Line up and formation for 2021-22

[oldhill_avfc]

Watford will want to come at us from the off

Newly promoted they will want to start with a flurry
We’ve not been too good at handling that in the past

With the squad we have we need to fight fire with fire
Don’t let them get a toehold in
We have quality all over the pitch and we need to show it from kick off

Today is actually 6 years to the day since we won at newly promoted Bournemouth on first day of 15/16 season. Blimey remember the euphoria after that when the new French lads looked decent, defensively we did o.k and Gestede powering in the corner had us all convinced he'd be better than Benteke.

Oh dear. As nice as it is to win the first game it's pretty irrelevant to how the season will go, more important how the following 9 games go after that as a decent guide.

Like many I don't have a clue how we line up next week. I do think the midfield will be Nakamba-McGinn-Buendia and defence picks itself but no idea on what we'll do either side of that in final third.

Probably see likes of El Ghazi starting early weeks just for continuity and he obviously ended last season pretty well.

One thing I will say though....zero excuse for DS this season in games we're winning or losing to only starting thinking of subs from 75th minute onwards. We now have a very competitive squad that can do well in the league and also be competitive in the cups so he must simply use it and rotate when required.

Even in an area we're light in which is defensive midfield we will probably have Doug back as sub option by end of August and he isn't a bad one to put on for last 20 minutes if we're winning, did well in that situation at Spurs so hopefully the manager dosen't sit on his hands if games are drifting away from us and we can actually win a few more from behind as that stopped us getting into the top 10. Very good frontrunners in games but not too much belief if we were a goal down with 25 minutes left we could get anything. That must change this year.

Gobsmacked only 6 years ago.  Seems a lifetime withall that's happened since.

[SoccerHQ]

What was our formation today?

See Ings and Ollie were starting so interested how it worked, did Ings drop deep or Watkins go out wide when in/out possesion?

[Footy-Vill]

Yes what was the starting formation today?
That such a telling sign.
Someone help us , well mine and SC HQ, with our enquires!

[fredm]

Looked like a 4-4-2 with Nakamba and McGinn in central midfield. Ings seemed to drop off Watkins at times, whether that was a deliberate tactic or just how he works am not sure.

[Footy-Vill]

Thanks.
Well if they are the 2 in the midfield that's a solid as we can get at this time.
Up front Can see that with Watkins and Ings being just off as number 10 but imagine lots of flexibility in the forward line

Wondering with Tuanzebe how real the chance for the 3-5-2?

[ChicagoLion]

Smith is not a fan of 3 at  the back, so I do not think we are going that route.
Ings will play off OLLIE.

[Monty]

Can't say I'm thrilled about the idea of a 4-4-2. Spurs and Man City do it, but they play basically with two false 9s and, usually, a pure holding midfielder. We have two pure 9s and two false holding midfielders. I appreciate very much having a squad, but as Plan A this strikes me as all shades of wrong, not particularly playing to anyone's strengths.

[N'ZMAV]

I don't think our centre midfielders are good enough to only play with two of them.

[OCD]

It would have merits on occasion. We looked much better when we went to 4-4-2 against Fulham and that was with Davis and Watkins.

[Monty]

I think the only time I'd like to see it would actually be against Man City, and possibly Man Utd. It's a good formation for a high-pressure counterattacking kind of game when you don't have much of the ball. Otherwise, I think we'd lack movement, creativity and security against the break.

[danno]

It really depends where Danny Ings is played.  If he plays where Barkley was then 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 really isn’t that different to the 4-2-3-1.  It’s still two in the middle, it’s still two wingers and it’s still Watkins pressing high.

[Dante Lavelli]

It really depends where Danny Ings is played.  If he plays where Barkley was then 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 really isn’t that different to the 4-2-3-1.  It’s still two in the middle, it’s still two wingers and it’s still Watkins pressing high.

Is that really Ings’ best position though?  I had him down as more of an ‘on the shoulder’ striker?

[Monty]

Ings as our 10 suits neither him or us. It's not what he's good at. Why buy the best pure finisher in the league and play him outside the box? Why not just stick him in goal?

[danno]

It really depends where Danny Ings is played.  If he plays where Barkley was then 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 really isn’t that different to the 4-2-3-1.  It’s still two in the middle, it’s still two wingers and it’s still Watkins pressing high.

Is that really Ings’ best position though?  I had him down as more of an ‘on the shoulder’ striker?

Not sure if it’s his best position but he formed a good partnerships with Shane Long and Che Adams. Ollie Watkins is far more of a nuisance than either of them.

[Risso]

Does anybody else it's going to take a while for us to settle down and get a regular team and consistency in play going? It's been a bit of unsettled summer for one reason or another, eg:

The Greasy Ratboy saga
Bailey being signed but not getting a work permit yet
Luiz being away in the Olympics
Buendia not playing much in pre-season because of injury
Seville friendly being cancelled
Last minute Ings signing