Team V Stoke

Claude Puel has said Ben Chilwell is a doubt and Robert Huth is still out. So here is what I would go with

Schmeichel

Simpson
Morgan
Maguire
Fuchs

Gray
Ndidi
Iborra
Albrighton

Mahrez
Vardy

Subs- Hamer, Dragovic, Amartey, King, Iheanacho, Okazaki, Slimani

 

I think that will be in but personally would have gray and albrighton on the wings with Okasaki in the hole with Mahrez as an impact

 

I’d have the same assuming you mean same system as last week with Albrighton in for Chilwell.

 

Agreed. Stoke isn't the place for Mahrez to start. We wouldn't see him after the first 5 minutes.

 

I'd say the opposite - Stoke is the place you want Mahrez as loking at their results, if you try to blunt force your way through Stoke then they can defend but if you use finesse then they can get mullered.

Would stick Mahrez and Gray on the wings and Okazaki in the middle behind Vardy in a 4231 and keep their defense on the back foot.

 

Stoke is the place not to play your best player?

Puel system from last week allows you to carry luxury player like Mahrez

Mahrez doesnt have to get back as much but full credit to him last week he put a defensive shift in aswell


I would go exactly the same just Albrighton replacing Chilwell

 

Hmmm ... you'd put the guy who in the last 4 games scored the goal that rescued a point against West Brom, scored a beauty against Leeds, made the first against Swansea and put the first on a plate for Vardy against Everton on the bench? ... are you Frank de Boer?

On 'current form' Mahrez should be the first name on the team sheet ...

 

Sometimes wonder what some of the guys watch ... two seasons ago Stoke away 2-0 down ... first goal Mahrez penalty ... second goal Mahrez wins a beautiful header that Vardy runs on to and scores from ...

 

Would play the same as last week, Gray looked better being on the right side and down the centre and Mahrez wont improve his role in the centre is hes in and out of the side.

Albrighton is a fine replacement if Chilwell is out.

 

Got to be the same. Having Gray and Mahrez in gives us a real threat and I really want to see more of Mahrez in the middle. Gray tracks back really well too so doesn’t leave us lacking defensively but gives another threat going forwards

 

Problem is that I just love Okasaki

 

'Best' player is very subjective. I'd play my most effective line-up. Arsenal carry luxury players and they rarely fare well at Stoke. The reason I'd leave Mahrez out is that I don't believe we have a strong enough central pairing in midfield. Even Everton, poor as they are at the moment, gave us problems in that area last week. I don't want to give Stoke the same chance. Okazaki gives us that extra central midfielder who can close opponents down and win the ball back high up the pitch. If we played in a 3-5-2 I'd consider playing Mahrez in the front 2, although it would mean we had wasted £25 million on Iheanacho.

As for Mahrez putting in a defensive shift last week; yes he did for about 20 minutes. In the second half he was as anonymous as most of the rest of the team. At Stoke I think we should be prepared to win ugly.

 

You can have a civil ceremony ...

 

You have a rather blinkered outlook mate - why are you solely putting the blame on Mahrez us losing out in the centre?

Reason we did well in the first 20 odd min was because we played a high line and pressed from the back. When we got our 2 goals, Puel had us sit back more to defend the lead - got me a bit worried tbh as this is what Southampton fans got really techy about.

Hopefully he will realise as you have mentioned that we don't have strength in CM to do that and attack is our best form of defense. Maybe in the future when Silva is eligible and he has brought in some new players we shall play your ugly way as that does seem to be his MO.

 

Team news

Today's starting XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan (c), Maguire, Fuchs, Gray, Ndidi, Iborra, Mahrez, Okazaki, Vardy. #StkLei https://t.co/bKBNLHoHMH

Subs:, Hamer, Dragović, Amartey, King, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Slimani. #StkLei

 

This is the formation I said I'd choose, lets see what I actually know...

 

Had it been another Home game I’d have imagined straight swap with Albrighton for Chilwell. Okazaki is probably the better choice away. Shame it means Mahrez won’t get anothe chance down the middle this week but hopefully having Gray on the other wing will be good as Mahrez has suffered from being singled out by opposition before so at least he and Gray can take the pressure of each other

 

I wondered earlier in the game why we haven’t got someone on the post from corners. Looking at that replay of the equaliser, if we did and they were doing their job that would have got stopped

 

2 points lost imo. We were dominant and a few mins at the end of them hitting it up for Crouch doesn’t change that. We should have been out of sight before they equalised. Iborra going off was a turning point as well. Positives we look much better on the ball and going forwardZ love having Gray and Mahrez on together. Vardy didn’t have his best day in front of goal which could have changed it. Shame Mahrez didn’t play him in in the first half as he did so brilliantly last week. Okazaki unfortunate with the save as well

 

Ihenacho is utter ****e and I don’t want to see him supporting Vardy ever again. His role is if Vardy is injured and that only as far as I am now concerned. Admittedly replacing Okasaki is a difficult task but it was like playing with 10 men