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Hammers1993 11:42 Tue Sep 19
Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Unfortunately with the players we have available to us it makes things difficult getting them all in the team:

- Antonio (arguably our best attacking player at times, just behind Lanzini)

- Lanzini (who's best role is behind the striker(s).

- Arnautovic (our record signing)

- Chicharito (need's a 2nd striker to play alongside)

The only formation that would accomodate these players is this:

--------------------Hart----------------------------
--Zabaleta--Reid--Ogbonna--Masuaku---
-------------------Obiang--------------------------
--Antonio-------Lanzini----------Arnautovic--
--------------Sakho--Chicharito----------------

Man City played that formation at the weekend. (yes we are not Man City, but with the players we have it's the only way it accomdates them to their best roles.

Carroll would be an impact sub around 60 mins for me as him playing just changes the whole gameplan, him coming on as an impact sub would be extremely useful.

That gives you variation of Lanzini dropping next to Obiang, not ideal but the only way the players listed get in the team to utilize their best capabilities/roles.

Hammers1993 6:11 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Of course all that goes out the window when the guy in charge wants to get his favourites Ayew, Noble and Carroll into the starting line up, forfeiting our best asset in Chicharito in the process.

WHUDeano 6:08 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Must say that the OP formation & line up looks pretty spot on to me, the only thing lacking is pace at the back and the question as to whether Obiang has the fitness and intelligence to do the job of two midfielders. Switch Ogbonna for one of the young lads like Rice with pace and energy and it could possibly work....Though more than likely the midfield would get overrun and the defence wouldn't not have the pace to cope...On paper though, any half sensible formation that gets Sakho, Hernandez and Lanzini on the same pitch is alright by me. Looking back on the Allardyce years, the diamond formation was the one time he actually put together an attacking lineup and was so successful it got Downing back in the England reckoning playing in the position behind the front two. I'd say that Lanzini,Sakho & Hernandez is a lot better than Downing, Sakho & Valencia....I'm in!

El Scorchio 3:03 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Leaving one on the bench is ok.

Keeps them all fresher and allows us to bring on a quality sub/switch things up in a game if we need to.

We don't have to cram them all into the starting line up if it's to the detriment of the overall balance and formation of the team.

Eggbert Nobacon 2:59 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Bilic himself has admitted he won't be able to play all our best attackers at once

"My job iis not to make them happy," Bilic said. "I mean it is a bonus if they are all happy, but it is impossible to have all the players happy.

"I have to make a fine balance between being solid and being dangerous when we have the ball.

"Sometimes it gives you a headache, who you will play when they are all fit. But my job is to look after the team and to treat every one of them in a good and decent way, then to try and keep them [on their] toes for the whole season.

stewie griffin 2:52 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Frank DE BOER

Hammers1993 2:44 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

stewie griffin 2:33 Mon Oct 2

Yes because Saturday was brilliant wasn't it. Truly amazing stuff for 90 minutes.

Masuaku and Sakho should of been starting.

, 2:39 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Well not just us fans because the pundits/journos seem not to be choosing the same elevens as Bilic to start games.

Sven Roeder 2:37 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Maybe he should listen to that S Bilic bloke who reckoned we needed pace and energy.
And not that other S Bilic bloke who keeps picking Ayew, Carroll & Noble.

stewie griffin 2:33 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

I hope he doesn't read any of your tips

and as Saturday proved again, he's better off not listening to our fans these days. Clueless

Hammers1993 2:16 Mon Oct 2
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Hopefully Bilic reads this thread for some tips as after nearly 3 years he doesn't know his best team either.

ornchurch ammer 11:48 Fri Sep 22
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Brooking was our best 10. Where would he fit in the modern game?

JustAFatKevinDavies 6:11 Fri Sep 22
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

I could imagine you doing a job as a number 10, V son?

Alex V 6:05 Fri Sep 22
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Good article on the different sorts of player filling the 'number 10' role in current prem sides - informs the discussion a little bit I think. http://www.espn.co.uk/football/english-premier-league/23/blog/post/3210218/number-10s-come-in-all-shapes-sizes-and-methods-in-premier-league

If you consider us in the light of it, who is our number 10? The most obvious answer is Lanzini, but he hasn't really played there much and whether he could is an open question imo. Antonio? But then he's more of a willing runner than a positional player or the fulcrum of a side. Ayew has played there a bit and we have the problem that though he pops up with goals he doesn't seem to offer anything else there. But crucially I don't think Sakho, Carroll or Hernandez seem ideally suited to operate there, and maybe that's a crucial recruitment failure.

Rossal 4:52 Thu Sep 21
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Hart

Fonte Reid Oggy

Zaba Noble Kouyate Cresswell

Antonio Hernandez Arnie


That front 3 gives us the best shot, think Arnie is the type of player to thrive on a big atmosphere like saturday will be. Do think though our midfield may struggle to create enough to give the front 3 chances. Carroll to come on at 70 to try and rescue it or to take the pressure off or nick a winner

deanfergi 4:40 Thu Sep 21
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Relentless attack...

Or switch AC & Chichs roles... with the 3-4-3
Hart
Fonte - Reid - Ogbonna
Zabaleta - Kouyate - Lanzini - Cresswell
Antonio - Chicharito - Carroll

deanfergi 4:35 Thu Sep 21
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Hart
Fonte - Reid - Ogbonna
Zabaleta - Cresswell
Antonio - Lanzini - Arnautovic
Carroll
Hernandez

scouse kid 4:29 Thu Sep 21
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Personally, I think a return to the mid 90's Harry 3-4-1-2 would be the best step forward.

Alex V 4:16 Thu Sep 21
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

As I write that Bilic has apparently said "Okay, he [Hernandez] is not playing closest to opponents goal but then we are playing with those three strikers, he is not playing wide."

He thinks we were playing three strikers? He thinks Hernandez did not play wide? Of course it's probably spin, but it's sure not accurate. Of course one of the problems with relying on clubs to note their own formation is you get the version of it they're trying to sell - the reality may be entirely different.

We had years of Allardyce telling us we played three up front as well.

Alex V 4:11 Thu Sep 21
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

I'm happy for you to describe their formation however you like. I can only explain my point of view on it.

I always take the view that descriptions of formations should be used as notations of what teams actually played (and therefore what we can learn from and judge them upon), but for most I think they're just a convenient and rather irrelevant placeholder for putting the players up on a TV graphic. Ie they're simply how you look at the line-up before a match, not how you judge them during or after it.

I sometimes wonder if Bilic himself is one of those who thinks that formations don't really matter. I don't think I've ever heard him describe what he thinks he's playing, and I'm not sure I see all that much evidence that he's thought it through on the pitch.

Sir Alf 4:05 Thu Sep 21
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Ayew was accommodated along with Noble in the first few games. The question has always been whether he selected the system to fit the players rather than recruiting and selecting players to fit a system or style of play. I think most of us think it was the former. The fact that our squad lacks the quality in depth to play different systems depending on the opposition is the fault of both manager and owners though IMO.

Bilic is like a golfer that only puts one club in his golf bag. Would be nice to one day have a manager that could coach / recruit players that could play in different systems and formations depending on who we play ( the old "horses for courses" thing). I expect we will see Carroll start until it goes pear shaped for a few games. Uncle Slav seems to be reactive not proactive?

Lee Trundle 3:46 Thu Sep 21
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Alex V 3:34 Thu Sep 21

It would have been more of a surprise, and probably less work for you, had you held your hands up and said, "oh yeah, I forgot about Leicester City playing 4-4-2" rather than writing all that out.

I'd rather take the opinion of my own eyes, Ranieri himself, the Leicester City fans, and all the media who scrutinised their tactics during their Championship winning season who all reckoned they played 4-4-2.

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