Steve McClaren

[BONTEMPI]

                                Krul

 

Janmaat            New            New  Haidara

 

                Sissoko            Wijnaldum 

 

Perez                    De Jong                Aarons

 

                        Mitrovic/Cisse

 

Hopefully we get more options.

[Nobody]

                        Krul

Janmaat Coloccini Dummett Haidara

            Abeid      Wijnaldum

Ayoze          De Jong      Aarons

                  Mitrovic

 

 

Like I've said, I don't think Sissoko will still be here, and even if he is, I don't think I'd find a place for him in our starting XI. He would be competition for Wijnaldum and one of the front three midfield positions. Looking promising on Mbemba, so he comes in instead of Coloccini if we get him in. Leaves us a bench of: Darlow, Coloccini (Taylor), Anita, Cabella, Marveaux, Cissé.

[Guest palnese]

Sissoko will start every game he's fit, imo.

[midds]

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Colback move to LB to shoehorn others into CM. Colback will start every game though, of that I'm almost certain.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Sissoko will start every game he's fit, imo.

 

I agree that he will, but if he's going to not be playing on the wing i'd rather he didn't tbh.

[afar]

Since it looks like we are doing our 11's, based on current squad mine is:

 

                                Krul

 

Janmaat        Taylor    Laschelles    Haidara

 

                      Abeid    Wijanldum

 

              Sissoko                                Aarons

 

                                  De Jong

 

                                  Mitrovic

 

Bench:

 

Darlow

Dummett

Colo

Colback

Cabella

Perez

Cisse

 

I think Sissoko is difficult to place, if we assume De Jong is an automatic, perhaps they are both fighting over one position. I'm not convinced about playing Perez on the right we need a RW and 2 CBs desperately, then Mclaren will have a few tough decisions to make. But we also need to clear out a lot of dead wood too.

 

[Dave]

Ignoring the fact I know nothing about the new players, I'd currently chuck the following players out there in some sort of order.

 

Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Dummett, Haidara, Perez, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, De Jong, Cisse, Mitrovic.

[lovejoy]

Ignoring the fact I know nothing about the new players, I'd currently chuck the following players out there in some sort of order.

 

Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Dummett, Haidara, Perez, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, De Jong, Cisse, Mitrovic.

 

Agreed

[Scottish Mag]

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Colback move to LB to shoehorn others into CM. Colback will start every game though, of that I'm almost certain.

 

I though Anita would end up back there when all the CMs are fit.  He played there quite a bit for Ajax I think?

[Optimistic Nut]

I'd like to see Aarons rather than Cisse. Mitrovic up front, Aarons left-wing, Ayoze sort of with a free role starting from the right (lack of a right-winger accommodated by the fact we have Janmaat), De Jong more central playing off Mitrovic, and Wijnaldum & Sissoko as the two in the middle.

[Dave]

Need as many proven goalscorers in the team as possible IMO.

[Optimistic Nut]

I could see Mitrovic struggling to form a partnership with someone whose all round game isn't the best. 

[Sho Time]

I'd like to see Aarons rather than Cisse. Mitrovic up front, Aarons left-wing, Ayoze sort of with a free role starting from the right (lack of a right-winger accommodated by the fact we have Janmaat), De Jong more central playing off Mitrovic, and Wijnaldum & Sissoko as the two in the middle.

 

It's a good thought, but the issue then is who covers our pony back 4? We need someone to play the anchorman role which means sacrificing a player to include one of Tiote, Anita, Abeid or (dare I say) Colback.

 

Chances are it will definitely be Colback every time though. Can't see Aarons being a starter, or Ayoze.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Need as many proven goalscorers in the team as possible IMO.

 

It's a nice idea, but considering the amount of midfielders we have i can't see it and because we might struggle to create enough to make it worthwhile.

[Dave]

Embarrassingly, Cisse is the only player we've got that we know can score regularly in the Premier League. Irrespective of the quality of service, until he is sold (or the new lad starts firing them in) I find it a bit odd that we'd leave him out. We're looking at a complete overhaul in how well we play and create as a team before we're confident enough we can cope without a striker like him.

 

Bit optimistic that IMO.

[Astroblack]

Do any of our players have a good understanding with another? I can't think of any at this moment. The last good one was Cabaye - Debuchy. Maybe Janmaat and Ayoze?

[Mole_Toonfan]

I agree and outside of Youtube i know very little of Mitrovic, but watching those videos made me think that Perez or De Jong would compliment him better than Cisse even if Cisse is a more proven scorer of goals.

 

I also find it a bit optimistic, that we are expecting all these signings to hit the ground running. That's what the club is making me think anyway, I really do think we'll start off slow and the only thing i can hope is that we get better as the season goes on. We are not just buying seemingly half a new team, but according to McClaren at least a new style of play as well. These things are going to take time and i would genuinely be shocked if it all clicks immediately.

[Shak]

Ignoring the fact I know nothing about the new players, I'd currently chuck the following players out there in some sort of order.

 

Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Dummett, Haidara, Perez, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, De Jong, Cisse, Mitrovic.

 

Agreed

 

Is that not horribly imbalanced though?

 

It's essentially a back four, two #10's, three strikers and Sissoko.

 

Need a bit of width and somebody who can come deep from the midfield and help us build the play surely?

[Dave]

Do any of our players have a good understanding with another? I can't think of any at this moment. The last good one was Cabaye - Debuchy. Maybe Janmaat and Ayoze?

 

Krul and the ballboys.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Ignoring the fact I know nothing about the new players, I'd currently chuck the following players out there in some sort of order.

 

Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Dummett, Haidara, Perez, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, De Jong, Cisse, Mitrovic.

 

Agreed

 

Is that not horribly imbalanced though?

 

It's essentially a back four, two #10's, three strikers and Sissoko.

 

Need a bit of width and somebody who can come deep from the midfield and help us build the play surely?

 

Tbf at this point we know the rest are shite might as well stick the best players out and see how it goes

[Shak]

Ignoring the fact I know nothing about the new players, I'd currently chuck the following players out there in some sort of order.

 

Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Dummett, Haidara, Perez, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, De Jong, Cisse, Mitrovic.

 

Agreed

 

Is that not horribly imbalanced though?

 

It's essentially a back four, two #10's, three strikers and Sissoko.

 

Need a bit of width and somebody who can come deep from the midfield and help us build the play surely?

 

Tbf at this point we know the rest are shite might as well stick the best players out and see how it goes

 

I think there'll have to be a place for one of Colback/Tiote/Abeid/Anita.

 

A midfielder whose main job is to sit deep and recycle the play. None of those options overly excite me tbh but if it's a 'keep it simple and hold your position' role I'd be hopeful one of them could do a competent job. Ideally Abeid would get the spot as he's got both the physicality and distribution for it, the other three are all lacking at least one of those.

 

At the moment my front six would be as follows...

 

 

                Sissoko        Abeid

 

 

Perez              Wijnaldum                Aarons

 

 

                    Cisse/Mitrovic

 

I'd see Sissoko as the box to box player, driving the team forward. By far his best asset is his engine and ability to drive into space through the middle of the field. Put him next to a sitter who can pass the ball and with a proper playmaking AM in front of him and I think we'll see great things from him.

 

We actually have some nice options in the three AM spots with De Jong and Cabella possible options who I've left out. Wijnaldum could move out right with De Jong taking over as the central AM if Perez is needed up top/injured/not producing the goods. Whoever starts on the right would be tucking in a lot with Janmaat given plenty of license to bomb on and provide width on the right, so the position isn't really a winger at all.

 

On the left it's another story. I've started Aarons for now as a pure out and out winger would stretch teams out and give us pace which the team lacks otherwise. We also need someone getting it into the box if Mitrovic is going to be of any use to us. Part of me thinks Cabella has more to offer than we've seen but I'd be happy to move him on and bring in another left winger to start out there with Aarons being the understudy. The Thauvin and Abdennour links make a lot of sense in this regard.

 

A CB (or two, in all honesty) is also a need, of course.

[Mole_Toonfan]

I'd do that as well, Perez over Sissoko because i feel he's more offensively skilled as a count of actually being a forward and Aarons because he's the only real winger with pace we actually have. I think the rest of the team pretty much picks itself, but the "winger" positions are really puzzling me atm.

 

Hang on i read De Jong instead of Sissoko, i think i'd still pick De Jong tbh. But regardless with all the injuries we usually get it would be nice to actually have some competition for once.

[mrmojorisin75]

Tell you what mind, with a team around him and therefore not being crowded out by three players whenever he has the ball Cabella is capable of putting in very crosses like, I think he'll like playing with Mitrovic when he gets the chance. He'll love having something to aim at.

[Optimistic Nut]

Embarrassingly, Cisse is the only player we've got that we know can score regularly in the Premier League. Irrespective of the quality of service, until he is sold (or the new lad starts firing them in) I find it a bit odd that we'd leave him out. We're looking at a complete overhaul in how well we play and create as a team before we're confident enough we can cope without a striker like him.

 

Bit optimistic that IMO.

 

Southampton didn't have a proven Premier League goalscorer this time last year (I don't think...I may have missed someone obvious), but their new manager trusted himself and his signings/philosophies and had a brilliant season.

[AY]

I think Sissoko will most probably play in a wide midfield position, so coming a bit inside and leaving the right side open for Janmaat. Janmaat is the best crosser and Sissoko can start his powerful runs from better position.

 

Perez and Cisse are a bit of a problem. Think Papiss will start and Mitrovic will be on as a sub at first. Perez as a sub for De Jong, who won't be fit for a whole season anyway. Wijnaldum/Anita/Colback/Abeid fighting for the 2 number 6 spots.