What is your starting XI and bench?

[Mazrim]

Delph is going to be a massive player for us if his injury doesnt have a lasting effect on him. *touches wood*

[smudger]

In a 4-2-3-1:-

Big Brad

L Young
Dunne
Collins
Warnock

Petrov
NRC

Albrighton
Ireland
A Young

Gabby

Bench; Guzan, Clark, Cuellar, Downing, Sidwell, Carew, Delfouneso

I'd go with John M. I think Delph is still a bit of an unknown quantity at the moment.

Delph is the most talented player in the squad. He's just very young still, and of course very injured. He should be eased back in this season when fit, but he should be starting next season in the team every week. I must admit there is something about him that makes me think he might not make the best use of that talent, but i hope i'm drastically wrong.

[Brend'Watkins]

With everybody fit:

-----------------------Friedel

Young--------Collins-------Dunne-----Warnock

----------------Petrov--------Delph

Albrighton-----------Ireland--------------Young

---------------------Agbonlahor

Guzan, Cuellar, Beye, Reo Coker, Downing, Carew, Delfouneso

That's mine too with Petrov exchanged for NRC depending on the oppositions midfield.

[eastie]

                         friedal
luke young, collins, dunne, warnock
                 delph, reo-coker
ash young ,                         albrighton
                           ireland
                           gabby
 subs guzan,carew,downing,cuellar,fonz,petrov,clark

[Chris Smith]

I see most are pushing Young back out wide when he's been pretty effective in the middle and clearly wants to play there. I reckon if we want to hasten his departure asking him to play second fiddle to Ireland is a great way to go about it.

The way I see it, Young is playing in the role Ireland is best suited to.  We tried using both of them against Newcastle and look what happened.  Playing that way means we need cover for the back 4, which NRC provides.  So it's a choice between dropping one of them of shifting Ash wide, I think shifting Ash wide is the better option.

I don't disagree that it's probably best for the side (if we're going to play Ireland) but I'm not sure Ash will see it the same.

So far all my fears about Ireland have been upheld. Now that might be because he's still finding his feet but he's still (at the moment) a luxury player to me and if we're going to upset anyone I'd sooner it was him than Young.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Delph is all about potential in that he has loads of it, it’s ok pulling up trees against teams in the 3rd division but we need to see if he can do it consistently in the Premiership. I agree he has all the attributes to be a quality player but then so have so many other young talents that haven’t fulfilled their earlier promise. Having said that I think he should be battling for a place with Petrov and NRC in the team when fit.

Delph most talented in the squad? That’s a new one on me.

[Shrek]

Friedel
Young - Collins - Dunne - Warnock
NRC - Petrov
Albrighton - Ireland - Young
Gabby

Guzan - Cuellar - Clark - Sidwell - Downing - Carew - Delfouneso

I really wanted to put Cuellar in for Warnock and swap Young over. I'm not a Warnock fan as of late.

Agreed.

[brontebilly]

ireland, downing and young could just rotate positions when we have the ball. think people are getting bogged down in strict formations here.

at the moment - Id have Downing ahead of Albrighton. Downing needs to get the finger out this season though. He hasnt started the season great but Dunne is our best centre half. Id always have Collins ahead of Cuellar. We are very light of cover at full back. Warnock's form is a worry as is our lack of cover in the holding midfield role. Still our best X1 seems a decent side.

[smudger]

Delph is all about potential in that he has loads of it, it’s ok pulling up trees against teams in the 3rd division but we need to see if he can do it consistently in the Premiership. I agree he has all the attributes to be a quality player but then so have so many other young talents that haven’t fulfilled their earlier promise. Having said that I think he should be battling for a place with Petrov and NRC in the team when fit.

Delph most talented in the squad? That’s a new one on me.

I think you'll see what i mean in 3 years time (injuries and temperament permitting).

[Concrete John]

So far all my fears about Ireland have been upheld. Now that might be because he's still finding his feet but he's still (at the moment) a luxury player to me and if we're going to upset anyone I'd sooner it was him than Young.

Well, I don't agree with the theory that Ash would be upset by playing wide.  For a start, if you imagine his goal is to get into the England side, then is he going to do that playing in the Gerrard/Rooney position or the Walcott/Lennon role? 

Would you be playing Downing and dropping Ireland then?

[Chris Smith]

So far all my fears about Ireland have been upheld. Now that might be because he's still finding his feet but he's still (at the moment) a luxury player to me and if we're going to upset anyone I'd sooner it was him than Young.

Well, I don't agree with the theory that Ash would be upset by playing wide.  For a start, if you imagine his goal is to get into the England side, then is he going to do that playing in the Gerrard/Rooney position or the Walcott/Lennon role? 

Would you be playing Downing and dropping Ireland then?

I don't know. I think the balance of the side has been upset by losing Milner as his industry covered for a lot. I think we need to get a better defensive minded midfielder (Reo Coker with a football brain) in order to play the sorts of formation we're seeing here.

I added the caveat that Ireland might still be finding his feet and of course the new manager might add something that we haven't yet seen, but so far since west Ham it hasn't looked quite right. We've attacked well in some games and defended well on Sunday but haven't really done both at the same time.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Delph is all about potential in that he has loads of it, it’s ok pulling up trees against teams in the 3rd division but we need to see if he can do it consistently in the Premiership. I agree he has all the attributes to be a quality player but then so have so many other young talents that haven’t fulfilled their earlier promise. Having said that I think he should be battling for a place with Petrov and NRC in the team when fit.

Delph most talented in the squad? That’s a new one on me.

I think you'll see what i mean in 3 years time (injuries and temperament permitting).

If he's the most talented in the squad he won't need 3 years to show us what he can do. I think you have just said the one thing that will stand in his way - temperament. Thats the one thing that gets a promising kid on the next step towards a regular then a 'star'.

[Irish villain]

I'd go with this:

-----------------------Friedel

Young--------Cueller-------Dunne-----Warnock

----------------Petrov--------NRC-------

Albrighton-----------Ireland--------------Young

---------------------Agbonlahor

Guzan, Collins, Lichaj, Delph, Downing, Carew, Delfouneso

The toughest choice was to leave out Collins or Dunne. I'd have Cueller as my first choice centre back and would probably rotate his partner between Dunne and Collins. As I said on other threads, Dunne doesn't inspire me with as much confidence as he used to. If Stephen Ireland is in the team he needs two solid rocks playing behind him. NRC and Petrov would offer the best protection. Maybe Delph could come in when he's a bit older but for now I seem as too much of an attacking player to be in the same side as Ireland. Super Marc gets the nod ahead of Downing. Beye would not get near my squad after his performance in the Europa.

Areas to invest: I would be on the lookout for a new goalkeeper as I am unsure Brad junior is up to replacing Friedal who can't go on forever. I would also look for a left back to provide cover for Warnock.  Beye's performance in the Europa answered MON's question about the need for full backs in their correct position. If we struggle for goals we can change formation by sacrificing a midfielder for Carew....

[west sussex villan]

Friedel

Warnock
Dunne
Collins
Young L

Young A
Downing
Reo Coker
Ireland

Gabby
Carew


Subs

Everyone else who's fit.

Lets face it there arn't many more. By the time we've played a youth and reserve game the players will be f****d who are left

[stevenjos]

                          Brad F

Young        Cuellar     Dunne      Warnock
                   Petrov     NRC
Albrighton          Ireland              Young       

                           Gabby         

Bench
Guzan, Collins, Beye, Delph, Downing, Delfouneso, Carew