Assuming Jose and Adam are out which 11 should we start with? Have to bring Gaston back but who plays at the back and up top?
Hooiveld or Astori (assuming he signs) in for Fonte, Clyne in for Davis (Cork back in CM), Rickie in for Rodriguez and Gaston in for JWP.
----------------------Casillas------------------------- Ramos-------Kompany---------Piqué----------Lahm ------------Yaya Toure-------------Busquets-------- Xavi----------------------Messi------------Iniesta--- ----------------------Ibrahimovic--------------------- If Nicola gets his arse in gear he should be able to sort that lot out in time for the Villa match.
Ronaldo wouldn't fit in with Nigel's "together as one" philosophy, and Falcao is below Imbrahimovic in the top 100, which the sharp-eyed among you may have spotted was an influence in my selection. Certainly Nicola could pick them up by the end of the window, but they aren't a priority for the Villa game.
I was tempted to say yesterday that Villa's team, including their bench, was actually better than their usual PL team.
-------------------Boruc Clyne-----Yoshida-----Hooiveld-----Shaw -----------Morgan-----Cork -----------------Ramirez Puncheon----------------------Rodriguez -----------------Lambert
If Ramirez/Clyne are fit they'll play. Expect Hooiveld in for Fonte, and perhaps Lambert in for Rodriguez.
--------------------Boruc clyne hooiveld or new cb yoshida shaw -------------morgan-----cork ---puncheon-------ramirez----guly ------------------- lambert subs: Davis ? Ward prowse davis mayuka rodriguez
I think Rodriguez has done enough to have this one, even if it is on the wing. He took his goal really well and looked threatening.
Adkins must think that Cork, being a better all round player, is a better RB. Don't know about yesterday, but he looked good against Arsenal.
I am not sure he was really tested defensively against Arsenal until Gervinho came on, and then, well it's Gervinho! If Clyne is not fit I think we have to pick Richardson assuming he is fit! The team selection for the trip to Villa depends how positive we want to be. I suspect the team will be: Boruc, Clyne, Shaw, Hooiveld, Yoshida, Cork, Schneiderlin, Davis, Ramirez, Puncheon and Lambert. I think Steven Davis has been very good the last few games.