How do you think we will line up?

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We have strengthened the defence, which is good, but we bought no attacking players, so we pretty much know what to expect in abilty when going forward. We have many average players (Lennon, Townsend, Paulinho f.ex) and some good players (Lamela, Eriksen, Adebayor f.ex), but at the moment no great players in attacking positions. Lloris and Vertonghen are arguably our only great ones overall, but they will not contribute to goal scoring (Vertonghen might add a few goals and dangerous runs though).

So, I think we depend on the system that Pochettino wants to install. If our players are able to commit 100 % to the cause then our chances of top four are decent. Maybe not this season, but at least over time. I highly doubt that players like Townsend and Lennon will change their style of play in a considerable way, but let's see in a few months time. Many places in the starting eleven are up for grabs, but perhaps a team like this will be Pochettino's preferred in a few weeks:

Lloris
Walker - Fazio - Vertonghen - Davies
Stambouli - Capoue
Lamela - Eriksen - Chadli
Adebayor​
 
Lloris
Walker Dier Jan Davies
Stambouli Capoue
Lamela Eriksen Chadli
Soldado

Fazio plays on the left side of defence usually doesnt he?
 
[formation=352, Loris, Dier, Fazio, Vertonghen, Walker, Eriksen, Capoue, Lamela, Davies, Adebayor, Soldado][/formation]
I have yet to see a team successfully play a 3 defender formation in the prem. Mancini tried it with city, Rodgers tried with pool, redknapp with qpr, van Gaal with united and so far they have all failed. Poch doesn't favor it, it's just not gonna happen.
 
I think Walker's genuinely very good, but if I were a striker I'd want Dier to cross for me. It's a good dilemma to have at least.
 
[formation=4231, Lloris, Walker, Fazio, Vert, Rose, Stambouli, Paulinho, Lamela, Eriksen, Kane, Adebayor][/formation] Doubt it would materialise but I would be interested in seeing this. Everyone is talking about the Jay Rodriguez role of how Schneiderlin pumped the ball up to a Jay Rodriguez diagonal run between defenders who would then pass to Lambert. Well I could easily see Rodriguez and Lambert as Kane and Adebayor respectively.
 
One player who I didn't include in my projected lineup but I'd like to mention is Aaron Lennon. I actually think he is really useful in games against bigger sides. He's a player that always works hard and is definitely by far the best defensive player of any of the three behind the striker.

You don't want to be playing Lennon at home against QPR or any game where you're on the ball a lot because we all know he's wasteful in possession and has questionable end product. But in a game against a top side that is tight and on both sides of the pitch I think he's a great player. He runs endlessly and plays both ways. Plus, if he finds himself in a situation where he can put his pace to use, he can make the difference in the game in an instant. Looking back on the Liverpool game, I think we would have probably benefitted having him out there over Chadli. I also think he's a bit of a gamer, always seems to show up in big moments. For example: Woolwich League Cup semi, Woolwich 2013, Woolwich 4-4, all the times he roasted Evra, assist at Old Trafford last season and at home against United the season before, San Siro against AC Milan, Liverpool 2010, Liverpool 2012, Chelsea 2008. For a guy who scores and assists much less than we'd like, he does seem to make it count when he does.

For me, not a player for every game anymore. But oddly, I feel more comfortable with Lennon out there against a top 6 team than just about any other player we have.
 
I have yet to see a team successfully play a 3 defender formation in the prem. Mancini tried it with city, Rodgers tried with pool, redknapp with qpr, van Gaal with united and so far they have all failed. Poch doesn't favor it, it's just not gonna happen.
Dier and Vertonghen are both big, footballing and mobile centre halves, which is the only way you can make this work. Maybe there's an argument to play Vlad the Impaler in the middle of them - but he's apt to brain fart. My logic was that if Fazio can dominate aerial duels then the two more natural ball players either side would make the thing work.
I left Stromboli out as I've never seen him play
I left Rose out because of his defensive frailties, but he is effective going forward, so might warrant inclusion in some games.
IMV its not the formation that's a problem, its trying to shoehorn the wrong players into it that makes it a liability.

If you have the right players - or just a lot of excellent players then the formation is pretty irrelevant - as long as everyone plays to it.
 
Here is what I think our best possible starting lineup is. I think Davies will eventually take the leftback spot because of his defensive superiority and Fazio with his experience will beat out Kaboul (who is having an awful start to the season) and Dier. In regards to Kane/Soldado, that seemed like a toss up because of their respective runs of form.
txdIcsal.png
 
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I'm slighthly worried about Eriksen in this. He isn't very quick, is pretty lightweight, not good in the air, and so far (barring a freekick) has been a bit pish this season.
I think our midfield might be 3 from Capoue, Benji, Bentaleb, Dembele and Pauli.
two from Lamela, Chadli, Eriksen and Lennon.

It's why I have Kane on the pitch in all of my lineups. IMO Kane gives defenders someone obvious to think about, tack on Ade and you have more distraction. Plus at the end of last season, Eriksen, Ade and Kane playing resulted in Eriksens best spell. They hold up the ball for him and act as a target and a foil.

----------------Kane-------------
--Eriksen--Ade---Lamela--
----Capoue-----Chiriches---
Davies--jan-Kaboul-walker

IMO kab has been run ragged due to Rose and a lack of spine. Kane, ade, capoue and vert will IMO stop our flanks getting started at the source. Midfield. It's through balls that hurt us. The ball does not magically appear behind Rose from nowhere. We kill buildup and we control games.

Ade IMO is our most underrated creative player and should be the catalyst for everything. Not eriksen. Eriksen and Lamela need to be the hands up Mona Lisa's skirt. A surprise. Defenders slog against ade and Kane and out of nowhere eriksen curls one in or puts it on a plate for Lamela.

The beast used to be the dm. IMO vlad is a better general player than a cd and his best position is a DM. He's got way too much in his locker to be a CD, and he's too fucking crazy for that responsibility anyway.

Dier can replace Kaboul if I he keeps his form up but I've not seen enough of him as a cd yet.

Vs the top teams, that lineup may be too soft. Dembele would be my pick to keep our spine strong. Whoever is in the worst form of the attackers would make way for him.
 
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Here is what I think our best possible starting lineup is. I think Davies will eventually take the leftback spot because of his defensive superiority and Fazio with his experience will beat out Kaboul (who is having an awful start to the season) and Dier. In regards to Kane/Soldado, that seemed like a toss up because of their respective runs of form.
txdIcsal.png
You put that team out and we might be able to keep city down to a 2 goal deficit
 
One thing that is nice, is looking at the defence and thinking "but you have to squeeze Dier in there" or Fazio or Verts or whatever. Hopefully some real quality in depth
 
Tend to think the lineup will continue to change based on opponent and form. I could see situations where against stronger sides, the midfield "2" would be Capoue and Stambouli, and against mid/weaker sides, it would be Capoue/Stambouli and Bentaleb/Dembele.

Similarly, I wonder if against stronger sides we'd be better with Paulinho in the middle and Eriksen out wide and against weaker sides Chadli wide, Eriksen middle and Soldado up front (Adebayor and/or Kane against the more physically inclined West Ham types).

Probably could have just as easily said I have no frickin clue but I'm excited to see how it plays out.
 
Lloris- Walker Fazio Vert Davis- Dembele paulinho- Lamela Eriksen Chadli - Ade

Man I hate being pessimistic but can t see that first 11 beating any of the top 5 , lack a playmaker , lack pace wide , lack a top class striker :-( can't see any them forward 4 pressing ball in oppenents half or any real creativity in the middle of the park
 
Lloris- Walker Fazio Vert Davis- Dembele paulinho- Lamela Eriksen Chadli - Ade

Man I hate being pessimistic but can t see that first 11 beating any of the top 5 , lack a playmaker , lack pace wide , lack a top class striker :-( can't see any them forward 4 pressing ball in oppenents half or any real creativity in the middle of the park

Eriksen is the quintessential playmaker.
 
I think its a bit presumptuous to say we have 'strengthened' then defence.
Until we see Fazio play 10 games where we can comfortably say he is better than Kaboul and Dawson thats just us living in hope.
Same goes for Davies.
 
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