Who's in your Opening Day starting 11?

[Summers]

Gestede didn't play in any of the pre-season, so I expect Kozak to start against Bournemouth (unless he's loaned out). Other than that, I'm now expecting the side listed by Summers

That's valid. Ayew through the middle, with Gil or Grealish out wide. Or like you said, Kozak for Rudy.

[cdbearsfan]

Gestede played a behind-closed-doors game for Blackburn and would almost certainly have featured in their game today had he not been sold. With a week of training behind him, no reason why he can't be fit on Saturday.

[*shellac*]

Guzan
Hutton Richards Clark Amavi
          Gueye Sanchez
     Ayew Veretout, Sinclair
             Gestede

Guzan trusts his men in defence so much that he is positioning himself near the corner flag.

[peter w]

Right after today I think...

Bunn

Bacuna
Richards
Clark
Amavi

Westwood
Guyere
Veretout

Ayew
Sinclair
Kozak

[villan from luton]

Peter W, would have Hutton at RB and Guzan in goal, otherwise go with that, but loads more signings to come tomorrow lol. The worry is the signings have not got a Scooby where they are, bit like me after last night and continuing home with vodka :-)

[VancouverLion]

Rudy coming back from an injury? Why wouldn't he have had preseason at T'Rovers?

[peter w]

Guzan won't have played in any pre-season other than Gold Cup action hasn't had a game for a while and doesn't know his team-mates. Sherwood may put him in but I suspect he may start with Bunn. I'd prefer Guzan but think he may go with Bunn. I didn't mind Bacuna as a right-back as he was competent in the final 3rd. Hutton I still don't like.

[Clampy]

Hutton and Bacuna in the same team would give us a strong right hand side which is why I would play both.

[in exile]

...Hutton I still don't like.

Nor me but it seems we see a different player to most here

[cdbearsfan]

Guzan won't have played in any pre-season other than Gold Cup action hasn't had a game for a while and doesn't know his team-mates. Sherwood may put him in but I suspect he may start with Bunn. I'd prefer Guzan but think he may go with Bunn. I didn't mind Bacuna as a right-back as he was competent in the final 3rd. Hutton I still don't like.

If we're playing 4-3-3, as seems to be the consensus, then we will need a bit of width in the team. Best way to achieve that is full-backs that are good going forward so Bacuna rather than Hutton.

[ROBBO]

Surely if Gestede plays then Bacuna would be a far better option than Hutton who i can't ever remember crossing the ball.

[passitsideways]

I think Sinclair will be very important for us in the early going as a source of goals while the likes of Ayew, Gestede, Veretout and possibly Adebayor are settling in.

[paul_e]

Guzan won't have played in any pre-season other than Gold Cup action hasn't had a game for a while and doesn't know his team-mates. Sherwood may put him in but I suspect he may start with Bunn. I'd prefer Guzan but think he may go with Bunn. I didn't mind Bacuna as a right-back as he was competent in the final 3rd. Hutton I still don't like.

If we're playing 4-3-3, as seems to be the consensus, then we will need a bit of width in the team. Best way to achieve that is full-backs that are good going forward so Bacuna rather than Hutton.

This is exactly my thinking, if you have Gueye and Westwood sitting in a 3 and you want the wider players up front to score goals you need the fullbacks to get forward, Amavi and Bacuna are both good crossers and will get forward at any opportunity so they'd be my choice. Sinclair, Ayew and Gestede or Kozak is a front 3 that are all good in the air getting onto crosses so let's focus on making sure we get crosses in.

[Steve kirk]

Guzan
Hutton Richards Clark Amavi
Gueye Westwood Veretout
Ayew Gestede Sinclair

That team looks spot on at this moment in time.

[old man villa fan]

...Hutton I still don't like.

Nor me but it seems we see a different player to most here

I'm with you two.