I thought Villa was at home and one of our more attacking performances, but could be wrong. I think you need someone like Henry to enable the others to attack with more freedom. I fear we may never agree on this one however, and happy to agree to disagree
From reading comments above, the chosen team (or tactics) for the first game of the season is extremely difficult to predict. I think that the selection in the game tomorrow, being our first real pre-season friendly, will be interesting because CR will be playing the team (or thereabouts) that he is thinking of starting with at the Valley. If he is really thinking about the Valley, I would say that Austin, Fer and Phillips will be on the bench. Even if you take out these three it is still not easy to pick the team. Even the defense is not so obvious, apart from Ned and Caulker. I would go for this, a 4-3-3: Chery Polter Gladwin Diakite Faurlin Luongo Yun Caulker Ned Kpekwa Green This team would beat Charlton about 8-3
I keep reading Yun. For me he's been Nun, under par or bad. Traore isn't brilliant but on a bad day he gives more than Yun at his best and is definitely a better LB for me. I don't want to see Green our No 1 again, time to give McCarthy a go. I'd love to see us 4 3 3, but think we could be ripped apart with that and the same defensively weak players from last season. A 4 2 3 1 with Henry or Sandro plus Ale if he can in the 2, will be required at least for a while I think.
He's not Palaces to loan yet is he? And them having Speroni is likely to keep him on their bench too.
