Strongest XI

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CountryRoyal
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Re: Strongest XI

by CountryRoyal » 01 Sep 2015 23:23

If we have to play Hector in some oxf*rd up loan agreement then 3-5-2 :lol:




I'd quite like to see a 4-3-1-2, can see triangles for days in the middle of the park, a really solid midfield with a creative top 3 all playing off each other. If that can't break anyone down then we can always bring on McCleary, Hurtado, John...etc for width. :



In fairness it is such a difficult choice, not least because we have no idea how the players will actually perform. To try and find a way to accommodate the best of our attacking players will be hard enough, let alone trying to strike the right balance between attack and defence. I think the most ideal formation we could play to fit Piazon, Vydra, and our abundance of wingers would be a 4-4-2 diamond, but none of our CMs are defensively good enough to sit in front of and be the sole protection to the back four imo.

For me, Vydra has to play, but he can't play the lone striker role, so 2 up front. Same again with Piazon but it will be a struggle to play him at the same time as our wingers (I know he has played on the left but he's best as a 10 its that simple), and how can we have one of the best players at the club, GMac, sitting on the bench? Not to mention having signed 2 wingers this window.

It genuinely is a very difficult dilemma :shock: One thing is for certain is that its going to take some time for the players to bed themselves, the squad to adjust, and SC to figure out his best team so just be prepared.

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Re: Strongest XI

by jellytot » 02 Sep 2015 07:33

Interesting. I have always liked 3 centre backs, but that is something we do not see much these days. The new additions give us cover. Williams, GM and others have all had their injuries in the past. It will also push those on in the starting 11 to really put a shift in. If they don't the subs could steal their starting place.

In anycase we have plenty of goals in the team now and flexibility to keep opponents guessing. I think most of the new boys will be introduced slowly.

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Re: Strongest XI

by royalp-we » 02 Sep 2015 08:07

RoyallyFcuked I would go with 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-2-1-2/ a variation on 4-4-2 but with a midfield diamond

-------------------Bond-------------------
Gunter-Ferdinand-McShane-Obita
-----Williams---------Quinn/Alex-------
Hurtado------Piazon---------McCleary
-----------Vydra/Orlando---------------

OR

--------------------Bond----------------------
Gunter-Ferdinand-McShane-Obita
-------------Williams/Quinn---------------
Hurtado-------------------------McCleary
-------------------Piazon----------------------
-------Orlando-----------Vydra---------

Difficult to decide for sure who would play and how as there's lots of options but surely that is a good thing and something we haven't had the luxury of for quite some time.


+1

The problem Clarke will need to overcome is figuring out how not to disturb the 'core' of the team; which has served us well in the games to date. Leave the back 4 as a 4 and the CM as a 2 or 3 please Clarke.

A flat 4-4-2 initially, to get the new heads familiar with the players around them.

Looking forward I would imagine Clarke may adopt the Chelsea (Man Utd/nearly all European sides) having a 4-2-3-1 style. The players he has signed who can play right across the forward line certainly suggests this.

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Re: Strongest XI

by Elm Park Kid » 02 Sep 2015 08:40

Slight adaptation of the above

---------------------------Bond----------------------
Gunter----Ferdinand---McShane----Obita
-------------Williams--------Hector---------------
McCleary----------Piazon------------Hurtado/HRK
------------------------Vydra--------------------------------

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Re: Strongest XI

by gazzer, loyal royal » 02 Sep 2015 08:58

Surely our strongest xi is the team that started against Brentford. Anyone wanting a staring berth will have to be better than that which is only a good thing


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Re: Strongest XI

by 3points » 02 Sep 2015 08:58

Elm Park Kid Slight adaptation of the above

---------------------------Bond----------------------
Gunter----Ferdinand---McShane----Obita
-------------Williams--------Hector---------------
McCleary----------Piazon------------Hurtado/HRK
------------------------Vydra--------------------------------

That's tough on Quinn; expect it will be between Quinn and Norwood for the second deeper midfield holding role rather than Big Hec. Tish plays when Williams will (inevitably) get suspended.

When chasing games, we'll go 4-4-2 with Sa coming on for one of the deeper midfielders

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Re: Strongest XI

by Rollerbob » 02 Sep 2015 09:46

Against anyone 15th or below, it has to be:

---------------------------Bond----------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
------Williams----Fernandez----Quinn------
McCleary------------John-------------Hurtado
------------Piazon----------Blackman-----------
-----------------Vydra----Olando----------------

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Re: Strongest XI

by savage 4 england » 02 Sep 2015 09:51

Home:

Bond

Gunter McShane Ferdinand Obita

Williams Quinn

McCleary Piazon Vydra

Sa

Bench: Al Habsi, Hector, Taylor, Norwood, Hurtado, Blackman, John

Away:

Bond

Gunter McShane Ferdinand Obita

Williams Norwood Quinn

McCleary Sa Vydra

Bench: Al Habsi, Hector, Taylor, Tshibola, John, Piazon, Blackman

Spells the end for HRK I think.

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Re: Strongest XI

by Maguire » 02 Sep 2015 10:46

SCIAG
Maguire No idea as I've not seen half of them play but I don't understand everyone complaining that we have too *many* players.

I mean, what?

The last thing we want is a load of players who are unhappy that they aren't getting their opportunity. We also don't want to be spending money on wages for players who aren't going to be playing - couldn't we spend that money on cutting ticket prices?

Another angle: Stacey and Fosu must have been optimistic that this could be a breakthrough season for them, now they're probably 7th and 8th choices. If they're blocked by bang average players then we don't get the most out of them.


No, the last thing we want is not having enough players and being forced to play youngsters eg. Samuel v Sunderland in the PL.

And why turn down signing decent players just because poor old Fosu and Stacey want a game? If they were good enough they'd get in.


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Re: Strongest XI

by tidus_mi2 » 02 Sep 2015 11:00

gazzer, loyal royal Surely our strongest xi is the team that started against Brentford. Anyone wanting a staring berth will have to be better than that which is only a good thing

I'd disagree on that point, I get sticking with a winning side but the 2 week international break will kill any momentum that could have been built from an unchanged side, I'll trust in Clarke to assess his team and play the strongest XI available to him.

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Re: Strongest XI

by Ouroboros » 02 Sep 2015 11:27

gazzer, loyal royal Surely our strongest xi is the team that started against Brentford.


It must have slipped your mind that this team had Hal Robson-Kanu in it.

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Re: Strongest XI

by maffff » 02 Sep 2015 11:48

Libertine This strikes me a s a stronger, and deeper, squad than what we had the last time we were in the PL! :shock:


What a time to be alive!

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Re: Strongest XI

by LWJ » 02 Sep 2015 11:48

Ouroboros
gazzer, loyal royal Surely our strongest xi is the team that started against Brentford.


It must have slipped your mind that this team had Hal Robson-Kanu in it.

Kanu who has set up 2 in 2 games.

Had a good game against Brentford 1st half but had an injury so went off at HT


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Re: Strongest XI

by loyalroyal4life » 02 Sep 2015 12:12

sandman
leicsRoyal Has Jose leant us Hector back and said 'Can you find a nice place on the bench for him all season?'


This is the worry, they have something written in that forces us to play him and break up the McShane-Ferdinand partnership.



You would like to think it is the other way round and he was sold for £4m on basis we kept him this year

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CountryRoyal
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Re: Strongest XI

by CountryRoyal » 02 Sep 2015 12:33

Dave-Royal -------------------Bond-------------------
Gunter-Ferdinand-McShane-Obita
-----Williams--------Quinn -----
Hurtado------Piazon---------McCleary
-----------Vydra ------------- Sa



Shame we're only allowed to play with 11.

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Re: Strongest XI

by SCIAG » 02 Sep 2015 13:05

Maguire And why turn down signing decent players just because poor old Fosu and Stacey want a game? If they were good enough they'd get in.

This sounds solid, but it really isn't. Look at Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Kevin De Bruyne, Danny Welbeck, Juan Mata. Closer to home, Simon Cox, Michail Antonio, Charlie Austin.

If Chelsea had played Matic rather than signed Ramires, they'd have got a better player and saved £50m on two signings. If they'd played De Bruyne instead of signing Schlurre and Willian, they would have saved £100m that they've spent on right wingers over the last two years (OK, they made about £40m of that back on the sales of De Bruyne and Schurrle), and ended up with a £55m right winger. If United had kept Pogba they wouldn't be being quoted £70m to re-sign him. If Madrid had kept Mata and encouraged his development, they wouldn't have had to spend £85m or whatever on Bale (not to mention Van Der Vaart, Kaka, Di Maria, and Drenthe).

Cox, Antonio, and particularly Austin have all shown that they are good enough to play in the Championship or even higher. Considering the competition for places, we were right to sell at least the first two, but the point remains that they're now good enough, and didn't get in.

Maybe playing Stacey 30 times this season would get us 10 extra points and lead to someone giving us £8m for him (it's not like there's no precedent)? But nope, we're gonna sign three new expensive wingers and leave him further from the first team than he's been since turning pro. What's the point in spending millions on a youth system if we're not prepared to let talented 19 year olds come off the bench?

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Re: Strongest XI

by NewCorkSeth » 02 Sep 2015 16:38

NewCorkSeth ----------------------Bond-------------------
Gunter-Ferdinand-McShane-Obita
-------------Williams---Norwood--------
McCleary-------------------------Hurtado
-----------------Sa--------Vydra-------------

Al-Handsi
Hector
Taylor
Quinn
Piazon
John
Blackman

Still think we should go for a 4-4-2 but would be interesting to play
--------------------Bond--------------------
Gunter-McShane-Ferdinand-Obita
-----------Williams---Norwood---------
McCleary------Piazon-------Hurtado
--------------------Vydra--------------------
With
Al-Habsi
Taylor
Hector
Quinn
John
Blackman
Sa
On the bench. Great options for however the game is going.

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Re: Strongest XI

by Hoop Blah » 02 Sep 2015 16:47

The good thing is that, with all this transfer activity, we don't necessarily have a strongest starting 11. That's good because it means there is genuine cover and competition and, perhaps more importantly, the flexibility within the squad to play different formations without square pegs in round holes.

To have a stab at it, I think the strongest XI could be

-------------------------Bond------------------------
Gunter----Ferdinand---McShane----Obita
-------------Williams--------Quinn---------------
McCleary----------Piazon------------Hurtado
------------------------Vydra--------------------------

With their backups being, bearing in mind I'm guessing a lot on the new forward players of course

------------------------Al Habsie---------------------
Keown------Hector------Cooper-------Taylor
-------------Tshibola------Norwood--------------
Fosu----------------Fernandez---------------John
-------------------------- Sa---------------------------

I think it'll be interesting what happens with Hector now. I can't remember if I posted something about his situation being similar to Pogrebnyak or McCarthy's before he left or not, but Ady Williams mentioned how he felt he might've been left out of the side because he was likely to be leaving. Now we have him for the rest of the season he may stand more chance of breaking up the centre back pairing (they've done well so I'm not sure that theory is correct).

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Re: Strongest XI

by genome » 02 Sep 2015 16:48



Bring on Ipswich

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Re: Strongest XI

by Pepe the Horseman » 02 Sep 2015 17:04

genome

Bring on Ipswich

No Gunter?

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