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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.

JustAFatKevinDavies 11:48 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

you don't need them all in the same team at the same time, its why England were so shit when they had great individuals. Just need to find the right balance. Only a child would think the best team involves the best 11 individuals.

Takashi Miike 11:49 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Hart or Adrian
Fonte - Reid - Oggy
Zaba - KOUYATE - Obiang - Cresswell
Antonio - Lanzini
Hernandez

Eggbert Nobacon 11:51 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

far too attacking

would get ripped a new one

Eggbert Nobacon 11:52 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

3 at the back seems to be the only way we don't look far too open (or at least it has been)

If we go to a 4 there's no way you could just have Obiang in the middle that can tackle

LeroysBoots 11:57 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Bilic has a fixation about Andy Caroll

dealcanvey 12:00 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

honestly think there is not much between a fit Sakho and Carroll. If anything Sakho always seems more likely to score.

southlondonhammer 12:04 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

---------------------------Hart-----------------------------

-----------Zab----------Reid----------Ogbonna---------

-----------------Kouyate------Obiang0-------------------

---Antonio------------Lanzini-----------------Creswell

-----------------Carroll-----------Hernandez---------

Eggbert Nobacon 12:04 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

probably likes the fact he doesn't refuse to wear the shirt when it suits him like the other cunt

El Scorchio 12:05 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

It's a squad game.

Hopefully this situation should encourage them all to know a place in the team doesn't come easy and they have to work to earn it and then to keep it. Also players will get injured.

Secondly we have to have strength in depth and be able to rotate players. Much as we'd like, you can't just have Antonio playing 45 games a season. The top teams rotate players to keep them fresh,

southlondonhammer 12:09 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Actually be tempted to switch Kouyate and Zab in my team I put up, Zab played holding midfield for city many a times and played it well

Infidel 12:17 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Hammers 1993

You are spot on in the OP.

With all players fit that is my starting XI.

That's a side that will challenge for the top 6.

Carroll for Sakho if needed.

Kouyate for Obiang if needed.

, 12:21 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

Looking at our squad it is not obvious which is the most effective eleven. This is because of the versatility of some players like Antonio, Kouyate ( who to me does not actually have a best position ) and possibly Zabaleta and the converse with two players namely Carroll and Hernandez both of whom are clearly front men but of a different ilk.

Carroll can only play in one position whereas Hernandez, being mobile, actually looks like a player in positions across the field but his advantages are completely nullifiedwhen in the same eleven as Carroll. It is almost as if Carroll being fit and available is an inconvenience to the selection of a most effective starting eleven. For me when Lanzini comes back I would like to see his subtlety used with Hernandez and Sakho up front rather than the bludgeoning tactics we use with Carroll playing.

Rossal 12:23 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

You dont accomdate your best players

You should play yout best team not your best players

I think Lanzini poses the biggest headache. I dont see where he fits into 3-4-3

Hernandez will be the central ST soon enough when Carroll gets injured

ornchurch ammer 12:24 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

1. It should not be beyond the ability of any manager to come up with a formation that can cope with a pair of forwards playing together.

2. Playing your best team does not always mean playing your best 11 players.

3. Anyone who puts Masuako above Cresswell obviously does not have a clue about football.

Any Old Iron 1:15 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

I pretty much agree with that line-up in the OP and think when all those players are available it should be given a few games to see how well it functions.
The problem, as I see it, is Bilic, who some time back stated that a fully fit Carroll will always start. Which means it's very unlikely that he'd try a Sakho/Hernandez pairing unless Carroll is injured, which of course will be any time soon.

My concern is that Bilic isn't quite as bright as we're led to think. I'm not convinced he had a vision of how the team would set up with the addition of the new players; hence the Mex being stuck out on the wing, which as we all agree is fucking ridiculous.

J.Riddle 1:24 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

No Payet?

Alex V 2:07 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

The best line-up to try and eke out a few points playing dour football was the one we just used. I don't see an alternative to that that I actually believe in right now. I don't think the two-striker formations would work very well - we'd leak even more goals. I suppose if I were the coach I'd go back to the 4-1-4-1, and simply drop Zabaleta and Fonte and Hernandez who don't seem capable of functioning in that formation. Rather than trying to find ways to accommodate players with major limitations, why don't we just accept they aren't worth bothering with in the first place?

Alex V 2:14 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

4-1-4-1
Hart
Byram - Reid - Kouyate - Masuaku
Rice
Lanzini - Noble - Obiang - Arnautovic
Antonio

master 2:18 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

we all know where its heading:

Hart
Antonio (RB)
Reid
Ogbonna
Hernandez (LB)
Ayew (RW)
Kouyate
Noble
Fernandez
Lanzini (LW)
Carroll

Slaven's grand plan

ornchurch ammer 2:37 Tue Sep 19
Re: Accommodating Our Best Players Into a Starting Line Up

4-1-4-1 effectively becomes a 4-5-1.
Same as teams who say they are playing 4-3-3 to sound attacking, they inevitably pull the wide men back and it becomes a 4-5-1.

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