Dan‽;3091355 said:
As I see our team at the moment (assuming Buttner signs)...
GK: Davis
RB: Richardson
CB: Hooiveld
CB: Fonte
LB: Fox
RM: Guly
CM: Cork
CM: Schneiderlin
LM: Lallana
ST: Lambert
ST: Rodriguez
with a second 11 of
GK: Forecast
RB: Butterfield
CB: Seaborne
CB: Stephens
LB: Buttner/Harding
RM: De Ridder
CM: Hammond
CM: Ward-Prowse
LM: Buttner/Puncheon
ST: Sharp
ST: Lee
Shows the areas of importance, to me, are GK, RB, CB, RM and probably CM. Another striker would be too many, definitely.
If, and I'm doubtful they will, but IF the Butland and Davis rumours come off that leaves us with only CB, RB and RM until I'm very confident.
I'd like to see us change our shape in preparation for the new season. We should definately stick with our philosophy of pass and move, keep possesion that's worked so well for us, but I don't think we can do that with the 442 against the better teams.
-------------------Davis----------------
Richardson---Fonte---Hooiveld---Fox
---------Schneiderlin---Cork----------
Rodriguez-------Lallana-----------Lee
-----------------Lambert---------------
With an emphasis on teamwork, possession and defending from the front, I think we can make that work. Moving Lallana into the middle gives him extra license to roam and be creative while Rodriguez and Lee add more pace and directness to the wings. Unlike Lallana, they're less likely to drift and are more likely to be where they should be when we don't have the ball.
2nd 11:
----------------------Johns----------------------
Butterfield---Stephens---Seaborne---Harding
------------Hammond---Ward-Prowse---------
De Ridder-----------Guly------------Puncheon
---------------------Sharp----------------------
That 2nd 11 doesn't inspiire a lot of confidence. The back 5 especially needs seeing to. Good thing we still have July and August to get it done.