation because Klaasen, Rooney, Mirallas and Sandro will just end up roaming everywhere and rotating anyway.

 

[Eggs]

Much as a slated Martinez for playing Alcaraz i will do the same if Koeman plays Martina mate. Absolutely inexcusable if until Coleman comes back that Kenny isn't regarded as the number 1 - or at least given the genuine chance of it.

As for Jags starting, GOOD GOD MAN, if your post alone doesn't illustrate the desperate need for another quality centre back in i don't know what does

..I think Pickford has to be a factor in the choice of who plays alongside Keane. The stats suggest Keane is strong in the air and I think it will help Pickford to have another decent header of the ball alongside.

 

[Joey66]

..I think Pickford has to be a factor in the choice of who plays alongside Keane. The stats suggest Keane is strong in the air and I think it will help Pickford to have another decent header of the ball alongside.

I would drop Williams and play snides there as all he did last night was cover for him!

 

[davek]

Much as a slated Martinez for playing Alcaraz i will do the same if Koeman plays Martina mate. Absolutely inexcusable if until Coleman comes back that Kenny isn't regarded as the number 1 - or at least given the genuine chance of it.

As for Jags starting, GOOD GOD MAN, if your post alone doesn't illustrate the desperate need for another quality centre back in i don't know what does

I have to hold my hand up (for the umpteenth time) Williams was one I wanted here. I look at that blundering whale now and wonder how I thought he was the answer to any problem we might have.

Unreal. Needs binning by the ends of the window if possible.