Our style of play

[baitman]

we will be more powerful going forward and more solid defensively.

we still wait for an new attacker or versatile attacking midfielder, and maybe another centre back and a goalkeeper.

oxlade is going to be out long term otherwise he would fill the right sided midfield slot.

the deep midfielder is likely to remain hendersons role, but he could swap with fabinho if we get someone sensational to fill the right hand side.

our line up will be something like;

mane . . firmino . . . salah

. . keita . . . . fabinho

. . . . henderson . . . .

robertson . VVD . . lovren . . TAA

. . . . . . karius/new


mane firmino salah
keita hendo fabinho
robbo vvd lovren taa
karius/omg

mane . . firmino . . salah
. . . . . . keita
. . hendo . . . fabinho
robbo . vvd . lovren . taa
. . . . . . karius

[Irishnev]

we will be more powerful going forward and more solid defensively.

we still wait for an new attacker or versatile attacking midfielder, and maybe another centre back and a goalkeeper.

oxlade is going to be out long term otherwise he would fill the right sided midfield slot.

the deep midfielder is likely to remain hendersons role, but he could swap with fabinho if we get someone sensational to fill the right hand side.

our line up will be something like;

mane . . firmino . . . salah

. .fekir
. . . . keita

. . . . fabinho. . . .

robertson . VVD . . lovren . . TAA

. . . . . . karius/new


mane firmino salah
keita hendo fabinho
robbo vvd lovren taa
karius/omg

mane . . firmino . . salah
. . . . . . keita
. . hendo . . . fabinho
robbo . vvd . lovren . taa
. . . . . . karius

I genuinely think this will be our strongest team next year - have myself convinced we are signing Fekir

[baitman]

I genuinely think this will be our strongest team next year - have myself convinced we are signing Fekir

when i did the team plan diagrams i had fekir in there and i was reluctant to change it.
i could see the grief it would cause

anyway... this would be the bollocks.


. . .mane . . firmino . . salah

. . . . keita . . . . fekir ?

. . . . . . . . fabinho

robertson . VVD . . lovren . . TAA

. . . . . . . karius/new

[Paul12]

I think next season we are going to need to be good enough that for 75% or so of league games we can play at least one of the younger players from the off. We need to blood these kids, loans just don't seem to work, and when we do a big rotate we put 3 points at risk so 10 plus a Brewster, a Solanke, a Woodburn, a Wilson etc ought to be how we are thinking about it. The best chance for them to succeed is to play them in a good team, not all together and then complain when "they should have risen to the challenge".

[baitman]

I think next season we are going to need to be good enough that for 75% or so of league games we can play at least one of the younger players from the off. We need to blood these kids, loans just don't seem to work, and when we do a big rotate we put 3 points at risk so 10 plus a Brewster, a Solanke, a Woodburn, a Wilson etc ought to be how we are thinking about it. The best chance for them to succeed is to play them in a good team, not all together and then complain when "they should have risen to the challenge".

that would be the ideal situation, but i think these lads will get their chances in substitute appearances and earn a start after a couple of real stand out displays.

[Doc_Piptorious]

when i did the team plan diagrams i had fekir in there and i was reluctant to change it.
i could see the grief it would cause

anyway... this would be the bollocks.


. . .mane . . firmino . . salah

. . . . keita . . . . fekir

. . . . . . . . fabinho

robertson . VVD . . Koulibaly . . TAA

. . . . . . . Alisson

Chucked in a few changes, and there is our title shot



Although might favour a fully match fit Clyne for RB ....maybe

[Exiled_red]

I think next season we are going to need to be good enough that for 75% or so of league games we can play at least one of the younger players from the off. We need to blood these kids, loans just don't seem to work, and when we do a big rotate we put 3 points at risk so 10 plus a Brewster, a Solanke, a Woodburn, a Wilson etc ought to be how we are thinking about it. The best chance for them to succeed is to play them in a good team, not all together and then complain when "they should have risen to the challenge".

The concern is that they all play in similar positions so they are likely to be taking minutes off one another. Brewster and Solanke are in direct competition. The other two not direct competition but cup games or injury crisis aside I don't see two of those four being in the same side. I think at least one (probably one of Solanke or Brewster) needs to go out on loan. Perhaps Woodburn as well would benefit from the experience given his age. For me Wilson's form out on loan has earned him a shot

[Assassin]

when i did the team plan diagrams i had fekir in there and i was reluctant to change it.
i could see the grief it would cause

anyway... this would be the bollocks.


. . .mane . . firmino . . salah

. . . . keita . . . . fekir ?

. . . . . . . . fabinho

robertson . VVD . . lovren . . TAA

. . . . . . . karius/new

.......or it could be complete bollocks

[Exiled_red]

Chucked in a few changes, and there is our title shot



Although might favour a fully match fit Clyne for RB ....maybe

I was thinking about this when looking at people's lineups earlier, do we think TAA is now first choice right back even when Clyne is fit?

For me it's a close one and I could imagine us swapping between the two like TAA and Gomez did last season

[Doc_Piptorious]

I was thinking about this when looking at people's lineups earlier, do we think TAA is now first choice right back even when Clyne is fit?

For me it's a close one and I could imagine us swapping between the two like TAA and Gomez did last season

I think a lot depends on how much TAA develops from all that extra playing time last season. If he goes up a level and adds consistency to his play then he might be able to make the position his, but Clyne is a very underrated full back at times and is as reliable as Finnan was at RB and offers at least the same level of quality as Finnan.


Will speak volumes about how far TAA has come if he can take the RB slot from a fully fit Clyne.


I also wonder could we see TAA getting used as cover for RM or even used in an advanced CM role a la how Chamberlain was used at times last season. Would be a way to have cover for a few players when tey need a break and also a way to ensure TAA is getting regular game time.

[Exiled_red]

I have said that I could see TAA moving further forward into midfield but given we've made a couple odays signings in there albeit we have lost Can. I think it will be more difficult to break into those positions this coming season than the one just gone

[baitman]

Clyne might be more astute positionally but taa has the pace and has done really well against some top opposition.
Its good that we have quality back up and im happy for either to play.
We all felt that clyne lacked something in his attacking game but maybe he was just too reluctant to commit going forward as he knew how **** we were at the back, but now we have added the VVD colossus he can relax and play a more expansive full back/winger role like taa does.

[labourRed]

TAA for me but I'd love it if Clyne came back to his best to compete. That isn't anywhere near where TAA will be in a year or two though.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I have said that I could see TAA moving further forward into midfield but given we've made a couple odays signings in there albeit we have lost Can. I think it will be more difficult to break into those positions this coming season than the one just gone

With Chamberlain out long term, TAA could become one of the guys who could be used as a sub for the role Chamberlain used to do.

Do not see him as being able to oust our two new purchases for the centre but he would be another option if we needed a quick mobile talented player to be cover or for lesser cup games in the role.

RW/RM is another spot he could be handy cover for.

[Tatterdemalion]

I have said that I could see TAA moving further forward into midfield but given we've made a couple odays signings in there albeit we have lost Can. I think it will be more difficult to break into those positions this coming season than the one just gone

I see his best position in midfield. I'm not worried about it - if he's talented enough it will happen, if he's not it won't. Either way we will have a decent midfield because the lad has talent alright.