Team for next season...?

[Pepe the Horseman]

As I said on the other thread, he's as much a left back as Gareth Bale is

[RockheadRumple]

Thank god someone agrees, the people in Y22 I sit near seem to think he can't defend for his life! I really like 3-5-2 as a possible formation.

-----------------------------McCarthy-------------------------------

-----------Mariappa-------Morrison-------Carrico----------------

Kebe------------------------Akpan--------------------------Drenthe

------------------Guthrie--------------HRK/McAnuff---------------

---------------Le Fondre-------------------Pog----------------------

Or some variation of that with Pearce and Karacan. Obviously this means no Bridge or Gunter/Kelly which wouldn't happen.

Them FIFA tekkers Put Guthrie next to Akpan and I reckon that's a good'un.

Super unlikely though.

[royal_ross]

I feel like we've got too many central midfield options, the likes of Ledge and Akpan are going to struggle to get into the team. Which is fair enough for Ledge as he had a real stinker last season, but Akpan played well in the games I saw him play.

Ledge had a stinker last season due to not being good enough for the Prem, I feel he'll be better in this league but reckon he won't get a lot of games judging by Adkins team last season, he'll prob be best to move on. Shame he has been fantastic for us, but obviously some fans don't remember that.

[loyalroyal4life]

i reckon alf will leave, need to get a new striker in and keep pog

[Royalee]

McCarthy

Kelly
Mariappa
Pearce (c)
Bridge

McCleary
Karacan
Carrico
Guthrie
Drenthe

ALF/Pog

Subs: Federici, Morrison, Gunter, Akpan, Robson-Kanu, Kebe/Roberts, ALF/Pog

Damn that's a strong squad and we might make another 5 signings

[RoyalX]

You can't argue with the fact that he has played as a left back a fair amount. He can't be completely useless at defending then.

Just because he has played somewhere doesn't mean he should. We have signed the best left-back in the Champ and you want to bin him off to play an attack minded LW there?

[LightwaterRoyal]

You can't argue with the fact that he has played as a left back a fair amount. He can't be completely useless at defending then.

Just because he has played somewhere doesn't mean he should. We have signed the best left-back in the Champ and you want to bin him off to play an attack minded LW there?

I didnt say that we should play him at left back, but someone said that Drenthe was really attack minded and a liability when we dont have the ball as he cant defend. I was just pointing out how he has played as a left back before so cant be completely useless.

[RoyalX]

You can't argue with the fact that he has played as a left back a fair amount. He can't be completely useless at defending then.

Just because he has played somewhere doesn't mean he should. We have signed the best left-back in the Champ and you want to bin him off to play an attack minded LW there?

I didnt say that we should play him at left back, but someone said that Drenthe was really attack minded and a liability when we dont have the ball as he cant defend. I was just pointing out how he has played as a left back before so cant be completely useless.

Fair enough, I apologise for that - I got confused between you and another poster. He is attack minded though (see Moyes' comments), and I think we'll get the best out of him by not shackling him with defensive responsibilities.

[maffff]

Bridge and Drenthe could be the best left sided combination in the league in 2013/14
Gunter and McCleary were the best right sided in the league in 2011/12
Karacan and Guthrie are a strong partnership and playing alongside Guthrie under Adkins has seen Karacan's game grow.
Mariappa and Morrison appear to be settling as a partnership and Morrison was improving at the end of the season. He was a liability in his first few games. With Pearce in there we'll probably have one of the best, if not the best, centre back partnership in the league.
McCarthy and Federici must be the best goalkeeping options in the league.

Looks like a decent spine of a decent team.

[LightwaterRoyal]

Fair enough, I apologise for that - I got confused between you and another poster. He is attack minded though (see Moyes' comments), and I think we'll get the best out of him by not shackling him with defensive responsibilities.

I agree let him go forward all he likes, I trust Bridge wont need constant protection like Harte did (as much as I like him we have to be honest, Jobi was putting a shift and a half in).

I am wondering if Drenthe would be better suited playing off the striker in the Sig role. Either way I'm sure he will end up playing wherever he wants or not at all.

[Ian Royal]

McCarthy

Kelly
Mariappa
Pearce (c)
Bridge

McCleary
Karacan
Carrico
Guthrie
Drenthe

ALF/Pog

Subs: Federici, Morrison, Gunter, Akpan, Robson-Kanu, Kebe/Roberts, ALF/Pog

Damn that's a strong squad and we might make another 5 signings

Problem with that is I assume you got Guthrie in an advanced role. That's not the game he's shown us he can be good at. And there's really nothing to suggest Carrico should be anywhere near the first 11. His summer (translated) comments haven't exactly been encouraging either. But Daymn you're right it's a good squad.

[LightwaterRoyal]

We have a lot of players who I would be happy to play, hard to pick a best XI.

The only places that need strengthening would be:

Left Back - Only as cover for Bridge
Attacking Midfield - Jobi, Drenthe and HRK could all play there though
Striker - Although if we play with one then Pog, Alf, Bkackman and Roberts would probably be enough.

[Ian Royal]

................McCarthy
...Gunter..Pearce.Mariappa..Bridge
............Guthrie..Williams
Kebe...........Drenthe..........McAnuff
...............Pogrebnyak

Subs: Taylor, Kelly, Karacan, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre (Morrison, Akpan)

[Samrfc01]

:shock:

................McCarthy
...Gunter..Pearce.Mariappa..Bridge
............Guthrie..Williams
Kebe...........Drenthe..........McAnuff
...............Pogrebnyak

Subs: Taylor, Kelly, Karacan, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre (Morrison, Akpan)

JIIIZZZZZZZZZZZ

[Ian Royal]

Forgot Federici.

[MouldyRoyal]

How about 4-3-3?

McCarthy
Gunter - Pearce - Mapps - Bridge

Karacan - Williams - Guthrie

Kebe - Pogrebnyak - Drenthe

[Samrfc01]

How about 4-3-3?

McCarthy
Gunter - Pearce - Mapps - Bridge

Karacan - Williams - Guthrie

Kebe - Pogrebnyak - Drenthe

I like the look of this, with Akpan, Carrico and McAnuff as cover for the midfield 3 and McCleary/HRK as cover on the wings.

Either one of the above 2 teams should steam roll most teams in this league.

[Samrfc01]

I'd go with:

McCarthy

Gunter Pearce Mariappa Bridge

Williams Guthrie

Kebe HRK Drenthe

Pog


Mariappa as captain.

[ImReadingTillIDie]

:shock:

................McCarthy
...Gunter..Pearce.Mariappa..Bridge
............Guthrie..Williams
Kebe...........Drenthe..........McAnuff
...............Pogrebnyak

Subs: Taylor, Kelly, Karacan, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre (Morrison, Akpan)

like this, HRK over Kebe, Feds on the bench, Mcleary on the bench. Why Williams- is he really better than Jem?

[St. Brynjar]

How about 4-3-3?

McCarthy
Gunter - Pearce - Mapps - Bridge

Karacan - Williams - Guthrie

Kebe - Pogrebnyak - Drenthe

That's just perfect. Never though of 4-3-3 before, that would fix the problem of not having an attacking CM.