First Choice 11 - remainder of season.

[BOB MANSFIELD]

Looks good Holte L2, but Baker is so Left-footed that I don't think he would do well on the right IMO.

[Proposition Joe]

I would like to set this setup on Saturday
           Johnstone
Bree,Chester,Baker,Taylor
             Jedinak
  Lansbury Hourihane Jack
          Hogan. Kodjia

That's what I'd go for too, 4-1-3-2. Possibly Jack could tuck in behind the front two and make it a diamond as well.

[andyh]

well, this season has gone now.
We may as well start preparing for next season, in which case I'd play all of the new boys (bar the young kid) and try and get them to gel.

maybe we can hit the ground running next season. 

[Lobsterboy]

I would agree we now need to look forward to next season in terms of what our best line up is and that means no more Hutton and no more Amavi as neither will be here come August (for entirely different reasons)

I would go with Johnstone, Bree, Chester, Baker, Taylor, Jedinak, Hourihane, Lansbury/Grealish, Adomah/Green, Hogan and Kodjia

The likes of Elphick, Bacuna, Gardner, Thor and Gabby will obviously get game time but probably should not be starting

[Mister E]

Bruce is really going to struggle to find his best 14, what with Hogan and Taylor coming in; along with the other newbies.
Our short-term success will depend on his ability to find the right chemistry. The long term will depend on whether the newbies are actually any good.

I know quoting oneself is really not good protocol but I can't help myself after last night.

[Dante Lavelli]

I would like to set this setup on Saturday
           Johnstone
Bree,Chester,Baker,Taylor
             Jedinak
  Lansbury Hourihane Jack
          Hogan. Kodjia

That's what I'd go for too, 4-1-3-2. Possibly Jack could tuck in behind the front two and make it a diamond as well.

I really like that team on paper.  Offers flexibility and most/all players doing what they're best at.  The 'on paper' bit is pretty crucial though as the flexibility and interchanging of positions could easily unravel into chaos without each player knowing their roles (in varying situations).  With all those leaders you'd hope that one or two of them would be good at game management.

[Ads]

Johnstone

Bree
Chester
Baker
Taylor

Jedinak
Lansbury
Hourihane
Grealish

Kodjia
Hogan

My system would be a diamond, with Kodjia to pull wide and create space for the midfield runners to hit.

[malckennedy]

Johnstone

Bree
Chester
Baker
Taylor

Jedinak
Lansbury
Hourihane
Grealish

Kodjia
Hogan

My system would be a diamond, with Kodjia to pull wide and create space for the midfield runners to hit.

I quite like that team but prefer Adomah to Grealish and Elphick to Baker.

[Clampy]

Johnstone

Bree
Chester
Baker
Taylor

Jedinak
Lansbury
Hourihane
Grealish

Kodjia
Hogan

My system would be a diamond, with Kodjia to pull wide and create space for the midfield runners to hit.

Not a bad looking side but i'd have Amavi for Taylor.

[Dante Lavelli]

Johnstone

Bree
Chester
Baker
Taylor

Jedinak
Lansbury
Hourihane
Grealish

Kodjia
Hogan

My system would be a diamond, with Kodjia to pull wide and create space for the midfield runners to hit.

I quite like that team but prefer Adomah to Grealish and Elphick to Baker.

I think getting a system sorted and more defined and repeated strategy should be the priority.  Then it is a question of who is in form with hopefully a couple of players competing for most positions.

[tomd2103]

Johnstone

Bree
Chester
Baker
Taylor

Jedinak
Lansbury
Hourihane
Grealish

Kodjia
Hogan

My system would be a diamond, with Kodjia to pull wide and create space for the midfield runners to hit.

I quite like that team but prefer Adomah to Grealish and Elphick to Baker.

I think getting a system sorted and more defined and repeated strategy should be the priority.  Then it is a question of who is in form with hopefully a couple of players competing for most positions.

Agree with that.  He's got to find a system and style of playing that gets results and pretty sharpish too.  We still look a disjointed mess. 

[PeterWithesShin]

One of our big problems for a while now, or at least seems that way to me, is that we've bought often good players and then once we have them seemed to try and figure out how to play them in the same side. I hope Bruce has a system and style of play he wants for us and has bought the players to implement that.

[tomd2103]

One of our big problems for a while now, or at least seems that way to me, is that we've bought often good players and then once we have them seemed to try and figure out how to play them in the same side. I hope Bruce has a system and style of play he wants for us and has bought the players to implement that.

I agree PWS and that certainly seemed the case with the summer signings.  I'm guessing Hogan has been bought to partner Kodjia, but I'm not so sure about the midfielders.Lansbury looked good on the ball at times  last night, but the defensive side of his game looked questionable.

[Old Kodjia]

Johnstone

Bree
Chester
Baker
Taylor

Jedinak
Lansbury
Hourihane
Grealish

Kodjia
Hogan

My system would be a diamond, with Kodjia to pull wide and create space for the midfield runners to hit.

This all day long.

Last night (as in other games), the front 3 were becoming isolated from each other with the 2 wide players hugging the touchlines.

With the diamond, we are more dependent on the full backs for width so it might be Amavi at LB for me.  The formation is spot on though.

[ozzjim]

Whatever we play we have to make sure the midfield are closer to the attack than in recent games.  As a team we need to be more compact. I don't think Adomah is useful away from home, so would probably play 352 away and 442 at home.