Zola decided to change things and it worked, but if everyone was injury free, what would the starting 11 be (inc subs and formation)?
I would like to think there is no such best thing as 'a best starting 11 of formation' and this can be determined by a number of factors, such as opposition, conditions, fitness, mentality, confidence etc. Best people to determine this are the coaching staff who are with the players all week!
Too hard to say.... but I'll try anyway. GK-Almunia DR- Casetti DC- Ekstrand DC- Hall DL- Pudil MC- Abdi MC- Hogg MC- Battocchio RW- Vydra ST- Deeney LW- Forestieri
please log in to view this image [/IMG] Went for Hodson over Cassetti as IMO the latter is too slow and not fit enough to be a wing back. The wing backs need to be the fittest players in the side as they are constantly up and down the flanks. Also, Ive always seen little Lee as a wing back anyway, reckon he would do better in that role as opposed to full-back, whereas I think Casseti would be the better option as a full-back in a 4 man defence. I know Ekstrand is yet to play but he's older and more experienced than both Hoban and Thompson and Nosworthy simply must not play as his first touch is poor and his passing/distribution is quite frankly shocking. Anyway, that team, with all the above match fit and with players such as Forresteri and Geijo on the bench is good enough to take us up IMO.
While echoing French in that there are a lot of players that we haven't seen the best of yet, and making the point that I'm reluctant to see us playing the worst possible system for Lloyd Doyley, my formation and team would be similar to Mitch's. I'd have Hoban instead of Neuton though (I'm not writing his Watford career off, but the language issue is a much bigger deal in defence than further up the pitch), and definitely Hogg ahead of Buaben. Slips aside, Forestieri has to be considered a contender for a place too.
I maintain that we as supporters know a lot less than GZ and even he doesn't know his best 11 yet. He's still getting used to the players we had already let alone all the loanees that have invaded our shores. By Christmas he will have worked things out and we will start to see a much more consistant team and performance over the latter half of the season. Also if my predictions are right, and i'm going to stick my neck out here, i think we will then be making a major push for a play-off place. If we did make the play-offs and actually managed to get promoted, what would happen then? About half our squad would likely go back to their parent club and the Pozzos would have to pull their fingers out to get us the players we need to keep us up. Then by the time they've learnt to play together again we would be rock bottom and struggling. Sorry, i seem to have gone off on a tangent. My answer is not a clue, but some of the signings are looking very promising. Lets hope that some we haven't seen much of yet come good too and we will be a strong team/squad in an unpredictable league.
I have a feeling that if we do get promoted, the Pozzos will let us keep some of the loan players, they would only go out on loan again anyway, so why not. Players like Forestieri, Abdi, Vydra and Casetti who have all featured consistently.
Here my guess GK- Almunia RWB- Hodson LWB- Pudil CB- Hall CB- Ekstrand CB- Hoban CM- Eustace CM-Abdi CM- Murray ST- Vydra ST- Deeney I think Zola will favour the 3-5-2 formation in the long term as it favours a short passing game as you only really have two wide players in the whole team so wont cross the ball as much. Deeney and Vydra aern't exactly target men so they would suit a 3-5-2 as well. I agree with Mitch in that Hodson should be our first choice RWB, the boy has plenty of energy and is quite a good attacking full-back, so will favour that position.
I am also shocked that no one has mentioned Eustace in their first choice starting XI's. We need a defensive anchor in midfield, and in my opinion, at least for this season, Eustace would be better in that role rather than Hogg, and it would allow Abdi and Murray to support the front two. When Assombalonga comes back I would like him to start up front, as long as he keeps his brilliant form up at Southend. But we are talking from a fan's perspective. I'm sure Zola and the Pozzi's will see differently.
If your going with 3 centre halfs then it's important that one of them is left footed. Neuton is left footed whereas all the others are right footed (unless you count Dickinson but lets not go there eh!)
