Best team selection and formation now ?

[Top Flight]

Does this all mean that Stam has a plan B? Does he have a plan C and a Plan D as well?

[Hound]

Regarding Swift, I originally wrote him in. Then I also had Evans in and realised I'd listed 9 players so basically the whole team.

Comes down for me fully to the fact Kelly is playing better at the moment, and I don't know what Mutch will offer. To be fair, Swift would more than likely make my 11 as well. I rate him very highly but he has not quite been at his best recently - potentially too many games in a short spell after 6 weeks out

[maffff]

Regardless of whatever, this is an awesome problem to have.

Can't wait to see what Stam has in mind.

[Woodcote Royal]

I think it's obvious what our strongest team is now in light of recent acquisitions. It is the following:

GK: Al Habsi
RB: Gunter (Best RB in the league, no dispute)
LB: Obita
CB: Moore
CB: McShane
CDM: Evans
CM: Williams
CM: Swift
CM: Kelly
CF: Grabban
CF: Kermorgant

No GMac?

+1

Leaving GMac out along with the simply laughable assertion that Gunter is the best right back in the league tells you all you need to show about this being our strongest starting line up.

In fact, one of the main reasons our best starting line up involves 3 centre backs is because Gunter, all to frequently, is a defensive liability as full back but a serious contender for best Championship wing back.

Furthermore, while I'm delighted with the acquisition of our new striker, unless we are desperately searching for a winner/equaliser, why would anyone think that we would sacrifice arguably our best, not to mention very versatile player in GMac,,in order to play 2 up front

There's no doubting that, post window, we have an impressively deep squad with some very good players who will be joining us in the Upper West on match days when the treatment room empties out.


While it is only natural in such times for fans to play the "What is our best team" game, most will realise it is more about having the depth to cover injuries, providing fresh legs when required and having a genuinely game changing bench to call upon when the chips are down.

I can't remember a stronger Championship than the current one and last night's excellent performance by Huddersfield, in a match that was of a higher standard than some I've seen involving bottom half Prem teams, only served to confirm that view.

We are part of a high quality top 7 about to enter the final stages of the battle for the richest prize in football and one of our best transfer windows ever may prove to be what gives us a vital and winning edge.

Japp won't care if he never gets to field what he sees as his strongest team. As we approach a run of 3 games involving Brighton, Huddersfield and Newcastle what he will need is the depth to cover the unexpected along with the vital ability to provided fresh legs through rotation without seriously weakening his line up.

[Hound]

yes think that is true. What we can now do is rotate and rest players - Both Yann and G-Mac have played with injuries recently, as did Blackett and Obita at Cardiff. I reckon the midfield trio would all benefit from a bit of rest as well - Kelly for example has had no experience of playing a run of games like this at this level.

I expect each team in the next few weeks will be partly based on who is in best shape for each game. If that means putting Kelly or Swift or whoever on the bench, it is likely to be as much they are not physically 100% than they are being dropped.

What will be very interesting is in a month or so time when hopefully key players have had a bit of a break and the new boys are up to speed - is what Stam then decides is his best 11

[genome]

Assuming an absolutely 100% fit squad.

Al-Habsi
Gunter, Moore, McShane, Ilori, Obita
Evans, Swift, Kelly
McCleary, Grabban.

[Woodcote Royal]

with not remembering anything about Popa

I agree that he's still an unknown for most fans and that, therefore, no one has put him in their team.

However, those U Tube compilations make him look like Glen Little on steroids and if this proves to be reality, while he still has a pulse, he' ll be either starting or, coming off the bench to terrorise exhausted full backs

[Maneki Neko]

Assuming an absolutely 100% fit squad.

Al-Habsi
Gunter, Moore, McShane, Ilori, Obita
Evans, Swift, Kelly
McCleary, Grabban.

This^

[Woodcote Royal]

Assuming an absolutely 100% fit squad.

Al-Habsi
Gunter, Moore, McShane, Ilori, Obita
Evans, Swift, Kelly
McCleary, Grabban.

This^

+2

The best so far, really like it

[Hound]

That would be my 11 as well if I was to pick now. But we know Ilori is out for the next month, so no real point assuming he is fit.

I think I'd move Evans to the back 5 and bring in Williams, or maybe Mutch depending on if he is any good.

Agree on Popa - he must have something about him to be a regular for Romania. He has been playing regularly in European comps as well. Depends on how well he settles

[winchester_royal]

Assuming an absolutely 100% fit squad.

Al-Habsi
Gunter, Moore, McShane, Ilori, Obita
Evans, Swift, Kelly
McCleary, Grabban.

This^

+2

The best so far, really like it

+3

Reece in for Ilori till he's fit.

[Ian Royal]

Controversially I'd like to see a bit of the new signings in our side before deciding whether any of them should be in our first XI, assuming everyone was fit.

I suspect Grabban should probably be a shoe in though.

[Lower West]

Reckon that Mutch will give Danny a run for his money. Also is a fill in for Quinn.
Oxford was brought in as Llori may be out and miss another 8 games.
Rakels looks increasingly like a non starter this season.

Can see us playing with wingbacks. At some point in the games ahead.

Likely back 5 is Gunter-McShane-Moore-Blackett-Obita

Midfield - Mutch-Swift-Kelly(Williams)

Forwards - GMac-Yann-Graben

[Ian Royal]

Reckon that Mutch will give Danny a run for his money. Also is a fill in for Quinn.
Oxford was brought in as Llori may be out and miss another 8 games.
Rakels looks increasingly like a non starter this season.

Can see us playing with wingbacks. At some point in the games ahead.

Likely back 5 is Gunter-McShane-Moore-Blackett-Obita

Midfield - Mutch-Swift-Kelly(Williams)

Forwards - GMac-Yann-Graben

That would require no goalkeeper. I'm not sure we're that good.

[Lower West]

Reckon that Mutch will give Danny a run for his money. Also is a fill in for Quinn.
Oxford was brought in as Llori may be out and miss another 8 games.
Rakels looks increasingly like a non starter this season.

Can see us playing with wingbacks. At some point in the games ahead.

Likely back 5 is Gunter-McShane-Moore-Blackett-Obita

Midfield - Mutch-Swift-Kelly(Williams)

Forwards - GMac-Yann-Graben

That would require no goalkeeper. I'm not sure we're that good.

[paultheroyal]

Be surprised if Reece Oxford and Lewis Grabban don't start today.

[Jack Celliers]

[color=#FF0000]I can't remember a stronger Championship than the current one and last night's excellent performance by Huddersfield, in a match that was of a higher standard than some I've seen involving bottom half Prem teams, only served to confirm that view.
[/color]
We are part of a high quality top 7 about to enter the final stages of the battle for the richest prize in football and one of our best transfer windows ever may prove to be what gives us a vital and winning edge.

I'm not going to agree completely, mainly because I have seen us pay so badly occasionally, but there is a bit of truth in that. I would rather watch Huddersfield of Sheffield Wednesday as a neutral at the moment than Burnley, Watford Middlesbrough, Hull, etc.

My choice of best team depends on Grabban, really. If he is close to match fit, he gets in:

Al Habsi

Gunter
Obita
Moore
McShane

Williams
Swift
Kelly

Beerens
Grabban
McCleary

[muirinho]

This is hard!!!

Same formation both times, but I've gone for two flavours - more attacking and more defensive.
I've also left out the new signings bar Grabban, as I don't know yet what they can do.



Defensive:

Al Habsi
Gunter, McShane, Moore, Blackett, Obita
McCleary, Evans, Kelly
Grabban, Kermorgant

Offensive:

Al Habsi
McCleary, McShane, Moore, Blackett, Williams
Swift, Kelly, Beerens
Grabban, Kermorgant

[Victor Meldrew]

I think the starting point has to be with Oxford, Mutch and Grabban.
Players at Premier league clubs don't normally move to a Championship club on loan and sit on the bench when they could be sitting on the bench at their parent club.
It will be interesting to see how versatile Oxford is as IIRC he has played as a defensive midfielder and right back as well as centre back for West Ham.
It will also be interesting to see how the team evolves over the coming weeks but I would expect all 3 of these to feature sooner rather than later.

[Victor Meldrew]

[color=#FF0000]I can't remember a stronger Championship than the current one and last night's excellent performance by Huddersfield, in a match that was of a higher standard than some I've seen involving bottom half Prem teams, only served to confirm that view.
[/color]
We are part of a high quality top 7 about to enter the final stages of the battle for the richest prize in football and one of our best transfer windows ever may prove to be what gives us a vital and winning edge.

I'm not going to agree completely, mainly because I have seen us pay so badly occasionally, but there is a bit of truth in that. I would rather watch Huddersfield of Sheffield Wednesday as a neutral at the moment than Burnley, Watford Middlesbrough, Hull, etc.

My choice of best team depends on Grabban, really. If he is close to match fit, he gets in:

Al Habsi

Gunter
Obita
Moore
McShane

Williams
Swift
Kelly

Beerens
Grabban
McCleary

I am with you in not fully agreeing with Woodcote although I do agree with most of what he has posted.
I think that this is a very competitive division this season particularly at the top end with little to choose between any of them although IMHO the first elevens of both Brighton and Newcastle are probably the best with Brighton having the best centre-back pairing and Newcastle having arguably the best midfield.
The reason why I dispute the quality is that this Newcastle side is probably weaker than the one that got relegated and defenders like Clark and Lascelles are way off Premier League standard and remember that Clark was a regular in that terrible Aston Villa defence.

With these new signings I do feel that we have quite a strong squad with weaknesses still in the full-back positions but all clubs have weaknesses so we may continue to get away with it in those areas.
So far Stam has made some quirky selection decisions in the eyes of the fans but they have generally worked so let us hope that his touch of magic carries on well into May.