Starting Eleven? As it stands .....

[hallamblue]

Strange you should say that Mike. I often talk all things football / Town with a work colleague, and even last season we were agreeing despite his fantastic season etc that his weakest point was actually defending. His assist / wingback play is undisputed but when he has to defend he’s often found out to the attacking fullback / winger or ball into the space behind.

Whether this is because he just simply gets caught upfield, or he is just weak by as a left back …. What do others think?

[Charnwood]

Strange you should say that Mike. I often talk all things football / Town with a work colleague, and even last season we were agreeing despite his fantastic season etc that his weakest point was actually defending. His assist / wingback play is undisputed but when he has to defend he’s often found out to the attacking fullback / winger or ball into the space behind.

Whether this is because he just simply gets caught upfield, or he is just weak by as a left back …. What do others think?

I think he’s cloned himself on Liverpools Trent Alexander-Arnold who suffers from the same problem despite being valued at circa £60m.

[Bluemike]

I think Leif has always been a bit of an average defender tbh, he's got away with it through his exceptional assists record.

[BLUEBLOOD]

We’ve come a long way since struggling to fill our bench for the pre season friendlies but what does our strongest starting line up look like now ?

————————————Muric ————~~~~~~~~~~~~

——Tuanzebe ——O’Shea —-Greaves ——-Davis

————————Cajuste ———~~~Phillips~~~~~~

—-Hutchinson ———-Szmodics ———J Clarke —-

————————————Delap ————

Subs; Morsy, Johnson, Townsend, Woolfie, Burgess, Edmundson, Chaplin, Walton, Broadhead, H Clarke, Harness, Al-Hamadi, Burns, Hurst.

Have I missed anyone to make up our 25 man squad.

That's pretty much how I see things panning out, assuming of course that Phillips makes the grade with us. A bit harsh, maybe, on the players that got us here, but that's going to be the reality of staying in the PL.

Massimo loungo

[Blue Wilf]

It is interesting isn't it - who would have thought that a view of (arguably) our best 11 included Davis (probably one we all would have said), Hutchinson and Tuanzebe!

[Dubai Blue]

We’ve come a long way since struggling to fill our bench for the pre season friendlies but what does our strongest starting line up look like now ?

————————————Muric ————~~~~~~~~~~~~

——Tuanzebe ——O’Shea —-Greaves ——-Davis

————————Cajuste ———~~~Phillips~~~~~~

—-Hutchinson ———-Szmodics ———J Clarke —-

————————————Delap ————

Subs; Morsy, Johnson, Townsend, Woolfie, Burgess, Edmundson, Chaplin, Walton, Broadhead, H Clarke, Harness, Al-Hamadi, Burns, Hurst.

Have I missed anyone to make up our 25 man squad.

That's pretty much how I see things panning out, assuming of course that Phillips makes the grade with us. A bit harsh, maybe, on the players that got us here, but that's going to be the reality of staying in the PL.

Massimo loungo

That's a great starting XI IMO, plus we just signed what could be an awesome impact sub for KMs favourite 60 minute game of musical chairs.

[Bluemike]

But is it great ? Currently Muric is a liability, Davis is getting caught out and shipping goals, Phillips has a lot to do to rediscover any sort of form and Cajuste completely unproven at this level.

If we are talking strongest Eleven based on form and ability rather than reputation it would be something like

Walton

Tuanzebe
O'Shea
Greaves
Davis (little option)

Morsy
Luongo

Hutchinson
Szmodics
Clarke

Delap

[Blue Bentley]

Terry Butcher has been saying this for ages " great going forward but not so great at defending" and he's not sold on Johnson either, but what does Butcher know lol.

[Bluemike]

Johnson is the one I'm struggling to form an opinion on so far, he did however put a good ball through for Szmodics to score at City.

[ashfordblue]

Johnson is the one I'm struggling to form an opinion on so far, he did however put a good ball through for Szmodics to score at City.

Yep, Axel over Johnson at right wing-back all day long, I think if a fit Brandon Williams were available he would slot into the LB position not sure where he's playing at the moment ????

[arana peligrosa]

Walton for goal. Davis, Woolfenden, Edmundson and either Greaves or Burgess for defense. Burns, Morsy, Luongo and Chaplin for midfield. Broadhead, Smodzics or Hutchison in direct attack.

[Bluemike]

Well based on what I have seen so far this season and after last nights disappointing show my starting Eleven for Fulham would be this.......


Walton

Tuanzebe
Woolfenden
Greaves
Davis

Morsy
Cajuste

Hutchinson
Szmodics
Clarke

Delap

Phillips & Ogbene are clearly not ready, Tuanzebe looks more solid than Johnson, O'Shea needs to earn his place as Woolfy did ok against Liverpool and City and we are nowhere near the same team without Sam Morsy in it. Cajuste and Clarke look well ready and will improves us while Szmodics has already stamped his worth on the team.

[Bluemike]

Oh and Muric is rubbish.

[Ricco]

Oh and Muric is rubbish.

[hallamblue]

Johnson is the one I'm struggling to form an opinion on so far, he did however put a good ball through for Szmodics to score at City.

I think the issue is consistency .... which is why he appears hot and cold in games ..

[ITFC2024]

Brighton away will be a tough game, so how do we line up against them?

Muric (I suppose)

Tuanzebe Woolfy Greaves Davis

Morsy Phillips

Hutchinson Clarke Szmodics

Delap

I think this will be our starting eleven for most matches. Maybe a few tweaks in defence & midfield, but this is currently our strongest team, yeah?

[shabba]

Agreed. Be interesting when the new Irish CB gets in as I’m sure they didn’t spend £12-15m for him to not be a starter.

Wolfie has earned his place though.

[ITFC2024]

Agreed. Be interesting when the new Irish CB gets in as I’m sure they didn’t spend £12-15m for him to not be a starter.

Wolfie has earned his place though.

I know many will disagree, but I’ve said before I’ve always felt Davis is a midfielder, not a left back. Not sure if O’Shea can play LB, but Davis on the left side without defensive obligations would be more productive. Which brings the question, who would Davis replace in midfield? I’d probably go with Szmodics. One thing that hampers Szmodics is his size especially with these physical Premier League defenders. However, his scoring prowess is perfectly suited for him to be an impact sub. Sorry to say, Davis won’t improve defensively especially when he’s tasked with going forward and his speed and accuracy is better suited for an attacking midfielder.

[ITFC2024]

With that said, maybe a hybrid line up could be:

Muric (I suppose)

Tuanzebe Woolfy Greaves O’Shea

Morsy Phillips

Hutchinson Clarke Davis

Delap

[Charnwood]

O’Shea almost certainly won’t play at LB and Davis won’t dislodge Szmodics from his attacking midfield role. If Davis isn’t selected as a wing back, in my opinion he’ll be on the bench as an impact sub.

[Bluemike]

Exactly my thoughts regarding Davis, LB or bench.

The one thing I was surprised about against Fulham was the inclusion of Ogbene over Clarke, what it did to the line up was to mean Hutchinson went from the right, where Ogbene clearly needs to play, into the centre, meaning Szmodics then had to switch to the left, fir me Clarke being naturally left sided should have started with Hutchinson on the Right and Szmodics in his favoured central role just behind Delap.

That to me is our strongest and best looking front Four and hopefully that's the way we go in the future.

[hallamblue]

Clarke may always play on left side , but he's Almost 100% right footed, and yet somehow he still gets away from his man even in the tightest of situations. It wouldn't be a surprise if McKenna tries in training sessions on the right side. What McKenna does have in abundance now is options.

[Ricco]

That to me is our strongest and best looking front Four and hopefully that's the way we go in the future.

Absolute 1000%

When I first saw the lineup I thought he was trying Ogbene on the left to come in on his right as Clarke does. In my mind Szmodics and Hutchinson have to be central and right sided respectively.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

regarding the 3 behind the striker, for me only Szmodics and Hutchinson are nailed on at the moment leaving one place to be a battle between Clarke, Ogbene, Chaplin.

[Charnwood]

Having watched him play many times for me Jack Clarke on the left will be as nailed on as Hutchinson and Szmodics with the other two used as impact subs unless either of the first choice three get injured lose form or McKenna changes his tactics for a specific game.

[shabba]

IMO I agree Clarke is nailed on for the left side, he won't play anywhere else.

I actually think Szmodics is the one who may be at risk the most, but agree its likely Obenge will be the one moved to the bench.

[hallamblue]

regarding the 3 behind the striker, for me only Szmodics and Hutchinson are nailed on at the moment leaving one place to be a battle between Clarke, Ogbene, Chaplin.

Agree with this rossi, and out of the 3 battling for the left side, I feel Clarke is ahead atm. He can beat multiple players at once, no matter how tight the space.

[ITFC2024]

All good points. Personally though, I believe Hutchinson is most dangerous when he’s in the central position receiving the ball and turning.

Definitely think Clarke should start on the left, but I think his position will also affect Davis’ role unless Clarke pushes inside when Davis advances down the wing. Davis is most dangerous when he’s running down the wing and receives the ball to cross, too many times he passes to the center and doesn’t get the ball back.

Similarly, when Hutch receives the ball in the wide right position, he’s not as effective at getting away from defenders. He usually just passes it back.

I wasn’t impressed with Ogbene and I don’t think he should start. He’s not terrible, he just lacks a cutting edge and we have other players better than him.

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

I hear the opinions above that Clarke is nailed on for the left side - but for me, not yet. Admittedly I have not seen him play much, but from what I saw on Saturday he is no nearer to Prem class than any of the other options other than Szmodics and Hutchinson - will be interesting to see how the various players respond over the next few weeks

[Charnwood]

Of course what we don’t know is 1) what McKenna thinks and 2) how he thinks he can improve individuals which could involve playing in a different role.

I’m not even sure we’ll see a preferred starting X1 as he seems to like not being too predictable.