I would absolutely love Aarons to come through and be even half the player he looked like he was going to be before his injuries (i recall him having a great game against Palace when we still had Pardew as manager!). A lot of time has passed since then though and, similar to Watmore at Sunderland, it's going to be a case of seeing what is left of the player after the issues they've had. I'm not hopeful with either player any more.
Dont get me wrong hes very unlikley to hold the position im just saying today and arsenal i expect the side that started at hibbs to start at home to arsenal ..
If sticking with the 3-5-2 I'd like to see us start St Max up alongside Joel and play Miggy in front of the midfield 2 whoever they maybe. Think Almiron will shine in the more advanced midfield role and be lethal picking up the ball deep and driving on to support the front 2 on the counter and also gives flexibility to go 3-4-3 and get wider if needed in games. His work rate will also be hugely important in the slightly more attacking minded formation and while I like the look of St Max I don't get the impression (and I may be hugely wrong) he is an absolute work horse, up top alongside Joelinton he'd have freedom to float out to either wing and get fullbacks 1-1, whereas Miggy will run himself into the ground centrally, didn't seem afraid of getting stuck in last year and again will have a bit of freedom. ----------Joelinton--St Maximin--------- ------------------Almiron------------------- ----------Longstaff---Hayden----------- Willems-----------------------Manquillo ------Dummett-Lacselles-Schar------ ------------------Dubravka---------------- Still leaves you great depth and flexibility on the bench with players like Fernandez, Lejuene, Ritchie, Yedlin Shelvey, Ki, Aarons, Murphy, Muto, Gayle
I like that selection, but Bruce will play jonjo and i think maximin will be on the bench.. hes gunns get the maverick sucked out of him until eventuslly hes neither good going forward or defensivly ..
Agree this week might be a bit soon for that particular line up as Williems and St Max have player about 30mins for us so far but after 5 games or so I'd like to see that! I think Bruce will have a tough job finding space for all of the midfielders although Hayden use to play RWB for him at Hull so maybe that is another option and personally I'd be happier with Hayden there as opposed to Yedlin and Manquillo?
Nah manquillo has been outstanding since replacing the idiot yedlin last season and hayden with longstaff works very very well.
Shelvey vs arsenals a waste of time because we will see hardly any possesion , so I hope the side you proposed is the side that starts .. @G4rdToonArmy
Manquillo has been doing well since he came in to the squad at the end of last year - solid if not spectacular. Again I think it proves how tough it'll be to get all our best players on the pitch this year. Don't say it to loudly but if we can flog the deadwood this will have been a very productive window for us and the squad looks in good shape, not great, but I do see depth to each position: In no particular order Gk - Dubravka, (Darlow, Turner (U21)) Elliot RWB - Yedlin, (Manquillo) Sterry (loan) LWB - Ritchie, (Willems) Lazaar CB - Schar, Lascelles, Dummett (Lejuene, Fernandez, Clark) CM - Hayden, Longstaff (Ki, Shelvey) Colback, Saviet RW - St Maximin, (Murphy) LW - Almiron, (Aarons, Atsu) CF - Joelinton, (Muto, Gayle) Maybe once those in red are gone you can look at upgrading on the RB, CF and Wingers but I am pretty happy with the squad this season.
We need a holding midfielder though alongside Longstaff. Ki should be given the old spanish archer. The sooner we put Jacob Murphy down the better. He isn't a footballer.
We've been after that Maia for ages. Hell of a signing if it comes off but we'd have to offer serious money. He is doing well at Lille and they are in the CL. I've watched him a fair bit and he is some player. I've said quite a few times if we could secure him or Ascaibar (argentinian at Stuttgart) we'd be well served. Releasing Longstaff to get the best of him is the right thing to do. Maia and Ascaibar are the best two I've watched of that ilk. Very much known about though so we'd face stiff competition for either.
Well he wouldn't have played enough for his liking. Most times I watched Lille he came off the bench. Ascacibar would be well suited to English football. He is a brutal midfielder. My only concern with him is he has all that Argentinian fire. Terrible discipline record.
He wasn't first choice at Lille. I think they'd do well to get 25m. I thought 10-12m because of him not playing.
I on a 'who do we have who should start' based upon last season then work it from there. Dubravka, Schar, Longstaff, Hayden, Ritchie, would be mine. Almiron also but I have serious doubts. It gets difficult then to choose the remaining 5. Even working on the principal that not all the new boys stroll into the first team. It's a tough one. I think we will see proper rotation of players based upon tactical needs. I think the following will be the rotators: Lascelles, Dummett, Muto, Ki, Manquillo, Yeldin, Lejeune, Shelvey. I may have missed someone, but the rest will not get much of a look in, especially as the new boys slip into regular, occasional, or rare categories.
