So with three weeks to go until kick-off, and our squad shaping up nicely, what does everyone think our starting line-up will be on 3rd August? Who would you play, and who would you leave out? Heres what I'm thinking: Formation: 5-2-2-1 GK - Almunia RWB - Anya RCB - Angella CB - Ekstrand LCB - Cassetti LWB - Pudil RCM - Hogg LCM - Abdi RAM - Fabbrini LAM - Forestieri ST - Deeney Subs: Bond, Faroani, Doyley, Murray, Battocchio, McGugan, Acuna The team isn't that much different from the first-choice line-up last season, which is fully intentional, as making too many changes and starting too many players without Championship experience is ill-advised. This exercise has made me realise just how much strength in depth we have - bare in mind that on top of the above players, we still have Hoban and Nosworthy to return, as well as Connor Smith, Uche Ikpeazu, Jaime Romero and Britt Assombalonga all pushing for a place in the squad. Happy days
This really makes me glad that I'm not a manager - just couldn't envisage how to keep all the high standard players we apparently have happy. If GZ can bed them in early, it bodes well for the season....
It will be interesting to see how we set up, but I would prefer we kept the same formation as last season. Otherwise it might mean another bedding-in period for some of the players. I would rather we have players for a formation rather than try to work the formation for the players saying that, does look like he will try and play a front 3, trying to incoorprate Fabbrini into the starting line up. Personally I wouldn't faulter from the players from last season too much; ----------------Almunia------------- ----Cassetti---Angella----Ekstrand---- Faraoni--------------------------Pudil -------------Hogg----Battocchio-------- ------------------Abdi--------------- ----------Fessi--------Deeney-------- I think we need someone to come in for Chalobah though - not sure if McGugan can play this role too I would go with this, but you have plenty of other options to change. Cassetti can play RWB with Doyley just behind. McGugan can come in instead of Abdi. Fabbrini in for Fessi. It's a great problem for Zola to have
I like Anya, and he came into the team and performed extremely well, but he was made to fit the R/LWB role due to injuries. He'd defintiely be on the bench and can inject that pace against a tiring defence or if one wing back isn't working. I guess we will just have to see how Faraoni fits in.... but it's a great option to have Will be interesting to see where Zola sees Murray playing if we keep with the same formation. Behind the attackers? The FF role?
Time will tell if this is a stronger squad than last season. We have lost two influential players in Chalobah and Vydra. The back line is an area of uncertainty, given the injuries to Hoban and Nosworthy, and both Cassetti and Pudil revealed a fragile side at Wembley. The new chaps from Udinese may all have names ending in a vowel (usually a good sign) but are untested in a long campaign with the intensity of the Championship--indeed most of them have not been regulars at previous clubs. Of course it is a good thing that Zola has been able to influence the make -up of the squad from the start this season (and not cope with a load of players sent to him overnight) plus he has a reasonable period to organise them into a team. But.....let us not get carried away. There are some good sides in this division, some experienced managers and ambitious owners. Take nothing for granted. Top 6 at Christmas will be a reasonable goal.
Definitely. We have no proper holding midfielders. Hogg just ins't the type who can get on the ball and link defence to midfield, Hogg is a combative central midfielder. Battocchio is more of a central midfielder who likes to roam. McGugan is an attack minded player who likes to get forward. It will be difficult to replace Chalobah but it's essential we do as we wont be able to play the sort of football Zola wants us to play if we dont. We let in too many goals last season and if we dont bring in a proper defensive holding midfielder then our defence wont get the required protection it needs. I also feel we have too many attacking players for a 3-5-2. We have two wingers in Anya and Murray. Two support strikers in Forestieri and Fabbrini and then four strikers in Deeney, Acuna, Ikpeazu and Britt (although one of the later two will prob go out on loan). It would also mean we would have Faraoni and Anya competing for the RWB position when ideally you'd want both in the team. Basically in a 3-5-2 with the players we have it means Murray and two of our strikers will hardly get any game time. So with that in mind I personally think the following would be ideal:-
Agreed. AND as Mitch says we need to be more solid, too many goals leaked last season. I'd take more 1-0s.
I think ----------------Almunia------------- ----Cassetti------Ekstrand----Doyley Faraoni--------------------------Anya ----------McGugan--Abdi--Battocchio-------- -------------Fessi--------Deeney-------- subs: Bond, Pudil, Angella, Acuna, Fabbrini, Murray, Smith
McGugan was apparently a defensive midfielder up until a couple of seasons ago - when he started banging goals in from 30 yards, Forest moved him up the pitch - so maybe we could deploy him there? Or would that be a waste of his talents?
Yes it would be IMO. Goal scorers need the freedom to get forward etc. Problem is though, Abdi is the first name down on the team sheet and if McGugan is also starting then straight away it means the balance of the midfield is all wrong and our defence gets no protection.
A great problem to have but the answer is simple/obvious one as Abdi is one of the best (if not the best) central midfielder in the Championship. McGugan has never scored as many as 12 league goals in one season like Abdi has, plus Abdi is very consistent too.
