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Author Topic: First Team  (Read 21076 times)

Offline Ads

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Re: First Team
« Reply #15 on: June 14, 2013, 01:23:43 PM »
If we take the team that played against Norwich away and switch Okore for Baker, then I think that will be close to our first starting XI.

We then have a genuine midfield option in Bacuna to come on, Tonev up top/wide and also a striker in Helenius who can fill Benteke's shoes should he elbow somebody in the face.

Offline JUAN PABLO

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Re: First Team
« Reply #16 on: June 14, 2013, 01:26:33 PM »
guaranteed for me - end of season form

Guzan  Lowton  Okore Vlarr Westwood Benteke

there is only one way to find out for the rest - fight  ;)


How can you include Okore when he has no end of season form at Villa to judge by?  And what about Gabby, Sylla and Delph?  They were all excellent in the second half of last season.

I think Gabby will start and If he keeps doing what he was doing , he will keep his place but he has to be consistent for me .     

We let in stupid goals ,the defence is poor . Okore will start for me . 

I think there will be more signings and I dont think the rest are yet guaranteed first starters thou Delph as improved a lot , thank Mcgrath.    There is a lot of competiton for places becoming now , which is great.

Offline rob_bridge

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Re: First Team
« Reply #17 on: June 14, 2013, 01:27:50 PM »
Fooking hell. 4-3-3, liquid football, full backs getting up front? Thank you based Lambert. I enjoy watching us play again.

Agree I can see myself getting firm more often than not next season

Offline eastie

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Re: First Team
« Reply #18 on: June 14, 2013, 01:34:32 PM »
Fooking hell. 4-3-3, liquid football, full backs getting up front? Thank you based Lambert. I enjoy watching us play again.

Agree I can see myself getting firm more often than not next season

Prefer to see the defence getting firmer ;)

Offline glasses

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Re: First Team
« Reply #19 on: June 14, 2013, 01:40:00 PM »
                       Guzan

 Lowton.     Okore.    Vlaar.    Bennett
 

     Bacuna.    Westwood.   Delph

     
    Weimann.   Benteke.   Gabby
Think this is likely to be the best 11 that we have right now.

Doesn't fill me with massive confidence to be honest. Weakest area is clearly defence. A solid pro or two in the spine would be nice.

Offline not3bad

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Re: First Team
« Reply #20 on: June 14, 2013, 01:49:00 PM »
                       Guzan

 Lowton.     Okore.    Vlaar.    Bennett
 

     Bacuna.    Westwood.   Delph

     
    Weimann.   Benteke.   Gabby
Think this is likely to be the best 11 that we have right now.

Doesn't fill me with massive confidence to be honest. Weakest area is clearly defence. A solid pro or two in the spine would be nice.

Back 4 doesn't have much protection with that?  No defensive midefielder.

Offline pauliewalnuts

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Re: First Team
« Reply #21 on: June 14, 2013, 01:50:31 PM »
How can anyone put forward a best XI and include players we've never seen play in the premier league before?

Offline Toronto Villa

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Re: First Team
« Reply #22 on: June 14, 2013, 01:51:46 PM »
How can anyone put forward a best XI and include players we've never seen play in the premier league before?

the beauty of the fictitious internet world at it's best. A bit of fun innit?

Offline Concrete John

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Re: First Team
« Reply #23 on: June 14, 2013, 01:53:33 PM »
Things have also gone quiet with Benteke, he doesn't look to be rushing to sign an extension to his contract.

I'm guessing he's back in Belgium for the summer and things are being done via call/e-mail with his agent, so no actual story/decision until he's back for pre-season.

Offline eastie

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Re: First Team
« Reply #24 on: June 14, 2013, 01:56:02 PM »
Things have also gone quiet with Benteke, he doesn't look to be rushing to sign an extension to his contract.

I'm guessing he's back in Belgium for the summer and things are being done via call/e-mail with his agent, so no actual story/decision until he's back for pre-season.

I think it will be sorted before that - the noises from lambert and the agent were that talks would be held after the internationals.

Offline Concrete John

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Re: First Team
« Reply #25 on: June 14, 2013, 02:01:00 PM »
                       Guzan

 Lowton.     Okore.    Vlaar.    Bennett
 

     Bacuna.    Westwood.   Delph

     
    Weimann.   Benteke.   Gabby
Think this is likely to be the best 11 that we have right now.

Doesn't fill me with massive confidence to be honest. Weakest area is clearly defence. A solid pro or two in the spine would be nice.

Back 4 doesn't have much protection with that?  No defensive midefielder.

Although that team has Bacuna where I'd start with Sylla personally, the game is moving away from specialist DCMs.  Westwood models his game on Michael Carrick, who does the role for Man Utd as more of a deep lying playmaker.  The laws on tackling being what they are, you are better having someone like that who can cover runs and close done space more than tackle.  With two energetic players beside him, that gives good protection when done right.

It should be similar to the 95/96 side under Brian Little, where none of Townsend, Taylor or Draper were specialist holding players.

Offline olaftab

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Re: First Team
« Reply #26 on: June 14, 2013, 02:04:37 PM »
Although I do think Lambert is building a squad and not just a first team, I thought it would be interesting to see what everyone thought our strongest 11 is, in whatever formation you like, now we've signed a few players.  Obviosuly, this can then evolve as we sign more and start seeing them in pre-season.

Anyway, here's mine playing a 4-3-3-:-
Guzan

Lowton
Vlaar
Okore
Bennett

Delph
Westwood
Sylla

Weimann
Benteke
Tonev

I think that midfield three worked well the end of last season, so it's up to Bacuna to fight his way into it.  I've included Tonev as I've always felt Gabby would be a great impact player from the bench, but we've rarely had the attacking options to use him that way.
 
I will go with this CJ.

Offline jonzy85

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Re: First Team
« Reply #27 on: June 14, 2013, 02:20:30 PM »
I think we also have to consider that  4-3-3 may not be set in stone forever into the future. It's true that when Lambert, almost stumbled on this formation, he eventually got the best out of the squad.

But he has shown that he is not afraid tinker with the tactics and I would worry that we would become too predictable, making it easier for teams to set up against us.

I'm sure we will start pretty much how we finished, but as the season evolves and the new signings get their bearings, we suffer injuries, it could change, especially depending on the opposition. At the moment, we are set up brilliantly for the counter attack, but what about games against weaker teams coming to Villa Park. I wouldn't rule out something like the following:

4
Tonev - Delph - Westwood - Bacuna
Benteke - Helenius

This assuming these new signings are any use and of course the personnel is interchangeable. I am just using this as an example.

Offline Concrete John

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Re: First Team
« Reply #28 on: June 14, 2013, 02:28:39 PM »
I also think the formations will change, although a straight 4-4-2 is unlikely, IMO.

Perhaps a midfield diamond (Westood at the base, two of Delph/Sylla/Bacuna and then Tonev at the point) or a 4-2-3-1 with Tonev, Gabby and Weimann all playing.

Offline paul_e

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Re: First Team
« Reply #29 on: June 14, 2013, 02:43:20 PM »
I think we'll mix and match between 3 main formations (all of which we've used since christmas).

433 - we all know about.

4213 - where one of the midfielders plays higher, we've used Nzogbia and Sylla in this role offering both sides of it, Nzog as the attacking link and Sylla to pressure the opposition DCM.

4312 - with the 2 playing wide and the 1 breaking from deep.  We did this when Weimann was out with Benteke and Bowery playing as the 2 and Gabby wandering behind.

We need to start mixing and matching the players a little more often.

 


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